Solidteknics 18cm Iron Skillet

Specification

• Weight: 800g
• Total length: 43cm
• Diameter: 18cm
• Height of bowl: 4cm
• Height at handle: 9.5cm
• Capacity: 750ml

Care

• Your pan will arrive pre-seasoned, which means you can start cooking on it straight away.
• Give the pan a quick rinse with warm water (no soap!) and a wipe with a damp cloth, then dry it immediately with a tea towel.
• You’re now good to go. Fire up the hob, oven or barbecue and get cooking!

Seasoning

• Seasoning an iron pan has two benefits: it builds a natural non-stick surface, and it protects the metal from corrosion.
• It is quick and easy to do and will very soon become part of your kitchen routine. For the small amount of work required, the rewards are considerable – a well-seasoned Solidteknics pan is a thing of beauty.
• Your pan will benefit from occasional stove-top seasoning, particularly if you’ve been cooking quite acidic foods (tomato-based dishes, for example) or had to scrub hard to remove any stubborn cooking debris. Here’s how:1. Turn on your extractor fans and open the windows to avoid filling your kitchen with smoke and setting off the smoke alarms.

  2. Place your pan on an appropriately sized hob and gradually increase the heat.

  3. As the pan warms up, add a teaspoon of cooking oil – sunflower, groundnut or rapeseed oil have a high burning temperature and won’t leave behind a bitter flavour. Using a paper towel, wipe the oil around the pan’s surfaces.

  4. Continue wiping until the oil begins to smoke.

  5. Remove the pan from the heat, leave to cool for a minute or two, then repeat the process twice more.

• If your pan’s cooking surface has been seriously undermined by detergent, acidic food or hard scrubbing, a single bout of oven seasoning will be enough to start rebuilding that natural non-stick quality. Here’s how:

  1. Heat your oven to 90°C and place the pan inside for 15 minutes to warm it up.

  2. Using a paper towel, wipe a thin layer of oil over the surface of the pan, then wipe it clean – it should look dry.

  3. Turn your oven up to 250°C. When it’s hot, place the pan upside down on one of the shelves. Leave it for 2 hours.

  4. Turn the oven off and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before removing the pan.

FAQ’s

What is wrought iron?

Most other iron pans are made from cast iron, which is melted down (and often mixed with other metals), then poured into a mould. Wrought iron, by contrast, is a single flat piece of iron that is worked into a seamless pan shape by a machine. Our wrought iron is half the weight of cast iron and even more durable, as it cannot crack if dropped. It is also more conductive, so it heats quickly and retains its temperature.

How has my pan been finished?

Solidteknics pans do not have a synthetic non-stick finish. Instead, we pre-season them with rice bran oil, creating a strong, inert, all-natural non-stick cooking surface that improves with age – a process we call Quenched. You can start cooking with your pan straight away, but regular stovetop seasoning is recommended to build and maintain that non-stick quality.

Why isn’t the base of my pan flat?

Solidteknics pans are designed with a carefully engineered concave shape, which compensates for expansion and contraction when heated and cooled.

After cooking, my pan is no longer uniformly dark and shiny. Why?

While a shiny black patina is achievable through continual seasoning, iron pans will often be patchy. Don’t worry about how they look – our pans are built for performance.

Do the handles get hot?

Our long skillet handles are designed to dissipate heat through the vented neck gaps, making them fine to handle during normal stovetop cooking. However, it is vital to remember that the handle will get extremely hot if you put your pan in an oven or grill. Get in the habit of throwing an oven glove or tea towel over the handle if you’ve just removed your pan from the oven.

The handles of our dual-handled woks and pans will get hot, as the short loop handles aren’t long enough for the heat to dissipate. Pick them up with care!

What cooking surfaces can I use my pan on?

In short, any. Any kind of hob; gas, electric, halogen, induction, ceramic. In an oven. Outdoors over fire.

What utensils should I use?

Any utensil you like. Unlike synthetic non-stick coatings, you can use any utensil with our cookware, including metal.

My pan is rusty. What should I do?

Iron pans are susceptible to rust, especially if they’re not sufficiently seasoned, haven’t been dried up properly, or if they’ve been left sitting unused for long periods of time. Don’t worry, it’s only superficial rust and easy to fix. To remedy, simply scrub off the rust with a scrubbing brush, steel wool or fine sandpaper. A little baking soda or vinegar may also help. Afterward removing the rust, you’ll need to re-season the pan.

My pan has rough patches. What does this mean?

Rough patches are created by bits of carbonised food from previous use. They don’t do any harm, but they do cause whatever you’re cooking to stick. Use a strong scraper to remove this burnt-on detritus, then follow up with some quick stovetop seasoning.

I’m getting black specks in my food. Why?

Black specks are most often caused by the pan not being thoroughly cleaned. To remedy this, give your pan a good light scrub with a scourer, or even consider using salt and a splash of oil (the salt acts as an exfoliant). Rinse under hot water and repeat if necessary. Follow up with some quick stovetop seasoning.

How do I eliminate strong odours such as fish from my pan?

You can deodourise your pan by either heating your empty pan over a low-to-medium heat on the stovetop for 15 minutes, or heating in a 250°C oven for 10 minutes.