Matfer Bourgeat, Gray 0 Black Steel Round Frying Pan, 10 1/4-Inch

Ojalá viniera pre-seasoned

This pan is a great all-arounder that I usually reach for when I need a medium pan. I personally enjoy cooking with it more than my similar stainless and cast iron pans.More details:- Handle's shape works well for tossing- Handle length helps it dissipate heat so it's more comfortable to grip while in use- The whole pan, handle included, is oven-safe- Handle is welded to the pan so there are no rivets. This is awesome because it makes the pan easier to clean- Angled sides are great for tossing (small stir fry, flipping eggs, etc.)- Moderately nonstick once it's seasoned (but initial seasoning is trickier than cast iron)- It ships with a protective coating that takes a frustrating amount of elbow grease to remove- After years of use, it's developed a barely-perceptible warp on high heat that doesn't seem to affect cooking on an electric rangeI have frying pans from Lodge, de Buyer (Mineral B) Cuisinart (Multi-Clad Pro), and All-Clad (D3) that I can compare this to.Shape-wise it's similar to my All-Clad and de Buyer pans; its sides have a lower angle (~45°) than the more vertical Lodge or Cuisinart sides. I think the lower angle is more generally useful because it works well for tossing and also makes it easier to slip spoons or spatulas under whatever's cooking.It's heavier than stainless pans (1724g vs my 10" Cuisinart's 1081g) but lighter than cast iron (my 10" Lodge is 2483g). I'm a lightweight adult male and can comfortably pick it up one-handed and toss food in it. (I would not do the same with the Lodge.) It's too heavy for my (much smaller) wife to do the same.Between my 8" de Buyer and 10" Matfer Bourgeat carbon steel pans, I prefer the Matfer Bourget. The de Buyer's handle has a coating (epoxy?) that limits its heat resistance; it doesn't handle ovens well and mine has even degraded where the handle connects to the pan. It also uses rivets to join the handle and pan, and they're a nuisance when seasoning the pan and a nuisance to clean.Relative heat retention is less than the Lodge cast iron, more than the stainless All-Clad and Cuisinart, and about on par with the de Buyer (the de Buyer might be a little thicker and thus have marginally more heat retention). I think it's a comfortable middle ground for most cooking.I've never gotten Teflon-like non-stick performance, but it's better than stainless and plenty good for everyday cooking with eggs and fish.I use this pan most of the time, but there are niche use cases when I reach for something else:- A nonstick pan (didn't list it above because it's a sauté pan) for delicate foods that I *really* don't want to stick- Stainless steel for cooking acidic stuff like tomato sauces (they can mess with the pan's seasoning if they sit in it too long)- Clad stainless when extra-even heat retention is needed (though I've not had trouble with this in practice)For reference, I've used this pan for just over 3 years.

Well build and sturdy. I like the ease of use, cleaning, seasoning and it is great for searing. Very versatile; actually, it is the kitchen workhorse and never leaves the stovetop.

