Matfer Bourgeat 17 3/4" Black Carbon Steel Paella Pan - Professional Restaurant Quality, Perfect for Spanish Cuisine, Outdoor Cooking & Family Gatherings

Paella has some regional variations, but every Spanish paella has one thing in common: the bottom layer is a slightly crispy rice. Two things are important to achieve this delectable layer: technique (not stirring after the mixture fully combined) and the right equipment (a ‘proper’ paella pan)I avoid specialty kitchen equipment that has only a single function. I make paella a few times a year so I couldn’t justify owning a pan that I’d use infrequently. I use this pan almost daily for pan frying and sheet pan recipes. And, not only is it perfect for paella, it’s great for roasting vegetables, meat, and fish. The pan has a slightly textured bottom that keeps food from becoming saturated with oil, which creates that nice, crispy shell. The pan is heavy and distributes the heat so there are no hot spots so no burned food.The pan comes two sizes: a big one that holds enough to feed a professional football team, and a smaller one for those of us who cook for a family and an occasional group of friends. Everything is a matter of trade-offs; choose the size that best fits your needs.