Cookware Pt II,,,,seasoning your cast iron???

[OldHoosier62]

Thought of this and didn't want it getting lost in the other thread.....

How do YOU season your cast iron cookware?? For years I followed the traditional ways...Crisco/bake/wipe,Crisco/bake/wipe to build up a polymerized layer on the cooking surface. Tried various oils, temps, time in the oven and never found a simple and uncomplicated method that was consistent.

Then one day I picked up a old, nasty 12in Martin Stove & Range skillet, cleaned it in my tank* and just decided to simply COOK in it, no prep, no building up basic seasoning and after about 2 weeks of bacon, ground beef, pork chops, steak, cornbread and chicken it became slick enough for over medium eggs with zero issues. Much better and easier that the alchemy of seasoning the old way. So this is now my seasoning ritual. (all the cooking in that 2 week period was done on low/medium low to minimize sticking/burning...works like a charm)

And a further question...How do you clean your cast iron?? Once I finish cooking I dispose of the grease, scrape with my steel spatula or chainmail scrubber, wipe it out with some kosher salt, rinse with very hot water and set it aside to dry from the residual heat. No problems in 40 years of this practice...no loss of seasoning, no rust issues.

*tank- Electrolysis tank...uses electric current and sodium carbonate to clean YEARS of funk (grease, crud,rust) off a piece of cast iron in a few hours instead of days/weeks of scrubbing with other methods. Also great for cleaning old iron/steel car parts, antique tractor parts and I even cleaned a civil war cannon last year using it.

[xceptnl]

The lazy bacon/beef/whatever method is what I have come to find is the best. I tried the ritual with crisco and then several times with peanut oil. Now I cook bacon and when done, leave the remaining greese until it is completely room temperature. Then I pour off the majority and wipe the remainder with a paper towel. Boom, ready for next time.

[JuPaul]

We use the crisco and oven method. My husband is a huge Alton Brown fan, so if he says that's the right way to do it, then it's gospel at my house.

[murphjd25]

I just put a little oil in mine and let them sit in my smoker for a day. I haven’t had to season any new ones for a long time though, they tend to last forever!

[SpyderGrill]

Seasoning a new pan I normally use Crisco. I just got a 10" skillet and I didnt have any so I used Vegetable oil and 'baked' it at 400* 3 times, then started cooking. Its coming along nicely.

Ive read making cornbread in the pan helps a lot, along with tons of bacon.

As far as cleaning, when the pan is cool, rinse with hot water, scrub with a brush, dry and put on the stove for a few minutes to dry. I put some olive oil on it, wipe dry, and ready for next use.

If it has some burnt on crust, I scrub with a paper towel and course kosher salt, then do the above

[OldHoosier62]

We use the crisco and oven method. My husband is a huge Alton Brown fan, so if he says that's the right way to do it, then it's gospel at my house.

I understand that myself as I am a huge AB fan. And it works but it is inconsistent especially when doing the older, thinner vintage cast pans. It is the same method my Grandma taught me when I could barely see over the kitchen table and I'm sure she'd be critical of my "just cook in it" method.

[OldHoosier62]

I just put a little oil in mine and let them sit in my smoker for a day. I haven’t had to season any new ones for a long time though, they tend to last forever!

Hmmm, may have to try that. I've got the smoker running several days a week.

[xceptnl]

Hmmm, may have to try that. I've got the smoker running several days a week.

I'm jealous of this. Wish I could find the time.

[bearfacedkiller]

I just use mine normally. I have never bothered baking them.

I only wash with paper towels and hot water. If I need to scrape I use a plastic scraper. I never scrape with metal and almost never use soap.

[JuPaul]

I just use mine normally. I have never bothered baking them.

I only wash with paper towels and hot water. If I need to scrape I use a plastic scraper. I never scrape with metal and almost never use soap.

So another trick that AB taught me...he says you can wash them pretty much like normal (light soap and water), but the key is to completely dry them. So when you're done washing, put the skillet back onto the burner on high until any residual water evaporates. I used to only wipe them out as well, but this method works great and we haven't had to re-season our skillets in years.

[JustinB]

I just use mine normally. I have never bothered baking them.

I only wash with paper towels and hot water. If I need to scrape I use a plastic scraper. I never scrape with metal and almost never use soap.

Same here, I've just let seasoning buildup through using the pan. Wash with water and a sponge and scrape when needed. Seems to work well anyway

[Doc Dan]

Bacon is the best. But Crisco if there is none.

[SG89]

Deep frying chicken works for me

[TomAiello]

I've actually found that the 'no seasoning' works fine for me. I've seasoned lots of cast iron, but like Old Hooser, I eventually discovered that just cooking in it for a couple weeks would season it perfectly well.

[ChrisinHove]

My bbq cast iron skillet just gets wiped down - it’s used for both shallow and deep frying using vegetable oil.

I use “black iron” (which I think is just mild steel) pizza pans on the grill. They get wiped with olive oil before use and washed, dried and oiled again after.

Don’t some professional kitchens use bare steel, seasoned with constant use?

[jpm2]

Just cook with oil base, mostly meats. Cornbread is a major exception.
If the meat isn't that oily, like fowl, add oil. Same for vegetables, cornbread, etc.
Never cook sauces or anything water base that stays liquid, ci is for high heat cooking only imo.
Cook at a high enough heat to prevent non oil liquids from pooling, those liquids should immediately steam out of the food.
Cook at a low enough heat to prevent burning all the oil out of the pan.
Always preheat the skillet before adding oil and cooking.

Always use a metal spatula, and scrape the pan with it after cooking. This will result in a glass smooth surface over time, which I find preferable.
Never use soap, just cool water and chain-mail to clean.
Wipe and heat to dry, oil if necessary, wipe dry, ready for next use.

Doing the above guarantees our ci to stay seasoned and just get better over time.

[JD Spydo]

I've got some of my late mother's cast iron cookware and most of what she left me was made by "WAGNER". I'm no expert but I've read in a few magazines that WAGNER and GRISWALD are the two best out there>> at least out of the old stuff anyway.

The Wagner that I use the most is a deep skillet that I love to cook bacon with for summer BLTs :) I've cooked bacon on a wide variety of cookware over the years and I've come to the conclusion that nothing cooks bacon like cast iron cookware does.

Old Hoosier is on to something by not using very high heat. Because that's the way I cook my bacon and a few other meat items I use the Wagner Cast Iron Skillet for. I've seen about 4 different methods for seasoning on several Youtube videos and I'm not sure what the best is. I haven't seasoned mine in about 4 years and it still does a splendid job.

[JD Spydo]

The lazy bacon/beef/whatever method is what I have come to find is the best. I tried the ritual with crisco and then several times with peanut oil. Now I cook bacon and when done, leave the remaining greese until it is completely room temperature. Then I pour off the majority and wipe the remainder with a paper towel. Boom, ready for next time.

Yeah I saw those YT videos calling for Crisco, Peanut Oil and just plain vegetable oil for seasoning your Cast Iron Cookware. But I seasoned both of my most used Cast Iron skillets about 4 years ago with Flax Oil and Avocado Oil. Both of those oils are rated at high heat and I had great luck using both to attempt to season the two Wagner Cast Iron Skillets I cook with.

I'm also picky about the oils I cook with too. And both of those have served me well with also a great grade of Extra Virgin Olive Oil as well.