This is the 21st video in our Steak Experiment series that we've been working on over the last year and a half. If you want to watch any of the other videos in the series, here's a link to the complete playlist. th-cam.com/play/PLA8Sgnre4XTUBNybUoykMXUD0HffOCp0O.html
When comparing durability, cast iron is brittle and can be broken. I have broken a side off of two old skillets when dropped. Carbon stieel's are like a boat anchor or anvil. Indestructible . BTW, my old fave Wagner #9 i broke when dropped, i sanded the rough area on broken side and have been using as a griddle for 10 yr I prefer the lighter weight, quicker reaction times (up and down) and flared sidewalls of the carbon steel. I still have all of my CI but now find I only reach for CI when baking cornbread
You have to pull the steaks way before 128F if you're trying to target a medium-rare. Also, you need to take into account the effect closing the grill cover has on your cooking. The gray-bands on your steaks are way too thick and if you sent those out as medium-rare in a real restaurant, you'd re-firing two steaks.
Spot on. That was not medium rare. That said, you cook to your preference regardless of method, it is up to you to adapt based on your equipment and desire. The steaks looked tasty and were far from ruined and the information was useful. I might have to look for a carbon steel pan.
The clarified butter is interesting although with my method I think the avocado oil stabilizes the butter so it doesn't burn. I cook over gas on cast iron and pull at 120 for a med rare every time. My method. Pat NY steaks dry so you get a good sear without steaming! Let sit out at least an hr to get to room temp. Add a generous amount of Coarse salt to each side and pat into meat. Add fresh ground black pepper and pat into meat just before cooking. Sear hot medium high heat (About 450 to 500) in avocado oil about 2 minutes each side. I like to stand on steaks on side to sear the fat cap first. While searing the last edge turn heat down to medium and let temp come down to about 400. Add in fresh lightly crushed garlic cloves, thyme and butter. Lay steaks down baste in butter, garlic, & thyme till about 120. Remove and place in foil. Spoon some of the butter into steaks and add in cooked garlic cloves and thyme sprigs and wrap up. Rest 10 minutes. Best steak ever! 2 NY steaks (1.5 to 2 inch thick) Coarse ground salt Fresh ground black pepper 2 or 3 tbsp avocado oil Prep and ready in small container to easily add aromatics 6 to 8 Fresh garlic cloves (lightly smashed) Small Bunch of fresh thyme sprigs About 1/2 to 3/4 stick butter
The carbon steel heats up faster and cools quicker. That's why they make woks with carbon steel. Cast iron takes longer to heat up, but it retains its heat longer.
I have both cast iron and carbon steel pans that I'd use alternately for cooking, I love them both! Thanks to your video, I'll be searing the fat cap first, great advice. I also deeply score my fat caps so they melt a lot more while cooking, I imagine searing them first will make them even better!
Adds flavor to the cook as well. I agree with a poster that the top should remain open… a bit of steaming going on. Love the clarified butter suggestion. I use avocado oil as well. Works great with everything.
The carbon steel skillet in the video is by Smithy. All are hand hammered, pre-seasoned and beautiful. A bit expensive but you are buying functional art.
@@Briggie They are more corrosion resistant. I noticed in Japan they use stainless flat tops. Edit: *Commercial Grade* carbon steel pans contain enough chromium (~6%) to help prevent rust. To be classified as "stainless" it has to be 10%+ chromium.
I agree, 127 with that level of banding is suspect. Recalibration of thermometer or maybe closing the lid with pan cooking is what did it. Idk, either way a normal burner setup would probably provide a better comparison of the pans. BUT, I do like the idea of using the grill to preheat a pan instead of heating up your house with the oven in the summer if you want your steak butter basted. But firing up the grill to cook steaks to not grill the steaks seems wrong too haha
@@prenticefincannon9239 You can have zoned heating if you're pan cooking on a grill. have one side on high for direct heat to sear, and the other side of the grill set lower. sear on the hot side, and then put the pan on the pan on the "cool side" with the lid closed to bake. It turns it into more of an oven environment to finish.
A good carbon steel skillet doesnt need to be expensive. Tbh, the one I use, has been used as a decorative thingy in someones garden. I asked if I could have it, deep cleaned it once, reseasoned it, and boom, best pan I ever owned.
Agreed. Price should drive anyones purchase, if you shouldn’t afford it then don’t. I was tired of buying non stick and other pans that only seemed to last a year or two. Got the same lodge he used in the video and it’s been going strong for ten years. Now that I’m out of college and making big boy money, maybe I’ll treat myself on one of these expensive smithy products. 30$ cast iron is great because anyone can afford it, and like you point out-the finished product is indiscernible. Smithy is more of a bragging right and a buy just because one can.
I have a $40 steelie from Ikea and a 100yr old Wagner Ware cast iron. I love them both, but I prefer the steelie for the fact that I can change the temp in it more quickly, and it's more evenly distributed than the iron. But it's just nit-picking really...
This is a great video. I almost always cook a prime NY Strip that's around 2" thick, and I always sear the fat cap and edges for 120 seconds on their edges in a cast iron skillet, but I'm getting ready I think to switch to carbon steel. I find that if you start with a 2" thick steak, they will stand on their edge on their own. On the cook itself, I would use a higher heat to start, which would give you a better crust at the end. You can always drop the heat if you need the butter, but I always cook my steaks dry, because the fat cap is going to render down and make its own fat in the pan. Like the garlic, I smashed your like button. ;)
Great Job 👍 I’ve been a chef over thirty years and always love using carbon steel pans! Just takes getting used to the faster heat reactions both gets hot faster and cools down quickly! Needs much less energy than Cast iron! Both types of pans are awesome Cookers!