Terrific pan. My first carbon steel pan, but I've heard about the benefits and quality of them--and of this Matfer Bourgeat in particular--for a long while. I was even able to get this one on sale for only $32 here (what a carbon steal!).I will say that the beeswax coating it came in with took quite a bit of scrubbing with a steel scouring pad to get it all off. So make sure you get it all off before placing it onto the stove or in the oven to season. I also used the instructions on the pan's label to season it for the first time & to soak up any residual wax (cook potatoes, oil, & salt in the bare pan), and it turned out terrific! I've since stuck it into the oven a couple times with a full coat of oil to further season.I've had a great experience with cooking in the skillet so far (I've had it for a month or so now), particularly with meats, potatoes, anything to be fried or seared, etc. Trying to stir fry in the 10.25" is a lot trickier, but that's not a fault of the pan quality itself, just the size. I kind of wish I would've sprung for a bigger version, but only this one had such a big discount at the time. Using sauces in the pan, such as soy sauce, does tend to leave sticky residue that can be deglazed pretty easily with hot water and a spatula while the pan is still hot/has been reheated. I've yet to use soap on the pan after the initial seasoning process.That being said I'm still new and learning when it comes to this pan. I have a pretty hard time not scratching the seasoning on the bottom when cooking with a fish spatula, and I'm not really sure if it's an issue with the spatula or my technique. Sometimes I'll also wipe down the pan with a mixture of oil and salt to remove any particularly stubborn burnt bits or smooth out uneven/bumpy seasoning that won't come off with a brush.I will probably still stick to a non-stick pan/wok for certain dishes like stir-fries, less heat-intensive recipes, and especially acidic foods. I did know what I was getting into in terms of clean up with the carbon steel. And it does tend to be very simple when just frying (just a quick paper towel wipe is enough). However, with certain foods the aftercare does feel a bit tedious, so I'd rather just make it easier for myself. At least until I get more used to cooking in the pan and/or build up a good enough seasoning.Also I would like to give warning that cooking on an electric stove and especially an induction surface will likely warp the bottom of your pan. Mine often ends up spinning while cooking on my electric stovetop, but I don't have a gastop, so what can I do. Luckily my pan's always been able to return to normal after cooling down, though I can always tell where the uneven part is when it's still hot. It does leave me some cause for concern for the future. Hopefully that doesn't become too much of an issue.Apart from that, the cooking experience is very enjoyable. I highly highly recommend this pan. Really, it gives all the benefits of a cast iron pan, while also being a much lighter and a smoother cooking surface. It also doesn't trade any durability for that lightness and is better at regulating heat (both heating up and cooling down). I'm honestly surprised carbon steel pans haven't picked up in popularity in US households compared to the wildly popular cast iron pans, though I suppose the price point is certainly a huge factor in that.

I have been on a serious quest for the perfect frying pan my entire adult life. A pan that doesn’t scratch, is nonstick, can go from stove top to oven, easy care, long lasting, doesn’t cost $400, and, should the situation call for it, can be used as a weapon.After doing a ton of research, I decided to try the Matfer Bourgeat. This. Pan. ROCKS. The more I use it, the better it gets! To be honest, there was a slight learning curve while attempting to get the manufacturer’s protective coating off. Yes, it’s there. You just can’t see it until you actually start to scrape it off. Or jab at it with a fork like I did. I remembered reading review after review as to what a challenge it was for many new pan owners to scrub said coating off. I initially tried a pot scrubby thingy, gave that up within two minutes. I then went straight to my Holy Grail of cleaning implements; the SOS Pad. Yep, that bad boy, combined with a little elbow grease, conquered the factory coating in less time than it originally took me to decide which size pan to order. Point is BUY THIS PAN. AND a box of SOS pads, if you haven’t got any on hand. Matter of fact, they ought to include one pad with the pan purchase. Sort of a bonus, and it may save a lot of consumers some headache and googling.Anyhoo, my pictures show my pan half way through the de-coating process. According to the directions on the pan’s label, I then seasoned it stove top with veggie oil, a cardiac arrest-worthy pile of salt and a whack of potato peels from Christmas dinner. Threw that ungodly concoction out, then went thru same process a second time. Boom. Took an hour or so, and definitely did the trick; first think I fried up was a proper omelet. I’ll tell you that folded little egg gift from god slid out of the pan almost perfectly. Almost. After the pan’s third or forth use, it’s definitely nonstick, even the sides.I wash it by running it under hot water and running a dish brush over it. No soap. Then dry it and rub a little olive oil all around the inside. Done. Boom.Size wise, I have the 10.25”. It is large enough to fry two eggs, make an omelet, or three pan cakes. (We like small pan cakes.) Holds heat very well with very even distribution. Handle is a typical restaurant handle, oven safe, but doesn’t offer heat protection. It’s called a towel or a cozy, people. Oh, and it’s heavy. Too heavy for my elderly mother to lift easily, but heavy enough that if you belted somebody in the head with it, they are not getting up any time soon. And the pan would probably show no sign of damage. Maybe that’s not a selling point to the average consumer, but it may be relevant if you’re cooking dinner during the zombie apocalypse outbreak.I seriously love this pan. It lived on top of the stove for several weeks even when not in use, cuz it made me happy just looking at it. I told my family that I would marry it if I could. I do plan on buying another, a larger one. I just hope my first pan doesn’t get jealous.