What is my Paella Pan made of?
I bought a paella pan at a flea market. I have no idea what metal(s) it's made of. It cooks like a nonstick but doesn't have a commercial nonstick coating. I clean it by washing it with dawn and hot water and dry it completely. The nonstick-ness survives the washing method. There is no stamp on the bottom.
1) How do I tell what my paella pan is made off? 2) Is it ok to continue to wash it without knowing what it's made of?
I often use it to sear steaks and then place the pan in a 420°F oven to finish cooking
3) is this safe to do?
Best Answer
This kind of pan is traditionally made of blue steel. The coating on it would be a homemade seasoning from oil.
I cannot tell it 100% from just the small picture, especially since there are manufacturers who sometimes imitate traditional looks while using different materials, but this is the likeliest guess for this pan.
If it is indeed a seasoned blue steel pan, then the seasoning can take any temperature at which food is cookable. If you take it so far that it burns off (which would take something around 500-600 Celsius, so unlikely to happen in a home kitchen) you can replace it yourself, although you might need a few tries until you get it right.
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Quick Answer about "What is my Paella Pan made of?"
Traditionally made from carbon steel, paella pans are thin, which make them very responsive to changes in heat.Is a paella pan cast iron?
While cast iron is not the most common material for paella pans, they do exist.What is the best material for a paella pan?
Carbon steel is the traditional material for paella pans in Spain. It has the highest thermal conductivity of the three types which makes heating fast and even.Do you need a special pan for paella?
No problem! Any wide, shallow skillet will be up to the job. If you're making your paella in the oven, just make sure that the entire pan, even the handle, is heat-safe. The most important tip to keep in mind is that your layer of rice should be no more than two inches deep.How do you clean a carbon steel paella pan?
The easiest way to do this is as follows: Fill the dirty pan with about 1/2 inch of water and let it sit for a couple of hours or overnight. Then pour out the water and use a soft-scrub sponge and dishwashing soap to clean off the residue. It will come off easily.Learn the Perfect Paella Heat Control Technique
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