I have some lodge cast irons and wanted to invest in some field quality cast iron pans because i have recently used one and there is a big difference in quality between lodge and field that was quickly realized and i have used cast iron my entire life but now seeing more and more about carbon steel im not sure what to do in your chef’s opinion is there a reason to have both or would it be better to opt one for the other ??
I like the crust on the cast iron a little better. Another thing I thought of is the carbon steel is more done in the middle with almost the same crust, I think that would be a benefit to the cast iron as well.
How did you call it a win for the carbon steel the cast iron had a better crust and wasn't as overcooked. You're also comparing was obviously a high-end Boutique carbon steel pan versus a standard Lodge you should really compare it to a stargazer pan or just compare with the lodge carbon steel
Another great job! You rock everything brutha! … Maybe pull the steaks at 120 degrees... likely the thinner grass fed beef… I also find dry-brined steaks to cook faster… See how 120 turns out or get thicker steaks... I find 1.5”-1.75” thickness way more forgiving...thanks again man - Show your videos to all my family and friends
I dont understand that. How can it get even hotter when its off the grill? Doesnt make sense thermodinamicaly. Maybe im too close minded as a chemistry student 😂
@@ElDuardo01 The temperature close to the surface of the meat is considerably higher than the goal. It will even out as it rests, and the middle will rise higher as the surfaces cool. Eventually the whole steak will cool down, of course. Don't forget your physics classes 😉
I just made some skirt steak in my smithey carbon steel pan and it turned out great. My cast iron has decades of seasoning. The carbon steel seasoning will need work. I’m looking forward to that work.
After some time now with your carbon steel any recommendations on which one is a better buy, carbon steel or cast iron? Do you actually need both in your kitchen or can one be enough?
@@paradigmshift7541 I use both daily. My smithey carbon steel is now as black as coal and is great to use. I tend to make quesadillas, arepas, grilled cheese and small volumes of meat in the carbon steel. I use my larger cast iron when i need more space. Both cook very similarly so for me it is size.
@@rickeycarter because i'm a total beginner at cooking and unsure, do you think it would be accurate to say cast iron is better to cook steaks medium rare? in this video the cast iron gave a little bit better crust/brown searing, but also the inside was more rare. carbon steel got great searing, but a smidge less than the cast iron, and it seemed to cook the steak to medium/medium well.
@@paradigmshift7541 the best way to cook a steak is, in my opinion, is reverse sear. The bulk of the cooking is low temp in an oven and them seared at high heat (any steel pan) for the crust and color. Carbon steel does great and heats a little faster than cast iron. Both are great. Get s cheap lodge pan and a cheap carbon steel pan and experiment. They pans will cost less than good steaks
@@rickeycarter ahhhh i see, that was very enlightening and helpful. I guess my question was a bit silly as it was on the basis that pan fry was the only method considered. i was totally oblivious that if other cooking methods are used, i'd only be using the skillets to quickly sear at the end. thanks for the tips rickey
The comment about cooking quicker being part of the material used has nothing to do with the hood being down. Both skillets should have cooked the steak a the same time. However, the steel cooked it quicker.
It’s an interesting idea, but would that really work? I know that when dry brining, salt draws out water, then forms a brine. Some water in the brine does evaporate in a fridge, but I believe that once salt and water migrate back into the meat it reduces water loss from evaporation during cooking. And dry brined meat tends to remain moister, because the water-conserving effect outweighs the evaporation in the fridge in most cases. So why would this work?
I have both, as well as stainless 7 ply and copper. But the Carbon steel pan I have (De Buyer) on induction and electric hobs was loosing its flatness , e.g. centre down where all the oil was pooling. I had to bash the centre up with a wooden log so when it got to a cooking temperature it changed to be exactly flat. But heating it even more would again spin it on the stove. A cast iron pan is more likely to stay flat. On gas it is less noticeable.
I cannot stand pans that do that, hate it. I can live with the uneven cooking that you can get with cast iron, but if a pan stays flat, that's the biggest bonus for me and cast iron does that...as far as affordability goes.
Just a little tip if you're using a meat thermometer to cook steak; take it out -10f of your steak preference. The residual heat when it rest will settle spot on to your ideal steak then.
@@davidhunternyc1 Well, if your goal is 128F then yes take it off the heat at 118F, but medium-rare is clocked at 130-135F; at least that is what I've been told. Either way taking it off the heat ≈ -10F before your goal temperature will typically get you where you want it once it's done resting.
@@tulekahju My guess is why there was so much grey in these steaks was that the pans weren't hot enough before he put the steaks on? They slow cooked too much before they got a sear?
@@davidhunternyc1 Im not entirely sure since its been a while since I watched the video, and Im not entirely inclined to rewatch it. I mainly just recall that he took them off too soon for his desired end temperature; hence the original comment. What I may say as someone who cooks with CI I tend to preheat my CI for 10 minutes, but if Im going for a high temperature like what steak requires for a sear I increase the heat gradually, because I dont want to warp my skillet; especially important if youre cooking on the stove (You dont have to be gradual if youre preheating in the oven, or enclosed in a grill). Ill set it to med-low/med for 5 minutes then raise it a notch or two from there every few minutes until I get to the heat setting that I want. A few things that may prevent a sear: Pan temp is too low Moisture (pat the steaks dry with a paper towel before cooking) Moving it too early/often
I'll have to look into carbon steel pans. I've never used one. I do love cast iron. I feel it should be outlawed to cook bacon in anything other than cast iron. I like my bacon crispy and cast iron just makes it heavenly. I want to try carbon steel with many things now. Thanx for the video.
