Sticky Carbon Steel? Why Food Sticks (and How to Fix It)

So, you’ve swapped your old Teflon for a shiny, new carbon steel pan. Great choice! Carbon steel is lightweight, durable, and it builds a natural stick-resistant surface without relying on synthetic or toxic coatings.

But let’s be honest: your first time cooking with carbon steel can be humbling. There’s a bit of a learning curve, especially when it comes to seasoning, and one of the most common questions we get from new users is “why is food sticking to my carbon steel pan?” 

The short answer is that it’s completely normal in the beginning. The longer answer involves a bit of science, and understanding it will help you get the most out of your pan.

Let’s talk about why food is sticking to your carbon steel pan, and how you can fix it:

It’s (Usually) All About Seasoning

Unlike Teflon-type synthetic coatings that wear over time, carbon steel pans develop their own, natural, stick-resistant coating through seasoning that you build yourself. 

Seasoning is an ever-evolving finish consisting of layers of polymerized oil, which form from the food you cook. These layers bond to the metal over time, creating a smooth and lower-friction surface that food is less likely to stick to. Before the pan is seasoned, it's essentially like cooking on a stainless steel pan. So until your pan has enough seasoning built up, some sticking is bound to happen.

When working with a freshly seasoned pan, the most likely answer to sticking is that your seasoning is still underdeveloped. Right after the initial seasoning, or even after a few more cooks, it still won’t have quite enough built up to be effective. Those first few layers are also pretty delicate, so you might experience a bit of seasoning loss at first, too.

The good news is that every time you cook, you’re inherently building the seasoning more and more. Any added fat to your pan, including the natural fat from your food, will add another polymerized layer. Think of it like a foundation: with each cook, you add another brick, until your house is built and your food won’t stick. 

The quality and effectiveness of seasoning also depends on the types of foods you cook, and even how frequently you use your pan. Higher-temp cooking, like searing a steak or sautéing fatty veggies, can help build seasoning faster than lower-temperature cooking, like making eggs. The color of your seasoning will also change over time, and you might see some significant changes with those first few cooks (including some seasoning loss, too). Here’s an example of how seasoning can develop, and how certain foods might affect it:

As your pan gets darker and darker, you’ll get closer to that perfect stick-resistance. Maintenance seasonings after cleaning can also help build your layers up faster. Try to avoid acidic food, like tomatoes or wine-based sauces though, as they’re more likely to remove your hard-earned layers.

A Little Fat Can Go a Long Way

Food is also more likely to stick if there isn’t enough fat in the pan. Now, we get it! You switched to carbon steel with the promise that it could replace your nonstick pans, so why would you need more fat?

When you’re first starting out with carbon steel, we recommend using a little more fat than you would otherwise. On top of helping food slide more easily, it also polymerizes as you cook, thus adding another layer to your seasoning. Over time, as your seasoning gets stronger, you’ll be able to cut back on the extra fat and still get great results.

Pro-tip: Butter is great for lower sticking, but doesn’t build seasoning very well. We recommend using a high smoke-point oil like grapeseed, avocado, or vegetable oil for some of those first few cooks.

Temp Control is Crucial

Carbon steel pans heat up fast, making them great for searing and quick cooks, but it can also catch you off-guard. In fact, risk of burning aside, if your pan is too hot, food is more likely to stick because the proteins will denature too quickly, causing them to cling to the surface (something that you might have even experienced with nonstick Teflon pans).  

On the other hand, if the pan’s too cold, wet foods like scrambled eggs are more likely to stick. Keeping the heat at a more moderate temperature allows food to cook gradually, and to release more easily when it’s ready.

Strata Carbon Clad pans have the added bonus of an aluminum core, allowing them to heat more evenly than other carbon steel pans. This means you’re less likely to get random hot-spots, causing even less sticking.

Consider Moisture

High-moisture foods, like a tilapia fillet, are much more likely to stick than dryer proteins, like steak. For best results, you’ll want to pat proteins like chicken, fish, or tofu dry with a paper towel before cooking. We also recommend drying off rinsed veggies, and letting battered or marinated foods drip off excess liquid before adding to the pan.

Now before you ask, yes, you can still cook pancakes in carbon steel! You just need to wait for the bottom to get that beautiful golden-brown crust before you flip it. Who wants soggy pancakes, anyway? More on this next.

Timing is Everything

Wait until your food starts to brown and crisp up a bit before you try to flip it. Once it’s formed a crust, it’ll be ready to release. On the flip side (pun intended), overcooking and especially burning your food can also cause it to stick. Keep a close eye while cooking and try to slightly lift periodically to check if it’s ready.

Fun Fact: The Maillard Reaction is the chemical process responsible for creating that beautiful, golden-brown crust. It also brings out bold, savory flavors when you sear, and it's a sign that your food is starting to naturally release from the pan. Moisture levels, heat, and timing all affect the reaction; We’ve got a deep dive on it here if you’re ready for some science!

For Best Results, Don’t Scrub Too Hard

It can be tempting to grab steel wool and a tough cleaner to remove stuck on bits, but aggressive cleaning with abrasive tools are more likely to strip your hard-earned seasoning than clean it. Instead, clean your pan gently and use the Boil Method to loosen tough food.

Don’t forget to dry your pan immediately after to prevent rust! Check out our article on the Do’s and Don’ts of how to clean carbon steel for more on best cleaning practices. 

The Bottom Line: Just Keep Cooking

Carbon steel is an excellent replacement for traditional nonstick (aka PTFE and PFOA) pans, they just take a little longer to get used to.

If a few eggs stick here and there, it’s not a sign that your pan is defective or that you’ve done something wrong. It simply means your seasoning is still developing, or that your cooking technique might need some tweaks while you learn.

Stick with it (pun intended), and your carbon steel pan will reward you with amazing performance for years to come.

P.S. Got questions? Email us anytime at info@stratacookware.com. We’re always happy to help with care tips, cooking advice, or anything in between.