Seasoning Cast Iron

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I have some cast iron pans and skillets. I grew up using them, but now my cast iron is sticky when I season it. The stuff my mother had was already very broken in when she got it, how do I get it seasoned and not sticky? I pick them up and feel like I need to wash my hands before I can cook. ugh

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), October 08, 2000

Answers

I had this problem too, until I stopped using oil to season and began using solid fat, like lard or Crisco. One they are seasoned, it doesn't seem to matter. Also, they can be a bit sticky until they are completely seasoned. Every now and then, if the seasoning just isn't "right", you gotta strip them down to metal and start over. Did you perhaps heat the pans too hot and burn the oil coating? Until they are properly seasoned, this can also cause stickyness.

Always use gentle heat when seasoning, start with a solid fat until a good deep patina is achieved, and never use soap if you don't want to reseason the pans, at least until you get such a thick season on them that a teeny touch of soap won't eat through it and then only in cleaning disasters. A properly seasoned pot shouldn't stick beyon your ability to scrub it clean sans soap. Just wash right away. I run the water until very hot and wash while the pan is still warm (not right off the stove, the temp change can crack the metal). That way the food is still soft and I don't have a grungy pot to look forward to all night! Keep after it, it's worth it. And remember that acidic foods will also eat off the finish (you should see how shiny my less-than-totally-seasoned sauce pot gets when I cook tomatoes in it!)

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), October 08, 2000.


Cindy, I have a lot of cast iron cookwear that I inherited that has been in a store room and is fairly rusted. The way I have seasoned all my pots and pans (I rarely use anything that isn't cast iron) is to scrub it really good till I have all the rust off and then use it for frying. I always have a pot on the stove with oil in it for deep frying. After a couple of weeks of this treatment they have a wonderful finish. This works every time for me. I have to do it more often than I like since hubby gets a hold of them and usually burns something to a crisp :o).

-- Amanda Seley (aseley@townsqr.com), October 09, 2000.

Cindy, I clean really rusted pans by putting them in the wood stove until the rust is baked off. The pan must be put in flat, or it could warp. When taken out, let it cool slowly or it could crack.

About seasoning: I put olive oil in the pan, smooth it all over with a paper towel, then stick it into a very low oven for about an hour. Then I repeat this three or four times. The finish is beautiful. You can also do this on top of the stove. Put the oiled pan on the burner on very low heat. When the oil starts to smoke, turn the burner off. When the pan is cool, repeat this a number of times.

I have also seen on television and read that the recommened seasoning is to use mineral oil. I have not tried this as I can't imagine what the flavor would be when the pan is used to cook food.

Mary

-- Mary in East TN (barnwood@preferred.com), October 09, 2000.


Cindy,

I was looking for the same information today and found this. It's from Mother Earth News. I havn't had time to read it all yet but it is very informative. Lots of information I would not have even thought of. I think you will be helpful to you. Anyway here it is... http://www.findarticles.com/cf_0/m1279/1999_Dec/57770237/p1/article.jh tml

Takes you right to the article.

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), October 09, 2000.


Thanks so much!!! I don't think I was leaving them in the oven long enough. I tried oil and crisco shortening. But, I was only leaving them in 30 minutes. Plus, I was using lots of soap on them...silly, I know...but all my children were premature and you kind of get into a lots of soap kind of thing. Ok, I will cook them longer, and more then once, and try not to use so much soap. Also, I will spend some time at that site! Thanks so much!!

-- Cindy in OK (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), October 09, 2000.


My wife is the worst to leave water standing in my cast, causing the cake to crack and ruining the non stick quality. When this happens , I take it to the backyard,load charcoal brickets in it and let it cook out to virgin grey again. After it cools, coat it with olive oil and just a little beef tallow, in the oven at 450 deg until its smoking (Lynn says I wait till the smoke detector screams). Let it cool and its fresh seasoned.

-- Jay Blair (jayblair678@yahoo.com), October 15, 2000.

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