I've moved to pretty much exclusively carbon steel for the last 6 years; so much so we've sold all but 3 of our cast iron pans. If you buy one; go with De Buyer; I've purchased quite a few and they all sucked compared to Debuyer.
@@twoblink so it seems like carbon steel is your go to now, is there any reason at all to keep cast iron ones around? are there some specific foods/recipes that specifically call for cast iron? if i'm fresh out of school with zero pans, should i get both carbon steel and a cast iron skillet?
@@paradigmshift7541 I actually gave away my large cast irons, I keep them around mainly for baking corn bread or any time my dishes need to go into the oven for a long time. I've purchased other carbon steel and they've all ended up curling on me except De Beyer. That's what I recommend. 1 skillet to do it all. Slightly expensive but my 9" is going on year 12, and still amazing.
@@twoblink i really appreciate your thoughts on this, as i have no cooking skills yet, and it's reassuring to hear from someone with hands on experience. thanks albert!
I learned more from this one video than the 25 videos I watched before this one. Incidentally, I have the same Weber grill, Thermoworks instant thermometer, and also use an infrared thermometer to see what the temperature is of my pan before adding oil.
Looks like you’re using a thermopen? I have one and have been let down it isn’t nearly as accurate as I was hoping for. I pull at 120 and it comes out medium well. I went back to just using my instinct and I always get a perfect medium rare. I appreciate the video though I’ve been giving some thought to investing in some Smithey pans. They are beautiful!
Just got a d seasoned a Misen 12 inch carbon steel pan. Steak tomorrow. I find that doing an initial sear for a couple of minutes and then pulling it off for a 5 minute rest and then going back in for the garlic and butter basting for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes a side avoids those grey bands completely.
First I have to say I absolutely love your videos. I've learned a ton and can't wait to make some ribeyes using your methods. I've tried steaks in cast iron on my gasser a few times but its been inconsistent results. Second - question...early videos you simply added regular butter to the pan to baste after turning....have you switched to clarified butter permanently?
Great question Brian and thanks for the kind words too. Yeah, I have switched over to clarified butter because I love searing steaks at high heat with cast iron and in a few of my earlier videos I was burning the butter. I also learned how to make it at home and it’s really easy and WAY cheaper than buying it off Amazon Ribeyes are coming soon! Just editing a video up right now as a matter of fact.
@@BBQandBottles good to know! I was wondering if you might say something like that. Great point about the costs - very true. If you do buy it again take a look at Trader Joe's. I haven't bought it there in a long time but from what I remember it was WAY cheaper than anywhere else. I also noticed this video didn't have the dark crust of your other videos but seemed the temp was a little lower, maybe that was why. Look forward to your ribeye video!
IDK, your cooking method was puzzling to me. Steaks shouldn't take nearly that long, so I am assuming your steaks were not actually at room temperature when you seared them. Then you took internal of 128, but if you want medium rare I think you would remove them at 122 and rise to 128 or 130 resting on the cutting board. Lastly, you had such great garlic, but you didn't actually crush it as you said, you just left whole cloves. And whole cloves don't give that much flavor. So really, the whole cooking segment has me scratching my head.
Medium rare is 130°-140°F, so he removed them on the higher end.. but still medium rare. Also, his garlic looked crushed to me. If by “crushed” you meant crushed with a garlic press.. then yeah.. it wasn’t “fully” crushed.” However bruising/crushing whole garlic is a good way to get good flavor without risking burning from high temps. Adding garlic paste would be too finicky imo
Kinda strange... He remove the steaks @ around 127F so it should still be medium rare unless grass fed beef retains a lot of residual heat normally I sous vide my steaks between 129F to 131F depending on the type of beef
You want to take steaks OFF heat, especially high heat, at 118-125 the latest. 128 is way too hot, remember the outside of the steak when you cook this way is extremely hot and that heat is going into the meat. Meat continues to cook for minutes after you remove it from the pan. So the internal temp of these continued to rise to probably 140 or so while they rested.
That is a gorgeous chef knife man! Good content :) and just my 2 cents I have always used the whole garlic after being peeled and never have tasted a end or anything, just food for thought.
You are correct, it does not, at least to any appreciable depth. The overnight advantage is that the exteriors dry nicely, not that the steak is salted through and through.
If it cooks faster though you will have to be more precise with your timings. If it takes a little longer it should be easier to get to the right cooked-ness. However, perhaps the quicker cooking time will make less grey bits around the edges and be more consistent throughout like a reverse sear, or maybe it'll worse, hmmm. Interesting.
I just find that if I have to turn down the carbon steel pan, it takes too long to reheat .. so I don’t think the heat retention of carbon steel is really good enough
That's also a plus though, if you find that you are cooking too high of a temperature the carbon steel will respond quicker when you turn down the gas, whereas with cast iron you turn it down and it takes much longer to respond which makes all the difference between being cooked and burned. Sometimes you want fast response times, which is why copper bottomed pans are so loved.
@@wiseowl1580 Nah, the gray band was massive. Charcoal grill searing at a much higher temp would help that a lot. Fairly thick steak, so a reverse sear would be great.
How about testing a carbon steel pan that fits easier in your audience's budget, instead of a $275 pan? What about a Lodge carbon steel, or something under $50?
@@wiseowl1580 keep drinking the kool-aid. Tell that to all the grandmas around the world that cook fantastic meals with the most basic of kitchen equipment.
I got both pans. Always wondered which one will do the best but your test is flawed.... Only one judge, there should be at least one more, like me and I would have brought the beer!!! Nice video!
Dear BBQ and Bottles, What a gentleman you are to reply that quickly. So, to be clear, does that mean to stop cooking once it reaches the exact temperature?
