Anodized aluminum pans?

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by jawnn

I am still confused about which oils to use on my carbon steel pans. I am sure that flax seed oil is the best and most expinsive. But the things I have read about what makes it work is the omega 3 fatty acids and/or the lignins, all combining to make a carbon matrix ......

But the smoking point is not high, infact it is the lowest of the oils on the list I found. So I am going to ignor the smoking point of the oils.

Originally Posted by Bigjim68

Flax seed oil is good. It's what I use, particularly on display items, and the method you read works well. But it is not the only workable oil. Others such as vegetable oils, Crisco, also work well. The key is an oil that polymerizes easily...

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

...I use canola oil to season my cast iron.

Originally Posted by Steve Kroll

...By the way, walnut oil, toasted sesame oil, or olive oil shouldn't be used for seasoning a pan. They contain a lot of dissolved solids, and are better used as flavoring or finishing oils than for cooking. For seasoning a pan, flaxseed oil works well (my favorite), but you can also use lard, crisco, or coconut oil.

Originally Posted by Andy M.

ANY oil with a reasonably high smoke point will do. I don't see one being better than the other. Corn, peanut, canola, flaxseed, etc. Crisco will also work. Use whichever is cheapest that you have on hand.

You should not be confused. Any high smoke point oil will produce the same results. A polymerized coating will form on the pan and protect the metal surface giving you a good surface to cook on.

[jawnn]

I had not though of that.....but the lectures on the videos say bring it up to the smoke point then cool down. I assume so that it is not burning too much, just starting to polymerize?

Originally Posted by BlueMoods

Peanut oil is what I have always used on carbon steel. You don't want to ignore the smoke point of an oil, burnt oil contains carcinogens and, you don't want that in your food.

[jawnn]

but what do you mean by high smoke point?

Avocado Oil
570°F
271°C

Butter
250-200°F
120-150°C

Canola Oil (refined)
400°F
204°C

Coconut Oil (extra virgin)
350°F
177°C

Coconut Oil (refined)
450°F
232°C

Corn Oil
440°F
227°C

Flax seed Oil
225°F
107°C

Ghee*(clarified Butter'0
485°F
252°C

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Any high smoke point oil will produce the same results.

[Andy M.]

Any oil with at least a 400ºF smoke point should do the trick.

[BlueMoods]

Peanut oil smoke point is 435 F , so that or higher should be fine.

[jawnn]

Last night, off line I was looking at these numbers and discovered that some of them are not correct translations to Celsius. So I can't say for sure that any of them are correct.

But at least I refurbished my crepe pan with several hours of work, this is at about half way, I used grape seed oil:





I should have used one of these:
Light/Refined Olive Oil 465°F/240°C Yes
Soybean Oil 450°F/230°C Yes
Peanut Oil 450°F/230°C Yes
Clarified Butter 450°F/230°C No
Corn Oil 450°F/230°C Yes
Sunflower Oil 440°F/225°C

[Stock Pot]

The key to seasoning a cast iron or carbon steel pan is to apply a very thin coat and then wipe it ALL off before applying heat. You will still leave a thin film of oil and that is all you want. Regular cooking oil works fine. Flax seed oil is supposed to be the best.

[jawnn]

I learned a lot last night just doing it.

Originally Posted by Stock Pot

The key to seasoning a cast iron or carbon steel pan is to apply a very thin coat and then wipe it ALL off before applying heat. You will still leave a thin film of oil and that is all you want. Regular cooking oil works fine. Flax seed oil is supposed to be the best.

[jawnn]

Well I tryed cooking Injera in my referbished pan, but it stuck. It was easyer to clean off because of the oil. The oil was hot enough for the batter to sizzle right a way.

I think the batter was too wet. the pan works fine with egg mixed into nut meal. maybe I should just stick to a thicker batter.

[jawnn]

The high heat oil recommendations were wrong!!!

Oil high in omega-3 fatty acids – in particular, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Free radicals are actually what enable the polymerization. Flax seed oil has the lowest smoking temperature oil I have seen listed but it is highest in omega-3 fatty acids (57% ALA).

The polymerization process is initiated when something causes the release of free radicals in the oil. So the higher the free fatty acid content in the oil to begin with, the quicker it will break down and start polymerization. This is exactly what you want to season a pan.

I think I should give up trying to cook with oil on a fragile steel pan surface. And just cook eggs in hot water in a stainless steel pan.

[Bigjim68]

Something doesn't look right with. that pan. It's definitely not cast iron. It doesn't look like carbon steel. And the seasoning is nowhere close to what it should be.

Correctly seasoned iron or carbon steel is black. Not blotchy, and runs all the way to the rim.

Is it possible that the pan in question is aluminum or less possibly stainless?