Ten years ago my daughter was a university student and she lived nearby, above a restaurant. One morning, while she was home, she smelled some smoke. There was a fire in the restaurant. A total destruction, everything was burned to the ground. As we were combing thru the debris to try and salvage some of her stuff, I noticed a pan handle sticking out of the ashes. I picked a charred Mineral B pan that was used in the restaurant. It had started to rust and the handle was completely clear of it's coating. I took it home and soaked it in two gallons of vinegar for four days. It came out all clear free of rust and charred seasoning. I looked up how to re-season it and I've been using it since then. I purchased four more De Buyer pans because I'm retired and my main hobby is cooking fancy recipes. Those pans have raised my game to another level.
I loved reading your story! Thanks for sharing. I recently turned 40 and have been diving into cooking more over the past few years. I’ve been experimenting with new recipes, from Dutch-oven bread to pulled turkey and beyond. Having great cookware really makes the process enjoyable! My cast-iron enamel pot is a dream come true. Just last week, I got my first stainless-steel skillet and I’m excited to try cooking everything with it. Plus, I have a De Buyer carbon-steel crepe pan on the way, which will be perfect for crepes, pancakes, and maybe even omelets and eggs, and maybe everything in-between, why not?
When I bought deBuyer, I decided to buy the Mineral B Pro, with stainless handles, didn't want to deal with Epoxy coatings/inserts on handles. I feel deBuyer makes the BEST carbon steel skillet on the planet. Great info. Jed, nice job!
I really like the feel of the coated handle. But in my mind you should just go pro for all models except for pancake and the omelette one. Especially if you do not have a gas stove.
I have this skillet and just scorched the Hell out of it seasoning it upside down on my Weber gas BBQ. It’s fine! Works well! The handle is cosmetic. If you don’t want to coddle the skillet just burn off the finish and the plastic doo-dad in the handle, and drive on.
Great info as always, Jed! I seasoned my De Buyer Mineral B pan in the oven at around 400F for about an hour. It discolored the handle a little bit, but no major damage. We have an electric stovetop, so I wasn't confident I could season it well enough on that stovetop.
I have 3 De Buyer carbon steel pans. Mine are from the Carbone Plus line. At 3 mm these are thicker than most carbon steel pans. They have the same shape handle as the Mineral B line, but no oven limits. I’ve read conflicting reports about the Carbone Plus line - they have the same coating as Mineral B, but thinner. They have no coating. Or that they have a powder coating. Whatever the reason, De Buyer says they are oven-safe. I believe the handles may be powder coated. They look like the day they came out of the box. They do *not* take seasoning, but they do not feel like they have any kind of epoxy coating, nor are they shiny. I picked the Carbone Plus line because when I started my carbon steel journey I was using an electric glass-top stove. I knew I was going to have to oven season them so I didn’t want the coated handle. I also was worried about warping with the glass top so I wanted as thick of a pan as I could get - without going full cast iron. These pans have been great investments. They have taken the abuse of my learning how to prepare and maintain carbon steel, how to cook properly with it (compared to teflon-ish non-stick), and how clean it. I’m a big fan of De Buyer carbon steel, whatever line you pick you can’t go wrong with them. Knowing what I know now, I’d probably go with Mineral B Pro if I was starting over. Though I’ll never give up my Carbone Plus pans!
@@qifgt there are Carbone plus with the Hollow handles (5130) and the flat handle (5110). The manufacturer gives the same guidance for the flat handle as the mineral b (200 c for 10 min) and the hollow handle is is listed as oven safe with no limit
I wonder what do you mean by "no oven limits". For Carbon Plus line It has written it all over the place, "do not exceed 400°F for a maximum of 10 minutes", for example, in the user manual on their website.
@@PIANOPICTURES Apparently De Buyer offers the Carbone Plus line with 3 different handles - stainless steel, plain steel (what I have), and a powder coat. The powder coat probably shouldn't be left at high temps in an oven for long periods. I can atest that the non-coated ones are fine after typical oven seasoning. When I initially got my pans (I have 3 of them) I did several rounds of oven seasoning on each.
Great video. The only thing that would concern me about putting standard Mineral B pans in the oven is: does the coating emit toxic fumes as it burns off? I.e it might be safest to burn off the coating *before* using it to cook food.
I don't have a carbon steel, but a thick stainless pan from Demeyere. It doesn't have a rivet handle it's totally smooth inside so it's awesome to clean. I think anyone who is going to want a pan for oven use should just steer clear from anything coated. Coatings WILL wear off, it doesn't matter how fancy it is. So anything coated will not last a lifetime.
If you want to save a bit of money the Matfer's are about 35% less expensive than the De buyer's. Handles are oven safe, and welded. The De Buyer pro's are the best of the best when it comes mass-produced carbon steel though.
