MINERAL B Carbon Steel Fry Pan - 12.25” Diameter, 9” Cooking Surface - Ideal for Searing, Sauteing & Reheating - Naturally Non-Stick Finish - Made in France

I had been in the hunt for a healthier alternative to my Teflon coated non-stick pans when I ran into these here on Amazon. I was rather skeptical of the non stick ability many claimed possible with the De Buyer Mineral B pans. Reading the existing reviews, it seemed that all stressed proper seasoning and in between use care. Instead of jumping on the Green Earth or Bialetti pan bandwagon, which seemed to be plagued with poor quality, I decided to read up a bit on the seasoning process. I visited a few forums, watched a few you tube videos and placed my first iron pan order. Though not directly recommended by De Buyer for this particular pan, I followed instructions to boil potato skins for 15-20 minutes before starting the seasoning process. I usually would follow the manufacturers specific instructions but the information for pre-seasoning with the potato skins came from a very respected chef on a popular forum who also fancies the De Buyer product. After the boil process I seasoned my new De Buyer pan with peanut oil using the method dictated on the De Buyer website. The process was completely painless and the pans are better than expected. It has now been several weeks since my first Mineral B fry pan purchase, the 10.2" model. I was so infatuated with the original pan that I have now purchase nearly the entire set of the Mineral B line. They are truly non-stick when seasoned properly. They cook like a dream. They heat up so quickly and when I change the heat setting on my stove they seem to adopt the new temperature much quicker than my previous pans. I had a little trouble getting used to not using soap to wash these; instead rinsing with very hot water and wiping/lightly scrubbing out as necessary. The process is just so different than what I was used to but after doing it for a while I find it easier. If you are the type of person that needs a pan to look perfectly clean and spotless, these are not for you. I say this as the interiors darken with age and they blue a bit on the outside. This keeps them from looking brand new for very long (though I think they look even better as they get more use). If you have trouble following directions or would prefer a "maintenance free" pan, this pan more than likely isn't for you either. They do require a simplified method of maintenance but require salt purifying from time to time and should be oiled after each use (again, painless but a tiny bit more work that the average Teflon pan). Also, these pans and the entire line as a whole are rather heavy. If weight is a concern, these pans are probably out of the question. If however you are looking for a healthier alternative to other non stick pans with durability to boot and don't mind a bit more time in the kitchen, these high quality pans are right up your alley. On another note, I have found my favorite amongst the Mineral B line-up. They are the De Buyer Mineral B Country Chef pans. I bought both the 9.4" ( De Buyer Mineral B Element Country Chef, 9.4" ) and the 12.6" ( De Buyer Mineral B Element Country Chef, 12.6" )versions and they are by far my most used pans of the set. They are similar to a deep wall skillet but with the volume and practicality of a saute. The smaller version works very well in place of a saucepan and the larger is perfect for stir fry dishes and meals for larger groups. Well worth looking into. Enjoy!

I've been using French enameled cast-iron frying pans for many decades, but I recently decided to try a De Buyer steel skillet after an old Le Creuset started to pit and spall on its cooking surface. I am so glad that I did! I got the smallest 7.9" model as a cheap test. It totally passed! The instructions say to first rinse it in hot water to get rid of any excess beeswax residue. Then you must season the skillet with oil before you use it. I seasoned it once with some flax seed oil to a light brown color, and then I fried my first egg. I was anticipating that the skillet would require several seasonings to build up a non-stick surface, but no! It cooked a perfect over-medium fried egg for me the first time. I have since fried eggs and sausage patties in it, and the seasoning is a nice dark brown now. Compared to my old favorite Le Creuset, this de Buyer Mineral B pan seasoned quicker and weighs much less. It heats up faster and requires less heat than the cast iron to cook the same thing. The quality of its non-stickiness is at least equal to my old favorite, which is to say, about perfect. Cleanup is just as fast and easy, and the price is right, especially compared to French enameled cast iron. The only drawback of this pan is its relatively small size, but I knew that when I bought it. The next size larger would be more practical and useful for most people. Still, for the mornings when I cook breakfast just for myself, this is the pan I use. I still have and love my old 28 cm Staub cast iron pan, but my smaller frying pans are now this one and a 24 cm/9.5" De Buyer Carbone Plus model that I just ordered. These pans ought to last a lifetime or two if properly cared for. If I had the past forty years to do over, I would ditch the cast iron and go with steel skillets like this one. DeBuyer Mineral B Element Iron Frypan, 7.9-Inch Round

