there is a new breed of hand made carbon steel out there today...these are somewhat nicer than what I've cooked with in the past....the new one's are much nicer...however being hand made, they are much more expensive!!!
Pappy, they do perform VERY similar to cast iron, however, as I'm sure you know...they lack the "brutality" that cast iron provides...BUT....cast has it's deficiencies as well...they all have their place...
the final product....I won 2nd place at the local chili cookoff a few years ago with this recipe...it's the easiest recipe that I ever submitted....isn't that the way it works??

:-)Rocky