Seasoning cast iron

[Northern Light]

You won't believe this but I was walking home a couple of nights ago and on someone's front lawn in a box marked "Free - Please take!" was a cast iron skillet and griddle. I snatched them up before you could bat an eyelash!

So now I'm looking up online how to season these babies. So far I've scoured them with steel wool, soap and water to get rid of the old grime. They look like new again. I've smeared shortening all over the cooking surface, and I've put them in the oven.

There are different versions on how to do this though. Some say you let them sit in the oven on 150F/65C for 24 hours. Others say less time is needed. Some people say after about 4 hours you should pour out any excess shortening that's gathered along the bottom, and then put it back into the oven to bake longer. Other people say you should take the pans out after 12 hours, let the shortening solidify, then put MORE shortening on and put it back in the oven for 12 hours.

Now you see why I'm confused. Anyone around who has experience with this?

Thankieeeee :mrgreen:

 

[lizzie]

I usually wash mine thoroughly with hot hot water and a stiff brush, dry it out, coat with a very thin layer of shortening or lard, and put in the over at about 350 degrees for an hour, then turn the oven off and leave it sitting overnight. I think the best way to season is to just keep using it for cooking high fat content foods. Another thing I have done to season one is to make some cornbread batter, then bake the cornbread in the cast iron skillet, greasing it with a solid fat first. This seems to work pretty well. And congrats on the great finds.

 

[justabubba]

you're in good shape. no need to over think this
shortening in a pan with applied heat (never use olive oil for this)
your pans will then be seasoned

discard the excess oil at any time prior to using the pan

when you use the cast iron pan there is now a specific process to follow to keep the pan seasoned
do NOT use soap
do NOT use a wire cleaning utensil

simply wipe out the contents of the pan with a paper towel or newspaper and add water. then add salt. now boil the pan. empty it and wipe clean with either paper towel or cloth towel. NO scouring

place the pan back in the oven until you next use it

 

[Northern Light]

Thanks for the advice you two!!

One last question. Is the shortening/oil supposed to smoke off of the cast iron while in the often? Because that's what it seems to be doing. I don't get how it will be seasoned if the oil evaporates?

 

[Excon]

on someone's front lawn in a box marked "Free - Please take!" was a cast iron skillet and griddle. I snatched them up before you could bat an eyelash!

He, he, he, he!
We knew someone would freely pick-up our haunted griddle and skillet.

Be forewarned, the only way you can get rid of them is by someone else freely taking them to use.

 

[Fisher]

I am from the old school render fat back in it camp. But I am also post modern in that I think it is fine to wash them as long as you spray them with veg oil as soon as you are done to prevent rust from forming.

 

[lizzie]

Thanks for the advice you two!!

One last question. Is the shortening/oil supposed to smoke off of the cast iron while in the often? Because that's what it seems to be doing. I don't get how it will be seasoned if the oil evaporates?

Some of the oil may evaporate, but some of it also seeps into the iron finish and helps seal it against moisture. I don't use much shortening at all for seasoning. Just a layer that barely coats it, and when I take it out of the oven, I wipe it down with a paper towel to absorb any excess.

Another method you may be interested in trying is the same way that some people recommend seasoning good steel woks. I bought a nice Japanese- made wok a couple of years ago, and I don't remember the exact method, but I found the info on a website. I do remember that it involved pouring salt into the wok, and heating it on the stove-top, while stirring for a specific period of time. If I can find it again, I'll post it for you.

 

[Excon]

Some of the oil may evaporate, but some of it also seeps into the iron finish and helps seal it against moisture. I don't use much shortening at all for seasoning. Just a layer that barely coats it, and when I take it out of the oven, I wipe it down with a paper towel to absorb any excess.

Another method you may be interested in trying is the same way that some people recommend seasoning good steel woks. I bought a nice Japanese- made wok a couple of years ago, and I don't remember the exact method, but I found the info on a website. I do remember that it involved pouring salt into the wok, and heating it on the stove-top, while stirring for a specific period of time. If I can find it again, I'll post it for you.

???

Cooking Cute: Wok Seasoning Tutorial







So would it work with cast iron as it does High Carbon steel?
Or does it work with a wok because it is High carbon?

Anyways, for those who like visual instruction. Just go to youtube and search for Seasoning Cast Iron, I ma more than sure you will find a video top your liking.

 

[Muhammed]

So far I've scoured them with steel wool, soap and water to get rid of the old grime. They look like new again.

:doh

Why?

 

[Excon]

:doh

Why?

Because they are haunted. They forced her to do so.

 

[Muhammed]

You bastards!

 

[Northern Light]

:doh

Why?

A few reasons: there was rust on them, they had some seedy looking coating on it, and they just generally looked ghetto. Scouring was necessary!

 

[Muhammed]

A few reasons: there was rust on them, they had some seedy looking coating on it, and they just generally looked ghetto. Scouring was necessary!

I hear you. If they are rusted you need to take the rust off and re-season them. But not necessarily the whole thing. I got most of my cast iron cookware really cheap at a garage sale many years ago and some of it had a little rust.

Not sure what you mean by "seedy-looking" coating though.

What really matters isn't looks, what matters is that food doesn't stick to it.

 

[Northern Light]

I hear you. If they are rusted you need to take the rust off and re-season them. But not necessarily the whole thing. I got most of my cast iron cookware really cheap at a garage sale many years ago and some of it had a little rust.

Not sure what you mean by "seedy-looking" coating though.

What really matters isn't looks, what matters is that food doesn't stick to it.

I know... but the coating was inconsistent and it just looked dirty. Nothing wrong with re-seasoning them to look like new again after changing hands.

 

[Muhammed]

I know... but the coating was inconsistent and it just looked dirty. Nothing wrong with re-seasoning them to look like new again after changing hands.

I guess it won't hurt.

On some of my cast iron that I bought brand new I totally stripped everything off and re-seasoned it because I know that it was probably seasoned at the factory with toxic used motor oil or something.

I'm just saying that it is not always necessary with older stuff.

 

[rhinefire]

I think you screwed up using steel wool. No metal should touch the iron surface. There may be a method to re-condition or re-season but you need to try to google that because I think they are useless now. I use only plastic brushes on mine. After cooking I heat them up and pout a couple tablespoons of boiling water in and scrub then wipe dry and lightly oil. If they are used there is no telling what was done to them. Since they last a lifetime why not go out and buy a couple and start rom scratch?