Cast Iron Cookware

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You would really do scrambled eggs in cast iron? Mine would stick for sure.

Any tips on seasoning? Or do I need to get the power tools out to smooth the surface?
Forgot to add seasoning tips:

First, there's hundreds if not millions of ways to season a cast iron pan...it's not rocket science. We're looking to polymerize oil on the surface of the pan. This is a chemical change done with heat. The following is just how I do it...lots of different people with have different approaches. Just search it on YouTube and hundreds of different approaches will appear. Find one you like and try it. You can always try a different way. You won't ruin your pan just seasoning it.

1. Pre-heat the piece on the stove top at low heat until it's just barely too hot to handle with your bare hands.
2. Use VERY LIGHT coats of oil. Rub on oil (I like canola oil for this) till the entire surface looks wet, then take a paper towel and try to wipe all the oil off. You won't get it all, there will be a very light coat of oil. Massively thick coatings of oil/fat is simply a waste as most of it drips off in the oven anyway. Plus it pools up and causes inconsistent seasoning.
3. Now place it on a middle rack upside down in a cold oven and set the oven at 450ºF. Pre-heating the oven to 450 probably won't hurt it, but heat shocking cast iron should be avoided. This is just how I do it.
4. Once your oven is at temp, let it sit for an hour. Remove the piece at about 20 minutes and wipe any oil that may have beaded up or pooled.
5. Turn off the oven at 1 hour and let the piece cool inside the closed oven until room temperature. I usually do this at night so I can go to bed at this point and it will be cool by morning.

Repeat as many times as you feel necessary. On lodge or newer cast iron with grainy finish, it takes a few more coats. Vintage pieces with smooth finish sometimes only once is required.


The big key to keeping your seasoning up to snuff for the long term is oiling the pan after each use. This is where a lot of people run into problems. They spend a bunch of time doing the initial seasoning and then after 4 or 5 times cooking on it, it starts to stick again.

Maintenance seasoning:
1. Clean the pan while it's still warm to the touch preferably. Use water, you can even use a little dish soap if you want. I know people say you can't, but if the piece is super oily, it's fine. Dish soap of today will not strip properly polymerized seasoning.
2. Once clean place on the stove over medium-low heat and bring up to temperature. Not ripping/smoking hot, but definitely too hot to touch bare handed.
3. Just like seasoning apply a very light coat of oil.
4. Set off heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before you put it away.

This makes sure the pan is 100% dry after washing, oils the surface AND puts a light coating of seasoning on the pan after every use.

Other random tips for cast iron since I'm thinking about it:
1. Don't drop it, cast iron is very hard, but also very brittle.
2. Don't put a hot cast iron pan in water(temp shocking will crack/break cast iron)
3. Always heat/cool cast iron slowly. I never heat my cast iron from room temp on anything more than medium heat and usually 2-3 on a 1-10 stove dial. Warped pans are caused by rapid heating. This is more of an issue with vintage or thin pans. Lodge usually handles rapid heating better.
4. Don't burn off old seasoning in a fire. Back in the wild west, this may have been the only option, but this can get the pan hot enough to alter the structure of the iron and cause you problems. Not to mention the inconsistent heat of a bed of coals. If you need to completely strip the seasoning, you can use the self clean function of an oven. This will take it back to bare iron and will need to be re-seasoned quickly or rust will form.
5. Don't boil water in cast iron...it can release seasoning from the pan and turn whatever you're boiling in the water black.
6. Acidic foods will be tough on your seasoning.
 
Forgot to add seasoning tips:

First, there's hundreds if not millions of ways to season a cast iron pan...it's not rocket science. We're looking to polymerize oil on the surface of the pan. This is a chemical change done with heat. The following is just how I do it...lots of different people with have different approaches. Just search it on YouTube and hundreds of different approaches will appear. Find one you like and try it. You can always try a different way. You won't ruin your pan just seasoning it.

