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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:04:47 PM EDT
[#1]
"Kill it with fire" is the way. My grandmother usually burnt her skillets about once a year. She liked hot oak fires and threw the pans on top. After they cooled, she rinsed off the ashes and reseasoned them with fat.
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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:07:50 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: "Kill it with fire" is the way. My grandmother usually burnt her skillets about once a year. She liked hot oak fires and threw the pans on top. After they cooled, she rinsed off the ashes and reseasoned them with fat. |
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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:08:01 PM EDT
[#3]
I'd get new ones and season them correctly. Lodge, Griswold, and Wagner Ware all make great products. My favorite has been Lodge.
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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:15:26 PM EDT
[#4]
The risk is if some fool used it to cast lead fishing lures or boolits
Don't know if you can somehow test for lead I have a couple of old griswolds that I got from family and they work very well. At one point when I wanted something a different size I bought a lodge from somewhere and what a mess it was. I put lots of work into trying to sand it down to make the inside smooth but it was mostly wasted time. At one point I spent lots more time trying to season it and had a decent working surface but then I cooked something and decided to add tomatoes and all the seasoning came off . With my griswolds I would just scrub it out and add a coating of oil and throw it on the burner for a bit and be back in business . I don't have time to mess with the lodge. I have used it for the lead melting thing since then 
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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:24:23 PM EDT
[#5]
Good will type stores and garage sales. Ask at a garage sale if you think of it. You may get someone to go grab the one they have t used in twenty years.
Oven cleaning cycle will work. Paint area of lowes ask for a lead test kit. They are wet swabs that will turn color with lead. |
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Posted: 8/16/2015 4:33:23 PM EDT
[#6]
Just buy a new Lodge and cook in it, a lot. The food will stick and burn for three months but after that it will be the best pan you'll ever own and will last forever. I bought mine a year ago for $19 and have used it every day since
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Posted: 8/16/2015 5:35:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just buy a new Lodge and cook in it, a lot. The food will stick and burn for three months but after that it will be the best pan you'll ever own and will last forever. I bought mine a year ago for $19 and have used it every day since What other advice do you have to share to someone who has never owned a Cast Iron pan and doesn't know how to care for one? |
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Posted: 8/17/2015 12:00:10 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I cook for all my meals... So should it take even less time... considering it will be used 3 times a day? What other advice do you have to share to someone who has never owned a Cast Iron pan and doesn't know how to care for one? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Just buy a new Lodge and cook in it, a lot. The food will stick and burn for three months but after that it will be the best pan you'll ever own and will last forever. I bought mine a year ago for $19 and have used it every day since What other advice do you have to share to someone who has never owned a Cast Iron pan and doesn't know how to care for one? Seasoning is not voodoo. It's basically oil on iron. All the oven-seasoning nonsense is just nonsense. A layer of congealed oil is not really what you need. |
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Posted: 8/17/2015 12:14:22 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I cook for all my meals... So should it take even less time... considering it will be used 3 times a day? What other advice do you have to share to someone who has never owned a Cast Iron pan and doesn't know how to care for one? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Just buy a new Lodge and cook in it, a lot. The food will stick and burn for three months but after that it will be the best pan you'll ever own and will last forever. I bought mine a year ago for $19 and have used it every day since What other advice do you have to share to someone who has never owned a Cast Iron pan and doesn't know how to care for one? |
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Posted: 8/17/2015 8:43:41 PM EDT
[#10]
1. Buy cheap skillet or two. (Might as well do a couple.)
2. Buy cheap "grinder" attachment (plastic flat disk) for drill, and some pads. 3. Drill all the bumpy crap off the bottom of the cheap skillet to make it nice and smooth (what they should have done at the factory). 4. Season with a bunch of fat or however you want. (There are hundreds of ideas "how" but basically it's "cook on it with fat.") Enjoy good skillet, pass on to grandchildren. If you have an orbital sander the task is much faster, but I spent 12 on the skillet at the discount store, plus 6 or so for the drill thingy and spent some time sitting outside getting it done. |
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Posted: 8/18/2015 8:45:41 AM EDT
[#11]
You don't want a perfectly smooth surface to begin with. A slight texture is the best in order to hold the seasoning.
