SteakEat

P.S.

As for now, please ask any questions or leave the comments right below!

I will be happy to get back to you with all the answers right away.

I look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

 

Types of Cooking Skillets

If you were to go to Amazon.com now and type in ‘skillet’ choosing ‘Home & Kitchen’ department, you would end up with 11,068 results.

Ouch!

Needless to say that it’s extremely difficult to pick SOMETHING out of this massive list…and I am not even talking about the best option out there.

Fortunately it is possible to place them into the following categories:

 

• Grill Pans
• Fry Pans/Skillets
• Cast Iron Skillet
• Woks
• Crepe Pans
• Saute Pans

And now…

Let’s find out why!

 

Grills Pans

These are pans that are used for just that – grilling.

They can be used for grilling anything, starting from steaks and going all the way to asparagus (yes, that’s what’s on my mind now).

Grill pans for steak cooking come in different sizes and are made from different materials (e.g. cast iron, non-stick aluminum etc).

You might wonder:

Why care about grill pans at all?

The answer is…

#Grillmarks#.

The main issue with grill pans for steak cooking lies in…cleaning.

It can be tough.

Unlike other types of pans out there grill pans are typically squared-shaped.

 

Fry Pans/Skillets

Technically all the pans (including Grill Pans from above) are fry pans/skillets.

All that because fry pans are used just for that – quick searing/frying over high heat temperature.

Also called frying pans, these skillets come in all sort of different materials, sizes and appearances.

These can obviously be found in any kitchen and are the most used types of pans out there.

The price range for these skillets is also quite extraordinary, ranging from a couple of bucks all the way to hundreds of dollars!

 

Cast Iron Skillets

Cast iron are just the same frying skillets with one small, but essential difference…

Which one?

Cast iron.

Cast iron is a very special material that very few people know how to properly handle (this is why cooking steak on a cast iron skillet is another story).

The main difference between cast iron pans and the rest is the weight.

Cast iron is heavy and…despite what many people think about it, is really poor at even heating, which is essential for steak cooking.

Yeah, volumetric capacity!

Basically, it’s hard to warm it up and it takes a lot of time, but…once it’s hot, it stays hot.

And that’s perfect for a perfect steak.

 

Woks

Woks and stir fries got together like…horse and carrots?

Yes, they do.

And that’s the only thing you can use Wok pans for.

Searing a proper steak on a Wok?

Bad idea!

Woks can hardly generate the amount of heat required for a proper steak to get seared.

This is why all pieces of meat and veggies that are used in Woks are cut into tiny slices.

 

Crepe Pans

Have you ever used a crepe pan to cook a steak on it?

I have and…it worked out pretty well (I am sure that you thought exactly the opposite).

While cooking steaks on a crepe pan is not ideal it still worked pretty well in my case.

Why?

All because my crepe pan was made of cast iron!

And, as you know already, cast iron can accumulate a lot of heat while staying hot for quite a while.

Do I recommend using crepe pans for stove top steak cooking?

Not at all.

 

Saute Pans

What’s the difference between saute pans and other types of pans?

Sides, my friends!

Frying pans have rounded edges and saute pans…well, they have theme straight.

Why so?

All that because saute pans are used for searing food while quickly moving it around with the lid on.

Saute pans can also be used for braising (which is a moist heat cooking method), sauce creation, basic frying and some other things.

Are saute and frying pans interchangeable?

Yes they are!

Would I use one for stove top steak cooking?

No, I wouldn’t.

 

Now that we ran through these 6 different types of skillets, let’s summarize the main idea:

Woks, crepe pans and saute pans are not ideal for cooking steak. I don’t recommend them.

Back to the Main Menu

Steak Pans Materials

A material that your steak pan is made of is central to the success of your steak cooking endeavor.

Yes, it’s that important.

This is why we are going to look at the 7 most common cooking pans materials, as well as their advantages and disadvantages…right below.

Let’s go!