1. Pre-heat the piece on the stove top at low heat until it's just barely too hot to handle with your bare hands.
2. Use VERY LIGHT coats of oil. Rub on oil (I like canola oil for this) till the entire surface looks wet, then take a paper towel and try to wipe all the oil off. You won't get it all, there will be a very light coat of oil. Massively thick coatings of oil/fat is simply a waste as most of it drips off in the oven anyway. Plus it pools up and causes inconsistent seasoning.
3. Now place it on a middle rack upside down in a cold oven and set the oven at 450ºF. Pre-heating the oven to 450 probably won't hurt it, but heat shocking cast iron should be avoided. This is just how I do it.
4. Once your oven is at temp, let it sit for an hour. Remove the piece at about 20 minutes and wipe any oil that may have beaded up or pooled.
5. Turn off the oven at 1 hour and let the piece cool inside the closed oven until room temperature. I usually do this at night so I can go to bed at this point and it will be cool by morning.

Repeat as many times as you feel necessary. On lodge or newer cast iron with grainy finish, it takes a few more coats. Vintage pieces with smooth finish sometimes only once is required.


The big key to keeping your seasoning up to snuff for the long term is oiling the pan after each use. This is where a lot of people run into problems. They spend a bunch of time doing the initial seasoning and then after 4 or 5 times cooking on it, it starts to stick again.

Maintenance seasoning:
1. Clean the pan while it's still warm to the touch preferably. Use water, you can even use a little dish soap if you want. I know people say you can't, but if the piece is super oily, it's fine. Dish soap of today will not strip properly polymerized seasoning.
2. Once clean place on the stove over medium-low heat and bring up to temperature. Not ripping/smoking hot, but definitely too hot to touch bare handed.
3. Just like seasoning apply a very light coat of oil.
4. Set off heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before you put it away.

This makes sure the pan is 100% dry after washing, oils the surface AND puts a light coating of seasoning on the pan after every use.

Other random tips for cast iron since I'm thinking about it:
1. Don't drop it, cast iron is very hard, but also very brittle.
2. Don't put a hot cast iron pan in water(temp shocking will crack/break cast iron)
3. Always heat/cool cast iron slowly. I never heat my cast iron from room temp on anything more than medium heat and usually 2-3 on a 1-10 stove dial. Warped pans are caused by rapid heating. This is more of an issue with vintage or thin pans. Lodge usually handles rapid heating better.
4. Don't burn off old seasoning in a fire. Back in the wild west, this may have been the only option, but this can get the pan hot enough to alter the structure of the iron and cause you problems. Not to mention the inconsistent heat of a bed of coals. If you need to completely strip the seasoning, you can use the self clean function of an oven. This will take it back to bare iron and will need to be re-seasoned quickly or rust will form.
5. Don't boil water in cast iron...it can release seasoning from the pan and turn whatever you're boiling in the water black.
6. Acidic foods will be tough on your seasoning.
Wow, amazing...thanks. I’ll do a round of seasoning tonight...I like the idea of turn off the oven and go to bed.
 
You would really do scrambled eggs in cast iron? Mine would stick for sure.

Any tips on seasoning? Or do I need to get the power tools out to smooth the surface?
scrambled eggs? in cast iron? but of course, pretty sure that's how the pioneers did theirs... but for me? more so just a comment on conditioning and readiness. i don't do scrambled eggs on cast iron. have eaten such before, out hunting...years ago.

scrambled eggs are only done at my place on my OXO fry pans. world's best! America's Test Kitchen says so, too! they won the 13 pan shoot out. the OXO. none of the pans i had recently got that said were super sliders slid. all stuck the eggs. scrambled or any kind! :( but the OXO lives up to its reputation and test results. i have 2. 8" 10" i only do eggs in the 10"!! potatoes as in refry or such in 8" ok. not much else, but eggs and such. no doubt about it, 5-star pans...

1659677040800.png
1659677082694.png


if i had to venture a guess... i would say i have close to 3 dozen fry pans, if not more!!!! lol :)
 
Forgot to add seasoning tips:

First, there's hundreds if not millions of ways to season a cast iron pan...it's not rocket science. We're looking to polymerize oil on the surface of the pan. This is a chemical change done with heat. The following is just how I do it...lots of different people with have different approaches. Just search it on YouTube and hundreds of different approaches will appear. Find one you like and try it. You can always try a different way. You won't ruin your pan just seasoning it.

