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How do I burn-in a carbon steel pot or pan using a heat zone?

Carbon steel distributes heat evenly, keeps the vessel warm for a long time, and gives food a nice sear if the seasoned is done properly. We recommend avoiding exposing the pot or pan to drastic temperature changes as the vessel may warp. We explain how to step by step perform a burn-in on a steel pot och pan using a heat zone.

We recommend avoiding exposing the pot or pan to sudden temperature changes, as this may cause the cookware to warp.

The burin-in means that the pot/pan will result in some color variation.

If rust or food stains appear, or if food burns and sticks, you can clean the cookware using steel wool or an abrasive sponge, and then re-burn it.


To season your carbon steel pot or pan, follow these steps: 

  1. Heat the pot/pan on medium heat (6 out of 10). The pot/pan will eventually start to smoke a little and darken in color; this is normal and part of the process. Continue this for about 10 minutes.
     
  2. Grease the pot/pan with oil every two minutes. Hold the oily paper with kitchen tongs to avoid burning yourself on the hot pan. This ensures that all parts of the surface is covered with oil and helps build up an even burnt-in layer.
     
  3. Remove the pot/pan from the stove, wipe off any excess oil and let it cool.
     
  4.  Repeat the seasoning procedure for another 10 minutes, but this time apply only a thin layer of oil with new kitchen paper. The pot/pan may now be a bit drier and the paper may stick. Just add a little more oil so you can easily grease the pan every two minutes.
     
  5. Again, remove the pot/pan from the heat, wipe off any excess oil with dry kitchen paper, and let it cool to room temperature. Try wipe the pan until the surface looks dry.
     
  6. Repeat the process one last time with only a thin layer of oil, but reduce the time to about 6 minutes.
     
  7. Done!


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