My opinion on the de Buyer Carbone Plus cast-iron paella pan

I think that having a quality paella pan, with good heat distribution, is especially appreciated once you’ve tried it. I really appreciate that today Beatriz, author of To Be Gourmet, tell us about your experience with the Paella Pan Carbone Plus de Buyer`, a better paella pan, like the classic ones that will last a lifetime in our kitchen; and it's a joy to see the ideas it gives us to make the most of it, beyond just cooking the typical paella in it.`

I like to keep going over to my mother’s for meals and having her make my all-time favorite dishes. Letting myself be loved and spoiled while I can, especially at the table, is one of the pleasures I’m still lucky enough to enjoy. Other times I’m the one who has my parents over for a meal; it makes me happy—and them even more.

I have inherited my mother's talent for cooking, and she is surely proud of it, especially nowadays when the rush and pace of modern life mean that many have to give up the pleasure of cooking.

When I showed up at the table with a delicious rice with vegetables in the Carbone plus iron Paella Pan de Buyer, you should have seen the look of astonishment on her face. “But it’s one of the classic ones! Where did it come from?” The amazement was immediately followed by a smile and then she began to tell me how I should use it, how it should be stored, taking the opportunity to give me lessons which, as a good mother, she still enjoys…

Indeed, this de Buyer paella pan one of those kitchen utensils from grandma that aren't so common in our homes anymore and are true treasures.

Shrimp and Mushroom Fideuà Recipe, in the paella pan Carbone Plue de Buyer

It is handcrafted from natural iron with no coatings. Above all, its robustness stands out: it’s a paella pan with substantial wall thickness, nothing like most iron paella pans (and even those that aren’t...) on the market, which gives it very good heat distribution and a very high resistance to warping.

This kind of paella pan, and other carbon steel pieces like those made by De Buyer, are used by professionals and fine-dining restaurants around the world, and it’s a real luxury to have them at home. That’s why I didn’t hesitate to get one. It’s wonderful to watch the gentle chup-chup and the little bubbles among the rice as it cooks, then bring it to the table and serve each diner their portion right there, just like in restaurants that make great paellas—a plus that guests always applaud.

We can choose between several sizes depending on your needs. From 50cm in diameter with capacity for 12 servings, which would be the largest, to the 24cm one, which is for two. For me, the ideal is the 8-serving one, for rice dishes or fideuàs, which is 40 in diameter but 30 at the base, which allows us, given its excellent heat conduction, to use it on a stove with a burner or hob of a slightly smaller diameter, without needing the typical paella rings with a gas cylinder. You can also use them if you have induction.

Let me say that the small two-serving one is adorable, and it’s very versatile because it can indeed be used for a rice dish for two; a brothy lobster rice for a romantic dinner… Or used to prepare a risotto for four, which, being more substantial, is served in smaller amounts on each plate.

Plus, this vintage-style paella pan is ideal for serving many other things. Garlic shrimp, some mushrooms, or some roasted Piquillo peppers. I’ve also used it to fry potatoes. These iron vessels withstand very high temperatures, which is how I like to finish cooking them. I first cook them at a lower temperature and then give them a blast of heat, with the flame really high, so they turn crispy on the outside.

But what has been quite a discovery for her this summer is for prepare the “piparras” or chili peppers, already very typical from late spring in the Basque Country and whose frying is an art and the key to getting them just right—not too undercooked, nor burnt, green but tender and not oily.
In this matter the de Buyer iron paella pan, or alternatively a frying pan from this same brand, are the ideal tool to achieve the desired result. A medium, steady heat is needed, which is very easy to control with these pans.

Once the skin starts to brown slightly on some of them, I remove them with a slotted spoon`, I set them temporarily on a plate and, after removing the oil from the paella pan and wiping it dry with a paper towel, I put the chili peppers back in and add some salt flakes. Presented like this, they look great, and they also hold their temperature better while they’re being eaten, placed in the center of the table. Because this paella pan isn’t for leaving in the kitchen; on the contrary, it’s meant to be kept in sight and enjoyed while eating.`

Care and maintenance

Before using it for the first time, it needs to be “seasoned,” that is, prepared for its first use. In the case of the Carbone Plus, which does not have a natural layer of beeswax, the seasoning should follow two very simple steps: the first is to provide that natural protection, which you’ll achieve by putting a generous amount of potato peelings in the paella pan, covering them with water, and bringing it to a boil for 15 minutes. After this time, remove the peelings and wipe with a paper towel, and proceed to the second step of seasoning: simply pour a thin drizzle of oil into the pan so that it coats the entire surface and heat it for a few minutes; let it cool and remove the oil with a bit of paper towel, and it’s ready to use.

I should say that doing the full seasoning isn’t essential, but it is recommended. That said, many people only do the second step of the seasoning, which takes a few minutes, and the paella pan works beautifully for them.

We should also keep in mind that if it were a matter of the Mineral B paella pan, there's no need to do the first part of the curing since beeswax already provides the organic component that potato peel would provide.

The de Buyer Carbone Plus iron paella pan it doesn't need any special maintenance to last so long that our children might even inherit it. Just wash it by hand with hot water and soap like we do with any other frying pan or paella pan, and of course, since it's iron, dry it so rust doesn't appear. In any case, if we get distracted and this happens, scrubbing it again with a regular scouring pad is enough to remove it.

My mother immediately told me that she would leave it coated with oil and covered with a sheet of newspaper. I’m not sure about the second part, but the first is advisable if it’s going to be a while before using it again. Then we wipe off the oil with a paper towel and that’s it.

As a cooking vessel it's one of my favorites, and I'm sure I'll get more de Buyer iron pieces because—believe me—the taste of things is different; I couldn't explain why. Its quality is indisputable: food doesn't stick, unlike other paella pans it doesn't warp over time, and since it retains heat so efficiently you save energy; depending on what I'm making I turn off the heat earlier and continue with the residual heat.

With use, the paella pan turns darker, its tone changes, and to my taste it becomes more and more beautiful. More authentic. A gem I can't help but recommend.