Tools

Our Favorite Recipes to Cook in a Carbon Steel Frying Pan

Our favorite recipes to get you comfortable with carbon steel cooking, all with guaranteed delicious results.

By Team Made In
Apr 1, 2024

The possibilities of what to cook with one of our Carbon Steel Frying Pans are nearly endless. Thanks to its superior heat conduction and retention capabilities, this pan can do it all—from searing to sauteing, even cooking outside.

Because of this, it can feel overwhelming to decide what you should cook first. To give you a solid place to start, we’ve compiled 7 of our favorite recipes to make in our Carbon Steel Frying Pan that show just how versatile it can be.

Table of Contents

    The possibilities of what to cook with one of our Carbon Steel Frying Pans are nearly endless. Thanks to its superior heat conduction and retention capabilities, this pan can do it all—from searing to sauteing, even cooking outside.

    Because of this, it can feel overwhelming to decide what you should cook first. To give you a solid place to start, we’ve compiled 7 of our favorite recipes to make in our Carbon Steel Frying Pan that show just how versatile it can be.

    Steak and Potatoes

    It doesn’t get much simpler than meat and potatoes, but this recipe from Terry Black’s BBQ proves the dish can still take on new, exciting forms. The steak is seasoned and seared in a Carbon Steel Frying Pan, so it develops a crispy exterior. Plus, the steakhouse staple baked potato is reimagined as a potato salad, with the baked cubes tossed in a sweet and spicy dressing.

    Crispy Chicken Thighs With Tahini Yogurt and Harissa Brussel Sprouts

    If you’re tired of chicken prepared in the same few ways, this recipe from Chef Fiore Tedesco of Austin's L’Oca d’Oro will be a welcome reprieve, spicing up your weeknight with a dish that’s full of bright flavors and crunchy textures. Our 12” Carbon Steel Frying Pan will fit both skin-on chicken thighs at once, so you don’t have to worry about overcrowding the pan.

    Potato Latkes

    It doesn't get much better than a classic potato pancake. This recipe, from co-founder Jake Kalick's mother Kelly, uses less than ten ingredients to assemble classic Hanukkah fare that's just as delicious all year round. The high-heat and browning capabilities of our Carbon Steel Pan help each latke get perfectly crispy, without running the risk of overcooking.

    Grilled Oyster Mushrooms with Chimichurri

    grilled oyster mushroom

    While meat is, undeniably, where the prowess of carbon steel cooking shines the brightest, the same can be said for meaty veg—like these gorgeous grilled oyster mushrooms from Chef Rick Lopez of Austin's La Condesa. Here, they're grilled whole to produce a crispy-yet-tender bite, and dressed with a simple, herbaceous chimichurri. If you're after the best parts of warm weather cooking in a bite, this is it.


    Steak Frites

    From Chef Jo Chan of Austin's Bureau de Poste comes a tasty twist on a French brasserie classic. Perfect for two, this dish utilizes shio koji—an umami-laden Japanese ferment—as the steak marinade before searing to perfection in our Carbon Steel Frying Pan.

    Enchilada Potosina

    One of the most popular menu items at Austin’s Nixta Taqueria, Chef Edgar Rico shares his recipe for his coveted Enchilada Potosina. Unlike the Tex-Mex version, these enchiladas aren’t smothered in cheese, though they are garnished with a sprinkle of queso enchilado. Each corn tortilla is lightly fried in our Carbon Steel Frying Pan to provide a sturdy base for layers of refried beans and potato-chorizo purée, before being topped with a roasted tomato salsa.

    Pan-Roasted Chicken

    tom colicchio  roast chicken recipe

    You may be tempted to gussy this simple recipe from Chef Tom Colicchio up with herbs, spices, or rubs, but the simplicity is what allows this dish to shine. Coming together completely in the Carbon Steel Frying Pan, you'll be shocked by how delicious this is with such little work.

    Ready to Cook?

    Featuring sloping walls, high heat tolerance, and an ample, naturally non stick cooking surface area, the question shouldn't be what you can cook with Carbon Steel—it should be what to cook first.