Seasoning Cast Iron Skillet

[TNRifleman]

I am probably the weird one, but does anyone else get a kick out of seasoning their cast iron cookware. I have been working on a couple and they are coming out sweet.

One that I cook with all the time I can now cook eggs over easy and get zero stick.

 

[rstodd]

What's your method?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[TNRifleman]

Lightly, and I mean very lightly coat with grape seed oil and put in the oven on 300 for about an hour. I do this a couple of nights in a row and then cook with it exclusively with olive oil for a couple of weeks. After that it is good to go.

 

[smalljawbasser]

I've got a new carbon steel wok I'm working on. The shape makes it a little bit harder than a skillet, but I'm getting there.

 

[AllOutdoors]

I got a new one for Christmas. I sprayed it with oil and in the oven for a few hours to season. It cooks great. No sticking.

 

[AT Hiker]

Lightly, and I mean very lightly coat with grape seed oil and put in the oven on 300 for about an hour. I do this a couple of nights in a row and then cook with it exclusively with olive oil for a couple of weeks. After that it is good to go.

Hmm, I need to try this on one Im having trouble with. Do you give it a soapy wash before this treatment?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TNRifleman]

Lightly, and I mean very lightly coat with grape seed oil and put in the oven on 300 for about an hour. I do this a couple of nights in a row and then cook with it exclusively with olive oil for a couple of weeks. After that it is good to go.

Hmm, I need to try this on one Im having trouble with. Do you give it a soapy wash before this treatment?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have done it with brand new Lodge/Cabelas pans and have also stripped one all the way down using scouring pads with soap prior to treating. Both worked our very well.

 

[mike243]

The easy way to strip them is leave in oven when setting clean for oven.does a good job.rough on the racks though

 

[TNRifleman]

The easy way to strip them is leave in oven when setting clean for oven.does a good job.rough on the racks though

I have one I have been thinking about doing this too. It's a pan I don't use much and wanted to test this method out.

 

[Matador]

How about one with a little rust, how do you guys season it?

 

[TNRifleman]

How about one with a little rust, how do you guys season it?

I have used this method and it works great. Takes a little while but is well worth it. If it is just a little rust, this may be overkill but I bet you can use the steps and tone them down a bit based on how much rust you have.

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/ ... dutch-oven

 

[Matador]

I have never tried that way. Ive took one that was rusted pretty bad and heated it on top of an outdoor fish cooker and used a wire brush on it. You need good gloves and a big pair of channellocks to move it around. Have even used a drill with a round steel brush. When I get all visible rust off I pour cooking oil in it and bring it to a boil for a few minutes and then dump it and turn it upside down to dry. After it cools i will recondition in an oven. Turned out good.

 

[TNRifleman]

I have never tried that way. Ive took one that was rusted pretty bad and heated it on top of an outdoor fish cooker and used a wire brush on it. You need good gloves and a big pair of channellocks to move it around. Have even used a drill with a round steel brush. When I get all visible rust off I pour cooking oil in it and bring it to a boil for a few minutes and then dump it and turn it upside down to dry. After it cools i will recondition in an oven. Turned out good.

I gotta believe that method would do the trick as well.

 

[Forvols]

I've heard using LARD for seasoning iron cook ware is best. Though I have several I seasoned and use now nonstick using vegetable oil. But my best ones are the ones I got from my Mom that she got from our Mamaw--so those were all seasoned mainly with lard years ago. So I have dutch oven to season and I been thinking get me a small tub of lard and season with that.

 

[TNRifleman]

Generally need something with a high smoke point. Not sure where lard all son that scale but grape seed and flax seed oil are often recommended

 

[Rackseeker]

I always season them at work in our small head treat oven with lard. I like buying them at the flea market or yard sales rusted alittle, I can buy those cheaper. Then I sand blast them, then ultrasonic cleaner, then heat treat oven and there like new ready to go.

 

[mike243]

using lard will work if you use the cast iron often but when stored very long will turn rancid,olive oil or similar is a better way to go imo

 

[tsc]

Last one I did was one I got at a yard sale. It was a rough but not too bad. I cleaned it up with 400 gr paper then steel wool. I used olive oil at 300 degrees till it came to temp and cut the oven off, next day morning I wiped it out good and did the same oven thing a couple more times then cooked different stuff with it a while. After that I gave it to my daughter and she's cooking with it regular now. Thing is don't wash it with soap and/or anything abrasive and for sure don't let it anywhere near a dish washer. Use a little warm water to wipe it out after cooking , dry it, then wipe a little vegetable oil in it and put it up.

 

[jakeway]

I've done a few and have a couple more to do...it's just to hot out right now to mess with it.

Electrolysis method works best, but I won't mess with that unless it's really rusty. I tried burning off the old stuff in a small fire and it worked great, but I've heard that can destroy a pan if you let it get too hot or too uneven.

I don't have a self-cleaning oven, so I just put them upside-down on my gas grill outside, turn all three burners up to HIGH, and leave it for about an hour. Let it slowly settle to room temperature (which today is about 100). I use the method of extremely thin coat of Crisco, bring up to just starting to smoke, then let it cool. Repeat about four times.

I found it works best to rub with very light vegetable oil after each use.

 

[Forvols]

Would peanut oil be a good seasoning oil? I have a jug and thinking it has a high smoke point and I got about 4-6 cast iron items to season.