I seasonned all my De Buyer carbon steel pans 3x each in the oven for 1 hour at the max temperature (250° Celsius) with no issue. I just have a little spot that you can barely see from where the handle was touching the grill, being upside down. As far as you don't touch the handle and let it cool you won't have any problem. And I would add that I don't like the Mineral B handle, which is too slick & slippery compared to the more textured & grippy Carbon Plus one.
I should have done my homework on these pans from the beginning. I have 4 pans that are all Mineral B . Have seasoned in the oven twice and the handles are fine,but I would have purchased the pro pans if I had to do it over again. De Buyer though is a great line. I do love my pans . It would be nice to have gas stove tops,but for now Im stuck with electric.
Wow so glad I saw this. I really couldnt care less about coatings in fact, i quite like rustic looks. Does this also mean that I can do a first time season in the oven for my new pan? My plan would be to season it for an hour to season it nicely
When it came time to buy my first, because of this epoxy business, I ended up buying a Matfer. I wonder if it is an incentive to upgrade to the pro, but it just pushed me to another brand. Season the handle once and you’re done. I just don’t see the point in what they did with these.
FYI: There are also "de Buyer Mineral B" pans with removable handles. This might be an option for you in some circumstances (Like camping trips. Or if you want to season your pan in the oven, but your oven is too small for a big pan with a long handle).
I am not that worried about the esthetic of a epoxy handle but about potential fumes getting out of it if you overheat them in the oven. Is hot epoxy setting free fumes? I know fresh epoxy is toxic when you heat it. What about reheated epoxy?
Same. Makes sense. Epoxy is a chemical and you are heating it up, I wouldn’t want my food exposed to that. I use mine for stove top sautéing only, usually fish. I also have a made-in which has a steel handle so I don’t have to worry under the broiler and use it for 95% of everything. Not sure what the point of the epoxy handle is other than esthetics. It’s not a dress, it’s a pan, don’t worry about esthetics😂! I use my vintage Wager cast iron for cast iron homemade pizzas which have to be in the stove at 500 for 20-30 mins.
I also have similar concerns, including vaporized epoxy sticking to the oven. I switched to carbon steel to get away from potentially unsafe reactions I don’t see or can’t quantify from nonstick. It makes sense to me to skip the Mineral B or just never use it in the oven.
@@Cook-Culture I did and I already regretted it. Why? I bought the 28 cm / 11 inch omelette pan Mineral B pro, cost me almost 90$ and I already regretted buying it because it’s heavy but the handle is very uncomfortable for me, stainless steel, looks cool but very slippery, weird steep, too slim and no helper handle. Very unbalanced in the hand, I might try to sell it. Very disappointed. I love how it cooks but the handling is a nightmare. Darto pans are absolutely beautiful and I don’t mind their weight because of the very comfortable handle. Needless to say, I am tiny. Just 5 feet short.
If you can’t go from stove top to oven, the pan is junk. Being a welder, I took a mineral B 11” pan the day it arrived and torched off the appoxy and the little plastic piece on the handle. I did it carefully without warping it. Best thing I did was remove the “mistake” that de Buyer made.
@@TN-vf3cr yes but it will smell up your house. Just go to Home Depot and buy a propane handheld torch. The ones you screw the little green bottles of propane to. It’ll cost you $30-40. Use it outside and just keep the torch moving about the handle. No need to get it “red” hot. In fact, that would be too hot. Just get it hot enough to where you see the plastic like coating burning/melting off. Then let it air cool, don’t quench it with water.
I got rid of that impediment too, just seasoned it upside down in a gas BBQ for 45 minutes, expoxy and plastic doodad all gone. It is a really good skillet, competes head on with my Stargazer cast iron and costs less.
@@maxcontaxGood idea… bbq. Whatever it takes. I just ordered a new 8” de buyer “access” blue carbon steel pan for use on a camping stove. It’s strictly going to be used for some tent camping and will never see the inside of an oven. So, I’ll leave that handle alone with that one pan.
I have suggestion for another topic: is it ok to cook in carbon steel pans with a lid on? Or just better get an stainless steel or enameled pan for that job?
I think you're good there. I use a lid for stuff like melting cheese on my burgers but it doesn't stay on long. I really don't think your seasoning is at risk here if that's the worry
This is why my first two carbon steel pans were from Matfer-Bourgeat. Their pans are nice and thick, no coating on the handle, can be seasoned in the oven or the stove top, and like de Buyer, will last forever. I have three de Buyer pans (Omelette, and two crepe pans). All seasoned on the stovetop. No need to go in the oven. That's Matfer-Bourgeat pans job!
My newest addition to my de Buyer-family is a Carbon plus-pan. The handle is without epoxy coating, rather a bit rough finish. I prefer to season those mineral B’s in the owen a first couple of times, and I’ve been doing that at 225-230 degrees celsius without any handle issues worth mentioning. So, have you got any experience with those carbon plus-pans? I haven’t really seen them available in stores, I got mine second hand as brand new… and hey, really appreciate this content of yours!👍🏻
I got the Mineral B Pro in two sizes (they were running a bundle sale) because of this, but that cast stainless handle makes the pan damn heavy (or at least I'll assume it's the handle).
