Carbon steel – also known as sheet iron, iron, and carbon steel – is a fantastic material for frying pans.
For a while, carbon steel pans were forgotten in favour of modern non-stick pans, but today more people are starting to see the benefits of this material when choosing a new frying pan – carbon steel pans are fantastic and develop their own natural non-stick surface free from chemicals.
So what is Carbon Steel?
Carbon steel combines the best properties of cast iron and stainless steel. It weighs almost half as much as cast iron and has the same fantastic heat properties, which means that the pan stores heat, can fry at high temperatures and has excellent heat control. At the same time, you can build up a natural non-stick surface by seasoning the pan well – and carbon steel frying pans only get better with age, the more you use them.
Higher frying temperatures mean you can give your meat or vegetables a perfect crust, and if you take care of the pan, it will last a lifetime.
Carbon steel/iron pans consist of 99% iron and 1% carbon.
When you receive your carbon steel pan, it will be silver in colour, but as soon as you do the first ‘seasoning’ – i.e. treat the pan and burn it in with oil – the pan will become darker.
What colour should Carbon Steel be?
The more often you cook and the better the seasoning you have built up, the better your pan will become. This is reflected in the colour, which becomes darker. Over time, your carbon steel pan will change from silver to dark brown to black or very dark grey. This is a good thing, as it indicates that the pan has built up a good polymerised oil layer, which is the pan's natural non-stick coating.
The pan may change colour along the way – and that's perfectly fine. It depends a lot on the type of food you cook, how you have treated the pan and how long you have had it. That's the beauty of carbon steel – every pan is unique.
Read our guide to seasoning carbon steel
Is Carbon Steel safe for cooking?
In recent years, harmful substances have been found in modern frying pans with synthetic coatings. Carbon steel pans consist only of iron and 1% carbon – apart from the oil you use to season the pan. This means you get a more natural product that is completely safe to cook with. In fact, many believe that carbon steel is one of the healthiest materials you can cook with and can help ensure that you get enough iron in your diet.
