This Versatile, Chef-Approved Pan Took My Paella from Good to Great, and It’s 20% Off Ahead of Black Friday

It’s loved by editors, shoppers, and celebrity chefs alike.

Published on November 22, 2022

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Paella is one of my all-time favorite dishes to cook at home. I appreciate the time it takes to finely chop onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, and heaps of parsley, and savor the moment when I carefully tuck my clams and mussels into the bed of rice lining my pan. That pan has been a large, deep skillet that has essentially gotten the job done, but I’ve never been able to replicate the crispy, outrageously flavorful socarrat (the crunchy, salty, herby rice at the bottom of the pan) I’ve had in Spanish restaurants.

That all changed once I got my hands on a sample of the Made In Blue Carbon Steel Paella Pan. This fully seasoned and naturally nonstick pan has a wide, flat 13-inch bottom that conducts heat quickly and evenly to turn the rice in my paella from passable to outstanding.

To buy: Made In Blue Carbon Steel Paella Pan, $79 (originally $99) at madeincookware.com

Instead of steaming among the seafood and vegetables in the dish, the “heat-loving” carbon steel can withstand temperatures up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, ensuring the moisture at the very bottom of the pan evaporates so that the rice can crisp up on one side as it remains fluffy on the other. This creates the ultimate texture experience and infuses the rice with a smoky, charred flavor that anyone who has had a perfect paella knows is essential to the full experience of the recipe.

Typically, the paella pan is an already reasonable $99, but it’s 20% off right now for Black Friday week, which brings the price down to an even more palatable $79.

Made In cookware is a favorite among celebrity chefs like Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton, and Brooke Williamson, so my expectations were already high even before testing the pan out for myself.

The brand and this pan in particular is also a favorite among Made In customers. Among its 670 reviews and 4.8-average star rating, shoppers say the pan is “top-quality cookware” and that it produces “perfectly cooked” paella. Many mention using it for other dishes, like baked mac and cheese and pizza, and call it a versatile pan that isn’t limited to special occasions for paella night. Plus, many shoppers noted how easy the pan is to clean, which is an added bonus no matter what you decide to whip up in it.

Allow your paella-loving household to experience the dish at its best by adding the Made In Blue Carbon Steel Paella Pan to your cookware collection while it’s still 20% off for Black Friday today.