So, I rarely write reviews, but I have to with this. Bottom line so far, this is a great pan, IF YOU USE IT RIGHT. Did you all read that? use...it...right. For all your international readers, I'm American AND a man, so that's two strikes against me. Anyway, lets get to it: 1. I read nightmares for some reason about what coating came on it, and thought it was encased in some sort of concrete or magic substance that ruined the pan and the purchasers life as well. I have no idea what they were speaking of, because I followed the directions (for once) and ran it under scalding hot faucet water for 5 minutes and scrubbed off the light coating of beeswax off that it comes with. I assumed it was there, I didn't really notice anything, but I took their word for it and did it anyway. 2. I seasoned it like they instructed, by filling it with a plain tasting (canola or vegetable) oil using 1-2 mm (again, I'm American so I guessed what that is, because we feel that the metric system isn't any good) and heating it until it smoked...about 5-10 minutes. WATCH THE PAN, it happens fast; I think this is probably where everyone else went wrong, leaving them with a burnt mess that ruined the pan. I turned the burner off, let it sit for an hour, and cleaned as instructed in #3 below. 3. After cooking, wash it with hot water and a plastic scrubby, never use anything else or soap. NOT the stainless chain mail for cast iron, NOT soap, use a plastic scrubby. If it gets anything particularly chunky on it, use the plastic scrubby and kosher salt as an abrasive. Dry it with a paper towel then over a flame for a minute or two..again, don't burn the pan doing this, it will ruin the seasoning.. Put a DAB or oil....not a tablespoon, or a dash, or anything in between....just a dab on a paper towel and rub it into the bottom and sides of the cooking surface and you're done. You should really feel almost nothing if done correctly. 4. This is a carbon steel pan, not your mothers indestructible old Teflon or even Sliverstone. You have to know how to season it, take care of it, and most importantly cook on it. Again, being American and a man, we tend to cook everything on atomic blast for maximum effect and doneness. Go USA. Not so with these types of pans. medium or medium high should always be the rule at best, and usually low to medium suffices. I cooked 2 sunny side up eggs this morning starting out on medium high heat for 60 seconds (covered), then down to low heat for a few minutes until the top was just finished and no longer runny. Yes...they SLID RIGHT OUT after freeing up one sticky corner. Trust me, not one was more shocked...and pleased... than me. 5. The pan will look caramel brown at first, then eventually dark brown...that's supposed to happen. The more colorful it gets the more non stick it gets. That's a beautiful pan right there to use when it looks like that. -The only cons so far, if they can be one, is that it is HEAVY...but it is supposed to be if you know anything about pans. This is a 9.5 inch, and if I get the 12 inch I can only imagine the weight....but for the quality it's worth it. -Secondly, although it is billed as a "10" pan" the sides are sloped up from the bottom sooner than most other pans...this gives you a bit less cooking area for things such as burgers, etc. Not a big issue, just noticeable when you use it. But again, worth it. -Lastly, since it is very susceptible to heat, this is NOT a pan to cook delicate things in such as crepes (this is the wrong pan anyway), or things that need high heat for long periods of time (it would tend to get away from you) but you get my point; this is a pan that will take getting used to, but again, well worth it. Overall, a solid pan that so far I love.

I give this pan a provisional 4 stars. I really have to return and change this later after I can really say if my hopes were fulfilled or not. I can say for what it is, its a fairly good pan. I envision it as a better cast Iron pan with strong non stick qualities and at this moment, its not quite there for me. I want to say that its important to really get the beeswax off before you go any further. I made the error of scrubbing it off and while it got some, it did not get all and the seasoning I began to leave was flaking off. I then scrubbed the pan with corse kosher salt and this finally did the trick, I have had no more issues with the seasoning flaking off and its becoming better and more nonstick as I go. I can fry an egg on it just fine, though you always need to use a lot of oil or fat to really make sure it is nonstick. It cleans up fairly easy. If you are familiar with cast iron pans, you never use soap, usually hot water and a scrapper do the job fine. Then warm it, cover it with oil to get it ready for next time and you are good. Usually not much sticks to mine. Its a heavy pan so if this is a dealbreaker for you, be warned. It also gets very hot. So make sure you always use a potholder when you need it. The handle generally stays fine unless I use the pan in the oven. I feel like I cannot say more about carbon steel pans because I am only a few months into my research, but generally I think the people with more experience are right, this is a very well rounded pan that offers so many advantages. I await the day when I will simply fry a steak, or possibly make an omelet with ease.

