PrintCast Iron Pans: Seasoning Issues
My Bayou brand cast iron pans came in Friday, and I've had the damndest time "seasoning" them. I washed them in hot soapy water to remove the paraffin protectant, then rubbed them down in lard and placed them in the oven for two hours at 300, per instructions. But the coating is so uneven and it still feels like some of the wax is still on there. I don't want them to start rusting again.....can anyone help me please?
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12 Comments:
I was taught to season them several times.
On each, after about 20 minutes pull the pan out and dump out any excess lard in the pan if there is any, then return to the oven for the 2 hours. I usually do mine at 250.
I have found on my older pans (never had a new one) that if I do the seasoning step 3 times I have a nice even coat.
sadiepix at 7:34PM on 05/13/08
Try putting it in the oven upside down and have a sheet pan covered with foil to catch drips underneath.
PerkyMac at 8:07PM on 05/13/08
Thanks, guys. I will try again this weekend. Should I wash them again?
BITTER at 8:41PM on 05/13/08
I'm only familiar with Lodge cast iron, but definitely do as PerkyMac says and season the pan upside down. If I had lumps on mine I'd reseason it.
I never use soap on my cast iron but kosher salt as the "scrubber" and hot water. Dry off completely, rub on a coat of oil, and put on low burner (or the cooling down one you've just used) a few minutes to make sure it's totally dry before storing.
bobcatsteph3 at 9:35PM on 05/13/08
there's a good cast iron video on the cook's illustrated podcast available through itunes for free. Check it out
mr_chorizo at 12:09AM on 05/14/08
It's going to take a while to get the good seasoning you're thinking about. Bobcatsteph is right--scrub out any uneven spots with kosher salt. Don't use soap again. Give it another slow oven treatment or three. I like the upside-down advice. That will keep any lard deposits from hardening into lumps.
Once you get the lumps out, make a few batches of cornbread. Heat several glugs of oil in the skillet (the amount depends on how big the skillet is--you want a good bit of oil) before slowly pouring in the batter. Get the oil hot. You want the batter to start frying as soon as it hits the surface of the oil! Then bake it. Whether it's edible or not, you're seasoning the skillet each time you bake like this.
After you dump out the cornbread (hopefully all intact), just wipe it out with a paper towel. If there are any stuck crumbs, scrape them off with a little salt and hot water if needed. Oil again and wipe with a towel.
When you store your cast-iron skillets, make sure air can circulate all around them. I hang mine on a sturdy pegboard. Never stack them. Don't even put a lid on top; store it separately. You're going to love them -- food tastes so much better cooked in cast iron!
Editmom at 12:11AM on 05/14/08
I have some really nice French crepe pans and my first attempt at seasoning them when I first got them was a miserable failure - so much so that the seasoning layer started to chip off. I sanded the very bottom inside of the pans and did that part of the seasoning over.
I think the trick is really gentle heat for a really long time. And of course you remember the best way to "season" a pan is to use it frequently (per kitchen folklore of generations).
chiff0nade at 5:38AM on 05/14/08
I've found that a pre-seasoning preparation helps considerably. Before you attempt to season your cast iron, it has to be very, very clean! Whenever I get a new or used (much better choice, esp. WagnerWare or Griswold), I always run it through the self-cleaning cycle in my oven. This removes all the wax and/or old seasoning, even minor rust. Then give it a good scrub to remove the dust that may be left. Now is the time to start seasoning it! I prefer top-of-the-stove on a low burner rather than in the oven, and I use mostly bacon grease. It's worked for me for nearly forty years.
One last thing: I always prefer a smooth finish in my cast iron rather than the rough finish in most newer cast iron, such as Lodge. I think that's only available in the older pieces. Try an antique shop, yard sale, or flea market.
1stmakearoux at 9:33AM on 05/14/08
I always run it through the self-cleaning cycle in my oven.
@1stmakearoux - you should submit that to Fine Cooking as a tip.
chiff0nade at 9:41AM on 05/14/08
Short of the self-cleaning cycle, you can also put your pan on your charcoal grill with a full bucket of hot coals underneath it, put on the lid, then walk away. It saves your house from smelling. I did this with a Griswold pan I inherited, and it turned out spanking clean and ready to season.
You can put soap in a iron pan, but only if you're willing to start seasoning from scratch. If your first attempt is uneven, then it can't get any worse to scrub it completely clean with soapy water, and start all over again.
cooking monster : seasoning a cast iron pan
DaveFaris at 2:22PM on 05/14/08
Can't add anything on seasoning but if you stack your pans to store them. Put a sheet of wax paper between pans. It helps prevents rusting. Both of my grandmothers practiced it.
boomer53 at 5:24PM on 05/15/08
I scrubbed them with hot water and Kosher salt. Then I liberally applied shortening to them and put them in the oven at 250 for two hours. They have developed an even coat. It's my understanding that they will blacken with further use.
BITTER at 8:58PM on 05/18/08