Guide to Cast Iron Pans

Our professional seasoning service at Butch

First, we thoroughly check the quality of each pan before seasoning. Although it may not be necessary for the top brand de Buyer, this quality control before further treatment is part of Butch's high quality standards. Then, we clean the pan thoroughly with hot water and dish soap, removing the beeswax that protects the pans from corrosion in de Buyer's warehouse and during transport.
Next comes the "hot phase": the pan is placed on our gas stove, we add some oil and spread it on the sides of the pan. The oil is then heated to a high temperature, and the pan becomes darker. You can see this impressive process in the video here. When the oil reaches a temperature of about 300° C, the pan is ready to be seasoned. The hot oil is carefully poured into a heat-resistant container, and we let the pan cool down.

The dark color of the pan (compared to unseasoned pans) comes from the seasoned oil. Inside the pan, there is a slightly irregular edge along the wall. This edge shows the level to which we filled the pan with oil before seasoning. This edge does NOT come from the beeswax layer that once preserved the pan, as is often mistakenly assumed. (Because, as you may recall, we removed the wax before starting the seasoning process.) We also recommend that even the most aesthetic and perfectionist among you leave this edge in the pan. After several uses, your pan will get a cool "used look", and this "oil level mark" will no longer be noticeable :-)

Seasoning seals your pan and makes it ready for use. Before the first use, you don't need to do anything else except maybe wipe the pan with a dry cloth.

To ensure that you are completely happy and satisfied with your new iron pan, please note the following instructions:

Dos and Don'ts when cooking with cast iron pans

Choose a suitable cooking surface

The cooking surface or hotplate should have the same diameter as the pan bottom. If the pan is larger than the cooking surface, the cast iron pan can compensate for a size difference of up to 2 cm. However, if there is a larger deviation, there is a risk that the pan bottom will warp. Hotplates that are larger than the pan bottoms are not a problem for the pans. However, this means that you are wasting valuable energy.

Do not heat the pan without content

After turning on the stove, add some oil or liquid to the pan quickly. If you heat the pan empty for too long, overheating can occur. This can cause the bottom to warp too much inward or outward, the patina to bubble or even chip off. Since cast iron pans heat up quickly, the overheating point can be reached quickly. With some cooking fat right from the start, you protect the pan from overheating damage.

Initially, only use the pan for frying

The patina still needs to form and solidify. Therefore, at the beginning, refrain from braising, frying, or making sauces in the pan. The patina could soften and come loose. With increasing use, the initially relatively smooth patina becomes rough and uneven. A good sign that it has stabilized. Then your cast iron pan is also suitable for use beyond frying. To prevent anything from sticking, you should only add the food to the pan when the oil is hot. You can recognize this, for example, by the oil streaking. To be absolutely sure, you can also hold a small corner of the food in the pan. If the frying process starts immediately, the oil is hot enough. To prevent sticking, it is also recommended to shake the pan lightly in between. This will allow oil to get under the food and prevent it from sticking. Professional chefs don't just do this as a show effect, there is a reason for it.

Fry at moderate temperatures

Cast iron pans have excellent heat conductivity. They heat up quickly and reach high temperatures fast. To heat up the oil, you can use the highest setting, but for frying, usually three-quarters of the stove's setting is enough, often even less. The turbo or booster function on induction stoves should not be used. If the setting is too high, the food will burn onto the pan and be difficult to remove. Especially with induction stoves, you should pay close attention to the points "risk of overheating" and "fry at moderate temperatures." However, this note does not mean that the pan is not suitable for high temperatures. On the contrary, the pan is even specialized for high temperatures, only the maximum temperature setting on the stove is not necessary for it.

Avoid acidic foods and dairy products

Acidic foods and dairy products are not suitable for cast iron pans. Acid (for example, from tomatoes, citrus fruits, or wine) attacks the patina and can detach it. Dairy products such as cream or cheese leave an unappetizing and difficult-to-remove film on the patina. With a solid patina that develops through increasing use, the gravy can then be deglazed with wine or thickened with a little cream, for example.

Don't soak the pan

Cast iron pans should never be soaked, and dishwashers are absolutely taboo! The pans are traditionally wiped with kitchen paper while still hot. For cleaning, you can also use a normal sponge with water. If you should use dish soap, then please rinse the pan thoroughly under running water, dry it carefully, and then definitely rub it with cooking oil.

Any questions? Your team at Butch is always happy to help. And now, let's get cooking!

Best regards from Butch