De Buyer Mineral 12.5 Inch Steel Country Pan

Ambitious pan
Before placing my order, I was not sure I really needed this, now it has become my favorite. After seasoning with potato peels as directed, it was stick-free from its first use, as is the case for 2 other pans by De Buyer - a 7-inch crepe pan and an 8-inch omelet pan, all excellent and a pleasure to use -- the pleasure given by the use of these pans may well be an important reason some people buy them. It feels right and secure in the hand, it has a certain balance, its quality is everywhere obvious. But the size of this pan may be a problem for some people. I could easily see that a 12.5 inch pan would fit my stove, but the size of the handle astonished me when I first saw it; I debated sending it back. It will fit inside the oven which is more or less average in size, but only sideways, not straight in. Others with small kitchens should think of the size of the handle, not the diameter of the pan. The handle alone is about 12 inches long, total length of pan including the loop...

Working out nicely
This is a nice pan, great non-stick without the coatings/chemicals, quite versatile and well built.

Ever see those restaurant pans that look very functional but with lots of little dings and dents? This is kind of like that but won't get the dings and dents because it's thicker steel.

That thickness adds some additional weight.

Have used it six months now and it's earned a permanent spot on the stove to have it ready at hand. Next to the pressure cooker (which I use every time I cook). And this on an induction stove for efficiency and speed. It replaces a black cast iron skillet that I've used for years, but which wasn't as high-sided like this one. The black skillet is nice and I still use it from time to time, but it's not the daily go-to anymore, this de Buyer is now.

Cleanup is usually just a rinse with hot water as recommended by the manufacturer.

For seasoning I never put it in the oven for hours as some recommend, but did...

A Very Good Kitchen Addition
I've had this pan for about 6 months now. I love it. It cooks beautifully, cleans up like a dream - it does discolor, but that doesn't affect the cooking - and is easy to manipulate on the stove. I appreciate the long handle although that makes it a bit harder to store in a cupboard (I store mine in the drawer under my stove). This pan has all the advantages of non-stick and none of the disadvantages. It's much lighter than my cast iron. It should last my lifetime and I've already told my cooking son that he'll inherit it (and I hope to live and cook many more years before that happens).

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