Matfer Bourgeat 062005 Frying pan, Steel, Gray

Product Information

In a world full of excellent nonstick frying pans and elegantly designed enameled cast irons, there is a silent but stoic workhorse that has traditionally been the staple of professional kitchens—the carbon steel pan. This is why I like the idea with the mini legs in Ilsa, but at the same time it makes it less stable.

You can put these pans in the oven but obviously oven gloves are required as the handle will get hot. It is however about a pound lighter than the Matfer pan making it a better choice for someone needing a lighter pan. Again, these are utilitarian working pans, and are meant to be covered in a patina anyway, so not at all an issue.

To lower the risk of warping, the new pans will have a base that bows slightly upward; they will also have a thermally treated anti-corrosion handle stamped with the brand’s logo that is welded on more smoothly for durability. I mean even if I scraped the old grainy surface with metal utensils (which I didn’t always, but did more towards the end) and the highs would get a bit greyer here and there, the lows remained “black” and the look was mostly uniform on my cast iron pans. The single-piece pan design is welded to the handle, eliminating the need for rivets and providing an innovative angled shape for efficient stirring and sauteeing. It makes it so that I can for example pretty much guarantee rather evenly browned and crispy edge swedish pancakes with my Skeppshult 23cm cast iron pancake iron, with a cooking surface about 21,5 cm.

I would agree with others that these are meant to be used with gas, NOT induction or electric, which tend to heat things in an extreme and uncontrolled fashion. Considering the best of their kind can last a lifetime, the Matfer Bourgeat pan is a worthy investment for any home cook looking to add carbon steel cookware to their home kitchen. However, they have some extra benefits in their favor, namely the fact that they’re far lighter in weight so they’re more responsive to heat and easier to handle, and the smoother surface is easier to season and keep nonstick.Considering carbon steel (just like cast iron) gets better with age and use, I believe this pan would make a worthy investment for any home kitchen.