My LeCrueset pans had a slight textured enamel when I got them. Now they are smooth as glass. Make sure you find a pan free of defects (larger pits and bumps in the casting) as you will never be able to fix those with seasoning. There are a hundred different ways I've read to season pans, but cooking with butter or ghee has been the most productive way to season pans for me. |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 3:15:53 AM EDT
[#12]
FWIW Walmart has just about the best prices and selection on Lodge skillets and dutch ovens. $15ish for the 8-10" skillet; $20ish for the 12"
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Posted: 8/19/2015 5:26:35 PM EDT
[#13]
I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target.
Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video?  |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 6:01:43 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0o
He's a little long winded and rambles and basicly says nothing, must be related to nutnfancy. |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 6:04:28 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted: He's a little long winded and rambles, must be related to nutnfancy. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0oHe's a little long winded and rambles, must be related to nutnfancy. He literally said the same things over and over and over agian. Kind of annoying. |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 6:14:08 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
He was *very* long winded. He literally said the same things over and over and over agian. Kind of annoying. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0o
He's a little long winded and rambles, must be related to nutnfancy. He literally said the same things over and over and over agian. Kind of annoying. My wife fries bacon and/or potatoes in hers till they are seasoned. Never takes the oil out of the pan. Go in her kitchen right now and open the oven, there will be cast iron pans inside full of grease. My favorite thing is steaks cooked on a couple cast iron griddles (pan sized,shaped) she has. She heats them in the oven till they're sizzling then tosses a steak on each one, 6 minutes and flip them over, 6 more and mines done. ( she claims I like steaks that are raw. She told her mom just chase the cow past the stove on the way to the table and I'm good with it. |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 6:55:22 PM EDT
[#17]
You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention.
Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. |
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Posted: 8/19/2015 7:29:02 PM EDT
[#18]
Well I seasoned it per that video's instructions, except I only put it in the oven one time for one hour... instead of repeating it 3 times.
After I was done, I pulled it right out of the oven and started cooking lunch with it. Not bad! Didn't seem like too much was sticking to the bottom.... and it will only get better with time! I can't wait to cook something really good in it, like Eggs and Bacon... or a Steak or hamburger. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 12:09:42 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0o |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 12:16:00 AM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Well I seasoned it per that video's instructions, except I only put it in the oven one time for one hour... instead of repeating it 3 times. After I was done, I pulled it right out of the oven and started cooking lunch with it. Not bad! Didn't seem like too much was sticking to the bottom.... and it will only get better with time! I can't wait to cook something really good in it, like Eggs and Bacon... or a Steak or hamburger. You have iron. You have food. All you need, unless you are reaching the extreme upper range of temps, is grease between them. If shit sticks at first, here's what you do: Mix 1 tablespoon mayonnaise with one teaspoon sugar and brush that over your food before you try cooking it. The sugar browns quickly to set up the release of the food, and neither the sugar nor the mayo can be tasted. It's an old trick taught to me by my great-uncle. I still have his cleaver, and it is one of my treasures. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 12:20:24 AM EDT
[#21]
I own around 6-7 cast iron pans
Have bought every one of them at thrift stores. Would rather have one that has already been seasoned for a couple generations and is ready to cook on immediately myself. Not to mention the savings $$ over buying a brand new one. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 12:36:36 AM EDT
[#22]
Didn't someone on this site prove most of the cast Iron theories false a few years ago?
OP... Look... That pan is fine. Cook a couple pounds of bacon in it, and let it go. Shit won't stick, you'll be fine. Just don't use soap. All my cast Iron I 'seasoned' by cooking greasy shit in it for a while. Bacon, Chorizo, Sausage... Use your Cast Iron for that stuff for a bit, and not a damn thing will stick to it. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 1:45:38 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Didn't someone on this site prove most of the cast Iron theories false a few years ago? OP... Look... That pan is fine. Cook a couple pounds of bacon in it, and let it go. Shit won't stick, you'll be fine. Just don't use soap. All my cast Iron I 'seasoned' by cooking greasy shit in it for a while. Bacon, Chorizo, Sausage... Use your Cast Iron for that stuff for a bit, and not a damn thing will stick to it. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 8:45:24 AM EDT
[#24]
My wife's antique 9" skillet and my modern (bought in the late '90s) 12" skillet both cook the same.
