Cast iron cooking and seasoning

[K_W]

Out of an abundance of caution, we "threw out" all of our old, beat up, mix-matched, cheap Chinese "Teflon" cookware and went to a combination of sets of ceramic coated aluminum, stainless clad, glass, and cast-iron cookware. It wasn't cheap.

I'm just starting the 3rd firing of 4 of my 5 cast iron frying pans.... 3 brand new, hand selected, less roughly cast Lodge pans (8" 10" and 12") and a well crusted vintage 6" polished single egg pan.

I read several places saying several light layers of pure unrefined flaxseed oil ($17 for 6 oz), fired for 1 hour at 500*F each time, would make a perfect tough season. I'm going with 6 layers and already at 2 it's looking and feeling pretty sweet.

I still have a vintage, unknown maker, 12 inch, polished cook surface fry pan in waiting. As a young and inexperienced home cook, I messed up it's original well earned seasoning and then failed at re-seasoning. I got it nice and clean and if this works it will be next.

What method are you using for seasoning your cast iron? Any tips or recipes?

 

[Vigilant]

Lard! Expatriated on this forum, Expat on the ESEE forums would be my goto on cast iron cookware! There is also a product called B-fat sold over on the ESEE forums, a mixture of lard and beeswax that comes highly recommended for cast! I use lard, light coat, bake it, re coat, bake it, etc. for several rounds.

 

[ScouT6a]

I have tried several different ways to season. Flaxseed oil has worked the best.

 

[1861navy]

I generally use lard or shortening made from palm oil. I have best results with lard however the shortening works well in a pinch plus doesn't get runny in warm temps like lard does. For me its great for camping and such.

I seem to have different results on seasoning depending on which pan im seasoning. Though the middle ground seems to be 400 for about an hour or so. When its cooled off I check for a greasy feel and decide if it needs another go or not. If its still greasy feeling I used too much, or it wasn't in long enough or didnt use high enough heat. YMMV cast iron is tricky.

 

[lonehoosier]

I have been using cast iron for 25 years. I just use crisco to season them. If it's a new cast iron I turn up my grill as high as it goes and put the cast iron in there for one hour. Pull it out and let it cool down. Turn the grill down to 300, put a little coating of crisco on the inside and outside of the cast iron. Put it back on the grill for one hour. I repeat that three times and each time let it cool down before the next layer.

 

[lonehoosier]

Also checkout this thread. Lots of great info.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...r-preparedness/384495-cast-iron-cookware.html

 

[thunderchicken]

I have been using cast iron for 25 years. I just use crisco to season them. If it's a new cast iron I turn up my grill as high as it goes and put the cast iron in there for one hour. Pull it out and let it cool down. Turn the grill down to 300, put a little coating of crisco on the inside and outside of the cast iron. Put it back on the grill for one hour. I repeat that three times and each time let it cool down before the next layer.

This is exactly the way I have been taught to do it as well. My brother does tons of cast iron cooking especially at camp. He ordered some Lodhe branded seasoning stuff to coat a new dutch and he was ticked when he read the label and it said 100% vegetable shortening.

 

[thunderchicken]

Also if you or anyone else ever screws up the season on your cast, just put it in the oven and set it on self clean and it will strip it down to bare cast and you can start over.

 

[lonehoosier]

This is exactly the way I have been taught to do it as well. My brother does tons of cast iron cooking especially at camp. He ordered some Lodhe branded seasoning stuff to coat a new dutch and he was ticked when he read the label and it said 100% vegetable shortening.

That's the way I was taught in scouts by an old timer. It has worked for me all this years. When we use them for camping we clean them with hot water and a scotch brite pad then put a thin layer of crisco inside and out and put it over a small fire.

 

[Fargo]

I have tried probably well over a dozen methods to season including the flaxseed oil route with various levels of success. I know it has worked for others, but the flaxseed was a disaster for me and a good friend who is also a collector. The seasoning came out looking beautiful, but began flaking within a few uses.

I have been using the Wagner and Griswold Society method for about 5 years now and love it.

Wagner and Griswold Society

In my experience, most issues arise because too much oil is left on the pan. This causes tiger striping at best and peeling at worst. Really wipe the oil off before putting it in the oven.