• Copper
• Cast Iron
• Aluminum
• Stainless Steel
• Carbon Steel
• Clad
• Ceramic

 

#1: Copper

Copper has a number of remarkable advantages, when compared to other materials used for manufacturing of cookware.

 Great Heat Conductor

Heat is really important when cooking food and steak is no exception.

Copper, to its main advantage, is an excellent heat conductor.

Okay, that’s awesome, but what does it really mean?

That’s important, if you see that your steak is burning (doesn’t happen with SteakEat’s Stove Top Method) and you want to decrease your temperature OR vice versa, when you see that you need to power up the whole thing.

 

Weight is Good

A proper frying skillet can’t be light and copper skillets tend to have good weight, which also prevents the skillet from heat deformation (a very common thing when it comes to cheap light pans).

It is also not heavy to lift, meaning that you don’t have to be a strongman like with some of the best cast iron skillets out there.

 

 Stylish

Copper shines and this is easily noticed.

So, if you like beautiful things (or just want to show off), copper pots and pans is what you need to get.

 

Disadvantages of Copper Pans

We don’t live in a perfect world and that’s why copper pans are not perfect either (I am sure, that’s the main reason).

There are 3 main issues with copper cookware:

1. Copper can get quite pricey. Don’t get carried away by cheap options out there – it’s likely they don’t have any quality there.
2. Copper is toxic and reactive with food. That’s why it comes lined with either tin or steel. Tin is a cheaper option, but it wears off. Stainless steel is the choice I recommend for the long-term usage, but it is also more expensive.
3. Dishwasher Unfriendly. Corrosion is a big thing for copper and that’s why copper skillets need to be polished, even when you don’t use them. For the same reason copper skillets can only be hand-washed and thoroughly dried with cloth right after. However stainless steel can alleviate some of that, you still need to maintain it.

On the final note it’s worth mentioning that some manufacturers combine layers of copper with materials like aluminum and stainless steel, which improves frying pan’s heat conductivity without any major disadvantages of copper cookware.

 

#2: Cast Iron

The already mentioned cast iron.

The frying pans that are made from cast iron are considered to be rather traditional, old-school things.

Nevertheless, they are very common and show no sign of disappearing!

All that happens because of these main advantages.

 

Last Forever

Cast iron skillets are pretty much indestructible and last forever.

Many people inherit cast iron skillets from their grandparents and these still serve them well (sometimes even better than contemporary options).

Cast iron is therefore a good investment, especially given its fairly low price.

 

 Heat Accumulation

Cast iron is an amazing material.

This simple fact makes it pretty much ideal for searing steak and developing its surface browning.

 

 Universal Use

Cast iron pans, when seasoned correctly, are non-stick and that, as you might expect, is a huge benefit on its own, but it’s even better because, unlike other non-stick pans cast iron doesn’t deteriorate with time (again, it lasts forever).

You can also use cast iron on both, stove top and oven, which is perfect for when you decide to cook a steak on stove top and finish it in oven.

Cast iron also doesn’t deform because of high heat (many cheap pans have that happen to them), which is annoying on its own, but it also reduces a pan’s ability to absorb heat from the stove top.

 

Disadvantages of Cast Iron Pans

Even though cast iron is an amazing investment into a pro-style steak cooking, it has one BIG (and heavy) disadvantage…

1. Cast iron is cast iron for a reason. It’s heavy and not every man in the Wild West…kidding! Cast iron pans are bulky and heavy to lift, so operating them requires quite a lot of crude strength.
2. Even though cast iron skillets are not that ‘picky’, when it comes to maintenance (unlike copper cookware), they still need to be taken care of. Every time you use your cast iron skillet, you need to wash it with hands, use some Kosher salt to scrape it, dry and re-season it right away.
3. Must be Used. You need to use your cast iron pan frequently so to maintain its seasoning, which helps to create that non-sticky surface. This is not ideal for occasional cooks.

 

#3: Aluminum

Most popular material that is used for pans production is aluminum.