@@BBQandBottles Well I never knew that. I will tell you how I get on. I could never make sense of time guides as the time seemed to depend on the thickness of the steak. Again thank you from Brighton, UK.
Surprised people have not realized Avocado oil is the best/affordable option without olive over flavoring. I am glad you are awake! Now the surge in price of said oil. 🙄
I liked the test you did however I felt the explanation was far too short for why carbon steel was better. Which of the two stakes did you find to taste better? Did the cast iron render down a little bit more of the fat due to it cooking slightly slower?
Agreed. The crust certainly looked more consistent and darker on the cast iron. I was surprised to see carbon steel walk away with the win. Seemed like the decision was made on light-weight and not actually the cook/sear capabilities of the pan. If you were going to base it on the weight, why even do the sear test?
I just bought a Matfer Bourgeat 8 5/8" carbon steel crepe pan for $18 on amazon. Perfect size for one steak, or one hamburger. I don't need high sides for either. Even if I did need a normal fry pan shape, their 10" is only $31, and their 12 1/2" is only $54. All on Amazon.
This is the 21st video in our Steak Experiment series that we've been working on over the last year and a half. If you want to watch any of the other videos in the series, here's a link to the complete playlist. th-cam.com/play/PLA8Sgnre4XTUBNybUoykMXUD0HffOCp0O.html
BBQ and Bottles Thank you 🙏 I’ve been watching quite a few of your videos! You are always doing a wonderful job! Nothing but respect!
Appreciate the support Jim 👊👊
When comparing durability, cast iron is brittle and can be broken. I have broken a side off of two old skillets when dropped. Carbon stieel's are like a boat anchor or anvil. Indestructible . BTW, my old fave Wagner #9 i broke when dropped, i sanded the rough area on broken side and have been using as a griddle for 10 yr
I prefer the lighter weight, quicker reaction times (up and down) and flared sidewalls of the carbon steel. I still have all of my CI but now find I only reach for CI when baking cornbread
@@BBQandBottleswhere did you get the custom carbon steel skillet? The link won’t load and says pepperjamnetwork. They don’t sell skillets.
Nice, but I would expect good results from a $300 carbon steel pan.
You have to pull the steaks way before 128F if you're trying to target a medium-rare. Also, you need to take into account the effect closing the grill cover has on your cooking. The gray-bands on your steaks are way too thick and if you sent those out as medium-rare in a real restaurant, you'd re-firing two steaks.
Agreed. Needs more heat IMO.
Going to tell him how to stack the briquettes next?
@@Bubbles99718 well I didn’t want to say anything but...
Spot on. That was not medium rare. That said, you cook to your preference regardless of method, it is up to you to adapt based on your equipment and desire. The steaks looked tasty and were far from ruined and the information was useful. I might have to look for a carbon steel pan.
To be fair, most restaurants don't sear their steaks with a skillet. They put them right under a 600F broiler.
Came for the pan comparison, stayed for the steak tutorial! Looks delicious
Same thing 😀
The clarified butter is interesting although with my method I think the avocado oil stabilizes the butter so it doesn't burn. I cook over gas on cast iron and pull at 120 for a med rare every time.
My method. Pat NY steaks dry so you get a good sear without steaming! Let sit out at least an hr to get to room temp. Add a generous amount of Coarse salt to each side and pat into meat. Add fresh ground black pepper and pat into meat just before cooking. Sear hot medium high heat (About 450 to 500) in avocado oil about 2 minutes each side. I like to stand on steaks on side to sear the fat cap first. While searing the last edge turn heat down to medium and let temp come down to about 400. Add in fresh lightly crushed garlic cloves, thyme and butter. Lay steaks down baste in butter, garlic, & thyme till about 120. Remove and place in foil. Spoon some of the butter into steaks and add in cooked garlic cloves and thyme sprigs and wrap up. Rest 10 minutes. Best steak ever!
2 NY steaks (1.5 to 2 inch thick)
Coarse ground salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 or 3 tbsp avocado oil
Prep and ready in small container to easily add aromatics
6 to 8 Fresh garlic cloves (lightly smashed)
Small Bunch of fresh thyme sprigs
About 1/2 to 3/4 stick butter
I appreciate the info. 👍
This is my first time on this channel. This was an amazing watch. Your calm and informative energy really kept me engaged throughout.
If I just can’t be bothered and have poor cooking skills, will I be able to achieve that well done steak like yours?
The carbon steel heats up faster and cools quicker. That's why they make woks with carbon steel. Cast iron takes longer to heat up, but it retains its heat longer.
You should wear an apron. You're gonna get grease over that nice sweater
it’s his moms Cosby sweater so it’s ok
😂@@FroggysGoldProspecting
I have both cast iron and carbon steel pans that I'd use alternately for cooking, I love them both! Thanks to your video, I'll be searing the fat cap first, great advice. I also deeply score my fat caps so they melt a lot more while cooking, I imagine searing them first will make them even better!
And it minimises the potential for the steak to curl.
I gotta try scoring the fat cap! I think you might have just elevated my perfect steak! Lol thanks!!
Adds flavor to the cook as well. I agree with a poster that the top should remain open… a bit of steaming going on. Love the clarified butter suggestion. I use avocado oil as well. Works great with everything.
I really liked your sweater! Looks cozy.
Dude it's 2:30 AM and my fridge is empty, I am trying to distract myself by watching a knife video and you do this.
You MONSTER!
The carbon steel skillet in the video is by Smithy. All are hand hammered, pre-seasoned and beautiful. A bit expensive but you are buying functional art.
Thanks! Came here for this. Looks pre-seasoned. Do you know if they are? And is pre-seasoned better for a newb to carbon?
Ahh that' s why Asian restaurants use carbon steel pans, hot and fast. Nice comparison. I'll keep to my cast iron :)
thanks CJ!
