Pan ownership

Caring for Your Pan

Cook with it, wash it, dry it., oil it. That's most of it.

Carbon steel isn't fussy, it just wants to be used. Here's what to expect from the day your pan shows up to the day you hand it down.

From day one to the long haul

  1. 01Day one

    When it arrives

    First thing's first. Register your pan. Your serial number is on the underside of the handle, next to the rivet. Register it to activate your lifetime guarantee. It only takes a minute.

    Your pan comes seasoned. We bake grapeseed oil onto the steel for an hour at 500°F before it ships, so don't strip it.

    Give it a rinse with warm, soapy water, dry it completely, and cook.

  2. 02The first two weeks

    Build the seasoning

    Cook something fatty first. Bacon, potatoes in oil, onions in fat. Fat is what builds the seasoning.

    Hold off on eggs, fish, and tomato sauces for a week or two.

    Some sticking is normal. The seasoning is still thin. If something sticks early on, it's not the pan. It gets slicker every time you cook with fat.

    It's going to look blotchy. Brown, black, patchy. That's the seasoning building, and it won't look even for a while. That's what a well-used carbon steel pan looks like.

  3. 03Every time you cook

    Wash, dry, oil

    Soap is fine. Wash it, towel dry, put it on the burner for a minute, then wipe on a thin coat of oil while it's warm.

    Don't soak it, don't leave it in the sink, and keep it out of the dishwasher.

    Let it cool before it hits water. Never run cold water over a hot pan or drop it in a sink full of water. A sudden temperature change can warp the steel.

    Heat it up gradually. On the stove or over a fire, bring it up to temperature slowly, and don't leave it empty on high heat for long.

    Metal is fine. Metal spatulas and a chainmail scrubber won't hurt it. Save steel wool for a full restoration.

  4. 04Over time

    Keep it going

    Just cook with it. That's the best seasoning there is. Every time you cook with fat, it gets a little better and a little slicker. Once you're a couple of weeks in, go ahead and try eggs.

    The pan will darken from gray to bronze to near-black. That patina is the nonstick.

    Acidic foods: a splash of wine or a quick pan sauce is fine. Skip long-simmered tomato sauces, which can strip the seasoning.

    Re-seasoning in the oven. If it ever looks dry, or you've scrubbed a spot back to bare metal:

    1. Wipe on a thin coat of oil, then wipe it back off like you made a mistake. Too much oil leaves it sticky.
    2. Put it upside down in a 450–500°F oven for an hour, then let it cool in the oven.
    3. Repeat 2–3 times if you want.

    Which oil: any oil with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or Crisco. Skip olive oil and butter for seasoning.

  5. 05Between meals

    Storing it

    Make sure it's bone dry with a thin coat of oil. After that, stack it or hang it, whatever works in your kitchen.

Fixing common problems

Rust spots

Don't worry, it's an easy fix. Scrub the spot back to bare metal, dry it on the burner, wipe on a thin coat of oil, and heat it until it stops smoking. Then keep cooking.

Food is sticking

The seasoning is still thin, or it's worn in one spot. Keep cooking with fat, and give it a round in the oven if it looks dry.

Sticky or tacky surface

That's usually too much oil left on during seasoning. Next time, wipe it back off like you made a mistake, until the pan looks almost dry.

Gray or thin spots

Normal, usually in the center or where something stuck. Keep cooking with fat, or touch it up with a thin coat of oil or our seasoning tin and a round of heat.

Full restoration

If a pan has been neglected, scrub it back to bare metal with steel wool and hot, soapy water. Dry it completely on the burner, then season it in the oven two or three times to build a new base layer.

Something else wrong?

If your pan ever fails because of a defect in materials or craftsmanship, it's covered by our transferable lifetime guarantee. Start a guarantee claim.

Questions we get

Can I use soap on carbon steel?

Yes. Soap won't hurt the seasoning. Just don't soak it, and dry it right away.

Can it go in the dishwasher?

No. Hand wash it, dry it on the burner, and wipe on a thin coat of oil.

Can I use metal utensils?

Yes. Metal spatulas and chainmail scrubbers are fine. Save steel wool for a full restoration.

Why does my pan look blotchy?

That's the seasoning building. It won't look even for a while, and it darkens from gray to bronze to near-black with use.

What oil should I season it with?

Any oil with a high smoke point: canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or Crisco. Skip olive oil and butter for seasoning.

Can I cook tomato sauce in it?

A quick pan sauce or a splash of wine is fine once the seasoning is built up. Skip long-simmered tomato sauces, which can strip the seasoning.

Is rust covered by the guarantee?

Surface rust isn't a defect, and it's an easy fix: scrub, dry, oil, heat. Our guarantee covers defects in materials or craftsmanship. Read the full guarantee.

Does it work on induction and over a fire?

Yes. Gas, electric, induction, the oven, the grill, and an open fire. Let it heat up gradually, especially over a fire.