It's an awesome pan; even heat distribution, seasons easily, food slides right out when done, it doesn't warp under normal use, it's lighter than cast iron, and the handle helps with the weight / makes it easy to maneuver when flipping eggs, etc. I bought a Lodge silicone handle for it and used grape seed oil to season it. For extra precise heat distribution and temperature control, I use an aluminum heating plate (one could also use an induction or electric range). Copper is even better, but I couldn't find copper plates on Amazon. A word to the wise: when cooking with garlic, be sure to move the cloves around and don't let them sit because they'll quickly strip the seasoning from the pan. It's also best to avoid most acidic foods and sauces with any seasonable steel pans. The only downside is that the epoxy coating on the handle won't stand up to seasoning it the quick way, in the oven. At the same time, it's likely their to avoid rust and provide some heat resistance so one doesn't burn their hand. I recommend taking your time seasoning this type of pan so layers can cure and build up and lessen the risk of being stripped with normal use. I seasoned it once per day, every day, over the course of a week before using it. A small amount of oil on a lint free towel once the pan is heated up to about 200* F works well. Be sure to remove the beeswax with very hot water and carefully wash it beforehand. Once the pan is warm, wipe the inside and outside with the lightly oiled towel (also going over the rivets), let it cook at medium to medium high heat (depending on the range and it's output) for about 10-15 minutes, wipe any remaining oil off with the other side of the towel, and allow it to cure overnight. If you see smoke during seasoning; a very light amount seems to be ok, but anything more usually means it's time to turn down the heat / remove the pan from the heat. Medium to heavy smoke and a bad scent is something to avoid during the seasoning process. When it comes to washing the pan: simply use a sponge with some soap / water, lightly scrub the pan, and then rinse thoroughly. It's a good idea to dry off the pan afterwards on the stove with medium heat for a few minutes. This prevents rust from forming in any area the seasoning might have missed. Some also choose to add a quick layer of seasoning after washing it, and some are ok with drying it and leaving it for next time. I hope this helps someone out there.

After getting this pan I think I'll never go back to cast iron. This is a fantastic, high quality piece. It heats up faster than my cast iron yet also seems to retain heat for longer. It has a smooth finish yet holds seasoning super well. The handle also disperses heat better than short cast iron handles so cooking with it is easier. The handle takes a long time to get hot so in typical day-to-day use i don't need a hot pad at all. There's a ton of info on seasoning these things but let me explain how I do it. Note, this pan has an epoxy handle on it so oven seasoning is not recommended. Although honestly this method is much much faster anyway. Also, note, I find deBuyer's method doesn't really work very well. 1. After thoroughly cleaning the beeswax off, set the pan on a burner set on high. Just leave it there, no oil or anything. Watch as the pan color goes to brown then to blue and then back to gray. This could take 20 minutes or more depending on your burner output. Once this is done you have put a layer of oxide on the pan and it will never rust. This is typically how carbon steel woks are first heat treated. Pan will be VERY hot after you do that, so let it cool down for a while. 3. Once cooled a bit, put a few drops of canola oil in it, spread the oil around and buff it out with a paper towel. This should be a very light coat with barely any sheen at all on the pan. You want to nearly wipe it all out. 4. Put the pan on medium-high heat and let it start smoking. If you see beads of oil on the pan wipe them with the paper towel. Be very careful at this point as the pan is very hot. You might want tongs to hold the paper towel and you'll want a hot pad for the handle. 5. Once the pan stops smoking and looks dry, repeat the process. A few drops of oil and a thorough wipe. The pan will start smoking as soon as the fresh oil hits it. Keep wiping oil beads, and each time the pan gets dry and stops smoking, let it sit a bit on the flame and then add a tiny bit more oil. Each time you do this you'll notice the pan gets darker. That's the seasoning building up. 6. You are probably good after repeating this 3-4 times, but it's so quick that I like to repeat the steps 10-15 times. The pan gets very dark very fast. If you spend on hour on this your pan will be very nearly black. After the final coat I like to let the pan just sit there on the burner for a bit and make sure it really sets that seasoning in and dries out. 7. Once done let it cool off for a while. If you did it right the seasoning will be super smooth, dry and not sticky or oily in any way. Couple of notes: 1. I find that my "big" burner can get too hot and I know this is happening when the paper towel starts flaking and getting nearly charred right away in the hot pan. You'll need to find the right temp but it's pretty easy to gauge based on what the paper towel is doing. 2. I think the main problem with people not getting seasoning right is not getting the pan hot enough. You'll get great results with VERY light coats of oil, and waiting until the smoking stops to add more. 3. This method results in a very durable seasoning that can handle whatever you throw at it. Dish soap is not gonna phase it in any way. Just don't take steel wool or abrasive cleaners to it, and make sure you dry it on a burner if you get it wet. I like to do one round of very light oil and heating on a burner until it stops smoking (just like in the initial seasoning) every time I wash a pan like this.

Awesome skillet. I found it at a very good price so bought it. I all ready had a mineral b and a mineral b pro in 11 inch and love them. At the price it was I couldn’t pass this larger skillet up. Glad I bought it. Seasons up well and handles some big dishes. 👍 on another DeBuyer.

My first carbon steel pan. Takes some getting used to but a great alternative to non stick once you lean how to maintain it. Quality built and will last many lifetimes if maintained.