Over the past two decades I've had a dozen pans acquired, 'cured', gifted, etc. After scrubbing out the rust, I'd get them as hot as I can and rub them down with olive oil.
After that, never clean them. Dump out oils, give them a wipe with a greasy towel, set them upside down on the flame, and burn the inside for a minute.
February 25, 2020, 03:28 PM
benny6
I've seasoned a half-dozen skillets like this. Been working great for me so far...
Here's the method I used to season. The cast iron I inherited from my grandmother was rusty and generally neglected. The first step was stripping it down to bare iron. Best method I found was the self cleaning cycle on your oven. 4 hours and it was bare. Seasoned 3x using the method above and I was fine. The new Lodge skillet was sanded down per the YouTube video I posted and seasoned the same way. I can do eggs in it but I have to watch as it's not quite to the level of my old pans. Yet.
I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I'm not.
February 25, 2020, 05:05 PM
OKCGene
I have a lot of cast iron.
Having said that, I found that to cook eggs I prefer a carbon steel skillet to be better than cast iron.
It's lighter and easier to move around and I can roll an omelet out onto a plate without straining my wrist.
A carbon steel skillet is very similar to cast iron. It must be seasoned and treated right to maintain the non stick benefit.
Lodge makes a carbon steel skillet and there are many other brands.
I prefer the Matfer Bourgeat Crepe Pan, they are very inexpensive. Here's a Link to buy
In my experience the black steel Matfer was easier and quicker to season than a cast iron skillet.
Good luck to all y'all. .
February 25, 2020, 05:20 PM
TAllen01
Straight from Lodge: Vegetable shortening, melted shortening, or canola oil.
I use canola oil and peanut oils interchangeably for seasoning.
(And I too went nuts when he scraped that pan with the metal spatula.)
February 25, 2020, 07:09 PM
dsiets
What ever you season it w/, use a very thin layer. I thought I had a thin layer but excess dripped and accumulated in spots leaving me w/ a lousy seasoning job. Now I'll do two extra thin seasoning cycles if needed.
February 25, 2020, 07:20 PM
houndawg
quote:
Originally posted by dsiets: What ever you season it w/, use a very thin layer. I thought I had a thin layer but excess dripped and accumulated in spots leaving me w/ a lousy seasoning job. Now I'll do two extra thin seasoning cycles if needed.
Not even a thin layer. Preheat the pan, then smear Crisco all over it. Then take a clean towel and wipe the pan dry. Then put it in the oven upside down. Just to be sure, after a few minutes, take it out and wipe it dry again. It'll look dry, but there's still a very thin layer of oil on the pan. I preheat mine to 250° and season at 450°
February 25, 2020, 08:00 PM
Scurvy
Use blue shop towels. Paper towels will leave lint.
February 25, 2020, 09:26 PM
houndawg
quote:
Originally posted by Scurvy: Use blue shop towels. Paper towels will leave lint.
That's what I use.
February 26, 2020, 05:48 AM
sig2392
Off to get blue shop towels
February 26, 2020, 05:57 AM
gibby29
I bought a metal spatula because I read that those are the best to use in a cast iron, they help smooth out the cast iron over time.
If I’m cooking a steak in it, I only I only use butter. Other items may get olive oil or coconut oil.
February 26, 2020, 07:43 AM
MikeGLI
quote:
Originally posted by gibby29: I bought a metal spatula because I read that those are the best to use in a cast iron, they help smooth out the cast iron over time.
If I’m cooking a steak in it, I only I only use butter. Other items may get olive oil or coconut oil.
I use a thin metal spatula (may be branded as a pancake flipper or some such). Anyhow, the corners are rounded and unless I go out of my way, the metal doesn't scratch the seasoning, but it will.
I'm also in the habit of re-seasoning, so I don't worry about how I treat my cast iron. Worse case scenario, strip it, re-season, cook.
NRA Life Member Steak: Rare. Coffee: Black. Bourbon: Neat.
February 26, 2020, 11:29 PM
OKCGene
There’s a viewer comment to cook your bacon first and then cook the eggs. I’ve never thought of that but I will from now on.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by OKCGene: There’s a viewer comment to cook your bacon first and then cook the eggs. I’ve never thought of that but I will from now on.
Funny. Dad did that and I grew up thinking it was the only thing that kept them from sticking. Instead of water and a lid like the video he tilted the pan and spooned the hot bacon fat over them at the end. Dad did no other cooking except breakfast and it was almost always bacon, eggs and toast but it was the best bacon and eggs. The toast on the other hand, he burned every time so we knew breakfast was almost ready when we heard him scraping the outer layers off. Great memory.
February 27, 2020, 04:52 AM
f2
quote:
Originally posted by arfmel: FWIW, my grandma, who was born in Kentucky in the early 1900s, used lard to season and cook with. Maybe that’s old fashioned thinking.
what is old is new again... cooking with lard is a no-brainer. they used to use beef tallow to make mcdonald's french fries - which was actually good for you.
February 27, 2020, 08:49 AM
maladat
quote:
Originally posted by MikeGLI:
quote:
Originally posted by houndawg: Whatever you do, don't fall into the flaxseed fad. It doesn't last.
Totally agree. It’s a waste of time.
I have also had bad luck with the durability of flaxseed oil seasoning.
Also, maybe it's just the specific flaxseed oil I bought, but I bought good flaxseed oil and kept it in the fridge. The flaxseed oil I have smells HORRIBLE when you try to season a pan with it. Like rancid fish.
I switched to Crisco and have gotten much better results without any offensive odor.
February 27, 2020, 09:24 AM
lizardman_u
I use bacon grease. However, if I don't have enough to season a pan (rare) I use Crisco.
If I have to scrub a pan for any reason I dry it, turn it upside down on the burner with the burner on to finish drying what the towel doesn't get, and then I coat the pan with bacon grease or Crisco. Once pan is coated I heat the pan on the stove to liquify the grease or Crisco and then turn the burner off and let the liquid soak into the metal.
Originally posted by P210: [QUOTE]Originally posted by OKCGene: There’s a viewer comment to cook your bacon first and then cook the eggs. I’ve never thought of that but I will from now on.
Funny. Dad did that and I grew up thinking it was the only thing that kept them from sticking. Instead of water and a lid like the video he tilted the pan and spooned the hot bacon fat over them at the end. Dad did no other cooking except breakfast and it was almost always bacon, eggs and toast but it was the best bacon and eggs. The toast on the other hand, he burned every time so we knew breakfast was almost ready when we heard him scraping the outer layers off. Great memory.
Similar memory only with sausage patties....in my childhood usually my Dad(or Mom) would get sausage frying up, and I remember never really liking it as being too well done. For years I wrote it off as him being the Depression era farm kid and I sure they cooked pork thoroughly to prevent trichinosis. That was partially the issue, but the main thing was my parents both worked and getting up and getting breakfast did not entail standing at the stove, but getting three kids going as well as themselves for the day. Therefore the cooking only got checked periodically.....
Bill Gullette
February 27, 2020, 02:14 PM
ryan81986
quote:
Originally posted by trapper189: I just looked at Lodge's website and it appears all of their cast iron cookware is now seasoned at the factory. If that's what sig2392 has, then he needs to do nothing to the pan but use it.
New Lodge pans have an abrasive surface. It's best to sand it with a 60 grit orbital sander and start from scratch. That's what I did with mine and it's much easier to use.