Aluminum is great for many reasons and here are some of them.

 

 Heat Conductor

Even though aluminum is not the best heat conductor (copper is the best), it is still fairly amazing.

Heat it up and the pan will heat up fast; reduce the stove top heat, the pan also gets cooler quickly.

 

 Durability

Yes, aluminum pans are, indeed, quite durable.

Especially if they are anodized and forged.

Anodizing and forging are two separate processes, which both build up the pan’s durability.

The vast majority of aluminum pans are dish-washer safe and are easy to clean.

 

 Affordability

Aluminum pans are generally quite affordable.

Of course, there are more expensive brands, which offer premium quality products, but, all in all, these pans are rather inexpensive.

 

Disadvantages of Aluminum Cooking Pans

Even though I personally use hard-anodized forged aluminum pans when I cook my steak on stove, I am aware of the following disadvantages connected with this material.

1. Okay, aluminum is aluminum, but it’s not the same. “Artem, what do you actually mean?”, – you remark. Well, there are dozens of manufacturers there and their materials and manufacturing methods differ. This is why there are many poor quality aluminum pans out there. I advise you look for quality things and consider your cooking pan as a long-term investment (check my resources page to learn more).
2. Raw aluminum is very similar to copper, which means it’s very reactive. Hence, if you want to avoid consuming aluminum (I do), you need to get anodized (or better still hard-anodized) aluminum cooking pan. It’s also superior for cooking than raw aluminum.
3. This actually is a part of Quality part above, but I want to make it stand out. Cheap aluminum pans are very thin and easily warp (i.e. deform) when heated to high heat. Once again, hard-anodized and even forged aluminum pans are your solution here (check my resources page to see what I use).

 

#4: Stainless Steel

Pretty high quality general cookware, which is good for cooking many different things.

The main advantages of stainless steel pans are:

 

 Durable & Easy-to-Clean

Stainless steel pans can be both, lightweight and heavy, which does affect their durability.

For example, pure stainless steel skillet can easily warp when treated with used for cooking at high heat (and it would be the case, when you cook a steak on stove top).

Stainless steel is also easy to clean, especially if it has a kind of non-stick interior, which also helps with cooking foods with less fat.

 

 Non-Reactive

Stainless steel is stainless for a reason.

Unlike other materials (e.g. raw copper and aluminum) stainless steel doesn’t react with food, which makes it safe for long-term use. That’s why spoons, forks and kitchen knives are primarily made of it.

 

Disadvantages of Stainless Steel Pans

Stainless steel skillets have one major disadvantage, and that is…

1. Poor Heat Conductor. Just like cast iron, stainless steel is not great with heat conductivity, which means that it’s slow to react to any stove top temperature changes. This is why some stainless steel pans might have copper-bottoms – all that to improve the mentioned heat conductivity. These are obviously more expensive.

 

#5: Carbon Steel

Also a very commonly used material, which can be found in both, more expensive and cheaper cooking pans.

 

 Heat Retention

Carbon steel pans are quite good at retaining heat, which is great for proper steak searing.

In other words, as soon as it heats up, it stays warm for a good while.

 

Very Durable

Just like cast iron, proper carbon steel works forever.

It’s a good investment from that perspective.

 

 Non-stick…With a Twist

Carbon steel is not non-stick (just like cast iron), but…

Proper seasoning, which is all about heating the skillet with a thin layer of oil until it gradually builds up in the surface of the pan (it might easily take a month of continuous use), will make your carbon steel pan practically non-stick.

It’s worth to mention that, after this procedure carbon steel has a better non-stick features than cast iron, which makes it a better option from that perspective.

 

Finally, carbon steel pans have a more saute-oriented shape than cast iron skillets.

Given the fact that carbon steel is lighter, it is no surprise that it is used for Woks and Stri-Fry pans.

