Cast Iron Seasoning Help
- Thread starter icor1031
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
salt and pepper
Executive Chef
Lets see if this helps. As far as smoothness goes. Some of the cheaper pans have a smoother finish then the thicker, heaver pans, like Wagner or Lodge.
The reason I like to use flaxseed oil is that it becomes hard after the pan is seasoned. Still leaving a course finish in the pan. But when you add 4 or 5 layers of seasoning the layers of oil raise above the grain of the iron, thus becoming a smooth surface.
So in essence, you really don't cook directly on the cast iron, you cook on the hard oil finish. So if you want a smooth finish to your pan, don't sand or grind it, just season it. The only resaon to sand or grind a pan is to remove the rust.
If I buy a new pre-seasoned pan, the frist thing I do is wash it a hot soapy water then re-season with a few layers of oil untill it becomes slick and smooth.
The reason I like to use flaxseed oil is that it becomes hard after the pan is seasoned. Still leaving a course finish in the pan. But when you add 4 or 5 layers of seasoning the layers of oil raise above the grain of the iron, thus becoming a smooth surface.
So in essence, you really don't cook directly on the cast iron, you cook on the hard oil finish. So if you want a smooth finish to your pan, don't sand or grind it, just season it. The only resaon to sand or grind a pan is to remove the rust.
If I buy a new pre-seasoned pan, the frist thing I do is wash it a hot soapy water then re-season with a few layers of oil untill it becomes slick and smooth.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
If seasoned properly, this is true of any fat you use, not just flaxseed oil.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Ok, so now you've heard it from S&P, GB, Andy, and Myself. There is no need to sand the pan. Just season it, and cook in it. When my Lodge pan was new, I seasoned it (there were no pre-seasoned pans at that time). I cooked in it. It's not grainy inside at all any more. The only reason I prefer my Griswold to my lodge for most of my cooking chores is that it's made with thinner metal. So, it heats faster. But then again, if I need to sear a substantial chunk of meat, or pan-fry in a couple inches of oil, O use the lodge, as it's thcker metal means that it has more stored heat capacity, and won't fluctuate in temperature as food is added so much.
Understanding the basic nature, or physical properties of the pan will really help you use the right pans for the right cooking technique.
If used properly, I can get great results from my SS pans, my aluminum pans, and my CI pans. My Atlas Wok is carbon steel, and is seasoned like my other pans. It to is nearly stick free. Eggs slide around in it just as they do in every other pan in my house. The only pans I really don't care for are ceramic coated pans. I do have problems with food sticking in those.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Understanding the basic nature, or physical properties of the pan will really help you use the right pans for the right cooking technique.
If used properly, I can get great results from my SS pans, my aluminum pans, and my CI pans. My Atlas Wok is carbon steel, and is seasoned like my other pans. It to is nearly stick free. Eggs slide around in it just as they do in every other pan in my house. The only pans I really don't care for are ceramic coated pans. I do have problems with food sticking in those.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Zagut
Head Chef
Way to many worries about Cast Iron.
Use it. Abuse it.
Decide if it's for you or not.
I have Cast that's over 70 years old and it works for me.
My Grandmother used to throw it into the fireplace to "Clean the crap off".
There is no magic formula to make it work for you.
Yes it needs to be "seasoned" before it becomes "nonstick" but there are way too many theories as to how to do this to pick one and declare it as "the way" to do it.
The basics are use oil/fat + heat to get a surface to cook on and then care for that surface as it fits your cooking needs and habits.
Use it. Abuse it.
Decide if it's for you or not.
I have Cast that's over 70 years old and it works for me.
My Grandmother used to throw it into the fireplace to "Clean the crap off".
There is no magic formula to make it work for you.
Yes it needs to be "seasoned" before it becomes "nonstick" but there are way too many theories as to how to do this to pick one and declare it as "the way" to do it.
The basics are use oil/fat + heat to get a surface to cook on and then care for that surface as it fits your cooking needs and habits.
Caslon
Executive Chef
I'm working on building up the carbon and it is slowly getting smoother. One thing I've noticed on some really really well seasoned pans is that they have almost a slight sheen. Mine is still dead flat looking.
Also, out of curiosity, how does cooking bacon season a pan??? When I cook bacon, I don't use high heat, therefore how can a carbon layer build up?
Also, out of curiosity, how does cooking bacon season a pan??? When I cook bacon, I don't use high heat, therefore how can a carbon layer build up?
Last edited:
GB
Chief Eating Officer
You do not need high heat to season the pan. Heat opens the pores of the metal, the fat gets in, the pan cools and the pores close. That is the seasoning process. Cooking bacon is a great way to continue the seasoning process as it is so high in fat.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
I sometimes cook bacon over relatively high heat.
And sometimes I've received some good burns from spattering grease.
I try to give myself time to cook bacon over lower heat settings now. It spares me pain, sometimes.
Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Just don't cook it while in your birthday suit.
A friend of mine just posted, in her blog, about Lodge cast iron. It's on special: Lodge 5-Piece Cast Iron Set is $65 again! Hurry! | Being fRoogal
JGDean
Sous Chef
I have several items of cast iron all are well seasoned from use except for an odd sized one. I used it the other day and was in a rush and overheated it with a heavy coating of oil. I put it in a cold oven to cool. Now the entire thing is super gummy. How do I remove the residue??
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Try heating it again and then wiping out (carefully) the excess while it is still hottish.
lemme guess... that was vegetable oil of some type?
'seasoning' is the process of developing a carbon coating on the cast iron that becomes 'non-stick'
if you review the preceding pages you'll see why some oils/fats seem to work better than others. there is actual science behind this stuff, although "Because my Grandmother did it like this" trumps science every time.
