I have a wok and a frying pan, both are cast iron. I season them with vegetable oil. Coating the whole surface with a light layer and then baking for 1 hour at 350. After seasoning, the surface is a bit blotchy and sticky. Some places seem nicely seasoned, but others look like there wasn't any vegetable oil on it whatsoever. Would someone provide advice on this?
Cast Iron Seasoning Question
- Thread starter kbreit
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
You may have had too much oil in an area. That would make it sticky. Scrub out the sticky spots, coat the entire utensil inside and out with shortening or vegetable oil and reseason as you did before, leaving it in the oven to cool slowly. Place the pans in the oven upside down so excess oil will drip off the pans.
A light coating is key.
A light coating is key.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Try a different oil. Try heating on stovetop, tilting pan to prevent puddling, and redistributing oil with paper towel or rag.
My foolproof method is to scrub down the CI pan of any previous coat with steel wool and water, heat it either stove top or in oven and let dry/cool overnight. Then use very light and even coating of crisco. Turn it over on sheet of aluminum foil in cold oven. Turn oven on to 400 degrees for 5 hours. Let cool.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Wiping out any excess while still hot might eliminate sticky / congealed oil.
sugarx2
Assistant Cook
Seasoning the non-enamelled cast iron pans.
I have read where they do not recommend liquid oils to season. It is ok to coat lightly with these oil to an already seasoned pan, if you intend to use the pan again really soon, but these oils will go rancid on the pans if set aside over time.
I can not use Crisco or any other hydrogenated oils. They are trans fats, and I am allergic, as well as it is unhealthy to add any trans fats to your cooking, so I use solid Palm oil shortning (sold at Whole Foods and other health food stores.). They look and act just like Crisco shortning... But they are healthy. The key is to coat the entire pan all over, and put it in the oven at 300 degrees for about hour. REMEMBER to put a cookie pan covered in foil under the pan to catch the oil or greasy residue, and there is almost NO MESS! Then let it cool, wipe off the excess and store your pan. You can reseason as often as you like. Eventually the patina will cause the pan to go deep black. Usually the seasoning will hold up at that point, unless you scratch it off with a sharp utensil, cook acidic foods in it like tomato sauces or some fruits, use a hard soap, scouring powder, or steel wool, so don't do those things.etc. If something sticks, you can reheat the pan add some wine, and gently remove it. Or use soap and a plastic scrubbie. If all else fails and you have to use something harsh, no harm, just reseason again when you are done!!!
ENJOY!
Anyone out there have some advice for removing rust? I have seen some great old pieces but feared rust in them. If I knew how to get the rust out, I could reseason those.
I have read where they do not recommend liquid oils to season. It is ok to coat lightly with these oil to an already seasoned pan, if you intend to use the pan again really soon, but these oils will go rancid on the pans if set aside over time.
I can not use Crisco or any other hydrogenated oils. They are trans fats, and I am allergic, as well as it is unhealthy to add any trans fats to your cooking, so I use solid Palm oil shortning (sold at Whole Foods and other health food stores.). They look and act just like Crisco shortning... But they are healthy. The key is to coat the entire pan all over, and put it in the oven at 300 degrees for about hour. REMEMBER to put a cookie pan covered in foil under the pan to catch the oil or greasy residue, and there is almost NO MESS! Then let it cool, wipe off the excess and store your pan. You can reseason as often as you like. Eventually the patina will cause the pan to go deep black. Usually the seasoning will hold up at that point, unless you scratch it off with a sharp utensil, cook acidic foods in it like tomato sauces or some fruits, use a hard soap, scouring powder, or steel wool, so don't do those things.etc. If something sticks, you can reheat the pan add some wine, and gently remove it. Or use soap and a plastic scrubbie. If all else fails and you have to use something harsh, no harm, just reseason again when you are done!!!
ENJOY!
Anyone out there have some advice for removing rust? I have seen some great old pieces but feared rust in them. If I knew how to get the rust out, I could reseason those.
justplainbill
Executive Chef
Naval jelly followed by a stiff wire cup brush on an electric drill and then if desired a light sanding with a flexible sanding disk on a variable speed 1/4" or 3/8" electric drill.
