Black Steel Skillets

td66snrf

My new Sur LA table catalog came and they are hilighting BK brand black steel skillets. Anyone had experience with them? I'm pretty well stocked with cast iron so it's not a necessity but father's day is coming. 

https://m.surlatable.com/product/PRO-5283494/BK+Black+Steel+Skillets

Botch

No direct experience here, but I'm puzzled.  From the time when I first got interested in cooking (right before the Frugal Gourmet went to prison) until now, I've always read about avoiding cheap steel cookware (Mom had some expensive stuff) and go with aluminum, or if you're flush, copper or at least copper-layer, as those metals eliminated hot spots due to their higher thermal conductivity.  
I do have some cast iron cookware, but they're DOs which cook low-und-slow, (sometimes in the oven) so the slower conductivity doesn't factor in; I also have a CI wok, but it's used over the coals in the Egg and the heat is already hitting it evenly over the bottom.  A skillet, on a stove, I would think would be very susceptible to hot spots, burned sauces/eggs, etc.   

lwrehm

I love my carbon steel skillet!  For cooking on the stove, I will take it over any cast iron skillet I have ever used.

HeavyG

Never heard of or used the BK brand but do have a few carbon steel pans from others. Can't imagine there really are many important differences between the various brands.

My fave carbons are the ones from the Australian maker Solidteknics. Their Aus-Ion pans are seamless so no handle rivets and they have nice long handles which I really like. 

Theophan

You mentioned cast iron -- just want to make sure you realize these are completely different from cast iron.  Not the same at all.  Much thinner, much lighter, but have the potential to be "seasoned" much the same as cast iron, so they're practically non-stick, but indestructible, not like Teflon, etc..

I started to use some DeBuyer Mineral carbon steel skillets for a while, and really liked them, but then we did a big kitchen remodel and wound up buying an induction cooktop, so we had to buy all-new cookware.  The DeBuyer skillets still would have worked fine on induction, but it's a long story, I wound up buying some DeMeyere stainless cookware that was made for induction, and I don't use the carbon steel ones anymore.

If you're loaded with CI and you love it, keep using it!  Like CI, carbon steel pans need seasoning, and it can be a bit of a pain to get them seasoned consistently.  You've already got your CI skillets seasoned and they're great, so what's the point of adding carbon steel skillets?

td66snrf

@Theophan one reason is as I get older the CI gets heavier. I have 7 skillets from 6 to 13, that's a  load. I appreciate everyone's input.

SciAggie

I have a couple of deBuyer CS skillets. I like them and use them more than my CI. I use them in the outdoor kitchen and like them just because they take a lot of abuse without worry. I’m talking about scraping on the floor of the wood oven, black and soot from wood fires, etc. I can’t say they are any better then the CI, but I do like them.

HeavyG

Theophan said:

You mentioned cast iron -- just want to make sure you realize these are completely different from cast iron.  Not the same at all.  Much thinner, much lighter, but have the potential to be "seasoned" much the same as cast iron, so they're practically non-stick, but indestructible, not like Teflon, etc..

I started to use some DeBuyer Mineral carbon steel skillets for a while, and really liked them, but then we did a big kitchen remodel and wound up buying an induction cooktop, so we had to buy all-new cookware.  The DeBuyer skillets still would have worked fine on induction, but it's a long story, I wound up buying some DeMeyere stainless cookware that was made for induction, and I don't use the carbon steel ones anymore.

If you're loaded with CI and you love it, keep using it!  Like CI, carbon steel pans need seasoning, and it can be a bit of a pain to get them seasoned consistently.  You've already got your CI skillets seasoned and they're great, so what's the point of adding carbon steel skillets?

Carbon steel has a couple of advantages over cast iron. One is the potential lighter weight and longer handles. That allows me to easily toss items in my skillet while cooking. Can't do that with any of the dozen cast iron skillets I have.

Second advantage is, generally being thinner metal, they heat up and cool down more quickly than cast iron. Sometimes you don't want a pan to retain a lot of residual heat.

bgebrent

Carbon steel skillets are perfect for paella and stir fries. Great substitute for a wok in a pinch. 

odie91

Debuyer is nice. I have one.  But If you want something more economical to test out, Vollrath is also a good brand.  I believe a lot of restaurants use them.

Photo Egg

Only real down side is that it’s softer than CI. Easy to scratch the surface. I tore mine up stirring with a metal fork. Had to strip it back down and start over. 

marysvilleksegghead

Being a gadget freak I might just have to try one.  

SonVolt

Carbon Steel skillets are more fun and feel more "chefy" than cast iron but they function more or less the same. Carbon steel is slightly less heavy (but still thick gauge steel) and polished smooth. DeBuyer is the standard, that link you sent doesn't look too appealing to me.