Care & use

Carbon steel pans
Alex Pole Ltd pans and skillets are spun from raw steel, pre-seasoned with rapeseed oil and baked at around 425°C to give a sealed finish. This makes our pans ready to cook with straight out of the box. However, for best results we advise regular re-seasoning, especially after the first few times of use.

The colour of the pan will change from the blue/grey when is arrives to a dull silver and then to a much darker red/brown and even black. This is completely normal and is reflecting the build-up of seasoning. Don't worry! Cooking some foods, especially acidic produce like tomatoes, can remove some of the seasoning, but again please don't worry! This may result in a pale silver finish but the seasoning can be easily re-applied.

Our pans are all spun by hand and as such can pick up scratches and tooling marks during this highly-skilled process - this does not affect the pan. The spinning process can also create some stress in the base of the pan and this can be released when first heated causing very slight warping. Heat your pan slowly to avoid this.

Raw steel pans are fantastic to cook with and they have no chemical or industrial coatings and as such are better for both the environment and for your health.

Pan seasoning tips

Wash your pan in hot water and dry thoroughly
Wipe with a very fine layer of oil using a cotton cloth
Place the pan in the oven at a medium temperature for 30 minutes
Turn the temperature up to maximum and bake pan for 60 minutes
Remove pan (careful, it will be hot!) and very gently wipe again with a fine layer of oil
Leave to cool slowly; do not cool with cold water as this can buckle the pan
The more often a pan is re-seasoned the better the pan will perform

Caring for your pan

Carbon steel will rust if left wet for too long. For best results wash your pan in hot water and dry up thoroughly after use and store in a dry place
Steel pans can be re-seasoned after every use if desired and re-heating in the oven with a little oil after cleaning is a good idea
Do not put your pan in the dishwasher as it will rust
Do not use detergent or excessive soap

Cooking tips

Slowly pre-heat your pan then add oil
Most food is best cooked from room temperature rather than directly from the fridge
Steel pans can sometimes transfer heat unevenly – find the best heat spot for the type of cooking you are doing

Stainless steel
We use 304 and 316 grade stainless steel to forge our utensils, pan handles and cookware. The blackening comes during the forging process as oxidisation and gives a beautiful colour and texture to our products. They are also rust-resistant and dishwasher proof.

Copper
Our copper utensils are finished by hand, cleaned and lightly oiled before shipping out. Copper is a reactive metal and will oxidise over time. This is completely natural and the colour will darken, but we love this process and think it adds to the beauty.

Do not leave in the sink or put in the dishwasher. Hand wash . Store in a dry place.

Products can be oiled regularly if desired using a light cooking oil or food safe mineral oil. Just wipe all over with a cotton cloth.

Please contact us at any time if you have any issues with caring for your product and we will endeavour to help in any way possible.