Hi! I just bought a De Buyer Mineral B LOQY with the removable handle. I lobe it but I would be interested to see how durable the handle is long term. Also if it breaks hlw easy it is to repair.
Unfortunately, it's not that simple. The carbone plus comes with a variety of handles, at least in Europe. Some look very similar to regular mineral B minus the yellow thingy, some have the stainless handle.
@@derfx89Glad you posted this since this has been confusing me when I tried to research it. I thought maybe the online reviews/websites were just poorly translated or were about discontinued models.
@@Cook-Culture The Carbon plus with stainless steel handle (model number 5130) is superior in my opinion. Better ergonomics and hollow handle which almost doesn't transfer heat. And also a better price than the mineral B pro
Putting epoxy on it kind of goes against the vibe of the pan. I bought my Matfer pan because I like the properties that carbon steel pans, how you make your own non-stick coating through seasoning and all the other reasons. But a side benefit is that I think the raw-ness of it is cool. It makes me feel like a chef.
I get a bit nervous with heating up cast iron/carbon steel so much on induction. I'd just like to see some high searing done on these metals (on induction) .
@@lm3718 I use induction only with my Mineral Bs. I don't think 9 or 10/10 is recommendable for carbon steel pans. I find that 6-7/10 is plenty for searing.
Why would anyone buy a pan that has any epoxy on it. One of the big selling points about carbon steel pans is getting away from the use of toxic chemicals 🤔
I'm sorry but I really don't want epoxy on my carbon steel fry pan. I bought a new De Buyer years ago that measures 12" across the top and have never had that issue. I love it and would like to get a smaller one. Is it possible to get them without the epoxy?
I love DeBuyer pans but would rather they just came with a metal handle the coating does nothing for me. Coating just turns to crap after a while anyway so why bother. I would rather have a handle I can just use. In oven or what ever I need it for.
Put it upside down, lightly oiled, on your gas BBQ. Turn the BBQ on high and give it half an hour then turn it off but don’t lift the lid, let it cool slowly.
Just destroy the handle finish and drive on. No biggie. That’s what I did, now the skillet is in the oven making pizza on the BBQ. Did not affect the pan, which is quite marvellous
Great video. I own a 28 cm mineral b pro that I have bin a bit cautious using on my induction cooktop because I'm afraid it will warp. Anyone knows how the mineral b pans deal with long term use on induction?
Where did you get this information? What I see on their website is the same "do not exceed 400°F for a maximum of 10 minutes" for Carbon Plus line. Including mine Carbon Plus crepe pan.
@@PIANOPICTURESit’s because they’re too friggin cheap or lazy to print different use/care instructions. I chose Matfer Bourgeat carbon steel to avoid this issue altogether.
Great video as always, Jed. Since I have an electric stove, I have been seasoning my pans in the oven and they seem to be fine. Additionally, I have one of the monster pans (country pan like you have in the video) which cannot be seasoned on the stove unless you have a huge gas burner. Cheers ! Mihai P.S. the beeswax sells well here in Europe
@@Cook-Culture the wax is on eBay under Cast Iron Seasoning Wax (Grapeseed, Sunflower, Beeswax) . Unfortunately, I cannot post the link in the comments!
I have a question I hope anyone can answer. I am trying to get back into carbon steel cookware. Will the Mineral B handle cooking on a glass top stove without the bottom warping from the heat? In the past I have tried flat bottom woks (not Mineral B) and they always warp during cooking, probably too thin. Thanks in advance!
I have a large pan that is slightly warped (The center is raised) It performs as well as before on my induction cook top. One thing you might try, heat it up like a wok but not foundry hot, put your items in it and bring the temp to the max while you mix the food, for a minute and then lower it again. The metal will never reach warping temp and your food will still be seared wok style. The temperature needed to cook a steak has never warped my other pans.
I wonder why de buyer chose to do this when they should know at a minimum a flame is likely to lick the base of the handle. I wonder how unhealthy burnt epoxy flaking into food is compared to non stick
I don't see it getting into the food but yes, not sure why they can't find a better solution for their regular pans. The Mineral B Pro takes care of any issues though
I don’t like the pro handle. I want to burn the epoxy but dont have a torch. Your video show the oven wont burn the epoxy even 5 times later. Can someone help me?
Did you find a solution? I would try soaking in acetone and then scrubbing it off. You can buy pure acetone labeled as nail polish remover, just check it's not an acetone free version.
I’ve seasoned three different Mineral B pans in the oven. Each pan was seasoned three times at °250C, for an hour each time. All handles remained immaculate.
I gotta tell ya, that flaky looking epoxy looks pretty sketchy on that one handle. I wouldn’t want it near my food. Dumb idea to coat the handles in the first place. Just buy the Pro line and avoid this garbage altogether.
@@SirAdamantine Unless you're trying to save weight. Big cast iron pans are quiet heavy. Big carbon steel pans are not light by any means, but lighter than cast iron.
