Pans not taking to seasoning

[Robert Hynes]

Hhhmm ... no lye tank so wondering if their is a way to remove old seasoning a different way. Don't really want to use self cleaning oven cycle again. *sigh* Accidently cooked a plastic lid for a cake pan that was in the bottom drawer. At least my wife's ladies group got a kick out of it. I should've taken a picture of that.  :o  ;D

I just gave 4 pans a good hard scrubbing with coarse stainless steel wool, then another round of fine steel wool - the spots came off with effort. Maybe give it a try.

Just put them through the oven with a very light coat of crisco, rubbed them dry. Just turned the oven off, haven't looked yet.

Fingers crossed.


Maybe someone would be up to doing a good how to video, there's many posted on youtube but folk seem to cake the pan with crisco.

[Robert Hynes]

Well, just pulled them out and the same bloody thing.

Coat with oil, dry with clean paper towl, then keep wiping. Still with the spots. The oil is pulling away and pooling and yes I had them upside down in the oven.

I don't get it.

[James Wilson]

So is it just the cooking surface that is reacting this way, Robert?
Did you heat the guts out of the pan before putting on this crisco stuff?

I haven't had your experience with cast iron, and I have had some filthy items of dubious history,  so I am wondering what has been 'cooked' in this pan previous to coming into your possession?
Short of cooking the pan in a container of TSP for an extended time, I would work that surface with phosphoric acid to help pull out whatever is at the root of the problem.
25% strength should be OK, just don't allow it to dry off. Keep it wet until you are ready to give it the cold water rinse.

[Robert Hynes]

Did these warm... I have 4 more skillets in lye at the moment, i'm going to try them tomorrow hot and use a different oil.

And bloody heck, just realized i'm using tenderflake lard. Would that make a difference? Wouldn't think so?

[Cheryl Watson]

I just gave 4 pans a good hard scrubbing with coarse stainless steel wool, then another round of fine steel wool - the spots came off with effort. Maybe give it a try.

I have not found steel wool to be helpful... at all.

I did muck up my Favorite Piqua 10 a bit.

Poured Crisco oil into the skillet when it was a bit too hot...
instant sticky glop in the center, that only got worse with use...

 
and because it is winter, I did a short term fix....

Sprayed the inside with DAWN POWER DISSOLVER, let sit for 20 minutes and then scrubbed with a Stainless Steel Scrubby and HOT water.

Not perfect, but much better, and put back in service.

When spring arrives I will re-strip in the lye bath, and re-season.


I have found that it is Very Important to heat the pan before applying any oil.  It helps thin the oil out, therefore making wipe downs more effective.

[Robert Hynes]

I have found that it is Very Important to heat the pan before applying any oil.  It helps thin the oil out, therefore making wipe downs more effective.

Heat the pan to how hot? We talking an hour in the oven or just warm it? I need to get this right.

I'm going to throw these pans into the lye bath tomorrow.

[Cheryl Watson]

The link I posted in Reply #7....

if you scroll thru that

to My Post, reply 5,  I lay it out step by step.

First dry the iron at 225° for 20 minutes, then increase heat.

It generally takes 15 minutes for the skillet to reach the temp.

Then apply oil...

I use either PAM (no more than 2 coats), Aerosol Grapeseed Oil, or pre-melted Crisco Shortening.... 

[James Wilson]

I don't know this Crisco stuff but what I do know is that grapeseed or flaxseed oil works a treat. Grapeseed oil is cheaper so thats what I reach for when it is in the kitchen.
I put my cast into a cold oven and set the dial at, say, 200c.
After a half hour or so I remove the HOT cast and apply the oil. Whatever runs off the cast is easily mopped up out of the clean roasting tray and applied elsewhere; there is next to no waste.
Try out the real pig fat, lard. Pure, simple and breakfasts taste great when cooked in it ;D
Then follow the prescribed procedure for seasoning.
Cheryl, if I had that experience with Crisco that you described I would be trying a better product. Maybe that Crisco stuff is adulterated with emulsifiers and goodness knows what else? Much like that Philadelphia muck ;).

You got in there quick Cheryl ;D. I must type slow, in fact I know I do

I have found that it is Very Important to heat the pan before applying any oil.  It helps thin the oil out, therefore making wipe downs more effective.

Heat the pan to how hot? We talking an hour in the oven or just warm it? I need to get this right.

I'm going to throw these pans into the lye bath tomorrow.

[Robert Hynes]

I'll give it a go again in the morning.

[James Wilson]

That's the attitude Robert :).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTjC6rxHz8g

I'll give it a go again in the morning.

