The DeBuyer 11" country fry pan is the perfect size for my family and is really heavy-duty.It's not too big to move around or fit in my oven, but it's big enough to cook a whole meal without spilling over the sides.Photos make it difficult to know how deep any of the pans are or how far out they flare.This is a similar size to a dutch oven, butthe flat bottom is slightly smaller and the top diameter is slightly larger.So it's like a dutch oven that is more tapered, and no lid.Perfect for meals that need frying or searing.It requires seasoning like all carbon steel, but is worth the effort.There are many reviews or posts online how to season a pan, but some leave the surface unevenly treated, sticky or peeling.Like finishing fine furniture, many thin coats are better than a couple thick coats.The best method I've found is simple but may require a couple days.I found the directions online, printed for personal use, and now don't remember where I found it. First remove the protective coating according to DeBuyer's enclosed directions by boiling potato peelings and washing.Then you need to get a thin layer of oil hot enough for long enough to cause a chemical reaction that binds it to the metal.Because it's a different purpose than cooking and eating the oil, choose an oil with a low smoke point that hardens the most.Some research claims that flax oil achieves the hardest finish.But that may have seed particles, so if you use flax oil, pour a small amount in the center of a paper towel and fold it over itself so seeds don't bake into your smooth surface. Begin by heating the pan in a 200'F oven for 10 minutes to be sure it's bone dry and to open the pores a little. Then put it on a paper towel, pour a little oil on it, and rub the oil all over the pan, making sure to get into every nook and cranny inside and out.Now rub it all off until it looks like there is nothing left on the surface. There actually is oil left on the surface, it's just very thin. Put the pan upside down in a cold oven. Most instructions say to put aluminum foil under it to catch any drips, but if your oil coating is as thin as it should be, there won't be any drips.Turn the oven to 500'F (or as high as your oven goes) and let the pan preheat with the oven. When it reaches temperature, then set the timer for an hour. After an hour, turn off the oven but do not open the oven door. Let it cool off with the pan inside for two hours, at which point it's cool enough to handle.The pan will come out of the oven a little darker, but matte in texture not the semi-gloss you're aiming for. It needs at least six coats.If you feel any rough spots, you can lightly buff it.Again rub on the oil, wipe it off, put it in the cold oven, let it preheat, bake for an hour, and let it cool in the oven for two hours.Repeat several times.At that point it starts to develop a bit of a sheen and the pan is ready for use.Don't be tempted to use a thicker coat of oil to speed up the process. It just gets you an uneven surface or worse, baked on drips. You can't speed up the process. It only requires a little attention from you every 3 hours, so be patient and do other things.This patience with thin coats results in an ultra-smooth and hard non-stick surface that lasts many years with minimal care.There's only one small problem I had.With the pan upside down in my oven, the handle pushed against the oven rack and became etched.So I recommend covering the handle with foil during seasoning.With it's super-smooth surface and large size, this has become my favorite pan.
From the product description "Note: Blue steel pans can be used only with induction."
This is not true. Blue steel, like any carbon steel pan, can be used on ANY cooking surface. I think it was supposed to read CAN BE used on induction, since most cookware cannot.
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