PanchoHambre
Washing Up
Yep crisco works great and I think is easier to get an even spread than w/oil.....
my "secret" is cooking up a big batch of bacon as the first use of the pan that seems to put a nice finish on and lessen and irregularities.
After each use I give a light rub with olive oil and let dry on the stove w very low heat.
After I'm done cleaning CI, I put it on a low burner to dry it more quickly, put a very little canola in it when the water has evaporated (and the burner is back off), then wipe it in with a paper towel. By the time the pan cools back off it's nothing but shiny, but no oil patches to speak of.
Here's the Griswold pan I used to sear a chuck roast today. Don't ask me what those specks that look like salt are... I even looked at the pan after snapping the pic.
Here's the Griswold pan I used to sear a chuck roast today. Don't ask me what those specks that look like salt are... I even looked at the pan after snapping the pic.
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sugarx2
Assistant Cook
a particle mask? This sounds a bit extreme. Any easy ideas to remove rust?
a particle mask? This sounds a bit extreme. Any easy ideas to remove rust?
a particle mask? This sounds a bit extreme. Any easy ideas to remove rust?
There are no real "easy" rules unless you want to take your piece to a place that does light sandblasting, but that's a bit extreme.
Still, if you use the methods already suggested, do the process outside. That will lessen the mess. Cast iron needs to be free of rust and cleaned properly to be ready to season. Don't let it put you off. You will be handsomely rewarded. A well-seasoned piece of cast iron is a piece of heaven. Far better than any of technology's Teflon creations.
Still, if you use the methods already suggested, do the process outside. That will lessen the mess. Cast iron needs to be free of rust and cleaned properly to be ready to season. Don't let it put you off. You will be handsomely rewarded. A well-seasoned piece of cast iron is a piece of heaven. Far better than any of technology's Teflon creations.
I use very very fine sandpaper when I want to clean mine. Or scouring powder and steel wool if it's bad. I have an old skillet that I regularly cleaned using 1000 grade sandpaper and it's as smooth as glass. I have taken it down to bare metal a few times. It doesn't take too much effort to season for things not to stick.
I've never been too hesitant about cleaning my skillet, I freqently clean it with soap as well, after it's had a few meals of cooking under it's belt, and as long as it's just a quick wipe and good rinse with hot water it's just fine.
If I soak it in dishwater, either on purpose or by accident, then it holds a soap taste until I clean it really good, so I try to avoid that.
I've never been too hesitant about cleaning my skillet, I freqently clean it with soap as well, after it's had a few meals of cooking under it's belt, and as long as it's just a quick wipe and good rinse with hot water it's just fine.
If I soak it in dishwater, either on purpose or by accident, then it holds a soap taste until I clean it really good, so I try to avoid that.
sugarx2
Assistant Cook
Thankyou! Sandpaper I can do! Sandblasting and heavy chemical... not likely!
I may take a closer look at the ones I see rusty at the thrift shops!
Candy
Grillncook
Cook
I would defiantly NOT use Navel Jelly, to me that stuff is too nasty to put on something I was going to eat out of.
I use "0000" steel wool to clean anything that has rust on it. A quick rub removes any rust and there is little if any residue. It won't scratch any hard surface and it's very inexpensive. I've used it for CI pans, chrome wheels on the car, to really shine up the porcelain on my Weber grill, it's great stuff. It's especially useful for cleaning up older carbon steel baking pans that you can get dirt cheap at garage sales. I picked up a rusty Kaiser Springform pan for $.50 once, a $60 pan looks good as new now. Home Depot or any paint store sells it.
I use "0000" steel wool to clean anything that has rust on it. A quick rub removes any rust and there is little if any residue. It won't scratch any hard surface and it's very inexpensive. I've used it for CI pans, chrome wheels on the car, to really shine up the porcelain on my Weber grill, it's great stuff. It's especially useful for cleaning up older carbon steel baking pans that you can get dirt cheap at garage sales. I picked up a rusty Kaiser Springform pan for $.50 once, a $60 pan looks good as new now. Home Depot or any paint store sells it.