[Mark Zizzi]

I was using the seasoning method listed here. Heat to 450 ... take out and when cool enough to handle by hand apply Crisco and put back in oven at 400 for 30 minutes then turn off and let cool in oven.

 [smiley=2c.gif]If I can add my 2 cents worth..this caught my eye. I never let the iron cool down at all before applying the oil. You want it still screaming hot, the crisco or oil to smoke as it goes on. This is tricky to do, but it can be done. I wear a pair of insulated leather gloves and use a folded up kitchen towel (not synthetic!) around the handle, not letting the leather come into contact with the hot iron. A folded up paper towel to apply, a clean one to wipe it off, another clean one to wipe again, and another clean one to wipe it again, until a paper towel stays clean. You try to wipe off everything you just put on, but you won't be. Then back into a 500 degree oven for an hour and do it again. I do three rounds of this and the pan is ready for use. I've never seen any splotchiness doing it this way. Hope this helps.

[Susan Salsburg]

Pay attention to Cheryl. I've cooked with CI for many years but when Cheryl said to try PAM I was converted. Easiest way to maintain a good seasoning. For once, the "old ways" aren't the best. And lose the steel wool. Sue

[Dave Sommers]

A folded up paper towel to apply, a clean one to wipe it off, another clean one to wipe again, and another clean one to wipe it again, until a paper towel stays clean. You try to wipe off everything you just put on, but you won't be. Then back into a 500 degree oven for an hour and do it again. I do three rounds of this and the pan is ready for use.

I'm pretty sure the paper towel didn't come off clean.(Another thing to look for)

Do you pause between rounds or take it hot out of the oven and apply and wipe down oil and place back in again two more times ... or does it matter if you pause between rounds? Would Cheryl's use of Pam work here as well? I'm pretty sure it would be smoking when spraying Pam on a hot skillet.

[Claudia Killebrew]

I've found that Pam works better than Crisco on older slicker pieces. When I do multiple rounds of seasoning, I like to let it cool completely before I start the next round. Again, that is just me.

Of course, you could always do it the way Griswold once recommended.

[Cheryl Watson]

Smoke is good... instant carbonization on surface...

High Heat Seasoning = surface temp of iron is higher than the smoke point of the oil.

I do not want the surface of the CI to cool at all before applying the next coat of oil.

When using PAM, I have found that 2 coats is the maximum... anything more will just sheet right off... :)

If you must pause between rounds, then reheat the piece to high temp before reapplying the next coat....

[Robert Hynes]

well, 4 pans in the oven, cooked before applying seasoning... I'll see what happens in an hour.



Edit: just pulled them out for a final quick wipe, they are dry. Trying grape seed oil this time.

[Dave Sommers]

I was just watching a youtube video on cleaning and seasoning and the guy said with a gas stove you need to preheat to temp before placing the pan in because the gas will give off a water vapor when it first starts up( I didnt' do that unfortunately). He also used a two inch wire cut brush on a power drill to do some gentle cleaning on a pan. (Scary I would think) Looks like his pans came out nice however.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs

Robert ... you might want to see this Video. The guy had a similar look to his skillet in the video and then watch what he did.

[James Wilson]

Thanks for the video link Dave. It is always  :-? interesting to see how others approach the preparation and  seasoning of cast iron.
I don't think the missus would appreciate wire buffing in the kitchen; confrontation would be imminent ;D
I picked up on a couple of things that he does different to me and I will try them next to see what results come of it.
Re gas cooking and heating. Years back we had an unflued  LPG heater to keep the house warm in Winter.
That got tossed when we realised that we were gassing ourselves from inefficient combustion and b, the water vapour that the heater produced was negating any benefit of the heat in so many ways, heating damp air, condensation, the damp clothing, furniture and mould to name a few.

[Mark Zizzi]

Do you pause between rounds

No I don't, Dave.. 1 2 3 all without stopping. But as Cheryl said, if you do need to pause, bring the pan back up to temp and pick up where you left off. I wouldn't worry about any water vapor, that iron will soon be so hot all trace of moisture will be gone. I'll let Cheryl comment on the use of power tools.... ;)

Edit: I just watched the video too. Some I agree with, some I don't, but one thing that would be a good idea with your *problem* pans is to pull them out like he does after 15 mins and wipe them out again if you see that blotchy pattern. Get it before it bakes on hard. That could def make a difference in your results.

[Robert Hynes]

Well, I put the pans in the oven for 20 minutes at 250 to dry then cranked it to 500 for an hour. Even with welding gloves on, not much left of my finger prints.

Rubbed down with grapeseed oil, and wiped and wiped til dry. Gave it an hour in the oven. Ran a second coat, wiped til dry and another hour in the oven.

Didn't get any leopard spots, but they aren't all that dark.