 

Disadvantages of Carbon Steel Pans

Their advantages become their disadvantages…

 

1. Poor Heat Conductor. Same as cast iron, carbon steel is a poor heat conductor, which makes any manipulations with stove top temperature quite useless, simply because carbon steel pan won’t quickly change its temperature.
2. Reactive With Food. Just like cast iron, carbon steel pans are not ideal for cooking acidic or alkaline foods. Therefore, I don’t recommend you try preparing a wine-based steak sauce or a tomato soup in it.
3. Tricky Cleaning. Not safe for dishwasher, carbon steel pans should be handwashed, dried out and re-seasoned after every time you cook something with them. While the whole procedure doesn’t take long, it still requires extra effort.

 

#6: Clad

Cladding, as stated by Wiki, is a process of bonding together of dissimilar metals.

Most commonly, aluminum is clad with stainless steel.

Aluminum then provides excellent heat conductivity and nice thickness, whereas stainless steel prevents aluminum from reacting with food and corrosion, making it very simple to maintain (and dish-washer safe).

Advantages and disadvantages would therefore be the same for the materials that were bonded (clad) together.

Advantages for aluminum would then be great heat conductivity, durability and affordability. Stainless steel would then also be durable, easy-to-clean and non-reactive.

When put together, possible disadvantages of these two materials would include poor heat conductivity for stainless steel (negated by aluminum layer), reactivity with food for aluminum (negated by stainless steel layer) and possible warping of aluminum, when its quality is low (negated by using hard-anodized and/or forged aluminum).

 

#7: Ceramic

Ceramic pans are not a recent invention and have been out there for a while.

Typically porcelain and stoneware are used for cooking, whereas earthernware is used as serveware.

Here is what’s good about them:

 

 Safe With High Temperature & In Microwave

Ceramic is free of PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) and PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic Acid), which are often used in nonstick coating for pans and skillets.

Ceramic pans are made of inorganic materials, which makes them very resist heat really well – ceramic pans tend to be fine all the way to 450C / 842F, which is quite amazing.

Quality ceramic pans are also free of lead and cadmium.

Purely ceramic pans can also be used in the microwave (given that there are no metal parts in it).

 

 

 Easy-to-clean

Given its naturally non-stick properties, pans made of ceramic are simple to clean and dishwasher safe.

 

 Fairly Light

When compared with cast iron, ceramic pans are less heavy and are easier to manage during the cooking process.

 

 Disadvantages of Ceramic Frying Pans

1. Ceramic pans (and other ceramic cookware) are prone to cracking and breaking. Quick and extreme temperature changes (i.e. from hot to cold) can damage pans made from this material.
2. Not a great heat conductor. Ceramic pans do not conduct heat really well, that’s why some aluminum is sometimes used in order to help resolve that problem.
3. Ceramic pans can get discolored, meaning that their usually white surface becomes yellowy with time. It doesn’t look great.

 

Okay, now that you have a good (or, at least, some?) idea regarding the most common materials that steak pans are made of…

…lets quickly list them once again here:

1. Copper. It’s a great heat conductor, very stylish and is not heavy. Quality copper is expensive and it itself is reactive with food, which means you need to get it lined with tin or steel (a better option for long-term). Can be dishwasher-friendly.
2. Cast Iron. These steak pans last forever and are able to accumulate a tremendous amount of heat. Cast iron has a pretty much universal use, but these skillets are poor heat conductors, require extra maintenance and weight a lot.
3. Aluminum. Amazing heat conductor, which means it adjusts quickly to the changes in the stove top temperature. Quality aluminum pans are durable and affordable. However aluminum is a highly-reactive material, which means you need to get a hard-anodized aluminum pan, if you don’t want extra aluminum in your diet. I also recommend you shoot for forged aluminum as your pan’s material, because it is extra strong and would definitely prevent warping (that’s quite common in cheap aluminum pans).
4. Stainless steel. Durable and easy-to-clean, stainless steel is also non-reactive with food. However, it is a poor heat conductor, which also requires forging for extra strength, so to avoid a chance of wrapping.
5. Carbon steel. Very similar to cast iron, but is much lighter. Heat retention is a big advantage of these two materials. Durability and non-stickiness (if seasoned and maintained properly) is also within the benefits of carbon steel. Poor heat conductivity, reactiveness with food and tricky cleaning procedure (not that time-consuming though) are the main disadvantages of steak pans made from this material.
6. Clad. Bonding of the two materials with dissimilar properties. When it comes to steak pans, most frequently aluminum is clad with stainless steel. This formation creates a material that has the benefits of both of these materials, which, at the same time, cancel their individual disadvantages (e.g. stainless steel’s poor heat conductivity vs aluminum’s excellent heat conductivity etc)
7. Ceramic. Environmentally-friendly, safe with high temperatures, easy to clean and fairly light weight. Ceramic pans can, however, be quite fragile and discolor with time. They are not good heat conductors.

