Seasoning Lids

[Karen Kale]

I think I've got skillet seasoning down, but this is my first time doing a lid. I usually go with Crisco or lard, with some Pam from time to time, but my gut is telling me to stick with Pam for the lid. It's a raised letter lid, so I'm worried about Crisco gunking up the letters. I'm a chronic "wiper" when I season, but I imagine it's difficult to really wipe within the letters well, and I'd hate to find coagulated Crisco on my lid.

Maybe I'm overthinking things, but I wanted to ask in case anyone had advice.

[Cheryl Watson]

Karen, I always do high heat seasoning, so the oil itself thins out the minute it is applied.  Crisco should not gunk up the lettering any more than any oil if:
a.  the lid is nice and hot
or
b.  you can pre-melt the Crisco if needed.

I usually wipe down with wadded up paper towels, however, the one exception is Lettering..  I pull out the Terry Cloth towel and/or Q-tips if necessary after that. :)

[Karen Kale]

Thanks Cheryl! I was trying to avoid the Q-tips, but my gut also told me that might also be the only way to ensure those letters would be clean. This will certainly be an experiment. :)

When seasoning, I always pre-heat an item at 250 for at least 20 minutes before I apply oil, and then I crank up the temp. Does 250 qualify as "hot" for the first application, or should I bump up the temp a bit?

[Cheryl Watson]

Karen, everyone has their own methods....
When seasoning with oil, for users, I step the heat up to 500°.  That is what I consider HIGH heat seasoning (450° and above).  When I apply the oil, it is already above smoke point. :)  Smoke is good! ;)
It is also a lesson in "how to handle smokin' hot iron".. ;D
I only use lower temps (225°), when using Mineral Oil for display pieces, as MO has a very low smoke point, and nasty fumes!

[Claudia Killebrew]

Pam can build up in the letters too, if you happen to spray just a tad too much. I was going to suggest Q-Tips also, but you could also try wrapping some paper towel around a toothpick. Or the stick from a de-tipped Q-Tip. Just be sure any Q-Tip you use does not have a plastic stick.

[Karen Kale]

Thank you both, that definitely reinforces that I need to take extra care with raised letters. Note to self ... buy Q-tips.

My usual method for skillets is to pre-heat the piece at 250, apply oil with microfiber, then gradually increase temp to 450, with a couple of paper towel wipe downs in between. It sounds like I can still use that method with a lid, but just making sure I'm extra careful around the letters and drip rings. This will be a new seasoning adventure for me! :)

[Karen Kale]

Oh, I just thought of this. Which side up in the oven? Does it matter?

[Cheryl Watson]

Inside of lid facing downward toward bottom of oven. :)

[C. Perry Rapier]

For the life of me, when it comes to seasoning lids, the only thing I can think of is why? If you use it and you keep it oiled it will turn all nice and black by itself. But seasoning it, to me, it does not make sense.  :)

[Cheryl Watson]

Well Perry... I got stories...
Of a lid that rusted all to heck while cookin' with it, from all that moisture accumulatin' on the inside and drippin' rust droplets into the food below....... so I aim for some extra layers of seasoning on the inside of my newly stripped lids. ::)
Kind of an ewwww! moment.

[Karen Kale]

Perry, don't be giving me a hard time about seasoning my lid ... you're the one who told me a Griswold lid would work OK on my #12 Favorite, so you're kind of responsible for this whole thing!  :D

I'm just kidding, that was excellent advice. I wanted a lid to use for cooking, and while not a perfect fit, this lid is going to work great for me. But because I'll be cooking with it, seasoning was a given, I definitely don't want rust.

But I also want those letters to look good. :)

[Claudia Killebrew]

A little something I do when I use my DO with lid. I smear a light coat of Crisco on the inside of the lid before it goes on the DO. That way any cooking moisture will wipe right off. The moisture is not just water, remember. It's also food particles.

[Karen Kale]

Thank you Claudia, that's a great idea. I will definitely use that tip!

[C. Perry Rapier]

Karen I'm glad its working out for you with the lid. Now I wouldn't give you a hard time, would I?  ;D

And Cheryl, I hear you about the drippy rust from a lid. I learned that a long time ago with a DO that was not seasoned at all, or enough anyway, and the heat/water brought on rust in the inside of the pot. My point was/is that I would not go overboard with seasoning a lid, cause once you got it to where it won't seep rust while using, with continual use it will take care of itself. Or I think it should anyway.

[Karen Kale]

Perry - it turns out a #12 Griswold lid IS a perfect fit for a Favorite, once you clean the crud from underneath the lip. I had only tried my new lid on the pan when I first got it (prior to cleaning), and it seemed good, but once I cleaned it, it's a great fit.

Of course, these pieces in no way LOOK like they were meant to be together, but I'm going for function over form on this one.

Thank you for the advice. :)