Seasoning cast iron pans

[cally]

I've had cast iron pans but my husband hated them. I caved about 10 years ago and we started using non-stick. I'm getting rid of those and going back to the cast iron. I think I didn't care for them correctly. I've read many of you say that cast iron is very non-stick if seasoned correctly. Here's what I did so tell me what I did wrong. I put the pans on the burner with oil a few times. I think the big mistake I made is that I would use detergent to clean them. I then would add oil and put on burner to heat and dry. So, how do you clean them without detergent and water.

Any tips are greatly appreciated. This change will get much argument from the rest of the family. Thanks.

[Fridays Child]

1. I've never been clear about how to properly season cast iron...

...so I'll be interested to see what responses you get. Like you, I think it's time to ditch the non-stick stuff. Wasn't there an article on DU, today, about how Teflon can be found in the cord blood of all newborns? That is frightening.

[cally]

2. Yeah, the latest article finally got me motivated

to face my family's angst. We have to ditch this stuff.

[NashVegas]

3. This Is As Detailed As It Gets

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=236&topic_id=2189&mesg_id=2191


You can clean them fine with just water. Boil the water in the pan and use it to deglaze.

[cally]

4. Thank you so much

I'm doing this tomorrow.

[Warpy]

6. If there's greasy or burnt and stuck on crap that won't deglaze

from boiling a little water in the pan, dry the pan and sprinkle a quarter cup of Kosher salt into it. Use a paper towel and use the salt as an abrasive scrubber. It gets rid of the crud without damaging the seasoning on the pan.

NEVER use soap on a well seasoned cast iron pan! If its got a film of oil on it, that's GREAT, it just means you're adding to the seasoning.

[hvn_nbr_2]

5. I've never been able to get vegetable oil to really season it right.

Crisco works for me. That's the only thing in the world that I ever use Crisco for. I hope that not much of the partially hydrogenated rat blubber is still left after seasoning, but even if it is, there's less of it there than in one serving of restaurant freedom fries.

I never tried H2S's more complex method, described in the link from post #3. Will try that next time I need to season one.

[Warpy]

7. Crisco *is* vegetable oil

that has been hydrogenated to thicken it and to increase shelf life, so you need not worry about that rendered rat blubber. It is an artery clogger, though, so use it sparingly.

[NMDemDist2]

8. I have a plastic brush I use for dishes that has a scraper on the handle

I just run it under HOT water and use the brush and scraper. that gets it 49 times out of 50. if it's horrible bad, i boil some water in it then scrape.

then I put it back on the stove to heat til dry then put some shortening on it while it's still hot before I store it for the next use

I started that thread that Crisco linked and my two pans are both back to shiny slick and smooth and working great! just NEVER NEVER use soap on them (which is what hubby had done causing the thread in the first place)

I keep shortening around for two reasons, 1)coating my cast iron and 2)ginger cookies (hubby's mom's recipe) :rofl:

[Stinky The Clown]

9. Lots of good info so far ... here's something else to consider .......

If you want to forgo teflon forever, get ye a few carbon steel pans and season them and care for them just like cast iron. They work best for uses where a cast iron pan is simply too heavy .... like for flipping eggs. They can be had, first quality, name brand, for princely sums well under twenny bux! They're not pretty, unless you like the industrial look (I do). But man oh man do they work!



Here's a link for a place to order them.

http://fantes.com/crepe.htm#steel

As you can see, they're made of a thin metal and are quite light weight, all things considered. They're pretty much the same type of material as a steel wok. Cheap to make, and sold as such .... cheap.

When all seasoned and ready, they are as slick as any teflon pan and, if scratched, can just be reseasoned. In fact, it is these very pans that teflon was intended to replace. All the teflon **ever** did was allow pans to be used, from new, without seasoning, and to be washed more readily by the ham-handed.

[NMDemDist2]

10. i gotta get me a couple of them! I am eyeing some stainless pans

pretty hard too as the costco business center. I love my Wolfgang Puck stainless set but both the skillets are teflon and I need to chuck em

[Stinky The Clown]

13. For real sauteeing, these are far better than stainless .....

You can't season stainless and it is not a good heat conductor, Sauteeing needs fast heat, lots of it, and instant control. These pans do that. Stainless ... not so much. Stainless, on the other hand, is far better when you need to cooking something for a long time with lots of moisture (or actual liquid).

