Seasoning cast iron ??? Q-related

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Paul B

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Hope this is allowed, after all I was grilling some burgers for dinner(no pics,didn't happen...but they were good if they did happen).

Threw my Bush beans in my newly aquired(used) cast iron skillet(6 1/2"). I had to really clean it up prior to me wanting to use it. After my cleaning I cooked some bacon scraps in it and then scrambled some eggs(which were good). The beans tasted off.....after cleaning the skillet and smelling a metalic smell it hit me what I tasted was a metal taste in the beans.

Now my question.....What is the proper way to season a cast iron skillet????????

Thanks in advance........

Paul B
 
Was it new or an older one. Either way, I guess, clean it really good. Let it dry, and then wipe it down with vegetabel oil, inside and out. Preheat your oven to about 400, and put the skillet in the oven for about an hour (it's gonna get smoky). Let it cool. After that, don't use abrasives to clean it. Should fix it up! You probably want to put a foil lined cookie sheet under the skillet to catch any drippings!
 
Collage1copy.jpg


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This collage shows the last skillet I did. I follow The Pan Man's technique almost to the tee. The right oil like lard or Crisco, the correct temperature (moderate then ramping a little higher) over the correct time cycles (30 minutes or so) will work every time. I favor several cycles where I let the skillet cool completely. I have some pieces that are over 100 years old and they all look great.​
 
I clean the skillet really, really good. Scrub it with all you've got. Then I start the oven pre heating to as close to 500* as it will go. Put the pan in for about 5 - 10 minutes to make sure it's dry and pre heat it a little. Then, I take a paper towel, folded down to a square about 2 inches square. I rub the square in Crisco or bacon grease and wipe the pan all over. Put in the oven upside down for an hour or two and re apply the grease. Then I leave it in for another hour or two. Switch off the oven, do not disturb skillet. Take the pan out the next morning and fry bacon. Leave the bacon fat in the pan and fry some onions. Remove the onions and let pan sit overnight with the grease in. The next day, I usually wipe it out, then put it in the oven at least for an hour, sometimes twice.

That's the way I do it in the house. The best way is to have a roaring fire, but it seems like everyone who I tell to do it that way, cracks their skillet. People just don't have the patience they used to have I guess.
 
Hey thanks, but I don't think the wife will allow me to season it in the house if there is going to be a lot of smoke. Is there a way to do it outside?? I have a SS UDS, a smokey joe, and a TEC infared gasser for heat, oh, also a turkey fryer cooker propane base, and one of those chamiras(sp?).

Thanks,

Paul B
 
Hugh Jorgan said:
I clean the skillet really, really good. Scrub it with all you've got. Then I start the oven pre heating to as close to 500* as it will go. Put the pan in for about 5 - 10 minutes to make sure it's dry and pre heat it a little. Then, I take a paper towel, folded down to a square about 2 inches square. I rub the square in Crisco or bacon grease and wipe the pan all over. Put in the oven upside down for an hour or two and re apply the grease. Then I leave it in for another hour or two. Switch off the oven, do not disturb skillet. Take the pan out the next morning and fry bacon. Leave the bacon fat in the pan and fry some onions. Remove the onions and let pan sit overnight with the grease in. The next day, I usually wipe it out, then put it in the oven at least for an hour, sometimes twice.

That's the way I do it in the house. The best way is to have a roaring fire, but it seems like everyone who I tell to do it that way, cracks their skillet. People just don't have the patience they used to have I guess.
Click to expand...

DSC08106.jpg

I think a roaring fire is the best chance of cracking a skillet. I check all the ones I consider buying for cracks, and have found quite a few....
 
thirdeye said:
I think a roaring fire is the best chance of cracking a skillet. I check all the ones I consider buying for cracks, and have found quite a few....
Click to expand...

A roaring fire will definitely split a skillet if not done correctly. Or as you show, if the skillet is already cracking. Usually it happens in the cleaning fire not the seasoning fire.

I do it a lot like firing clay. I build a small fire in a depression. As it burns down, I place the skillet upside down over the small fire and build a fire over the skillet. The next day I dig out the skillet and rub it clean.

For seasoning, I start the fire, place the skillet on it and build a larger and larger fire around it. You don't want it anywhere near as hot as the cleaning fire. Usually, if they are gonna crack now, it's because of quick temp changes. I can do it pretty good, but all it takes is one cold rock in the pan to split it when it is really hot.
 