Most restaurants in general use carbon steel.
@@Briggie
They are more corrosion resistant. I noticed in Japan they use stainless flat tops.
Edit: *Commercial Grade* carbon steel pans contain enough chromium (~6%) to help prevent rust. To be classified as "stainless" it has to be 10%+ chromium.
@@Briggie alot have changed over to carbon steel
What Asian restaurants (name drop)? Lightness is convenient and practical.
Great video but I think you need to recalibrate your thermometer
I agree, 127 with that level of banding is suspect. Recalibration of thermometer or maybe closing the lid with pan cooking is what did it. Idk, either way a normal burner setup would probably provide a better comparison of the pans. BUT, I do like the idea of using the grill to preheat a pan instead of heating up your house with the oven in the summer if you want your steak butter basted. But firing up the grill to cook steaks to not grill the steaks seems wrong too haha
@@prenticefincannon9239 I've been cooking professionally for 17 years... it was 100% him closing the cover.
And his thermometer is off lol
It was less likely the thermal pro and more likely carryover, I cook to 120F and with a strong sear carryover can lead it to 135
@@prenticefincannon9239 You can have zoned heating if you're pan cooking on a grill. have one side on high for direct heat to sear, and the other side of the grill set lower. sear on the hot side, and then put the pan on the pan on the "cool side" with the lid closed to bake. It turns it into more of an oven environment to finish.
Disageee.
Winner, winner and I’m now a subscriber
Dude. This is one of the top steak videos ever
Another title could be 30$ cast iron vs 275$ carbon steel skillets.
A good carbon steel skillet doesnt need to be expensive. Tbh, the one I use, has been used as a decorative thingy in someones garden. I asked if I could have it, deep cleaned it once, reseasoned it, and boom, best pan I ever owned.
@@germangamekiller The pt is he didn't. My statement stands
Agreed. Price should drive anyones purchase, if you shouldn’t afford it then don’t. I was tired of buying non stick and other pans that only seemed to last a year or two. Got the same lodge he used in the video and it’s been going strong for ten years. Now that I’m out of college and making big boy money, maybe I’ll treat myself on one of these expensive smithy products. 30$ cast iron is great because anyone can afford it, and like you point out-the finished product is indiscernible. Smithy is more of a bragging right and a buy just because one can.
I have a $40 steelie from Ikea and a 100yr old Wagner Ware cast iron. I love them both, but I prefer the steelie for the fact that I can change the temp in it more quickly, and it's more evenly distributed than the iron. But it's just nit-picking really...
@@Bubbles99718 u missed the point
This is a great video. I almost always cook a prime NY Strip that's around 2" thick, and I always sear the fat cap and edges for 120 seconds on their edges in a cast iron skillet, but I'm getting ready I think to switch to carbon steel. I find that if you start with a 2" thick steak, they will stand on their edge on their own.
On the cook itself, I would use a higher heat to start, which would give you a better crust at the end. You can always drop the heat if you need the butter, but I always cook my steaks dry, because the fat cap is going to render down and make its own fat in the pan.
Like the garlic, I smashed your like button. ;)
Kansas City strip
Great Job 👍 I’ve been a chef over thirty years and always love using carbon steel pans! Just takes getting used to the faster heat reactions both gets hot faster and cools down quickly! Needs much less energy than Cast iron! Both types of pans are awesome Cookers!
I have a matfer carbon steel pan and love it
I have some lodge cast irons and wanted to invest in some field quality cast iron pans because i have recently used one and there is a big difference in quality between lodge and field that was quickly realized and i have used cast iron my entire life but now seeing more and more about carbon steel im not sure what to do in your chef’s opinion is there a reason to have both or would it be better to opt one for the other ??
@@Retro_Guy_89 I think the iron skillet in the video is a Field Skillet. I have one and love it. So much smoother than a Lodge.
I like the crust on the cast iron a little better. Another thing I thought of is the carbon steel is more done in the middle with almost the same crust, I think that would be a benefit to the cast iron as well.
I have both cast iron and carbon steel skillets and I can't tell the difference in the way they cook.
I don't think either of these was seared enough. I'd flip every 60 seconds until they have a more consistent crisp across the majority of the surface.
The steaks look good for medium well steaks. I know you wanted med-rare, but they looked good man.
Yes definitely medium-well. Way to much grey cooked area for medium rare. Center is also not pink enough.
Disagree. Perfection.
How did you call it a win for the carbon steel the cast iron had a better crust and wasn't as overcooked. You're also comparing was obviously a high-end Boutique carbon steel pan versus a standard Lodge you should really compare it to a stargazer pan or just compare with the lodge carbon steel
Another great job! You rock everything brutha!
… Maybe pull the steaks at 120 degrees... likely the thinner grass fed beef… I also find dry-brined steaks to cook faster… See how 120 turns out or get thicker steaks... I find 1.5”-1.75” thickness way more forgiving...thanks again man - Show your videos to all my family and friends
Thanks for watching and spreading the word Anthony. 👍👍
Agree! And there is residual cooking so the temp will increase 3-5 degrees after pulling off the grill.
I dont understand that. How can it get even hotter when its off the grill? Doesnt make sense thermodinamicaly. Maybe im too close minded as a chemistry student 😂
@@ElDuardo01 The temperature close to the surface of the meat is considerably higher than the goal. It will even out as it rests, and the middle will rise higher as the surfaces cool. Eventually the whole steak will cool down, of course. Don't forget your physics classes 😉
Great video Sir. And magnificent sweater selection!!
🙏
Nice sweater bro... Bravo👏👏.👏👏.
Came for the pan comparison, stayed for the outrageous sweater
.