 

[Vigilant]

I have tried probably well over a dozen methods to season including the flaxseed oil route with various levels of success. I know it has worked for others, but the flaxseed was a disaster for me and a good friend who is also a collector. The seasoning came out looking beautiful, but began flaking within a few uses.

I have been using the Wagner and Griswold Society method for about 5 years now and love it.

Wagner and Griswold Society

In my experience, most issues arise because too much oil is left on the pan. This causes tiger striping at best and peeling at worst. Really wipe the oil off before putting it in the oven.

Thats near exactly the method I use, save the Crisco, I use lard.

 

[agerm220]

I snagged a lodge brand 5qt Dutch oven from target for 25 bucks. Don't know if it was misprinted but everywhere else it retails for 50. I haven't gone back to see if they went up.

 

[thunderchicken]

That's the way I was taught in scouts by an old timer. It has worked for me all this years. When we use them for camping we clean them with hot water and a scotch brite pad then put a thin layer of crisco inside and out and put it over a small fire.

Same here was taught by an old scoutmaster and that is the way my brother and I take care of our cast iron to this day. It can sit in the cook box for a year and it's ready to go when we pull it out

 

[GlockRock]

I have an old kettle I use to make chili in during the fall. Obviously it won't fit in an oven so to season it I fill it with water and bring it to a boil for an hour or so ( have to keep adding water). I pick it up off the fire with the back hoe and coat it with a nice layer of lard. It stays perfect until next time I use it.

 

[Indycar:v1.1]

I was taught to use about a half teaspoon of Crisco, lard, bacon grease or any veggie oil on a skillet and about one teaspoon full for a pot/dutch oven. Warm the cast iron vessel enuf to melt and take a cloth/paper towel to wipe the liquid lube on the inside and outside. Then take a clean dry cloth/paper towel and wipe off excess. Bake in oven at 300 Degrees F or on low in a gas grill. Heat for an hour or so until oil smell stops, then increase temp to 400 degrees F or medium. Cook for an hour or until oil smell again stops. Let cool and apply another application, but this time a different type of grease/oil. Example: 1st coat: Crisco, 2nd coat bacon grease.

Apply 3 rd coat of any of above grease/lard/oil/shortning again an hour or two at 300 and an hour or two at 400.

Cook a pound of bacon or make up some sausage gravy in cast iron vessel. When done, pour off grease and fill with hot tap water about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Boil for 1/2 hour. Pour out water and wipe insides with SS Choreboy scrubber. Rinse, put on low heat to dry, again oil with your choice (don't forget to wipe out excess), let cool and you're good.

 

[Steel and wood]

I put my bacon grease in my pans and Dutch oven just leave them in my oven when I pre heat my oven I leave them in there it get heated up then let them cool on top of oven. I always use steel spatula to scrape them to get the bottom smooth

 

[MikeBrennan]

Ran a cast iron skillet today for hash downs, eggs over easy, and venison sausage.

Nothing else like it!!!!

 

[GLOCKMAN23C]

Lard...crisco in a pinch...clean with hot water and a paper towel, scotchbrite if needed. Had sausage patties and eggs this morning, its seasoned right when you can do over-easy eggs.

 

[chocktaw2]

Lard...crisco in a pinch...clean with hot water and a paper towel, scotchbrite if needed. Had sausage patties and eggs this morning, its seasoned right when you can do over-easy eggs.

I've had bacon and eggs from your skillet. Good stuff, and no sticking!

 

[K_W]

Success...

Even though I only had 3 of the planned 6 layers of flaxseed on the pans, I used the 10 inch pan for scrambled eggs this morning. Pre-heated pan Med-Med/Low heat (too hot) tossed in and rolled 1tbps of butter with 3 jumbo eggs mixed with a bit of milk and Pepper then lastly salt near the end of cooking. Stirred twice and only after the eggs touching pan had time to set bit turned out perfect and no sticking at all.

The 8 inch pan developed some small Lima bean sized lighter colored spots after it cooled the 3rd time but probably because the pan was used for eggs with factory seasoning before the flaxseed treatment. Oops. Hopefully the next layers on the 10 & 12 inch don't discolor.