Paul, I usually don't notice too much smoke unless I've used too much grease. A light film will only smoke for a few seconds. My wife has only complained once about this and I've done it in the house quite a bit.
 
With all due respect, in addition to cracking, high temps for cleaning are more likely to cause warpage. (well, cconsidering you have a good quality cast iron to start with.... some of the Chinese stuff can just shatter at will) The first thing a collector looks for on cast iron pieces is making sure it sits flat, the next thing is a crack inspection.
 
Here's how I season cast iron dutch ovens, skillets, etc. Build a pile of firewood and set pot or pots on top of the wood. Light the fire and leave everything alone. Do not put cast iron utensils IN a fire, build a fire around it. That way it heats up slowly. Leave until the next day when all the firewood is dead, cold, out. Rub the ashes off the pots with a steel brush. Wash at kitchen sink using a dishrag, but no soap. Dry on stove burner. Rub pots with lard or crisco and put in a 350 degree oven for 3 hours. Then turn off the oven and leave until the next morning. Wipe inside of pots with a paper towel and you are good to go. I have done lots this way and never have cracked one yet.

Stan41
 
thirdeye said:
With all due respect, in addition to cracking, high temps for cleaning are more likely to cause warpage. (well, cconsidering you have a good quality cast iron to start with.... some of the Chinese stuff can just shatter at will) The first thing a collector looks for on cast iron pieces is making sure it sits flat, the next thing is a crack inspection.
Click to expand...

Believe me, there is no respect due to me!! :wink: I don't command it earn it nor require it. 8)

I wasn't putting that out there for anyone to try, it takes a good bit of patience and practice to do correctly. Like I said, a lot of people who ask me how to do that, come back and tell me they cracked their pans. As for warping, I have heard people talk about warped skillets but never seen one. I have seen a warped griddle though. Seemed to be more of a manufacturing defect than anything else as it was pretty new.

I understand about collectors too. But I'm not a collector. I'm a Cook. :-D I'll be using my pots and pans until I die and I could care less how much they're worth when the vultures try to sell them.
 
my first question is why the eff yall gittin them soo hot ta clean them out... i may be only 25 but been basically usin cast iron all my life in the kitchen and out campin and picked up various trashed ones from swap meets, and yard sales, and even one outta a lake, (the heaviest bluegill i ever pulled up)
just bust out the steel wool and put some elbow grease into it...want some extra grit use salt and bit of water, rinse it out good then heat it up on the stove or whatever... medium hot on stove fer 10-15 min then add some crisco 1/4 cup or so and let it cool with it in there wipe it out, heat it up again wipe it out and re crisco it with just enough on a papertowel... i have castiron that my great great gramps cooked on... still non stick and awesome as ever
 
There is a great article at instructables how to get the rust off:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Electrolytic-Rust-Removal-aka-Magic/
Lodge and other manufacturers ;-) spray cast iron pieces with soy oil or similar and let it pass through a 700 F Tunnel oven, there is a Lodge video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgTKTh1UfiU At that temperature the oil forms a "goo"ey non stick layer on the iron in no time.
Warping: griddles warp when cooling in the sand after being cast, or when tumbled in a sand blaster barrel. Guess skillets are thinner and crack.
 
rolf went all high tech... im gonna try that next time, SET IT AND FORGIT IT!!
 
I have to admit, the oven technique gives a more uniform result, but for quick/easy reseasoning after cleaning (whatever that means to you, or needs to mean in terms of rust, etc.), I've found the stove top to be my go-to method. Put the burner on med-high and let the pan come up to temp, perhaps evaporating the water from the cleaning cycle. Hit it with some spray PAM, and work that around with some paper towel. Apply as needed to areas that need more seasoning. It's a more hands-on method, but that also means you get to adapt as needed. You'll have your vent hood or downdraft fan running on high, so the wife won't notice unless she's out in the yard (along with the neighbors wondering where the smoke is coming from...).

FWIW - YMMV
 
I gotta go hightech, just seasoned thousands this weekend... Thats a pic of a tunnel oven. And it really only works on new pieces. Since the topic was re seasoning, stick to the pan man. I wouldnt put Erie/Griswold through one of them either.
 

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One more thing about temperature, enameled cast iron pots, grates go through a 1500 F tunnel oven.
 
ok the way i season mine is i wash them with soap and water and then i dry them and cover a paper towel in veggie oil ( you can use bacon grease too) and rub it down then i would bring it to the gas grill and put it upside down on high heat for a couple hours
 
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