I wouldn't be ashamed to serve either one. They look fine!
I just made some skirt steak in my smithey carbon steel pan and it turned out great. My cast iron has decades of seasoning. The carbon steel seasoning will need work. I’m looking forward to that work.
After some time now with your carbon steel any recommendations on which one is a better buy, carbon steel or cast iron? Do you actually need both in your kitchen or can one be enough?
@@paradigmshift7541 I use both daily. My smithey carbon steel is now as black as coal and is great to use. I tend to make quesadillas, arepas, grilled cheese and small volumes of meat in the carbon steel. I use my larger cast iron when i need more space. Both cook very similarly so for me it is size.
@@rickeycarter because i'm a total beginner at cooking and unsure, do you think it would be accurate to say cast iron is better to cook steaks medium rare? in this video the cast iron gave a little bit better crust/brown searing, but also the inside was more rare. carbon steel got great searing, but a smidge less than the cast iron, and it seemed to cook the steak to medium/medium well.
@@paradigmshift7541 the best way to cook a steak is, in my opinion, is reverse sear. The bulk of the cooking is low temp in an oven and them seared at high heat (any steel pan) for the crust and color. Carbon steel does great and heats a little faster than cast iron. Both are great. Get s cheap lodge pan and a cheap carbon steel pan and experiment. They pans will cost less than good steaks
@@rickeycarter ahhhh i see, that was very enlightening and helpful. I guess my question was a bit silly as it was on the basis that pan fry was the only method considered. i was totally oblivious that if other cooking methods are used, i'd only be using the skillets to quickly sear at the end. thanks for the tips rickey
My mouth is watering 🤤
I think it cooked quicker cos you did it with the hood down. You're adding indirect heat from the BBQ as well as direct from the pans.
The comment about cooking quicker being part of the material used has nothing to do with the hood being down. Both skillets should have cooked the steak a the same time. However, the steel cooked it quicker.
Grass fed beef cooks quicker than grain fed. Please start pulling your steaks at 115. Love the channel my man!
Thanks Richard - appreciate the support 👍👍
At 115 it will still be walking! Haha
Put coarse salt on the fat caps the day before cooking to draw out water, makes the fat crisper
why coarse does that work better than not coarse
@@mumble97 personal preference
You NEVER put salt on the fat
It’s an interesting idea, but would that really work? I know that when dry brining, salt draws out water, then forms a brine. Some water in the brine does evaporate in a fridge, but I believe that once salt and water migrate back into the meat it reduces water loss from evaporation during cooking. And dry brined meat tends to remain moister, because the water-conserving effect outweighs the evaporation in the fridge in most cases. So why would this work?
I have both, as well as stainless 7 ply and copper. But the Carbon steel pan I have (De Buyer) on induction and electric hobs was loosing its flatness , e.g. centre down where all the oil was pooling. I had to bash the centre up with a wooden log so when it got to a cooking temperature it changed to be exactly flat. But heating it even more would again spin it on the stove. A cast iron pan is more likely to stay flat. On gas it is less noticeable.
I cannot stand pans that do that, hate it. I can live with the uneven cooking that you can get with cast iron, but if a pan stays flat, that's the biggest bonus for me and cast iron does that...as far as affordability goes.
Too well done guy.
Eye opener, thank you much.
Just a little tip if you're using a meat thermometer to cook steak; take it out -10f of your steak preference. The residual heat when it rest will settle spot on to your ideal steak then.
So are you saying for med rare it would be best to take the steaks off at 118º ?
@@davidhunternyc1 Well, if your goal is 128F then yes take it off the heat at 118F, but medium-rare is clocked at 130-135F; at least that is what I've been told. Either way taking it off the heat ≈ -10F before your goal temperature will typically get you where you want it once it's done resting.
@@tulekahju My guess is why there was so much grey in these steaks was that the pans weren't hot enough before he put the steaks on? They slow cooked too much before they got a sear?
@@davidhunternyc1 Im not entirely sure since its been a while since I watched the video, and Im not entirely inclined to rewatch it. I mainly just recall that he took them off too soon for his desired end temperature; hence the original comment.
What I may say as someone who cooks with CI I tend to preheat my CI for 10 minutes, but if Im going for a high temperature like what steak requires for a sear I increase the heat gradually, because I dont want to warp my skillet; especially important if youre cooking on the stove (You dont have to be gradual if youre preheating in the oven, or enclosed in a grill). Ill set it to med-low/med for 5 minutes then raise it a notch or two from there every few minutes until I get to the heat setting that I want.
A few things that may prevent a sear:
Pan temp is too low
Moisture (pat the steaks dry with a paper towel before cooking)
Moving it too early/often
Dang, I just had my iPad replaced, I smashed the like button and crushed, cracked, destroyed my iPad. No insurance will replace my iPad.
thanks for your sharing and I come from Hong Kong
Where can I get a sweater like that? Brand?
Haven't watched the video yet, but from just the opening screen, I find myself WAY more interested in the knife than the steak cooking experiment....
Great test. Wish I was there to taste. Cheers.
nice informative video. I admit as well carbon steel is my go to. Sorry to say the steak are overcooked. not the pans fault
good thing you are wearing your ring i was getting excited !
What is the carbon steel pan that you are using it is beautiful would love to get one
Here's the link - bit.ly/3md51EN
Can you tell me what is best size for steak?
I love diver style watches and was curious what kind of watch you are wearing in this video. Thanks
its a rolex sub
I'll have to look into carbon steel pans. I've never used one. I do love cast iron. I feel it should be outlawed to cook bacon in anything other than cast iron. I like my bacon crispy and cast iron just makes it heavenly. I want to try carbon steel with many things now.
