Kuhn Rikon Black Star Iron Frying Pan

• Read our full guide to the best cast iron skillet pans

How easy is the Kuhn Rikon Black Star Iron Frying Pan to use?

Where some skillet pans are ready to use straight out of the box, some – like this one – need pre-seasoning before use. Included with this pan are detailed instructions on how to season it. It takes around 30 minutes but is essential for creating an effective non-stick patina.

We are big fans of the handle on this skillet pan – it’s long and slim, like the kind of handle you’d find on pans in a professional kitchen. There’s a hole at the top so you can hang it up when not in use.

This pan is endlessly versatile; not only can it be used on all hob types, but it can also be used in the oven, on barbecues and on fire pits.

We found this pan was stable on the hob when cooking and easy to clean afterwards.

Results

We cooked a ribeye steak and simple fried eggs in this pan to test its non-stick capabilities and see how well it sears food.

We dropped our egg into the heated oil and watched as the white cooked evenly and consistently. The fried egg had a lacy, crispy edge, the white was totally set and the yolk remained runny. No effort was needed to remove the egg from the pan, and underneath it was nicely browned.

For the steak, we allowed the pan to heat up slowly to a very hot temperature but kept the burner on a medium flame. After lowering the steak into the pan, we let it sit for a couple of minutes, then flipped it. The pan had helped the steak achieve a deep, rich crust and the fat had started to render, adding more flavour. After dropping in a few cubes of butter, we began to baste the steak. The pan gripped the steak as we tilted it towards us so the butter could pool. Do note, you will need something to protect your hands as the handle gets very hot. After letting it rest, we enjoyed a perfectly medium-rare steak, rich in flavour from the intense sear.

Conclusion

Skillet pans are an investment piece, but they’re built to last. This Kuhn Rikon skillet pan is fantastic quality and robust, and that’s before we’ve even spoken about its cooking abilities.

This pan is not only attractive, but unlike traditional cast iron pans, it’s pretty lightweight, making it easy to use more like a traditional frying pan. It cooks steak fantastically well, reaching a high temperature to produce an intense sear, but this pan also has a delicate side to it, as it gently cooked fried eggs to perfection.

It’s not the cheapest skillet pan on the market, but it’s well worth the cost.

• Available from Kuhn Rikon (£149.95)

Specifications

Sizes available (cm): 24, 28, 32, 36
Preseasoned: no
Materials: spun iron
Induction compatible: yes
Oven safe: yes, 240C

Cast iron skillet recipes

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This review was last updated in July 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.