And now…

Now is the time to make use of all this knowledge!

Back to the Main Menu

6 Must Have Properties of the Best Steak Pan

As I said at the very beginning – a great steak is impossible without a great cooking skillet.

Obviously, my opinion hasn’t changed since…

What are the must have properties of the best steak pan?

 

#1. Must Be Able to Accumulate Heat

Here is the truth.

What happens a steak pan can’t accumulate heat?

Your steak doesn’t get seared.

And…if it doesn’t get seared, it doesn’t develop surface browning.

We can’t afford the best steak to NOT have an amazing surface browning.

 

#2. Must Not Warp

Cheap pans and many pans that are more expensive have this nasty feature…

They warp.

Warping causes the bottom of the pan become uneven, which results in its inability to fully contact with the stove top (especially important for electric stove tops).

This is when heat distribution becomes worse (talking of hot spots on your pan).

What’s the consequence?

Uneven cooking and surface browning.

I don’t like that and I don’t want that ever happen to you.

 

#3. Must Be Overall Good Quality

Those amazing steak lovers that bought my SteakEat Method for Stove Top Cooking know what my mom says…

I won’t keep that as a secret:

We are not that rich, to buy cheap things.

Yes…miser pays twice.

This is 100% true for steak pans.

Something would inevitably go wrong.

Perhaps it would be nonstick coating that would fall off or the handle would untie or the whole thing would warp.

Also cheaper pans tend to leach potentially hazardous fumes when heated up to high temperature.

Quality, my friends, costs money.

 

#4. Ideally Oven-Safe

When it comes to basic cooking steak on stove (with or without SteakEat Stove Top Method), you don’t usually bother with finishing it in oven.

However, when you steak is big and thick (over 2 inches in thickness), the ability to finish cooking that same steak in that same pan is quite useful.

If you cook massive steaks on stove top, then choose oven-safe pans.

 

#5. Must Be Durable

Stove top steak cooking is a really demanding, harsh process.

This is why your steak pan must be super durable and able to withstand continuous temperature changes and high heat treatment.

It also mustn’t break (literally) and warp, because…it must not!

Lifetime warranty is then a basic feature, which signals the manufacturer’s attitude.

 

#6. Safe for Health

Yes, those fumes that evaporate from nonstick pans (talking of PTFE and PFOA), when those are heated to high heat, are not good for health.

 

To summarize…

…a steak pan that’s able to accumulate heat, doesn’t warp, is of overall good quality, ideally oven-safe and durable is the one to look for.

Please note that I didn’t mention you need a skillet that has a good heat conductivity, because it’s not important for a steak that just needs to be cooked at high heat to develop that browning on the surface.

Back to the Main Menu

How to Choose the Best Steak Skillet in 5 Steps

Now we are finally going back to the original question/promise of this article…

…how to choose the best steak pan.

Here are the 5 steps to help you choose the right one for you.

 

Step #1: Think

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

Abraham Lincoln once said…

I see no reason why you are worse than Lincoln.