1. Pre-heat the piece on the stove top at low heat until it's just barely too hot to handle with your bare hands.
2. Use VERY LIGHT coats of oil. Rub on oil (I like canola oil for this) till the entire surface looks wet, then take a paper towel and try to wipe all the oil off. You won't get it all, there will be a very light coat of oil. Massively thick coatings of oil/fat is simply a waste as most of it drips off in the oven anyway. Plus it pools up and causes inconsistent seasoning.
3. Now place it on a middle rack upside down in a cold oven and set the oven at 450ºF. Pre-heating the oven to 450 probably won't hurt it, but heat shocking cast iron should be avoided. This is just how I do it.
4. Once your oven is at temp, let it sit for an hour. Remove the piece at about 20 minutes and wipe any oil that may have beaded up or pooled.
5. Turn off the oven at 1 hour and let the piece cool inside the closed oven until room temperature. I usually do this at night so I can go to bed at this point and it will be cool by morning.

Repeat as many times as you feel necessary. On lodge or newer cast iron with grainy finish, it takes a few more coats. Vintage pieces with smooth finish sometimes only once is required.


The big key to keeping your seasoning up to snuff for the long term is oiling the pan after each use. This is where a lot of people run into problems. They spend a bunch of time doing the initial seasoning and then after 4 or 5 times cooking on it, it starts to stick again.

Maintenance seasoning:
1. Clean the pan while it's still warm to the touch preferably. Use water, you can even use a little dish soap if you want. I know people say you can't, but if the piece is super oily, it's fine. Dish soap of today will not strip properly polymerized seasoning.
2. Once clean place on the stove over medium-low heat and bring up to temperature. Not ripping/smoking hot, but definitely too hot to touch bare handed.
3. Just like seasoning apply a very light coat of oil.
4. Set off heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before you put it away.

This makes sure the pan is 100% dry after washing, oils the surface AND puts a light coating of seasoning on the pan after every use.

Other random tips for cast iron since I'm thinking about it:
1. Don't drop it, cast iron is very hard, but also very brittle.
2. Don't put a hot cast iron pan in water(temp shocking will crack/break cast iron)
3. Always heat/cool cast iron slowly. I never heat my cast iron from room temp on anything more than medium heat and usually 2-3 on a 1-10 stove dial. Warped pans are caused by rapid heating. This is more of an issue with vintage or thin pans. Lodge usually handles rapid heating better.
4. Don't burn off old seasoning in a fire. Back in the wild west, this may have been the only option, but this can get the pan hot enough to alter the structure of the iron and cause you problems. Not to mention the inconsistent heat of a bed of coals. If you need to completely strip the seasoning, you can use the self clean function of an oven. This will take it back to bare iron and will need to be re-seasoned quickly or rust will form.
5. Don't boil water in cast iron...it can release seasoning from the pan and turn whatever you're boiling in the water black.
6. Acidic foods will be tough on your seasoning.
So this advice was gold!

I followed pretty much as stated...I use peanut oil...nice high smoke point...virtually no flavour.

Only done one coat so far...but it’s already better...smoother. Not shiny (which surprised me) but last steak I cooked...I can tell it’s better. It’s in the oven again tonight...but I’m also cooking. Once dinner is done, I’ll get it nice and hot for a while, then turn it off.

Great technique- really appreciate the time taken to answer. I’ll throw up a photo of my scrambled eggs lol.
 
scrambled eggs? in cast iron? but of course, pretty sure that's how the pioneers did theirs... but for me? more so just a comment on conditioning and readiness. i don't do scrambled eggs on cast iron. have eaten such before, out hunting...years ago.

scrambled eggs are only done at my place on my OXO fry pans. world's best! America's Test Kitchen says so, too! they won the 13 pan shoot out. the OXO. none of the pans i had recently got that said were super sliders slid. all stuck the eggs. scrambled or any kind! :( but the OXO lives up to its reputation and test results. i have 2. 8" 10" i only do eggs in the 10"!! potatoes as in refry or such in 8" ok. not much else, but eggs and such. no doubt about it, 5-star pans...

View attachment 1007887View attachment 1007888

if i had to venture a guess... i would say i have close to 3 dozen fry pans, if not more!!!! lol :)
I actually did fried eggs, sunny side up, in my CI this morning. Overall came out perfect, but I reckon I’ll go back to a small non-stick that is always and only for eggs. Just simple and easy.
 
Who uses a chainmail scrubber to clean their cast iron?

View attachment 1024652
Lodge version has a silicone block in the center to create a cushioned pad. About $20.

Chainmail gloves, Usem in meat packing plants, start at about $15.