Thanx for the video.
I've moved to pretty much exclusively carbon steel for the last 6 years; so much so we've sold all but 3 of our cast iron pans. If you buy one; go with De Buyer; I've purchased quite a few and they all sucked compared to Debuyer.
@@twoblink thanks for the input. I'll definitely look into them.
@@twoblink so it seems like carbon steel is your go to now, is there any reason at all to keep cast iron ones around? are there some specific foods/recipes that specifically call for cast iron? if i'm fresh out of school with zero pans, should i get both carbon steel and a cast iron skillet?
@@paradigmshift7541 I actually gave away my large cast irons, I keep them around mainly for baking corn bread or any time my dishes need to go into the oven for a long time.
I've purchased other carbon steel and they've all ended up curling on me except De Beyer. That's what I recommend. 1 skillet to do it all. Slightly expensive but my 9" is going on year 12, and still amazing.
@@twoblink i really appreciate your thoughts on this, as i have no cooking skills yet, and it's reassuring to hear from someone with hands on experience. thanks albert!
Do you by any chance work for Invista
What brand of carbon steel pan was used in this experiment? I am in need of a carbon steel pan and I like that handle.
It is Smithey farmhouse skillet.
Can you use the same seasoning on both pans carbon, steel and cast-iron? If not why?
Two cousin skills going at each other... great video... carbon steel only for its light weight... although I’m a Castiron man
maybe try constant flip method to get less grey on the edges. Works for me.
I learned more from this one video than the 25 videos I watched before this one. Incidentally, I have the same Weber grill, Thermoworks instant thermometer, and also use an infrared thermometer to see what the temperature is of my pan before adding oil.
Great setup!! Thanks for the kind words too.
thats a beautiful carbon steel pan where did you get it? link isnt working
I just tried it and it worked for me. Give it another shot. It’s the Smithey Farmhouse skillet.
fyi after you crush the garlic you can leave it in the paper and use it the same way but it'll be more protected from burning and still get the flavor
where can I find this wonderful fine carbon steel pan ? I feel I reeky need this one to my collection ! buy the way awesome testings !
Looks like you’re using a thermopen? I have one and have been let down it isn’t nearly as accurate as I was hoping for. I pull at 120 and it comes out medium well. I went back to just using my instinct and I always get a perfect medium rare. I appreciate the video though I’ve been giving some thought to investing in some Smithey pans. They are beautiful!
Poke the probe thru the side for a more accurate reading of the center temp
What brand knife is that?
Just got a d seasoned a Misen 12 inch carbon steel pan. Steak tomorrow. I find that doing an initial sear for a couple of minutes and then pulling it off for a 5 minute rest and then going back in for the garlic and butter basting for another 90 seconds to 2 minutes a side avoids those grey bands completely.
First I have to say I absolutely love your videos. I've learned a ton and can't wait to make some ribeyes using your methods. I've tried steaks in cast iron on my gasser a few times but its been inconsistent results. Second - question...early videos you simply added regular butter to the pan to baste after turning....have you switched to clarified butter permanently?
Great question Brian and thanks for the kind words too. Yeah, I have switched over to clarified butter because I love searing steaks at high heat with cast iron and in a few of my earlier videos I was burning the butter. I also learned how to make it at home and it’s really easy and WAY cheaper than buying it off Amazon
Ribeyes are coming soon! Just editing a video up right now as a matter of fact.
@@BBQandBottles good to know! I was wondering if you might say something like that. Great point about the costs - very true. If you do buy it again take a look at Trader Joe's. I haven't bought it there in a long time but from what I remember it was WAY cheaper than anywhere else. I also noticed this video didn't have the dark crust of your other videos but seemed the temp was a little lower, maybe that was why. Look forward to your ribeye video!
Yeah, this wasn’t our best crust 😉. Thanks for the tip on Trader Joes - I’ll check ‘em out.
IDK, your cooking method was puzzling to me. Steaks shouldn't take nearly that long, so I am assuming your steaks were not actually at room temperature when you seared them. Then you took internal of 128, but if you want medium rare I think you would remove them at 122 and rise to 128 or 130 resting on the cutting board. Lastly, you had such great garlic, but you didn't actually crush it as you said, you just left whole cloves. And whole cloves don't give that much flavor. So really, the whole cooking segment has me scratching my head.
Ditto!
Medium rare is 130°-140°F, so he removed them on the higher end.. but still medium rare.
Also, his garlic looked crushed to me. If by “crushed” you meant crushed with a garlic press.. then yeah.. it wasn’t “fully” crushed.” However bruising/crushing whole garlic is a good way to get good flavor without risking burning from high temps. Adding garlic paste would be too finicky imo
Wow this is it. the most pretentious comment on all of youtube lmfao
As One Gets Older That Cast Iron Pan Just Keeps Getting Heavier.LOL
I hear ya. Carbon steel is a great alternative.
Nice carbon pan! And Rolex, I've got the gold and stainless band blue face
What particular cut of steak is this please?
NY strip
You used Grass-fed Beef, but there's like 15 cuts of beef. Which ones are these? NY Strip? Sirloin Strip?
These were NY Strips
@@BBQandBottles thank you much appreciated
Kinda strange... He remove the steaks @ around 127F so it should still be medium rare unless grass fed beef retains a lot of residual heat
normally I sous vide my steaks between 129F to 131F depending on the type of beef
You want to take steaks OFF heat, especially high heat, at 118-125 the latest. 128 is way too hot, remember the outside of the steak when you cook this way is extremely hot and that heat is going into the meat. Meat continues to cook for minutes after you remove it from the pan. So the internal temp of these continued to rise to probably 140 or so while they rested.
