Things peeling off my iron pan?

[g23]

i've been using my cast iron pan for about 3 months now on my flat top and 4 weeks ago i noticed a small patch that seemed to have flaked off. as time went on the patch became bigger and bigger and now patches are all over my pan like the seasoning has come off. it looks quite ugly but it is still non stick so can't be the seasoning coming off.

this is a preseasoned lodge pan and the patches only started after i went and did a second seasoning in my oven. sometimes i'm even able to scratch off these patches with my spatula. does anyone know what's happened.?? thanks!

 

[justplainbill]

Based on your posts over the past several months I had the same problems with a Lodge preseasoned 7 quart Dutch oven. I eliminated the problems as follows:

• I thoroughly scoured the interior of the pan using only enough water to keep the scouring paste from drying out. I scoured with several pads of medium fine steel wool. As each pad became worn I supplemented the slurry with Cameo stainless steel cleaner. Between changing of pads I wiped out the slurry with paper towels.
• After achieving a reasonably smooth surface I wiped out as much of the residue as possible and then bushed the interior of the pan with a stiff brush and brown soap, then rinsed thoroughly with very hot water.
• With the pan still heated from the hot water I dried it with paper towels and placed on cooktop set to medium heat to remove latent water.
• When thoroughly warmed and dried, I added 2 teaspoons of peanut oil to the pan. Let the oil heat to just below smoking and spread the oil over the entire interior surface of the pan.
• Five to 10 minutes later I wiped the interior of the pan dry with paper towels and added more oil.
• I continued the above two steps until I was able to wipe out the oil without any discoloration on the paper towels.

 

[g23]

hi justplainbill,


but that would be scourign my seasoning off and i'm terrified of doing that cos it means i will have to season in the oven! i don't think i did very well doing my own seasoning last time

 

[Dutchess]

It does sound like your seasoning is deteriorating. When you applied your own seasoning, how much oil did you use? You only want to use a light coating, and bake it upside down so that any excess oil does not pool in the bottom of the pan.

 

[g23]

hi dutchess,

only a light coat and after 20 minutes in oven wipe it out again as the oil would have pooled a bit by then. so you think it's my second seasoning coming off then not the factory one. i did think my ovene seasoning didn't look or feel very strong.

 

[g23]

oh and why would my seasoning be deteriorating after only such a short time?

 

[Robo410]

I'd like to give a different solution to try first. I had a buildup of cooked residue overtime that flaked in one place and i wanted to get it all off so it wouldn't keep happening. I scoured the pot's inside with course salt and a dry hard bristled brush till smooth, then washed with hot water dried, rubbed with a bit of oil heated the pan, wiped it clean and stored in the rack. Worked fine. So give it try with kosher or corse sea salt first. I don't think you have to scrap all the seasoning, just the build up of residue.

 

[g23]

So give it try with kosher or corse sea salt first. I don't think you have to scrap all the seasoning, just the build up of residue.

ah! i think i like this solution. better than scraping my 3 months of seasoning hard work off. i shall give this a try robo 410. thanks

 

[g23]

robo,

do i have to do it with the pan hot or cold?

 

[justplainbill]

oh and why would my seasoning be deteriorating after only such a short time?

I do not think it was your seasoning. In the case of my Lodge preseasoned cast iron I found the Lodge seasoning to be suspect from the outset. My suspicions were aroused because, after a light washing prior to its first use, the preseasoning became somewhat soft and gummy when the pan was heated; at which point myself said I don't think I want this gummy stuff getting into my food. That's when I scoured and reseasoned as described in my prior post. Contrary to conventional wisdom I find that cast iron distributes heat so well (evenly) that it can be seasoned on the stove top.

 

[g23]

I do not think it was your seasoning. In the case of my Lodge preseasoned cast iron I found the Lodge seasoning to be suspect from the outset. reseasoned as described in my prior post. Contrary to conventional wisdom I find that cast iron distributes heat so well (evenly) that it can be seasoned on the stove top.

i had a really good look at the pan yestersday and it looked disgusting. it's even started to spread to the sidewalls so i can only assume that the seasoning is coming off cos it's a much lighter shade. but i don't understand why the pan still works. robo suggested i try cleaning it out with salt. i'll try that this weekend when i have some time but if it doesn't work

can seasoned my pan evenly on my stove as it's electric. sometimes i think the stove itself is the culprit. if you leave your gas stove on say #2 the pan is meant to remain at that level of heat but when i leave mine on two on the flat top, the longer it's on, the hotter the pan gets so something is not quite right. there might be more to iron pan not being compatible with flat tops than just the scratches it might cause. unless of course people come in and say they have no problem whatsoever with their cast iron on their flat tops.

 

[justplainbill]

If and when the pan gets too hot can you not temporarily move the pan to a cooler part of the stove? If it gets too hot on 2 how about reducing to 1 after getting up to heat on 2?

 

[g23]

If and when the pan gets too hot can you not temporarily move the pan to a cooler part of the stove? If it gets too hot on 2 how about reducing to 1 after getting up to heat on 2?

oh no i don't ever let the pan get too hot. what i meant was if i left the pan on 2 for say an hour on my electric stove it would definitely start burning whereas if i did that on the gas stove it would just remain on that temperature. i have only noticed that withe the cast iron. other pans do not get hotter just the cast iron. so it might be true that flat tops are not very compatible with cast iron or just have to use it with more care. i'e never overheated my pan and it's also seasoned with oil after i cook but with all this care i;m still getiing these patches. so i can only thinks its the factory seasoning not holding either beacuse it was not done properly of because it's incompatible with the stove. time will tell i suppose. but i really would hate to reseason my pan. it's such a bl**dy chore!

 

[justplainbill]

but i really would hate to reseason my pan. it's such a bl**dy chore!

It should not take more than some 3 or 4 hours and should be a once in a lifetime task that's well worth the effort.
G'day