Carbon Steel Vs Stainless Steel Pans: Which Is Easier To Cook With?

There is a mind-boggling range of cookware out there, particularly when it comes to pans. For decades, those with a non-stick coating ruled kitchens, until their chemical composition was deemed potentially harmful to humans and we got tired of cleaning the residue that built up on their surface. While many alternative coatings have since emerged, experts, professionals, and many home cooks have embraced stainless steel pans as a flexible and easy-to-maintain kitchen tool, particularly when compared to their carbon steel counterparts.

Stainless steel pans offer consistent heat distribution, making them excellent for cooking a wide range of foods, including those that need a lighter touch, from sauces to proteins that need a little more TLC. They are unbothered by acidic ingredients, such as tomatoes, which cannot be said for carbon steel, while their non-reactive surface won't affect the flavor of whatever you're cooking. Plus, the chromium in stainless steel pans makes them much less likely to rust or corrode.

Unlike carbon steel, stainless steel pans don't have a non-stick surface but pre-heating them, then ensuring the fat you're using as a barrier is hot enough to cook (testing the temperature with a tiny bit of food can help) will help to keep things sticking anyway — though if some bits do, don't rush to scrub them off! Deglazing will turn those crunchy remnants into an amazing sauce and can leave the pan spick and span.

That's a lot of boxes ticked in stainless steel pans' favor, but there is a place in the cupboard for carbon steel pans, too. They are outstanding at high-temperature cooking that calls for precision, such as searing or stir-frying. Carbon steel can also tolerate an open flame, something stainless steel is less adept at. Many home cooks who love to develop flavor reach for their carbon steel pans, whose seasoning builds up with every use, lending additional complexity and depth to dishes. However, unlike fuss-free stainless steel, carbon steel is partly made of iron and is considered high maintenance as it's prone to rust, so keep those condiments on standby for cleaning! Like cast iron pans, carbon steel types also need seasoning from time to time to maintain their non-stick properties, and they too would likely benefit from our paper towel hack for storage.

Another element that becomes obvious when browsing online is the range of pans available to buy. If you're looking for a skillet or a wok, carbon steel has got you covered. But stainless steel pans are available in such a broad range, from stock pots and sauté pans, even to utensils, that we could pretty much kit out our entire kitchen with stainless steel cookware. If you love to cook food on a high heat, there's definitely a place for carbon steel in your kitchen, but for hassle-free, everyday recipes? Stainless steel is the way.