It cooks better and better. I enjoy it very much.
Texture is too rough. Many regrets buying this. Won’t be used / I’ll have to donate it.
Hi Jesse, thanks for your feedback, and I’m sorry to hear the pan wasn’t what you expected.
The Yahgan Black Series is made from nitrided carbon steel, so the surface will feel different from stainless steel, aluminium or coated non-stick pans. It can feel a little rough at the beginning because the surface is sandblasted and pre-seasoned. This is done intentionally to make the pan easier to start using and to help the seasoning layer build properly.
The good news is that the surface changes quite quickly with use. After a few cooks, and especially after a couple of weeks, the cooking surface starts to smooth out beautifully as the seasoning develops. The pan just needs to be cooked with, and it will continue to improve over time and become an incredible everyday pan that performs for many years.
Happy to help with any tips if you’d like to give it another try.
Cheers,
Mau
This pan is absolutely amazing! Initially it was a little bit sticky but after a few cook ups, I can honestly say that it equals my Erie and Griswold cast iron skillets I have! The quality is excellent and I guarantee that it WILL last a lifetime! It is easy to clean and give perfect results in all the types of cooking I have used it for, especially steaks!
Hi Bruce, thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're thrilled to hear you're loving your Yahgan pan and that it measures up to your cherished cast iron skillets. Happy cooking for many years to come!
OK but not great. I like the idea of a non teflon pan, but food sticks to this the same as Stainless. For that reason I might as well just use a SS pan that I can pop in the dishwasher, where as this one I cant. Happy to clean by hand if I can get a good surface, but its certainly taking a long time to happen so far. I'm not convinced with the heat distribution either, there are very easy to view heat rings in the pan while on my induction top. (No not over heating and bring up the temp slow)
I wouldn't buy one of these again at this money, sorry !!
Hi Benedict, thanks for sharing your experience.
What you’re describing is very common with a new carbon steel pan. Your pan is still less than a month old, so it is likely very early in developing its full potential.
All the carbon steel pans I own, from many different brands, are much more non-stick than stainless steel once they have built up some seasoning, but they do need a little time and the right technique. If food is sticking, I’d suggest using a little more fat and slightly lower heat while the pan continues to develop.
On heat distribution, thick carbon steel has a lot of thermal mass, so it takes longer to heat evenly compared with lighter stainless or clad pans. With induction, I recommend using the largest ring available and allowing the pan to preheat gradually. If the induction ring does not cover the full cooking surface, moving the pan around a little during preheating can also help even things out.
On cleaning, stainless steel can definitely go in the dishwasher, but after cooking something like a good steak it usually still needs some hand cleaning. With carbon steel, I like to add hot water after cooking, let it sit for a few minutes, and then it usually cleans up very quickly.
Please feel free to reach out directly if you’d like help fine-tuning the pan. With a bit of practice, it should deliver much better performance than what you’re experiencing now.
Cheers,
Mau
