I Splurged on This French Carbon Steel Skillet, and Now I Use It Every Day

My foray into carbon steel began shortly after moving into a new apartment last year. I hadn’t bothered to bring our worn-out nonstick skillet, thinking that a brand-new kitchen surely warranted a brand-new pan or two. Or three? (Also, I live in Germany, where a working kitchen isn’t a given — even if you’re moving into a newly constructed building. We ended up spending six weeks without a kitchen at all, but that’s another story.)

Looking for a versatile pan to kick off my new equipment haul, I figured I’d start with another nonstick skillet. I wandered into my favorite local kitchen store and was promptly distracted by a display of de Buyer carbon steel cookware. In particular, the 24-centimeter (9.5-inch) Mineral B Omelette Pan caught my eye. Sleek, purpose-built, and favorably priced, I liked both how the pan looked and how it felt in my hand. 

Turns out, I also like how it looks on my cooktop, because, of course, I bought the de Buyer that day. Made in France since 1830, I knew there was no going wrong with this brand. Bonus: I also love how their pans are sold in paper bags (which you should keep, by the way, as they’re wonderful for protecting the pan while not in use).

Speaking of protection; much like cast iron, carbon steel requires a bit of care. Don’t be intimidated by the need to season your pan, though, because it’s totally worth the effort. De Buyer has a guide on how to properly season their Mineral B products (just click on “user manual”), but it’s pretty straightforward in terms of heating a thin layer of oil, letting the pan cool, and repeating the process several times. 

Although this is technically an omelette pan, I use it for so much more than just eggs. The size is Goldilocks-level “just right” for crisping bacon, reheating leftovers, and more. And because carbon steel conducts heat so efficiently, I can count on my Mineral B to turn out even caramelization whether I’m working with shallots or steaks.

In fact, these pans conduct heat so well that I highly recommend pairing yours with a de Buyer handle grip to protect yourself from burns. I think I used my Mineral B exactly once before I went back to the store to grab a neoprene grip, which lives permanently on the handle of my omelette pan. 

All told, if you’re looking for a pan with nonstick qualities without the delicate nonstick coating, look no further than carbon steel. I’m clearly partial to the de Buyer Mineral B line, but you don’t have to take my word for it — de Buyer’s nearly 200 years of cookware production experience speaks for itself.

Do you have a carbon steel skillet you love? Tell us about it in the comments!