View attachment 1024653

Better to wash ‘by hand’?

Philbert
I just use a cheap Nylon scrubbing pad. Copper one if necessary.
 
Not Cast Iron, But . . .

Cleaning and stripping polymerized grease may be the same?

Found some stainless steel / aluminum core / clad, skillets at Goodwill, at attractive prices. Very clean on inside: baked on grease on the outside.

F649A54C-F334-4109-B21F-1CD09C52B1F8.jpeg


2E4BEF1F-6A84-478F-AA10-AAB94DA47276.jpeg


A friend asked me to keep an eye out for their new, induction stove (requires cookware that a magnet will stick to).

Tried some ‘no gloves needed’ Easy Off, which took some of the stuff off. Maybe regular Easy Off works better?

Did not want to use a lye bath, due to the aluminum core. And, the self-cleaning feature on my oven is not working right now. So I ended up using a lot of elbow grease, a stainless steel ScotchBrite pad, and Ajax scouring powder.

F5AF0A7F-2E28-43C7-82C2-1A573C24028C.jpeg


Came out nice, but a bit more work than planned.

Philbert
 
A friend found this, but I have not tried it. Available in spray or liquid:
6FD6BD26-0429-4717-9AFA-952FF33FE639.jpeg


https://questspecialty.com/products/112160001-16OZ-Carbon-Off-Heavy-Duty-Carbon-Remover-Liquid.html (LINK)

Has some nasty stuff in it. Similar to decarbonizers used on pistons, etc.? Says it is intended for cookware.

FFEB2185-CC91-40D3-A22A-7BBFB30749DE.jpeg

Anyone use something like this? Might try it down the road, but probably outside! Scrubbing was hard work on the stainless steel, but gouged the nitty of an aluminum pan I tried to ‘save’.

Philbert
 
A friend found this, but I have not tried it. Available in spray or liquid:
View attachment 1042336

https://questspecialty.com/products/112160001-16OZ-Carbon-Off-Heavy-Duty-Carbon-Remover-Liquid.html (LINK)

Has some nasty stuff in it. Similar to decarbonizers used on pistons, etc.? Says it is intended for cookware.

View attachment 1042335

Anyone use something like this? Might try it down the road, but probably outside! Scrubbing was hard work on the stainless steel, but gouged the nitty of an aluminum pan I tried to ‘save’.

Philbert
Lye is mostly Sodium Hydroxide, a caustic material. This is Ammonium Hydroxide also caustic. Approximately the same thing. The rest is just solvent. My guess anyway.
 
The Great Winter Storm of 2022 is coming through now and in the StL area we're suppose to get a whopping 1-3" of snow. Still with the temps and wind chills, I'm stuck inside. Decided to re-season the bottoms, and insides as well, today.
Took an angle grinder with a wire brush to remove the rust on the bottom. Washed with hot water and flashed dry on the stove burners. Let cool a little and applied a coating of lard inside and out. Placed upside in the oven at 450 for an hour. Then I'll turn off the oven and let cool.

The question is, I believe someone said to wipe off excess once cool, reapply and the reheat. If that's true, why not leave it in the oven longer, more than an hour, the first time? Instead of going through the process twice.
 
Lye is mostly Sodium Hydroxide, a caustic material. This is Ammonium Hydroxide also caustic.
Sodium hydroxide will attack aluminum. This stuff says it’s safe for aluminum. Methylene chloride is some nasty stuff: great grease stripper, but pretty toxic. Some of the other stuff is found in oven cleaner.

If I try it, it will be outside with gloves, etc. Curious how it might compare to carbon removal products used on pistons.

Philbert
 
The question is, I believe someone said to wipe off excess once cool, reapply and the reheat. If that's true, why not leave it in the oven longer, more than an hour, the first time? Instead of going through the process twice.
My understanding is building up several thin layers, as opposed to one thick coat. Kind of like spray painting.

Philbert
 
Sodium hydroxide will attack aluminum. This stuff says it’s safe for aluminum. Methylene chloride is some nasty stuff: great grease stripper, but pretty toxic. Some of the other stuff is found in oven cleaner.

If I try it, it will be outside with gloves, etc. Curious how it might compare to carbon removal products used on pistons.

Philbert
Ah, you are right. I looked it up and Ammonium Hydroxide reacts very slowly with aluminum. Takes weeks the article said.
 

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