Coconut Oil for Seasoning?

[Robert Bearfield]

my wife brought home a jar of coconut oil, and knowing that coconut oil has many other benifits besides the health ones you would reade about if you googled coconut oil.
question - has anyone seasoned cast iron with it? i'ld be doing that right now except that i had a full right knee replacement done oct 17th, and i'm not real mobile yet. any info will be appreciated, and i will be doing some seasoning as soon as i am mobile.   thanks   bob

[Cheryl Watson]

Yes, we have had some folks that have posted in the past that they have tried it. I have not. :)

[Tom Reisdorf]

Robert,
I have a neighbor who swears by Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner.
FYI I googled it and its ingredients. This is how they describe it.

What is cast iron conditioner and what is it made of?
Our cast iron conditioner is designed to season and protect cast iron products. The conditioner itself is made from 100% natural organic palm, coconut, and sunflower seed oil. These plants oils have a longer shelf life and will prolong the life of your cast iron when used after cooking and cleaning. Makes cast iron care simple so that it's ready and easy to use next time you need to cook.

Again I have never used it. Just thought it might help answer your question.

[Cheryl Watson]

Tom, I have suspected that the good results with the Camp Chef Product MAY be attributed to the PALM oil... but it is pricey, and I have not felt motivated to try it for that reason. :)

PALM oil is in Crisco.

In the most recent product change made to PAM....guess what got added to the product???


Palm Oil AND Coconut Oil !  8-)

So the way I look at it, should be a big improvement for seasoning. ;)

[Robert Bearfield]

after i am able to, i will be trying it myself. i know that coconut oil has many good qualities. if you google any oil, vegtable, fruit, berry, or herb, you will read that they all are better than sliced bread and the absolute miracle cure.
will be better able to give my results in a month or two.   bob

[Russell Ware]

I only use coconut oil to season my cast iron. I like the chocolate brown patina it gives. I couldn't believe the way pletts just fell out of my Gris 2980 after using it. I also have some Lodge 2FB's and other gem pans that bake very well with the coconut seasoning. I can recommend using it. It smells just like lard (to me at least) when it hits the smoking point.

[Dwayne Henson]

When seasoning I wouldn't worry about what oils/fats are healthier. It doesn't matter. You are going to oxidize and degrade it. When you heat oil it is going to oxidize sort of like what happens when oil based paints dry. But you are degrading that "healthy" oil/fat when you use it to season. The idea that using healthy coconut oil is healthier to season with than Crisco is not accurate. They both end up being the same thing a hard, shiny, polymerized surface that is slick to cook on. That is why so many of us shake our heads when someone wants to only use "healthy" oils/fats, or some high priced oil. It all becomes the same thing. So it doesn't really matter what oil you use, but I have heard a lot of complaints that flax seed oil does not hold up.