de Buyer Mineral B Element pans

The pans are all solid and heavy and have no non-stick coating. The more you use the pan the more it forms a coating of itself. Because the pans has no non-stick coating, they can bake at very high temperatures. You can also feel free to use steel utensils without worrying about damaging the non-stick coating. The Mineral B Element pans with a thin layer of beeswax on the baking area. This makes the risk of corrosion a lot lower. In addition, this helps to flavour the seasoning in the pan. As a result the pan has somewhat of a non-stick layer by itself, compared to the regular Acier Carbone-series. The B Element deBuyer Mineral pans are suitable for all heat sources. Also for induction and they can go into the oven. These pans do need a special treatment, but when used properly a pleasure to work with.

Seasoning a de Buyer pan

Before use the pan must be burned, which they call "seasoning". Please look at the product video to see how that works. You start with washing the pan under the faucet. With very hot water and a brush do you remove any residue left from the factory. Do NOT use soap! Dry the pan with some kitchen paper.

Pour about a millimeter of (sunflower) oil in the pan. Do not use olive oil, because it cannot handle the high temperature. Place the pan on high heat and let the oil burn. Pour the oil from the pan and dry it again with some kitchen paper. The pan will now be slightly darker on the inside, which is called patina. You should cherish this patina! It causes the pan becoming more resistant to sticking and to rust. The darker/blacker the pan: the better it is seasoned!

Until the patina is well-formed it is advised to bake some (red) meats in the pan. After about 10 times baking the patina is good enough to bake more delicate products like for instance eggs.

When you bake more acidic products like lemon, tomatoes and white wine, lighter spots can appear in the patina. When this happens it is important to burn pan again with some oil.

Cleaning a carbon steel pan

After you use the pan you wash it with hot water to remove food residue. Immediately after it, dry the pan with kitchen paper to prevent rust. Any food left behind can be removed with a sponge. Don’t let the pan soak in water because this will cause rust.

Periodically it is advised to put a layer of coarse salt in the pan and heat it for a minute and a half. The salt will remove odors and the like from the patina. Rinse the pan off and dry it with paper towels. Afterwards put a tiny bit of oil in the pan before storing.

Never wash these pans in the dishwasher. This does irreparable damage to the pan.

History of de Buyer

The French company de Buyer has been making high quality cookware since 1830. All products are still made in France, which means it is still original European quality. In addition to exceptionally good pans for professional kitchens, de Buyer also makes very good mandolins.