Just so you know what you get with each ... :hi:

[cally]

15. What would you use to make soup?

I have a crockpot and enamel pan. Would you use the cast iron or one of those? I went online and bouught one of these saute pans.

[Stinky The Clown]

17. I'd choose the enamel over cast iron for soups

Cooking that liquid a long time in cast iron could actually eat away the seasoning. Won't harm *you* but will play hell with the pan.

[NMDemDist2]

20. question for ya, ya old pot head

I have a (pre) LeCrueset Descoware from Belgium enamel over cast iron 3 QT (approx) that I always thought of as bake ware like a casserole dish. are you telling me it's good on the stovetop too? It has a smooth bottom (no ridge) ut it does have a crosshatch on the bottom

here it is, but I never thought to use it for soup!

[Stinky The Clown]

25. That's just fine for the stovetop ........

The cast iron core is essentially indestrucable.

We all have experience using enameled steel pans, so we know the enamel will hold up to stove top use,

So feel free to enjoy it on the stove top. I know I get a real 'homey' kinda feeling using a piece of Le Cruset to make a hearty soup.

[NMDemDist2]

18. i scored a totally cool steel wok at the thrift store today

i had gone looking for one and had to settle for a cheap teflon one a few weeks ago(ebay, here it comes) but today at the thrift store they had a complete 8 piece carbon steel wok set with a wok with metal "ears", a lid, rack, gas ring, spoon, strainer, spatula thingie, lid and some weird tic tac toe looking grid metal thingie (I have no idea what that is for) all it needs now is a bamboo steamer

it's a bit rusty on the bottom but no worries, I'll pick up some BarKeepers Friend tomorrow and get 'er set up and starting to season :bounce:

then on to a couple carbon pans and the last of my teflon is out the DOOR!


I also found a GREAT set of 4 stainless canisters with the nice tempered glass lids (they're on ebay already) too bad i don't have more counter space.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Stainless-Steel-Canisters-with-Glass-Lids-Set-of-4-LOOK_W0QQitemZ4439255437QQcategoryZ20654QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[cally]

11. I'll look for some of those

The weight of cast iron is a major complaint in my house. I think I'll check out china town before ordering online. Thanks.

[Stinky The Clown]

12. You probably won't find these in a chinatown type place

These are of decidedly European origin. I know of no Asian equivalent.

That link I gave ... Fantes .... is a great place to shop online. They are fair and honest, carry first rate stuff (including their house branded stuff) and have a huge selection.

You won't find these pans any cheaper anywhere else. They kinda out of popular favor (cuz they're so old fashioned). But they DO work.

[cally]

14. The cast iron is in the oven for three hours

I covered them in Crisco. Years ago I bought a set of cast iron at Costco for $25. I had taken an outdoor cooking class and wanted to cook meals over a campfire. These were marketed as camping cookware. I finally opened up the wooden crate and I have a large kettle, a fabulous two sided grill and three frying pans. Wow. I'm excited now. I called my husband who's traveling and told him he shouldn't travel so much since I'm making decisions at home. I told him that the non-stick is going. (My husband travels too much.) The non-stick is going to charity before he gets home. :rofl:

[Wordie]

16. Here's an interesting article I found some time ago on cast iron pans:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2004/02/04/FDGQ34LB7S1.DTL

The author suggests soaking pans that have a build up on them with Coca Cola (!) before reseasoning to remove any gunk. I haven't tried it yet, but probably will try the technique on my wok.

I love my cast iron cookware. I have a small cast iron frying pan that I've been using for scrambled eggs for decades now. The even heat and non-stick surface of cast iron are perfect for scrambled eggs.

I also read someplace that mineral oil can be used to help maintain the seasoning, and found that it is indeed helpful. It's advantages are that it doesn't lead to the tacky-feeling build up that can sometimes happen with other oils. Here's some info:

Cast Iron can only be dried by heating. Heat dries out the moisture in the pores. If a pot is not completely dried after it is used, it will rust. The pores must be opened by heating up, and the moisture dried out of it. Don\'t let the oven set around after washing, go straight from draining the rinse water into the kitchen oven if possible. If you are camping and don\'t have a kitchen oven to dry a Dutch Oven, dry it the best you can and try and store it away from moisture.

Dutch Ovens when cared for, will last for generations. Be sure your oven has been cleaned and lightly oiled before putting it away. Try to keep your ovens in a dry, warm place. Remember, moisture with cause cast iron to rust. Leave your lids slightly ajar, allowing the air to circulate. I like to store with a paper towel rolled up and sticking out from under the lid. The towel inside the oven acts as a wick and will help absorb moisture.

