de Buyer 18cm 5110-18 carbon steel pan reviews
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de Buyer carbon steel 18cm pan review
cooking tips and opinions by Jason Buchanan
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All de Buyer pans are very high quality cookware that are used by chefs and restaurants around the world. The carbone plus pans are the mainstay of the industrial cooking and restaurant market.
The de Buyer 18cm carbone plus pan
Some specs and general design info:
- 18cm is the smallest fry pan made by de Buyer and is only available in the carbone plus range - 18cm size is not available in Mineral B
- The pan is 2.5mm thick and heats evenly yet as a fairly fast response time to temperature changes
- The pan edge-to-edge diameter is 18cm but the cooking surface is 12.5mm, or 4.9 inches (let's call it 5" for simplicity). The pan weighs .89kg or 2 pounds
- Handle is riveted on with three rivets, and has a thumb-well for a secure and stable hold on the handle (click photo at top of page)
- A 5" cooking surface may seem small at first but it is an ideal size for cooking a steak or chop for a single person
All de Buyer pans are made with highest quality materials and manufactured to the highest standards, and all have a minimum 2 year guarantee.
Cooking styles
A pan that produces a perfect sear is going to have a bad time with eggs unless the eggs are swimming in oil. Therefore, it's my opinion that
everyone should have at least two of these pans - one for each person you may be cooking for, for each type of cooking: searing and high temperatures vs. non-stick uses like eggs.
12.5 cm or 5" cooking surface seems small?
This pan is just right for cooking a hamburger, a steak, a pork chop, a chicken breast, or any other reasonably-sized portion.
Does the 18cm pan seem small to you? It's a fair question, especially in today's world where Epicureanism seems to be the norm.
It's hard to overeat if you don't overcook, and haute cuisine is better enjoyed as a collection of several courses instead of a three item meal.
Small skillets appeal to me because I don't like the idea of crowding items in a pan - food prices demand individual care and attention for what you're cooking. I'd much rather tend to two skillets with each making the best possible entree instead of squeezing two pieces of expensive meat into a single skillet.
Multiple skillets makes it possible to use different seasonings: black pepper and salt only in one skillet, butter and thyme with no pepper in another skillet according to individual tastes. More skillets means more flexibility and you don't need a 10 inch skillet for a 6oz filet.
The 18cm pan feels quite light for its size and is a great pan for sauteeing mushrooms or onions to pair with a steak.
Buying de Buyer
I buy my de Buyer skillets from Knives and Tools. Check out their "Combi Deals" - buy two different items and get 10% off. Shipping to the US is via DHL ground. K&T will ship your item within 24 hours but DHL shipping from the EU to the US is via container cargo ship across the Atlantic and takes a while (15 days). However, I can buy two skillets from K&T for the price of a single skillet sold by US merchants. You have to decide if you want to wait a couple weeks to receive two or three skillets shipped from the EU for the price of one skillet shipped from the lower 48. K&T provides the DHL tracking number for your order and you can follow your package. DHL hands off the package to USPS after it reaches the US and you can track the package via USPS tracking. US Customs inspected the package but the box was resealed and the contents were unharmed on delivery.
K&T has many other cooking items like spatulas and whisks and, of course, knives.
Links
I will add more photos and content as time goes by - stay tuned.
Also, if you were wondering, I am not compensated for this review.
de Buyer 18cm carbon steel pan review - Updated: 31-May-19
(C) 2019 jsb@digistar.com
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