That is a gorgeous chef knife man! Good content :) and just my 2 cents I have always used the whole garlic after being peeled and never have tasted a end or anything, just food for thought.
I do not believe salt permeates all the way through a steak. Good video and good information. thanks
You are correct, it does not, at least to any appreciable depth. The overnight advantage is that the exteriors dry nicely, not that the steak is salted through and through.
what kind of carbon steel pan is that ? why is it that colour and why there is no patina ?
Here’s a link to the pan. bit.ly/3md51EN. It came pre-seasoned
Nice sweater!
If it cooks faster though you will have to be more precise with your timings. If it takes a little longer it should be easier to get to the right cooked-ness. However, perhaps the quicker cooking time will make less grey bits around the edges and be more consistent throughout like a reverse sear, or maybe it'll worse, hmmm. Interesting.
The carbon steel skillet listed is not the one in the video.
That’s right. They don’t sell that one on Amazon. If you want to see the exact one, check out the Smitheys Farmhouse Skillet.
After years of cooking with both, I can undoubtedly say that my Lodge carbon steel pan sears noticeably better than my cast iron pans.
I just find that if I have to turn down the carbon steel pan, it takes too long to reheat .. so I don’t think the heat retention of carbon steel is really good enough
That's also a plus though, if you find that you are cooking too high of a temperature the carbon steel will respond quicker when you turn down the gas, whereas with cast iron you turn it down and it takes much longer to respond which makes all the difference between being cooked and burned. Sometimes you want fast response times, which is why copper bottomed pans are so loved.
You could also used infused ghee with garlic and rosemary although I guess it wouldn't have the same flavor.
Too specific. Beef Tallow is a better option.
You know how to enjoy life!!! Beautiful~~!! Great taste!!!
I've never seen so many 'experts' in one comment section. Tell us again how you're right all the time.
I'm on a fast. Not the video to watch with those mouthwatering steaks.
I don’t know about those steaks and I don’t know about that jumper your wearing either mate !!!! Lol 😂
The Shape of the Carbon Steel also is affecting your sear, it doesn't look completely flat. Great video though!
The shape of your head does not process correctly. These were perfecr.
@@wiseowl1580 Nah, the gray band was massive. Charcoal grill searing at a much higher temp would help that a lot. Fairly thick steak, so a reverse sear would be great.
How about testing a carbon steel pan that fits easier in your audience's budget, instead of a $275 pan? What about a Lodge carbon steel, or something under $50?
Because cooking outstanding or restaurant quality food requires certain pans? Cooking great food is NOT cheap. Period.
@@wiseowl1580 keep drinking the kool-aid. Tell that to all the grandmas around the world that cook fantastic meals with the most basic of kitchen equipment.
What chef's knife is that? Thanks.
Here’s a link to it. bit.ly/39D2mAg
I got both pans. Always wondered which one will do the best but your test is flawed....
Only one judge, there should be at least one more, like me and I would have brought the beer!!!
Nice video!
Gret video: thank you for doing it. How should I adjust cooking times relative to the size and weight of a steak?
My number one recommendation is to cook to temp not time. If you want medium rare, pull at 128F.
Dear BBQ and Bottles, What a gentleman you are to reply that quickly. So, to be clear, does that mean to stop cooking once it reaches the exact temperature?
Exactly! Whenever you’re grilling or searing something, search online to find the internal temp that maps to your desired doneness.
@@BBQandBottles Well I never knew that. I will tell you how I get on. I could never make sense of time guides as the time seemed to depend on the thickness of the steak.
Again thank you from Brighton, UK.
Try sous vide. Perfect every time! I did enjoy the video. I will try avocado oil next time I sear a steak.
Surprised people have not realized Avocado oil is the best/affordable option without olive over flavoring. I am glad you are awake! Now the surge in price of said oil. 🙄
So informative! I really felt like I learned something when I watched your video. Thanks.
Thanks Mike. Appreciate the kind words.
Looking at the color profile of those steaks confirms to me why I cook steak sous vide.
His thermometer wasn’t calibrated properly and the surrounding air was too hot
My concern on the "Sear" is does the Carbon pan have NO warp-age? Because, non-flatness will cause an un-even sear!!
Do you leave the lid close while it’s searing for 4 min?
Have you tried the butter aging method?
Not yet. Maybe once I get a fridge that I can dedicate to aging my beef
Rest for ten minutes? After ten minutes, I've moved on to desert.
Haha - well you don’t have to if you don’t want. It’s all a matter of personal preference.
I liked the test you did however I felt the explanation was far too short for why carbon steel was better. Which of the two stakes did you find to taste better? Did the cast iron render down a little bit more of the fat due to it cooking slightly slower?
Agreed. The crust certainly looked more consistent and darker on the cast iron. I was surprised to see carbon steel walk away with the win. Seemed like the decision was made on light-weight and not actually the cook/sear capabilities of the pan. If you were going to base it on the weight, why even do the sear test?
@@cameronbrown8757 Agree. Cast iron is better.
Here's an idea... Send me the cooked steak, you can make a video of me eating it....
How do you crust up the fat more?
You can sear off the fat cap directly if you want it to crust up more.
WHO MADE THAT CARBON PAN?
I want a carbon steel pan so bad, but I'm disabled and on a fixed income. It's on my list though. One day I'll have one.
Check thrift stores and flea markets if you can
Carbon steel is relatively cheap.
I just bought a Matfer Bourgeat 8 5/8" carbon steel crepe pan for $18 on amazon. Perfect size for one steak, or one hamburger. I don't need high sides for either. Even if I did need a normal fry pan shape, their 10" is only $31, and their 12 1/2" is only $54. All on Amazon.
What kind of steak should one buy?