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
This is one of the best pans I have tried. The handle does not get hot and I can turn the pan more than 90 degrees to put food on the plate with just one hand. The pan is not heavy and has blackened nicely from day one. Just follow PapaMau instructions, use the correct lower heat and oil and you will not be disappointed. following His instructions and food does not stick.
Hi Jack, we're thrilled to hear you're enjoying your Yahgan Black Series pan! Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy cooking!
Cheers
Mau
Yeah, its a good um. I now organise my weekly shop with food I can cook on my pan. Just looking for an excuse. It's about as good as it can get.
I do wish the new larger one didn't have such high sides. Will wait till there is a version that has the same sides as mine. Bit if anyone is considering buying this is AAA+ A buying. Zero regrets.
Only one tip. It does need seasoning out of the box, regardless of what the developer says, just once or twice, then non stick. Just the inner surface. The outside looks after it's self. There is nothing quite like it, so it's a no brainer purchase. I can see this pan lasting 100's of years.
Hi Damian, thanks so much.. I really appreciate you taking the time to write this.
I love hearing that the pan has become part of your weekly cooking routine. That’s exactly what I hoped for when I started Yahgan: a pan that gets used and abused daily.
And yes, fair point on the seasoning. Cooking often is normally enough for the pan to keep improving over time, but doing a couple of light seasoning sessions on the cooking surface early on can definitely help speed things up. Great tip!
Thanks again for the support, it means a lot. Hope the pan keeps serving you for many, many years.
Cheers,
Mau