Your carbon-steel paella pan may look bright and shiny, but if you want this fine piece of cookware to serve you for a lifetime, you gotta season it before you use it. Properly seasoning your paellera before you use it will jump start the patina you want it to develop. Why? That patina is a naturally non-stick surface that will help to evenly cook your food.
Before You Begin…a Warning
The process of tempering and seasoning a pallera will generate a lot of heat and smoke. Plan to seasoning your pan on a day where you can open the windows to encourage air flow as well as use your stove fan. You should also do this when babies, other sensitive humans, and especially pet birds are not around to be exposed to the smoke.
I made sure to keep my feathered friend—Rainbow Feathers—safe and sound. I did this on a sunny day, opened all the windows, and made sure our whole house fan was on, as well as the stove top fan. The process was smelly and smokey BUT with the proper ventilation the house was fine in about 30 minutes and she wasn’t affected by the smoke. Whew!
On With It…
Seasoning the paellera starts with putting the pan on the stovetop with a little water and a splash of white vinegar. Bring it to a simmer.
Using oven gloves, remove pan from the stove top and cool it in the sink under running water. Use the steel wool and a little bit of dish soap to scrub the entire surface down on both sides of the pan. This removes grime and the manufacturer’s coating.
When done, put back on the stove top and crank the burner up as high as it will go. I have a gas range and turned both the front and the back burner on, but I found that most of this could have been done with only one burner. The process is the same if you have an electric range.
Make sure you move the pan around so that all the bottom and the sides are exposed to the high heat equally. As the carbon begins to temper (harden) the intense heat will turn the carbon into different colors. When the pan is fully tempered, set it aside to cool for a bit. After it is cool enough to touch, you can use the steel wool to scrub it down again under cool water. Dry with paper towels and set back on the stove top. (If you do this correctly, this will be the last time your paella pan will ever come in contact with soap.)
Now, you are ready to heat it up a second time and oil it under high heat. Put the pan back on the stove top and crank the heat up again. Put a little oil in the pan and using a bit of paper towel held up with tongs, wipe down the insides of the pan. It will get completely smokey at this point. You can’t really tell in the photos because I have the stove vent running on high as well as the whole house fan.
It might not temper evenly, but that is okay. With use over time, the entire pan will develop a deep rich patina.
When I finished, mine wasn’t perfect, but the food did not stick to it.
How to Use
Your paella pan is ready to use. The frying that you will do will help deepen the color and further temper the pan. You only need a little bit of oil.
How to Clean
Clean your paellera like you would a wok or cast iron skillet. Use hot water and a bristle brush to remove stuck on particles, if any. Do not use soap. Ever. Dry thoroughly so it doesn’t rust, and then wipe down with a thin layer of oil before putting away for next time.
How to Season a Paella Pan
Ingredients
- 1 17" carbon steel paella dish
- 1 long tongs
- 1 steel wool
- dish soap
- 2 tbsps vinegar
- canola or peanut oil High heat oil
Instructions
Clean Pan
- Pour water and a little vinegar in a paella pan and bring to a low boil over the stove.
- Using oven gloves, remove from heat and place in sink.
- Add a little water and dish soap, then scrub the entire paella pan with some steel wool. This will remove any manufacturer's oil or coating on the pan. Rinse.
Temper the Dry Pan
- Place back on the stove and turn the heat on as high as it will go. Very shortly the carbon will start to turn blue where it is beginning to temper.
- Using gloves, rotate the paella dish around so that the entire bottom and sides of the pan are tempered. Note: The coloration might not be uniform even though you've tempered it. Set aside and let cool for a bit.
Clean Again
- When the pan has cooled down a bit, use the steel wool to scrub it down again. Rinse. Note: You might still need to use oven gloves to handle the pan.
- Dry with paper towels and put back on the stove.
Seal the Pan with Oil and Heat
- Add a little high-heat oil to the pan. Use the tongs and a bit of paper towel to wipe down all of the bottom and sides.
- Bring to high heat again, wiping with the tongs and paper towel as you go.
- Once all the paella pan is coated, set aside on back burner and let cool.
Using the outdoor grill works well!
You’re a life saver – or a pan saver, as it were. Your instructions worked perfectly. Huge thanks!