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Posted: 8/20/2015 10:22:06 AM EDT
[#25]
Quoted:
I have heard that the recommended route is to get your hands on a nice, old, used cast iron skillet. The reason is that older skillets tend to lack that rough surface texture, either due to superior build quality of the time... or through time, the rough surfaces become smooth. Thing is, I don't know anyone in my family with a Cast Iron Skillet who is willing to part with it. So that pretty much leaves me the only option to buy one. If I buy a used one from a stranger, how do I properly ensure it's.... "Sterile"... since I have no idea the manner in which they cared for such a thing... What do you do with a used Skillet to ensure it is sanitary for use? Or is it just better to go buy a new Cast Iron Skillet? I don't have tons of money to buy a top of the line skillet either... So please don't come in here telling me I need to buy some $500 french cast iron pan. Seriously? They are all over the antique shops here...cheap. They may need a bit of reseasoning but it's easier than starting from the beginning. Sterile? I threw mine in a campfire. |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 7:18:56 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0o
Much better ones here: Lodge videos good luck! |
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Posted: 8/20/2015 8:59:35 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What cast iron theories? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Didn't someone on this site prove most of the cast Iron theories false a few years ago? OP... Look... That pan is fine. Cook a couple pounds of bacon in it, and let it go. Shit won't stick, you'll be fine. Just don't use soap. All my cast Iron I 'seasoned' by cooking greasy shit in it for a while. Bacon, Chorizo, Sausage... Use your Cast Iron for that stuff for a bit, and not a damn thing will stick to it. I think it was a Subnet thread. Things like Sanding, best seasoning methods, that stuff. |
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Posted: 8/21/2015 10:15:39 PM EDT
[#28]
You already bought it (Lodge is always a good choice) so now cook in it. Bacon is best because grease seasons pan and you have bacon to eat. after a few months of cooking in it nothing will stick. Enjoy.
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Posted: 8/23/2015 9:18:54 AM EDT
[#29]
Older cast iron was typically machined, lighter, better metallurgy and better QA/QC as there was competition from many foundries (Lodge makes nearly all CI here now). As mentioned new Lodge can be made to cook vintage like with some effort.
Lead can easily be tested for with take home kits. A lye bath or electrolysis tank is the best way to clean fouled up CI. Fire can work, but as you get above 1000F the CI can loose it's temper......be smart about it. |
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Posted: 8/23/2015 9:21:18 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I think it was a Subnet thread. Things like Sanding, best seasoning methods, that stuff. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Didn't someone on this site prove most of the cast Iron theories false a few years ago? OP... Look... That pan is fine. Cook a couple pounds of bacon in it, and let it go. Shit won't stick, you'll be fine. Just don't use soap. All my cast Iron I 'seasoned' by cooking greasy shit in it for a while. Bacon, Chorizo, Sausage... Use your Cast Iron for that stuff for a bit, and not a damn thing will stick to it. I think it was a Subnet thread. Things like Sanding, best seasoning methods, that stuff. Even the professional chefs have their differing opinion. However there is science to it, that says all CI IS NOT created equal.....same holds true with oils. |
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Posted: 8/23/2015 11:06:37 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I just bought a 12" Lodge Skillet at Target. Can I use Lard to season my skillet? What should I do first? What do you think about the advice from this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwRNOBKRP0o
Take a package of raw bacon. Lay bacon in pan. Place pan in oven. Turn oven on to 400 for 20 minutes. In that order. Do not preheat. Enjoy your bacon and your seasoned pan. Repeat as necessary. Or scratch make Alfredo sauce in it, that will season it well. Start with all raw dairy materials, no mixes or powders. |
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Posted: 8/23/2015 11:11:05 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). |
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Posted: 8/23/2015 11:23:30 PM EDT
[#33]
When I got into the idea of cast iron cooking I read all the blogs and shit. Poured through tons of info that I had to compare to previously learned info. After all that I realized it wasn't that freaking hard.
