Is there any hope for this cast iron skillet? (Caution, not for the faint hearted)

[rockey_f_squirrell]

A while back my step mom borrowed our cast Iron skillet. When she was done, without asking or even knowing, she put it in the.... (whispering) dishwasher... (I hope no one heard me).

Now I am having the toughest of times trying to re-season it. How do you repair a skillet that has been... (whispering) dish-washed?

[Rocklobster]

You may need to strip the old seasoning off of it first. Then, just keep seasoning it. It will come eventually. You can't really ruin cast iron, unless you burn it so bad it pits.

[rockey_f_squirrell]

how do you strip the old seasoning, and how will I know when the job is done?

[Rocklobster]

I would scrub it off with a scouring pad for starters. You will be able tell what is seasoned and what isn't as you progress. The seasoned areas should be darker and shinier. Then, once it is all cleaned off and smooth, start your seasoning process again.

Now, that is what I would do. Others may have their own opinions of what is the best method...

[salt and pepper]

I fill the pan with water and boil it for a few minutes. Next, scrub with hot soapy water. Put it back on the hot stove to dry and when cooled down start the seasoning process.
Repeat the seasoning process 4 or 5 times. I like to use flaxseed oil, applying a thin coat each time. The oven is set @ 325 degrees for one hour. Let the pan cool to room temp, then repeat the process.

[Alix]

What salt and pepper said +1 for cleaning. I season my skillets differently. I get a big old slab of bacon and render it slowly.

[Andy M.]

First of all, what do you see that suggests the seasoning needs reseasoning? Is it rusted? If not, there is still seasoning there and it is doing its job protecting the iron. That seasoning can serve as a base for more. Heat your oven to 350ºF, apply a THIN coat of fat to the entire pan, inside and out and put it in the oven upside down with foil or a pan underneath to catch any drips. Bake it for an hour or so then turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven to cool.

If it's rusted, the easiest way to remove seasoning is to put it in your gas grill turned up full and leave it until all the seasoning burns off. After it cools, proceed as above with the fat and oven.

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by rockey_f_squirrell

A while back my step mom borrowed our cast Iron skillet. When she was done, without asking or even knowing, she put it in the.... (whispering) dishwasher... (I hope no one heard me).

Now I am having the toughest of times trying to re-season it. How do you repair a skillet that has been... (whispering) dish-washed?

My mother used to routinely put hers in the dishwasher.

They lived to cook another day.

Why do you want to strip it?

[salt and pepper]

Originally Posted by Alix

What salt and pepper said +1 for cleaning. I season my skillets differently. I get a big old slab of bacon and render it slowly.

The trouble with bacon fat or any animal fat is that it can get rancid!

[Alix]

Agreed s&p. No real problem on my CI though. Its 70+ years old and still going strong. For my NEW CI, I used either sunflower or canola...can't remember! It was a long while ago now. After the initial seasoning its bacon all the way baby!

[rockey_f_squirrell]

thank you all for your imputs. This was my Wife's Grandma's, which I think was even passed down from another generation before. So I am facinated that with all the computers and technology we have today, that only last a few months, one of the best things in life can be a pan that is generations old.


All i have for oils/fats are vegetable oil, canola oil (which I think is the main ingredient for vegetable oil, so it says on the list of ingredients), Corn Oil, and drained hamburger fat.

Which of those would be the best for seasoning, or make the seasoning stronger?

All I know was I had that thing so well non-stick, I successfully cooked rice in it, and then was able to get all the rice out with no problem and then make Chinese fried rice, which rice has given me lots of trouble in the past and still occasionally does.

But now things I cook want to stick in it.b Thats why I want to do something with it, either strip it or apply more seasoning. What would be the better of the two, considering the description and history of it.

[mmyap]

Question to Salt&Pepper, what makes flax seed oil your go to seasoning oil? I have only ever used melted Crisco. Am I missing something?

[Andy M.]

As I said before, if it's not rusting, it's still protected. No need to strip it.

Use corn or canola oil and follow the directions I posted earlier.

[salt and pepper]

Originally Posted by mmyap

Question to Salt&Pepper, what makes flax seed oil your go to seasoning oil? I have only ever used melted Crisco. Am I missing something?

It's a high heat oil and gives a hard thick finish that does not ware down. But you must season 4 or 5 times. It's lots of layers that do not break down between seasonings. Bake,cool bake,cool etc. Yes it can take a few days to get the proper finish, but the end result is worth the time for a non stick finish.
I have a few pans and dutch ovens which I use veg oil in to season. The reason is that these pans and ovens are used with tomatoes or some acidic foods like lemon and such, which will break down the seasoned finish. I also use cast aluminum for high acid food.

[Caslon]

If you season it in the oven, I've had failures trying to use temps like 350F. The pan comes out sticky and splotchy. One of the best suggestions I read here was to put it in the oven upside down coated with crisco or similar and turn on the cleaning cycle. I didn't put it on cleaning cycle, but I did crank up the heat to 500F for 3 hours. No stickyness or splotchy-ness. 350F temps failed me every time.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by Caslon

If you season it in the oven, I've had failures trying to use temps like 350F. The pan comes out sticky and splotchy. One of the best suggestions I read here was to put it in the oven upside down coated with crisco or similar and turn on the cleaning cycle. I didn't put it on cleaning cycle, but I did crank up the heat to 500F for 3 hours. No stickyness or splotchy-ness. 350F temps failed me every time.

The cleaning cycle of the oven will burn off all the seasoning!

350ºF works fine if you don't put too much fat on the pan. Stickiness usually results from there being too much fat applied to the pan surface. You only need enough oil to make the metal look wet. Then wipe off as much as uou can with a dry paper towel and bake.

[chopper]

I've always seasoned my CA at 400 degrees. Why? Because that is how mom did it. I actually do it on the grill because I don't like the smoke in the house. I use whatever shortening or oil I have. It works great. One of the kids put my favorite 8 inch CA frying pan in the DW once. Part of the seasoning came off. I just re-seasoned about three times and it worked as expected again.

[Kenw]

Here is a website I found that gives easy instructions for stripping seasoning from a cast iron skillet, so you can re-season it. Stripping seasoning from cast iron - Seasoned Advice

Good luck.

[rockey_f_squirrell]

I've seen season 4-5 times, and I've seen stripping. So this is my scenareo...

There are two burnt food spots on there, about the size of a fingernail, that no matter how hard I try, I cannot seem to scrub off. what would be the best action for that.

The burn spots are flat and smooth, but still rubs off.

[jennyema]

Originally Posted by Caslon

If you season it in the oven, I've had failures trying to use temps like 350F. The pan comes out sticky and splotchy. One of the best suggestions I read here was to put it in the oven upside down coated with crisco or similar and turn on the cleaning cycle. I didn't put it on cleaning cycle, but I did crank up the heat to 500F for 3 hours. No stickyness or splotchy-ness. 350F temps failed me every time.

Andy's right. The cleaning cycle is how you strip a cast iron skillet.

Its also a great way to start a fire in your oven if your pan is coated in fat.