cast iron skillet is smoking

[TealStBBQKing]

Hey everyone, I have a lodge cast iron griddle that lately is putting off a lot of smoke when being used. When we're making pancakes it's filling the kitchen with smoke. I've been using canola oil after washing it to keep up the seasoning but should i stop this? Also, and probably the true cause, I've been using the griddle on my gas grill outside to make smash burgers; is this the true cause of the smoking?

[highergr0und]

How hot are you getting it? Canola smokes around 400. There is also no real reason to always wipe it down after every use.

[TealStBBQKing]

How hot are you getting it? Canola smokes around 400. There is also no real reason to always wipe it down after every use.

I haven't checked temperature but it's over medium heat on my range top. Would you recommend a different oil?

The only reason I give it a wash each use is because my wife refuses to believe it doesn't need to be washed. I've tried to convince her otherwise but it's just easier to give it a little wash instead of trying to convince her

[lunchman]

How much oil are you using when wiping it down after washing? Sounds like it could be too much. Allow me to outline my normal procedure after using my cast iron pans for comparison.

My Lodge 10" skillet is well seasoned. I use it quite often to fry eggs. When done I make use of a Cowboy Kent Rollins trick and run it under the hottest water I can get from my tap to create steam. A quick wipe with a sponge and it's clean. Every so often I will use a bit of dish soap but usually find it's not necessary.

Then back onto the still warm but turned off burner to evaporate any water. A drizzle of EVOO and a wipe down with a paper towel, then I leave it on the burner to cool. That's it.

Canola's smoke point isn't that much different than EVOO, so my guess is you're using too much?

-Dom

[Smoke Dawg]

We use this to scrub off anything that is stuck using hot water. Rarely soap.

Dry on the range and just a little oil wiped with a paper towel. We don't get any smoking so I agree - too much oil.


https://www.amazon.com/Utopia-Kitchen-Stainless-Steel-Chainmail-Cast-Iron/dp/B010VRTV2O/ref=asc_df_B010VRTV2O/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid={creative}&hvpos={adposition}&hvnetw=o&hvrand={random}&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl={devicemodel}&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584207577101444&psc=1

[TealStBBQKing]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Radrob]

I got a Lodge griddle for Xmas and have been seasoning it to get rid of that factory seasoning. I searched a few videos and remembered one that explains your problems.

It's too much oil, too much heat or you need to season it again, the seasoning won't last forever and will require a little more along the way.

The video is set to him seasoning it and letting the smoke clear before adding more oil, hope this explains it better than me.
https://youtu.be/2WIqeiVGf7k?t=329

[Joshw]

I like to put my CI in the oven, after washing and oiling. Put it upside down, so the excess oil will drain. Make sure to put foil or a sheet pan underneath it, to catch the excess oil. Shouldn't be too much, since you just want a thin layer.

You can use any oil you want, but IMO, lard is best. Main thing is, to make sure you have your oven set above the smoke point of your oil. For lard that is 375, I go to 400. Leave it for 30 minutes, then turn the oven off.

[SlickRockStones]

I like to keep a squeeze bottle of oil near to treat my 12” Lodge skillet. Bunny won’t let me wear steaks indoors anymore. Too much smoke. My pancakes get light oil and med-low heat or they’ll get away from me. Keep heat down and stack em high!

[Cook]

If your canola oil is smoking, you're getting the pan too hot. You want to stay closer to 350, and not over 375. Canola should not smoke at those temps. I think you're simply going too high...drop that temp & give it a go.

[DouG M]

You do not need to oil the outside of the pan after it has been seasoned.

[ncmoose]

I like to keep a squeeze bottle of oil near to treat my 12” Lodge skillet. Bunny won’t let me wear steaks indoors anymore. Too much smoke. My pancakes get light oil and med-low heat or they’ll get away from me. Keep heat down and stack em high!


Even Lady Gaga doesn't wear steaks anymore.


After washing mine with a chain mail scrubber, I dry mine on the stovetop and then hit them with crisco. But it's a very light coat and I wipe it several times so it's not "oily".

I think as pointed out above, either too much residual oil on the pans and/or too high heat.

[sthamm]

I like to put my CI in the oven, after washing and oiling.

Find the above to be the simplest, most consistent, and trouble-free method. Wash with hot water (chainmail is amazing on CI), +/- small amount of soap (rarely), wipe dry, place on burner to quickly evaporate the rest of the water, wipe with any oil you like, upside down in 450+ oven for 30 min. You'll be left with a clean DRY (not oily or sticky) CI pan with a newly polymerized layer (PAST SMOKE POINT).