The Joy of Cooking...in frypan format – This review is for the 32cm Carbone Plus frypan with a long handle and the short helper handle..

This review may be a little coloured because I am in LOVE with this pan. It is big, strong, beautiful and cooks like the devil herself. If it wasn't against God's law, I'd run away and marry this pan.

There is something about food cooked in a carbon steel pan that can't be replicated in non-stick, stainless steel or even enameled cast iron. Carbon steel can take VERY high levels of heat and use it artfully to seal and cook you meat. And if you season it properly, it will be "non-stick" enough to fry eggs (and the resulting eggs are better than a bona-fide non-stick pan can dream of). Michelin chefs use these pans, and for good reason.

I use this pan for red meat, chicken, fish, eggs, sausages, fritters and just about anything else that doesn't sit around in a sauce. The pan will react to acidic liquids so it is best to avoid them.

The construction is of the highest quality, it is heavy and thick. It is a bit heavy but it is a 32cm pan. The handles are riveted on and probably will never come off. The handle is long, perhaps a tad too long for domestic cooktops, but it is ergonomic and of great utility value. Unfortunately the pan won't fit in my oven.

Carbon steel pans do need some TLC. I seasoned mine on the BBQ gas jets and it took on an almost black patina that is nearly non-stick. I couldn't obtain such a quality seasoning on the ceramic cooktop.

After every use, the pan is immediately cleaned. I use a splash of water and a flat-ended wooden spoon to scrape the still hot pan. A quick rinse and it is all clean. I have used detergent only once.

Once clean, the pan is quickly dried and left on the still warm (but extinguished) hob to evaporate the last drops of water before being lightly oiled. Every month or two I will cook a few tablespoons of cheap table salt to remove any residue built up from oils and fats.

Do not soak this pan or put it in a dishwasher; it will corrode very quickly.

This pan was cheap. Under $60, but it doesn't come with a lid. My 32cm Scanpan (RRP $339) sits in the cupboard wondering what it did wrong and why its lid is mysteriously whisked away nightly only to be returned smelling of another frypan. The Carbone Plus is durable and will outlast all coated and non-stick frypans, and, if treated well, it will probably outlast me.

The Carbone Plus is my GO TO pan. I use it whenever I can and have been leaving a lot of other quality pans to gather dust in the cupboard. It does take a little more effort to maintain, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am trying to figure out ways to gain Mrs McPop's permission to buy the 26cm version. Inexpensive, performance, quality, love. A little extra work to maintain.