Crisbee

[Skittle68]

Has anyone used a mix of either lard or crisco and beeswax to season cast iron? I'm looking for the correct ratio to mix my lard and beeswax.

I've heard 3:1 or 4:1 by weight.


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[Andy M.]

I just use peanut oil. Works great.

 

[buckytom]

Crisco, yes, but beeswax? You'd be eating a bit of beeswax every time you cooked with it.

Although, have you ever seen the Simpson's episode when Homer eats a Guatemalan insanity pepper? He pours wax in his mouth. That might help you with the ghost chiles.

 

[Skittle68]

LOL @ the ghost chiles!

I guess seasoning with a beeswax/crisco mix is all the rage in the cast iron underbelly. Who knew? Check out crisbee.org!

I usually use lard but I want to try it! Also, beeswax is harmless if you eat it. I buy raw honey so I'm sure I've eaten plenty


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[GotGarlic]

What is the benefit supposed to be of using beeswax in the seasoning? The website doesn't say.

 

[CakePoet]

I season mine rapseseed oil, just rub it it in, heat the pan, rub more in and heat the pan and keep going until the surface is saturated .

 

[jennyema]

Just use Crisco

 

[CakePoet]

But most pan sold to day are seasoned allready

 

[GotGarlic]

But most pan sold to day are seasoned allready

Depending on how they're used and maintained, sometimes pans need re-seasoning.

 

[Skittle68]

Supposedly the beeswax mixture creates a more durable, water resistant seasoning. The people who use it swear by it, but of course that seems to be the case with every method!!

Crisco works great, so does lard, but I heard about this being even better and I want to try it

I had a sticking incident with eggs in one pan, and my new Dutch oven that needs a little more than just the preseasonjng that I'd like to try it on.

If anyone is interested, the ratio seems to be somewhere around 4:1 lard or crisco to beeswax (so 1/5 beeswax). I'm going to give it a shot today.


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[Andy M.]

I'm interested in hearing your results. Let us know what differences you see.

 

[GotGarlic]

Me, too, although I think I'll just end up using my beeswax for candles. If it ain't broke...

 

[Skittle68]

Well, I haven't used them yet but they sure are smooth and shiny!!


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[Skittle68]

It ended up being like chopstick consistency. I used popsicle molds now I basically have something like the sticks they sell online.

I warmed up the pans a little to make sure I was getting a nice thin coating, and it was like the consistency of honey.

Just by the feel of it I can see why people say it's more durable and water resistant, but we will see.


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[jennyema]

Just by the feel of it I can see why people say it's more durable and water resistant, but we will see.

Is that because its coated with wax?

Cast iron is already durable and water resistant. What you need for seasoning is polymerization and carbonization -- this keeps the food from sticking.

I'm not sure you get that with wax, but you do get that with fat.

Wax will prevent rust though (as does oil, but oil can go rancid)

 

[Skittle68]

The wax burns off just like the oil. What you have left is no longer wax.

Different types of fat provide slightly different properties in seasoning, and since wax is similar to fat in composition it stands to reason it could provide different properties as well. My initial observation is "hard, smooth, and shiny." Whether it is any different in performance I do not know yet. If you're interested I'll keep you posted though


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[GotGarlic]

The wax burns off just like the oil. What you have left is no longer wax.

Different types of fat provide slightly different properties in seasoning, and since wax is similar to fat in composition it stands to reason it could provide different properties as well. My initial observation is "hard, smooth, and shiny." Whether it is any different in performance I do not know yet. If you're interested I'll keep you posted though

Hm. I've never heard that wax is similar to fat. I just felt the beeswax we collected from our hives last year and it's not slippery or greasy at all. Fat does not burn off as it seasons a pan; the heat changes it to a substance that bonds with the iron, creating a non-stick barrier between the iron and the food.

I'd be interested in how the beeswax holds up. Please keep us posted.

 

[Skittle68]

Any time something is burned it leaves something behind. Burning is just a chemical reaction. The wax and oil are heated above the smoke point where they start to oxidize (or burn). The bulk of the fat or oil burns off, leaving behind carbon polymers.

We are both right. Just different terminology, and I made the mistake of shortening up the process for simplicity's sake, assuming most people who like cast iron would already be familiar with the seasoning process.

Anyway, fats, oils, and waxes are all made from lipids- the composition is just different


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[GotGarlic]

Thanks for the additional information. Looking forward to hearing how it goes.