Some things I have learned along the way, 1. If lab equipment is used to measure the superiority of one seasoning method to the other, the differences are insignificant in your kitchen. 2. I sanded 2 pans down to a very smooth surface and damn near cried when I had eggs flip without any sticking. After a few months though I came to realize the seasoning never really seemed to hold onto the pan. I gave a modern lodge with it's rough surface a long break in period and realized the seasoning really stuck to the rough crevices, and filled them in so the pan smoothed out. Of course, there will probably be a bunch of people with contradicting experiences. 3. Stove top seasoning seems to speed up the break in period with modern cast iron. Clean it, put some oil in it and put it on the burner till it smokes real bad. Wipe excess oil out, or add more oil if you burnt most of it out. Do this after most of you cleanings. 4. Eggs are a great test of your seasoning, but I would probably recommend you keep eggs to the Teflon pan most of the time. Most of my frustration with cast iron came from having eggs stick to them and having a mess that I usually cleaned with the oven's self cleaning setting. 5. Bacon grease seamed to be the best for stove top seasoning, with coconut oil being my second preference. Canola oil and olive oil never really impressed me. My opinion and experiences are completely subjective. 6. Baking in cast iron with sufficient fat really seemed to speed the seasoning process along. I recommend cornbread. The one point I think no one would debate is personal experience trumps any amount of forum posts and blog entries. Enjoy figuring it out for yourself! |
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Posted: 8/24/2015 12:00:55 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). |
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Posted: 8/24/2015 3:03:35 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This is just silly. You might just as well paint it with oil-based paint. Purple or pink might be best. That is all you are doing when you coat it with polymerized cooking oil. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). What is the "seasoning" if not polymerized cooking oil? I think you said something similar in the thread that I refinished an ancient griswold pan and a new lodge pan with flax seed oil.....Oddly enough I actually prefer the Lodges non-smooth surface for cooking and can get eggs to slide around with zero effort. Also none of the polymerized cooking oil has flaked off as you've predicted. 
For the OP, here is a link to my thread about refinishing cast iron. It's got a link to Subnets thread as well which is a good read. My opinion is just cook on it and try to educate people not to leave them in water. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_163/1685803_Refinishing_Old_Cast_Iron.html&page=1 |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 1:12:36 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: What is the "seasoning" if not polymerized cooking oil? I think you said something similar in the thread that I refinished an ancient griswold pan and a new lodge pan with flax seed oil.....Oddly enough I actually prefer the Lodges non-smooth surface for cooking and can get eggs to slide around with zero effort. Also none of the polymerized cooking oil has flaked off as you've predicted. For the OP, here is a link to my thread about refinishing cast iron. It's got a link to Subnets thread as well which is a good read. My opinion is just cook on it and try to educate people not to leave them in water. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_163/1685803_Refinishing_Old_Cast_Iron.html&page=1 Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). What is the "seasoning" if not polymerized cooking oil? I think you said something similar in the thread that I refinished an ancient griswold pan and a new lodge pan with flax seed oil.....Oddly enough I actually prefer the Lodges non-smooth surface for cooking and can get eggs to slide around with zero effort. Also none of the polymerized cooking oil has flaked off as you've predicted. For the OP, here is a link to my thread about refinishing cast iron. It's got a link to Subnets thread as well which is a good read. My opinion is just cook on it and try to educate people not to leave them in water. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_163/1685803_Refinishing_Old_Cast_Iron.html&page=1 But that is not really what seasoning is. I've read those threads. I've done that same work, 20-or-so years ago. I now see what seasoning really is, and it ain't a layer of oil paint on your pan. YMMV and all that. If you keep at it long enough, though, you will see that I am right. |
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Posted: 8/25/2015 2:07:49 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That form of "seasoning" is just polymerized cooking oil. You might as well paint it with oil paint, as I said. Pick a color, any color. But that is not really what seasoning is. I've read those threads. I've done that same work, 20-or-so years ago. I now see what seasoning really is, and it ain't a layer of oil paint on your pan. YMMV and all that. If you keep at it long enough, though, you will see that I am right. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). What is the "seasoning" if not polymerized cooking oil? I think you said something similar in the thread that I refinished an ancient griswold pan and a new lodge pan with flax seed oil.....Oddly enough I actually prefer the Lodges non-smooth surface for cooking and can get eggs to slide around with zero effort. Also none of the polymerized cooking oil has flaked off as you've predicted.
For the OP, here is a link to my thread about refinishing cast iron. It's got a link to Subnets thread as well which is a good read. My opinion is just cook on it and try to educate people not to leave them in water. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_1_163/1685803_Refinishing_Old_Cast_Iron.html&page=1 But that is not really what seasoning is. I've read those threads. I've done that same work, 20-or-so years ago. I now see what seasoning really is, and it ain't a layer of oil paint on your pan. YMMV and all that. If you keep at it long enough, though, you will see that I am right. You said you know what seasoning is and that it isn't polymerized cooking oil.....So what is it? |
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Posted: 8/28/2015 9:54:54 PM EDT
[#38]
So it's been a while since I've had this cast iron skillet... ABSOLUTLEY LOVE THIS MOTHER FUCKING THING!