I just cook fatty proteins like patty sausage and bacon in the pan until it gets slick. yup, because that's how my . . .
'seasoning' is the process of developing a carbon coating on the cast iron that becomes 'non-stick'
if you review the preceding pages you'll see why some oils/fats seem to work better than others. there is actual science behind this stuff, although "Because my Grandmother did it like this" trumps science every time.
I just cook fatty proteins like patty sausage and bacon in the pan until it gets slick. yup, because that's how my . . .
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Not cast iron, but carbon steel for this technique. You season it the same way, and for the same reasons. I do this in my Atlas, flat-bottomed wok.
Melt butter in it. Clarify the butter, add uncooked popcorn, cover, and heat over medium high until the popcorn is done. Remove from heat. Eat the pop corn. Wipe out the wok with paper towel, store.
Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Melt butter in it. Clarify the butter, add uncooked popcorn, cover, and heat over medium high until the popcorn is done. Remove from heat. Eat the pop corn. Wipe out the wok with paper towel, store.
Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Greg Who Cooks
Executive Chef
I too am skeptical about the electrolysis, wire wheel and lye.
Starting with lye, it won't react with the iron at all. What it will do is react with any oils, turning them into soap. I see no reason to do this.
As far as electrolysis all that's going to do is remove material from your pan, just eating it away. I never heard of anybody doing that.
A wire wheel seems to heavy handed to me. Some of that patina you are removing might be good patina.
My advice would be to remove any rust with steel wool. Then run it through a few season, bake, season, bake cycles. I'd bake at (guessing) 250-300F for 30 minutes per cycle. Use a high temperature smoke point oil. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of them all.
I've never heard of anybody destroying a cast iron pan, except maybe by leaving it out in the weather for several decades.
Starting with lye, it won't react with the iron at all. What it will do is react with any oils, turning them into soap. I see no reason to do this.
As far as electrolysis all that's going to do is remove material from your pan, just eating it away. I never heard of anybody doing that.
A wire wheel seems to heavy handed to me. Some of that patina you are removing might be good patina.
My advice would be to remove any rust with steel wool. Then run it through a few season, bake, season, bake cycles. I'd bake at (guessing) 250-300F for 30 minutes per cycle. Use a high temperature smoke point oil. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of them all.
I've never heard of anybody destroying a cast iron pan, except maybe by leaving it out in the weather for several decades.
GB
Chief Eating Officer
Oh they can be destroyed. Think thermal shock. Granted, it is very hard to destroy one, but it can happen.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
Lordy ! It's simple
Hot soapy water ( dish soap/detergent ) scrubby/scrungie
Done
Hot soapy water ( dish soap/detergent ) scrubby/scrungie
Done
Last edited:
Cheryl J
Chef Extraordinaire
I'm going to be going back to page one and reading this thread with great interest. 
I have an old CI skillet that I got as a freebie at an estate sale about 15 years ago. The lovely lady who gave it to me wasn't sure how old it was. I can barely read on the underside that it is a Griswold - I can only make out the G and the D, and they are in a large cross shaped logo. It's an 11" skillet and heavy as all get out. It's been somewhat neglected, the cooking area is in fairly good shape but the outside of the skillet is bumpy from crud buildup.
I would love to clean it up and use it again. I think I'll buy one of those steel scrubbers to use on the outside and once that's done, I hope to re-season it and use it.
Thank you to all for your advice on cleaning up these wonderful old CI skillets. I'll read through this thread again and hopefully will get this wonderful old skillet going again.
I have an old CI skillet that I got as a freebie at an estate sale about 15 years ago. The lovely lady who gave it to me wasn't sure how old it was. I can barely read on the underside that it is a Griswold - I can only make out the G and the D, and they are in a large cross shaped logo. It's an 11" skillet and heavy as all get out. It's been somewhat neglected, the cooking area is in fairly good shape but the outside of the skillet is bumpy from crud buildup.
I would love to clean it up and use it again. I think I'll buy one of those steel scrubbers to use on the outside and once that's done, I hope to re-season it and use it.
Thank you to all for your advice on cleaning up these wonderful old CI skillets. I'll read through this thread again and hopefully will get this wonderful old skillet going again.
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
I'm going to be going back to page one and reading this thread with great interest.
I have an old CI skillet that I got as a freebie at an estate sale about 15 years ago. The lovely lady who gave it to me wasn't sure how old it was. I can barely read on the underside that it is a Griswold - I can only make out the G and the D, and they are in a large cross shaped logo. It's an 11" skillet and heavy as all get out. It's been somewhat neglected, the cooking area is in fairly good shape but the outside of the skillet is bumpy from crud buildup.
I would love to clean it up and use it again. I think I'll buy one of those steel scrubbers to use on the outside and once that's done, I hope to re-season it and use it.
Thank you to all for your advice on cleaning up these wonderful old CI skillets. I'll read through this thread again and hopefully will get this wonderful old skillet going again.
Cheryl; Here's an easy way to get rid of the crud. Purchase some ammonia and put it into a glass or plastic bowl. Place the pan and the bowl in a large, plastic garbage bag. Do this in the garage, or a shed as ammonia doesn't smell very good. Close the bag and let it sit overnight. The next day, the crud simply wipes off with a paper towel. This also works for cleaning oven grates. They come out shiny, like new.
Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
Using ammonia will remove the seasoning from the entire pan! If the cooking surface is good, and you only want to clean the exterior, an abrasive such as steel wool or similar may be the way to go. There is no sense in disturbing a perfectly good decades old cooking surface.
