Recommend me a steak pan

[LordGrover]

My old pan is knackered so need a new one. I quite fancy one of those griddle affairs but have no real idea what to look for. A starting place is here: click, but I'm not much wiser.
If it makes any difference, I like my rib-eyes rare (British style, not en Français ) with a nice, almost crusty outside, IYSWIM. Oh, and it's ceramic hob.

[Wadeski]

So long as it is ridged, heavy, and can go in the oven as well as on the grill, you are good...

[21TonyK]

I'd look for cast iron. The steel ones seem to warp and on a ceramic hob it needs to be in contact at all points to get heat into the pan.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Craft-Clearview-Gr...

[LordGrover]

Don't the cast iron pans take a lot of preparation and care? Seasoning, no soap, etc?

[21TonyK]

LordGrover said:

Don't the cast iron pans take a lot of preparation and care? Seasoning, no soap, etc?

Not really, I just give them a good scrub and rub with a bit of oil before putting them away. Over time it will build up a "patina" but I never fuss with them too much.

[jmorgan]

LordGrover said:

Don't the cast iron pans take a lot of preparation and care? Seasoning, no soap, etc?

None of mine have. Baked once to non stick them and that is it. Just use and and abuse them.

[ChrisnChris]

jmorgan said:

None of mine have. Baked once to non stick them and that is it. Just use and and abuse them.

That's how we treat ours

[Cotty]

21TonyK said:

Not really, I just give them a good scrub and rub with a bit of oil before putting them away. Over time it will build up a "patina" but I never fuss with them too much.

Do they need oil before putting them away? I haven't been, just a good scrub (no soap) and dry them on a burner on the hob.

[ChrisnChris]

Cotty said:

Do they need oil before putting them away? I haven't been, just a good scrub (no soap) and dry them on a burner on the hob.

I don't oil mine, I do oil my wok though. It's thin steel & rusts like a b'stard if not oiled.

Same as you, dry on hob, or in the oven if it's still warm.

[GWC]

I have one of these, they are brilliant but not cheap. Cooks perfect steaks, bacon, fish etc and has good space to cook on, you can even use them on a barbeque and they are reversible with a flat underside. Think I paid about £65 ten years ago but it will outlast me by the looks of it.



http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product-Range-uk/Cast-I...

[ChrisnChris]

GWC said:

I have one of these, they are brilliant but not cheap. Cooks perfect steaks, bacon, fish etc and has good space to cook on, you can even use them on a barbeque and they are reversible with a flat underside. Think I paid about £65 ten years ago but it will outlast me by the looks of it.

I have one, I've used it once. I don't get on with it at all, too heavy & unwieldy, you can't de-glaze properly & awkward to wash.
It's a hateful thing....IMO

[GWC]

But it cooks steak brilliantly and isn't supposed to be wielded, hehe. Just place it over two rings and heat until smoking I wash mine upright in the sink using very hot water and a nylon brush.

[Mobile Chicane]

GWC said:

I have one of these, they are brilliant but not cheap. Cooks perfect steaks, bacon, fish etc and has good space to cook on, you can even use them on a barbeque and they are reversible with a flat underside. Think I paid about £65 ten years ago but it will outlast me by the looks of it.



http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Product-Range-uk/Cast-I...

I have something similar and it's great.

However I mostly use mine for griddling asparagus, or in the oven for potato wedges or baking anything 'crumbed'.

For steak, it's a straightforward LC non-stick frying pan:



This gives brilliant results.

I have halogen too - rented house.

[escargot]

26cm Le Creuset 'Grillet'.

Fantastic for steaks.

[alfa pint]

I use a normal large flat blue le creuset pan for steaks. As long as you can get the thing absolutely searing hot without having the meat stick to the pan, you're good.

ETA the fact that mine is also blue.

Edited by alfa pint on Thursday 24th March 09:44

[louiebaby]

escargot said:

26cm Le Creuset 'Grillet'.

Fantastic for steaks.

Mine's blue, so it's better. It's the business for steak though, that's for sure.

Quite a few outlet villages have Le Creuset shops, and you can save a chunk sometimes...

[escargot]

louiebaby said:

Mine's blue, so it's better.

[LordGrover]

Leaning towards the posh'n... found a (relatively) cheap one here: click.

Thanks all.

ETA - just noticed nine knicker postage!

Edited by LordGrover on Thursday 24th March 10:31

[jmorgan]

Bought my Le crusty or howver it is spilt when on a trip over in enemy territory many moons ago (85?) and dirt cheap. Still going strong. My ordinary iron skillets get more use though and begrudge the high street rip off if I wanted a Le ripoff today. 32 squids ain't so bad though. And mine is round so better than blue.

[escargot]

That's a cracking price mate considering the RRP is £69.99.