$20 bought me this awesome skillet from Target, and it has been cooking eggs, bacon, porkchops like a mother fucking champ! It definitely gets better as I cook more and more with it. I absolutely love not having to worry about only using plastic or wooden utensils. Even more awesome, is the fact that I can put this pan in the oven, to make all sorts of things. Today, I made Pizza! Never made homemade pizza before.... but it came out *REALLY* well. Anyways,... here are some photos of the Pizza I made today.  |
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Posted: 8/31/2015 4:07:41 AM EDT
[#39]
if you really want to be a cast iron snob, look at finex cast iron pans, I found them on instagram after looking up some cast iron hashtags. my first cast iron obsession first started with a lodge 10" grill pan that walmart had mislabeled for $10 at the local walmart. man that elevated my current cooking because I could get better consistant heat on the electric range that im using and would leave beautiful sear marks. but as others have said yes it will start a collection that leaves you searching goodwills and local thrift stores and even craigslist for cast iron pans. ive already added a 12" skilled that was initially seasoned with a pound of bacon as all my cast irons get. and next ill be looking for a 15" skillet (which I missed on a deal at one thrift store looking back) and probably a le cruset dutch oven to round out the cooking
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Posted: 8/31/2015 4:25:31 AM EDT
[#40]
also this guy on youtube, Kent Rollins has been helpful with cast iron stuff, hes a cowboy cooker by trade, so works with cast iron all the damn time, I even bought his cookbook after watching many of his videos, dude seems to know his ish, even won a food network chopped episode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSP_kIFj6lY |
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Posted: 8/31/2015 5:07:14 AM EDT
[#41]
Wife has Lodge 8", 10 1/4", 10 1/4" deep and 12" frying pans--all new from Wal-Mart.
She also has 10 1/4" and 12" lids, the lids usually cost more than their pans--I buy those at a local hardware store. She loves her Lodge pans and keeps them oiled up with a dab of Crisco to help with seasoning. |
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Posted: 8/31/2015 6:06:40 AM EDT
[#42]
Patriot,
I bought a O'Brien & O'Brien skillet at a flea market - probably from the twenties. It was already seasoned - but the seasoning had gone rancid. So I stripped the seasoning off and re-seasoned multiple times. Good as new. Being old, it's much lighter than a Lodge. And s-m-o-o-t-h! By the way, with respect to 'sterile' - any bacteria that would affect you dies at 122F. So simply bringing the pan up to temp will sterilize it. Now, go buy a Dutch Oven! A whole new world for cooking! Ray |
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Posted: 10/2/2015 3:17:28 PM EDT
[#43]
I don't understand the desire to have a lighter skillet, like those old ones. The weight (mass) gives it better thermal properties.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 10/2/2015 8:14:41 PM EDT
[#44]
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Fire can work, but as you get above 1000F the CI can loose it's temper......be smart about it. You can also crack them if the fire is too hot, something I've seen first hand. |
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Posted: 10/2/2015 8:16:12 PM EDT
[#45]
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This is just silly. You might just as well paint it with oil-based paint. Purple or pink might be best. That is all you are doing when you coat it with polymerized cooking oil. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
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You need an outdoor grill or fire to do it properly. You want to coat the entire pan, handle and all. Any food safe oil is fine. Literally dunk it. Burn the shit out of it on your coal, or wood grill until the huge bellow of smoke is almost gone. Let it cool, hand wash with no soap. I do mine every two years or so. If it's not black, it's not right. The only reason this is done is for rust prevention. Do not do this in your oven, ever As far as being sterile, feel free to put through a normal wash cycle, just dry it immediately, then cure it properly. You'll know when it's time to re cure it , the black will wear through eventually depending on how you care for it. Despite tradition, sometimes soap must be used. Nothing to worry about as long as you re "season" it. Why use soap? If there's stuff that won't come off I'll put a tablespoon of oil (I use olive oil, but any cooking oil will do) and pour in enough salt to make a slurry. Take my bare hand and scrub it around until the pan is clean. I only need to do that every couple of months or if my wife burns something to the pan (not easy to do). Thats pretty much how Alton Brown recommends cleaning cast iron. I think he might use heat and a paper towel with the salt and oil, though. |
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