Before going to Amazon (or your local store) to buy a steak pan, you need to think and understand the following:

• How many people are you going to cook for?
• How big are the steaks you will be cooking?
• How frequently you will be cooking steaks?
• Are you going to use oven for finishing steaks?
• What’s your budget?

Once you know the answers to these, go to the next step.

 

Step #2: Decide on the Size

Here is a fact.

How?

A small skillet with a disproportionally large steak on it, would not be able to sear it (i.e. it would simply boil there).

A large skillet, even though it’s less of a problem, can potentially burn the steak’s surface while not giving it enough time to cook inside.

What’s the ideal steak pan size?

It really depends on the steak you plan to cook.

For example, one of my pan sets includes pans of three different sizes: 8, 9.5 and 12 inches.

I almost never use the smallest one for steaks, because it’s too small (unless the steak itself is also small).

The largest one, 12-inch pan, is good when I need to cook 2 steaks at the same time.

-> I use the average-size pan (9.5 inches) most of the time.

 

Step #3: Choose the Pan Type

Which steak pan do you think you need?

Is it a grill pan that you can use to get grill marks?

Is it a cast iron pan or a pan that’s made of carbon steel?

Or is it a simple fry pan/skillet?

Your final decision will depend on many factors, including other things that you also cook.

Personally I own frying pans, which I use for steaks most frequently.

However I do have a grill cast iron pan that makes it possible for me to create those grill marks, when I need that when cooking my steaks on stove.

 

Step #4: Decide on the Material

We already talked about the materials above and how they have different/similar features.

Some of them are more expensive than the others.

I would certainly look for cast iron as well.

 

Step #5: Pick a Legit Manufacturer

It’s almost self-evident that, when people buy smartphone, they always choose a known, quality manufacturer (e.g. that fruit company everyone buys from).

However, when it comes to things like steak pans (and many other things tbh), it somehow doesn’t work anymore.

What are the legitimate manufacturers?

There is a few.

• Lodge for Cast Iron Skillets
• All-Clad for Clad Cookware (most frequently aluminum clad with stainless steel)
• Le Creuset for hard-anodized forged stainless steel and aluminum

There more, but here is an important point – a legit thing can’t be cheap.

I will get back to it below.

Back to the Main Menu

The 3 Pitfalls of Buying a Steak Pan

Want a steak pan that lasts?

Read these:

 

Pitfall #1: Cheap Doesn’t Last

If you find a steak pan on Amazon that costs under $30, chances are, it won’t last.

I am not that rich to buy cheap things, that’s why I own Le Creuset.

 

Pitfall #2: Don’t Fall for Marketing

Manufacturers are smart when it comes to selling things, but I advise you to do some proper research before buying anything.

For example, GreenPan advertises some thermolon healthy ceramic non-stick coating, which is PFOA-free and overall healthy.

However, as one of the long-term reviewers points out (his review is called ‘Part Gimmick, Part Good Pan’), it starts disappearing after 10 first uses and only gets worse with time. This is important to consider, when you buy things like this.

He also points out that it is possible to restore that pans non-stickiness by using a baking soda solution.

 

Pitfall #3: Material is a Material, But They Are Not the Same

This is really the same as the quality thing I keep mentioning all the time, but it’s worth another mention.

Here is the point.

Therefore, once again, pay attention to the manufacturers.

Back to the Main Menu

3 More Tips for a Quality Steak Pan

These are small things that are quite important, when it comes to choosing the best steak pan.

 

#1: Weight

The heavier, the better.

Light pans tend to warm and become uneven.

They are poor quality.

 

#2: Handle Attachment

I found this to be surprisingly accurate at predicting the overall skillet quality.

What’s that?

I recommend you pick those pans that have a double-pin attachment (can’t unscrew).

 

#3: Lifetime Warranty

Look for pans with lifetime warranty.

They are more expensive, but they are the most quality things out there.

For example, Le Creuset that I use, has lifetime warranty.

I have them for already 5 years, use them frequently and have NO problem.

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