Burnt Carbon Steel Pan

[Grumpy]

I just purchased the DeBuyer carbon steel pans from Chef's Catalog. The last step of the recommended initial seasoning process is to warm a little oil in the pan. During this step, I was distracted and ended up overheating the pan and leaving very dark brown circle over about 1/3 of the pan (where there was less oil.) I was able to get a very small amount to wash off using a drop of soap and soft scrubbie.

Did I ruin the pan? or is it just ugly?

I have read some other posts on burnt pans - like using kosher salt and steel wool, or Dawn Power Dissolver, but could not tell if these would be appropriate for the Carbon Steel.


Thanks

 

[Andy M.]

It's carbon steel. It can take a scrubbing. IF you scrub carbon steel, there's more carbon steel underneath.

Try Dawn. If that doesn't work, use a scouring pad and/or Barkeeper's Friend (BKF). When it's perfectly clean, do the oil thing again.

 

[Alix]

Have you got a Mr Clean magic eraser? Get that wet and give it a rub. Bet you get it all off.

BTW, think your pan is fine, just not as pretty as you would like it to be.

 

[ChefJune]

and if you use steel wool, be sure to get 0000 (4-Ought) so you won't have big scratch marks in your pan.

 

[Caine]

I'd just keep doing what you did until the whole interior of the pan looks like the ring you have now. It's not rocket surgery, it's just seasoning.

 

[Robo410]

the more you cook with the pan the darker it will get till it turns black. You are seasoning it for high heat searing etc. They are great pans. You did not hurt it, but you do want to even out the seasoning eventually. DOn't wash it off or scrape it off. Hot water and brush then re oil the pan a little. Treat like cast iron.

 

[Grumpy]

Thanks everyone.

I wasn't sure that these pans would eventually turn black/dark brown. If they will, I think I will follow the idea of just waiting until the whole pan is that dark. There is a very slight ridge-line of hardened gunk that I may try to remove with some of the milder cleaning ideas.

It's good to know the pan will survive!

Thanks again.