Tip: Here's another idea. If you need to store an oven for long periods of time, use a light-weight food-grade Mineral Oil and coat the oven, inside and out. It's cheap and effective. Once you have sealed the oven with mineral oil, no oxygen can reach the seasoning and it will last many months.

http://www.chuckwagondiner.com/cookingmethods.html

I've found that mineral oil works better for cast iron that is to be stored for a while. Even well-seasoned pans seem to develop problems if they aren't used frequently if other types of seasoning oils are used.

(The above is actually about Dutch ovens, but the methods apply to all cast iron.)

Oh, and one other thing. Sometimes the thing that creates a problem with seasoning is cooking highly acidic foods (like dishes that have a lot of tomatoes or citrus juice in them) in the cast iron pot. The acid can make the seasoning of the pan start to flake off at times. Cast iron cookware should never be used to store food in, either, for the same reason.

[NMDemDist2]

19. my grammy's cast iron dutch oven gets plenty of work at my house

and it has been lovingly cared for all these years

[Wordie]

21. I've got one too. I love it. So good for soups and stews.

There's something even more comforting about cooking comfort foods in one. And yours must be even more so, since it belonged to your grandmother. I picked mine up at a garage sale, but I love it still.

[NMDemDist2]

22. yeah but now H2S says it's not good for the pot!

man, that's my bean pot and my stew pot and my chicken soup pot and my..... :banghead:

[Wordie]

23. I think the problem is with acid foods, not soups per se. At least, that's

what I think I noticed. Even before I heard the tip about acids creating a problem, I noticed that some dishes would seem to take the seasoning off, while others wouldn't. Given what I've read just now, I think what I'm going to try is the season-three-times-before-using method from now on, as that could have been part of my problem, too.

[Stinky The Clown]

24. If it sounded as if I were saying its *bad* for the pot, I was inartful in

stating my view. :)

It won't do the seasoning of the pot any good, that's for sure. But it won't ruin the pot at all. You'll just have an unseasoned cast iron pot. So long as you don't cook anything in it that's 'sticky', you're fine.

[Wordie]

26. Yeah...I have this wonderful Scandinavian dilled pot roast dish that I

make, but it has some vinegar in it. So every time I make it in my dutch oven, it wreaks havoc with the seasoning. :(

I still use the dutch oven to make it though, as it's the best thing I have to use (it can go from stovetop to inside the oven; my other cookware has handles that wouldn't make it).

Do you know, H2S, if that triple seasoning approach (seasoning three times, letting the pot cool down between) might help? I get tired of reseasoning, but love both that recipe and using the dutch oven to cook it in. If doing the seasoning three times in a row might save repeated seasoning later, I'd sure prefer to do it that way.

[Stinky The Clown]

27. Sadly .... I don't think so.

The liquid simply dissolves the seasoning. Acid speeds it up a bit, but plain old water will, in cases of long exposure, do the same thing .... just slower.

Don't think of the seasoning as fragile. It isn't. But it **is** water soluble. Not as fast as Fizzies tablets ......

..... but it does eventually succumb to lenghty water exposure.

[morningglory]

28. My daughter-in-law was always anemic, had to take iron pills, until she

married my son, who does all the cooking, and uses iron pans for most everything that does not have to be boiled or steamed. You can clean them by putting a little hot water in them on a burner for a few sec's till boiling, then scrub them in the sink with a scrubber, but usually they aren't dirty, if they are only greasy. Pre-heating kills any germs. Once seasoned nicely, you can use a little soap when they are messy. Look at garage sales and antique stores for the old ones that are perfectly smooth on the bottom. The new, crappy ones are bumpy-textured and it is very difficult to keep them seasoned. The smooth ones are perfectly nonstick.

[mandyky]

29. I always wash mine in soap and water

and even in the dishwasher.

Every time I wash them I heat dry them on top of the stove, then pour about a TBSP of oil in the pan and rub it in with a paper towel, especially areas that look orange. The hot oil treament seems to make rust go away.

I have never seasoned iron from scratch but once they are well seasoned, you can do almost anything with them. I even soak them occassionally.

[NMDemDist2]

30. so it begs the question, are they non stick?

the whole point of seasoning a cast iron is to get a non stick surface.

