New to Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron

[Luisfc1972]

Well i bought a few Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron skillets and they arrived today.

Ive read a ton about them and still I have questions.

I used a 8" skillet and some chopped beef to test. Out of the package I first rinsed the skillet then put it on the stove with a medium heat. I put in the chopped beef and it was clearly sticking. Since that was happening I poured a little olive oil in the pan and that solved the problem.

Here are my questions.

Since it is pre-seasoned I thought the food should not stick but I guess I need to cook more on the skillet before food will stop sticking?

Second question, I am supposed to use paper towels but when i cleaned the pan after the cook (with hot water, salt and a brush), some particles from the paper towel stuck to the pan. Should I not use paper towels? or if I keep using paper towels can I just rinse off those paper towel particles when I use the pan the next time?

Third question, I used Pam before putting the meat on and used it again after cleaning and the skillet cooled down, then wiped off the excess with a paper towel. Would mazola corn oil work better instead of Pam? Or should I use vegetable oil like the instructions recommended? Ive read so much about cast iron where I get confused because some contradictory things are said like not using soap etc.

Maybe use lard instead of Pam and any other type of oil?

Sorry for the long post but this is my first try with cast iron.

 

[jet]

1. Pre-seasoned cast iron still requires some use to achieve optimum performance.
2. I dry my cast iron with a cloth towel and use paper towels to oil them.
3. I use cooking oil when storing my cast iron.

 

[GB]

The initial seasoning will not make the pan non stick. That will come with time and fat. They more you use the pan the more non stick it will become.

The more you use the pan the stronger the seasoning will become. As that happens, the surface will become smoother so it will not shred your paper towels like it is doing now. Until then you can just rinse those little bits out next time you use the pan like you suggested.

I would not use Pam. I would use oil or lard or other forms of fat depending on what you are cooking. Fat is your friend with cast iron.

As for soap, it can be used, but only once you have a very strong seasoning.

 

[Katie H]

The initial seasoning will not make the pan non stick. That will come with time and fat. They more you use the pan the more non stick it will become.

The more you use the pan the stronger the seasoning will become. As that happens, the surface will become smoother so it will not shred your paper towels like it is doing now. Until then you can just rinse those little bits out next time you use the pan like you suggested.

I would not use Pam. I would use oil or lard or other forms of fat depending on what you are cooking. Fat is your friend with cast iron.

As for soap, it can be used, but only once you have a very strong seasoning.

I wholly endorse what GB has said. I have no experience with "new" pieces. My cast iron cookware is very old, some of it at least 100-years-old. As a result, they've been seasoned sooooo well that they make today's Teflon cookware weep. I love my well-seasoned cast iron and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Just be patient and use, use, use.

 

[camp_cookie]

Welcome to the club. As the others said, the factory seasoning will require some use to really set the seasoning. Try cooking some things like sausage and bacon in it at first to deposit a lot of fat in it. Also, I've had good results with pouring in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom and then heating the oil while I cut up some taters. I then put the taters in the oil and toss them somewhat and put the skillet in the oven at 375 or so and bake the taters. You can use the broiler to brown them up some when they are done to your liking. This helps put some fat from the oil onto the skillet, and the heat of the cook helps to carbonize the fats, thus seasoning the skillet.

 

[Luisfc1972]

thanks for the quick responses.

The pan came with instructions stuck to the skillet with glue.
I rinsed the skillet with water, poured out water and let the remaining water evaporate while the skillet was being warmed. then i put the meat on to cook.

is the meat i cooked on it edible?

 

[GB]

Yep the meat should be fine. Next time, heat the pan then add some fat. Once you add the fat then you can add the meat and you will be good to go.

Cast iron takes a little getting used to, but not much. You will love it in no time.

 

[camp_cookie]

What pieces did you get? Thankfully, I have a Lodge outlet store about 30 minutes from me to feed my cast iron cravings. It has some remarkable deals on factory seconds that cook just as good as the "first" and have more character to boot.

------
Some seasoning info that is better than what comes from the factory:

www.camp-cook.com :: View topic - Dutch Oven - Basic Technique

Cast Iron

 

[Luisfc1972]

Sorry for all these questions but I am very technical. I asked if the meat was still edible because maybe some of the glue was being cooked with the meat even though I took the glue off and rinsed the skillet?

By the way, HOLY COW, I overcooked the meat. I cooked it for less than 2 minutes. I cant believe how fast it cooked. I am not used to this hehehe

 

[GB]

The glue will not hurt you. You removed it before you cooked with it. Any remaining residue won't do any damage.

 

[Luisfc1972]

camp cookie i got the 10 and 1/4, the 8 and the 6 1/2 pre seasoned skillets. i used the 4 and 3 deal and got the lodge brush for free.

 

[camp_cookie]

camp cookie i got the 10 and 1/4, the 8 and the 6 1/2 pre seasoned skillets. i used the 4 and 3 deal and got the lodge brush for free.

You'll enjoy them. I had a 10.25 skillet that I bought sometime back, and we received a 12" skillet as a wedding present. I inherited a square skillet of unknown make from my grandmother, and I also received one of the corn stick pans as a gift.

A few months ago, I went to the nearby Lodge outlet and bought a set that contained a regular dutch oven, a 10.25" skillet, and 8" skillet, and a griddle. The lid from the ditch oven will fit the 10.25" skillet. I also found a lid in the seconds that would fit my 12" skillet. In addition, I bought a 10" deep camp oven (has legs and a rimmed lid for charcoal) and an 8" camp oven. The lids from the camps ovens will also fit the skillets. I made a second trip and bought a seconded 6" skillet. Lodge has just announced a 6" camp oven; so, I will probably pick up one of those so that I have another lid/skillet/oven combo. The camp oven lids can also be used as griddles.

I've picked up a few lid stands for the camp oven that also allow the skillets to be used over charcoal and/or stacked on top of a camp oven, and my wife gave me one of the chuck wagon dinner bells for Christmas.

On top of all of that stuff, my mother found skillet and griddle that belonged to her grandmother and gave them to me.

I guess you can say I caught a bad case of castironitis.

 

[wysiwyg]

Luisfc1972,
Relative to your questions about the glue: "What doesn't kill you, will make you strong"
Don't know who said that, but I think is appropriate for this circumstance.
Is there a phone number or site where to get the location for the Lodge stores?
I checked their website unsusscessfully.

 

[camp_cookie]

Luisfc1972,
Relative to your questions about the glue: "What doesn't kill you, will make you strong"
Don't know who said that, but I think is appropriate for this circumstance.
Is there a phone number or site where to get the location for the Lodge stores?
I checked their website unsusscessfully.

There is one in Commerce, GA. There is one in South Pittsburgh, TN, home of the Lodge factory, and the third one is in TN as well. I believe that it is in Seveirville, TN, home of Dollywood.

 

[wysiwyg]

camp cookie,
Thank you for the prompt reply, I wrote to Lodge last night and they beat you by a couple of hours LOL

 

[camp_cookie]

camp cookie,
Thank you for the prompt reply, I wrote to Lodge last night and they beat you by a couple of hours LOL

Sure thing.

All I bough ton my trip to the Lodge outlet yesterday was a deep fry basket to fit my 5qt Dutch oven and a long handle bristle brush with a scraper on it.

 

[itzalgud]

I have used cast iron skillets for 40 years...probably made enough cornbread to fill a battleship.
Here are my thoughts:
1. First, throw away the manufacturer's instructions.
2. Season (cure) the skillet (the proper way) regardless if it is pre-seasoned or not.
Here's how:
1. Coat the entire skillet inside and out (including handle) with cooking oil (corn oil works O.K.)
2. Place in oven upside down with oven set at lowest temp (put cookie sheet underneath to catch drippings).
3. Take out of oven when oil is sticky to touch all over. May take 10-20 minutes.
4. Turn oven temp up to 500 degrees and place skillet back in for 1 hour.
Note: It will smoke, so do this on a day when you can ventilate the kitchen
5. Check skillet surface for a hard SHINY glaze. Continue heating in oven if necessary until glaze is obtained.
6. Enjoy your new non-stick skillet.
Tip: If you have a thrift store near you, this is a great source for cast iron cookware. Usual cost only $2-$5. Age doesn't matter...cast iron is practically indestructible.

 

[subfuscpersona]

use solid fat to season castiron - not oil

The initial seasoning will not make the pan non stick. That will come with time and fat. They more you use the pan the more non stick it will become. Fat is your friend with cast iron.

Solid fat (not oil) is the best seasoning for castiron. Our foremothers used castiron and they cooked with animal fat (especially lard).

At a minimum, pick up some Crisco. Better yet, collect fat from meat/poultry you purchase - chicken, pig or beef fat are all fine. Fat freezes well so just collect fat from one type in a ziplock bag (in your freezer). When you have a bunch, throw it, frozen, in your castiron pan and render it. Even if you throw out the rendered fat, this is the best (and easiest) way to season (or re-season) castiron.

If you don't know how to properly render fat, see this post Rendering Fat

 

[Bigjim68]

If you want to get good cast iron cookware almost free, check out yard sales. They generally come several in a set for very little money. Look for "estate" sales. I have given away dozens of cast iron items to those just starting out. Generally I purchased a box to get at one item that I wanted. I don't trust old cookware seasoning, and use soap, steel wool, and boiling salt water to bring out the old grease and start over. I don't understand pre-seasoned Lodge. Seasoning is acquired with use, and it is my understanding that you have to do that anyway. The new Lodge pans that I have seen do not have a polished interior. The ones that I acquired and used were difficult to clean due to the rough surface. Think that I will stick with my old ones.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I'll just add in here that I LOVE my pre-seasoned Lodge 12" skillet. I gave it a brief scrub with a plastic scrub pad & a little soap before it's initial use, & it was still non-stick from first use, & has just gotten better - as expected - with each use.

I have other older Lodge pieces that I seasoned myself, but frankly, I can't find one thing that's not advantageous about using the new Lodge pre-seasoned pieces. It just speeds the seasoning process - the quality of the pieces remains the same.