I can really tell the difference in how badly things stick when the seasoning isn't up to par. So how would you rate your pans in the non stick department? :hi:

[mandyky]

31. The iron pans are non stick for most things,

except for garlic, and sweet things. I use the teflon I have for sloppy joes, instead of the iron.

The reason I have to wash the iron is after I saute garlic and it makes a sticky mess.

Except for a few exceptions, if I wipe out the iron pans after use with a paper towel, I don't need to wash them. Mostly I wash them to kill germs, from any leftover grease or if the cats have gotten on the stove and licked the grease from the pans. I have taken to hiding the iron pans in the oven at night so the cats can't get to them. LOL

Things that stick are cheese and salsa, like in spanish/cheese omelots, or if I have the heat too high when I saute garlic. Other than that my cast iron is as good as my teflon on not sticking..

[yy4me]

32. Several generations of cast Iron pans in this house, all in great

shape. I have even bought awful, encrusted old ones at yard sales and flea markets. Cleaning them up is not hard. Once cleaned of all the old, burned on goop, washing after use will not hurt them. They can be scrubbed with plastic pads or even an occasional Brillo. Always dry well or they will rust. To clean the old pans, you can put them in a self-cleaning oven for about an hour, the crusty stuff will just pop off. Also, if you have a fireplace, they can be placed in the flames, rotated occasionally as they heat up. When they appear to be popping the old stuff off, put to the side to cool and then wash with soapy water, rinse well then oil with a little corn oil on a napkin. Your first use after these cleanings may be a little sticky but after the oils and fats sink into the iron, should be easy going from then on. I have done this dozens of times, and know it works. The old Wagner and Griswold pans are great, the new ones from your local discount store are of a more coarse finish and I feel they are not worth buying. I always search for oldies. I have an iron oven too but I prefer enamel coated cast iron for stews etc. As to non-stick qualities, you will need to tend your food but whatever you cook in the pans will be easy to work with. No teflon here, just the great old iron pots and pans. There are collectors for these pans too, so don't be surprised to see people buy grungy ones. They know what they are doing.Check out http://huntsville.about.com/od/food/qt/cleancastiron.htm If you search the internet, go to "ask Jeeves"How to clean cast iron" I do not subscribe to the "clean with lie" people. My way is harmless if you use caution with the hot pans. Have fun searching for these old goodies.

[NMDemDist2]

33. mine are the old Wagners. I like them cuz of the smooth bottoms

that work well on my glass cooktop.

[cally]

34. Update and a big thank you

I made the transition. The pans are working well. The ones I've used a few times are already fairly non-stick. These pans are heavy, though. I guess I'll get some muscles.

One funny tidbit--I wanted a large frypan with a lid. I checked all the thrift stores and department stores. I am too impatient to wait months until I could find one in a thrift store. I went to an upscale cooking store and asked about pans with non-stick surfaces. The clerk pointed me to a porcelain one that looked good until I saw the price. $455. :crazy: Does anyone spend that type of money on one pan? Needless to say, I went back to normal stores and thrift stores.

[vademocrat]

35. Check Amazon - I've bought some nice kitchen products there -

they have good "one day" sales. I've bought several Le Creuset (painted cast iron) pots and pans WAY below asking price. They are heavy - I tell my neices and nephews that they'll probably get these as soon as I can't lift them anymore!

[NMDemDist2]

36. La Creusets are enameled cast iron, but danged pretty! Enamel is

a whole different beast IME

[vademocrat]

40. You're right! I'd forgotten - it's great stuff

"Each shape is one of a kind, made from molten steel and cast in a unique mold, and then expertly enameled. No other procedure yields cookware that so evenly distributes heat, browns and caramelizes food to perfection, and creates a masterpiece at the table."

[Stinky The Clown]

37. About heavy pans ...... look at this thread, posted right above .....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x17413#17439

You really to get yourself a few of these. They season like cast iron (maybe even better cuz they're smoother to start with) but are far, far, faaaaaaar lighter and easier to handle.

There's not a pot in the world worth $455 unless it is large enough to double as a bathtub.

[Shakespeare]

38. I've been looking for those ever since you first posted about them....

Any tips on where to find them? I've LOVE to have a couple!

[Stinky The Clown]

39. There was a link in the post I made above ... here it is again ......

http://fantes.com/crepe.htm#steel

They have three sizes .... 7" ..... 8" .... and 9-1/2".

They range from $12 to $19.

[Shakespeare]

41. Dear lord. Blonde moment.

Dunno how the heck I missed that link before. Thanks for being nice enough to show me again. :blush: