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cast iron

Baron DirigibleBaron Dirigible Registered User regular
edited October 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
dear h/a how are you

I bought a cast iron pan the other day and have been attempting to season it with mixed results, and was hoping someone here was an expert in the matter, or could at least pretend to be, in the grand tradition of the internet

first: yes, I'm using vegetable oil. I know there's some contention about this point, and a lot of people suggest not using it because a) it turns rancid and b) it leaves a tacky residue, but it's what the bundled instructions said to use, so.

second: yes, I've been left with a tacky residue. what I did was coat it (probably too heavily) in vegetable oil, inside and out, and put it in the oven at some medium-high temperature for an hour or so (probably closer to two). when it cooled down enough to touch, I noticed the residue, and also:

third: it's got this weird orange discolouration around the edges and on the rim, which I assume is the result of putting too much oil on, because it doesn't look at all like rust. will further seasoning remove this?

fourth: this whole rancid thing. I'm hearing, again, mixed reports. is using vegetable oil to season really going to turn my pan into some sort of poisonous deathtrap? would further seasoning, again, reduce this and the tackiness, which I assume leads to the rancidity, or would regular use at high temperatures negate this risk entirely? how long does it take for vegetable oil to turn rancid? are a bunch of hypochondriacs secretly running the world?

fifth: should I just cut my losses and start from scratch? judging from half the threads around here, this is apparently the best option in most cases

sixth: any other tips and advice and help would be appreciated, on this or any other matter, I'm not fussed.

thank you h/a!

Baron Dirigible on

Posts

  • DJ-99DJ-99 Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    You can buy pre-seasoned cast iron frying pan from Wal-Mart for like $10 if you want.

    DJ-99 on
  • Forbe!Forbe! Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Re-season it with animal fat for better results. My father seasons his with bacon grease 3 or 4 times before using them.

    Edit:

    I've heard a lot about veggie oil creating a tacky surface. It seems like most people suggest washing your cast iron with light soap and water just to get the food stuff out of it. If you aren't using your cast iron on a daily basis, this would probably be the best way to go.

    I think the vegetable oil will be fine.

    Forbe! on
    bv2ylq8pac8s.png
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    If you want to re-season, wash with soapy water & a stiff brush.

    Lodge says "melted vegetable shorting" is the way to go, at 375F, for 1hr plus.

    MichaelLC on
  • Baron DirigibleBaron Dirigible Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    If you want to re-season, wash with soapy water & a stiff brush.

    Lodge says "melted vegetable shorting" is the way to go, at 375F, for 1hr plus.
    yeah, I since got directed to this link, so I reckon I'll be tracking down this vegetable shorting stuff.

    so basically the consensus is starting over? I can't do the whole seasoning thing until at least tomorrow, because I'm using someone else's stove, but would I be alright to scour the pan clean now, dry it thoroughly on the stovetop and try again later?

    (by now I mean in six hours or so, when I am home)

    thanks for the help, all!

    Baron Dirigible on
  • ZsetrekZsetrek Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    The pan can have honest-to-god rust on it, and still be OK, so long as it's only surface spots. All you need to do is scrub back the rust with steel wool and a little warm water, and then re-cure the pan. And there is no way it's going to rust up overnight if it's been thoroughly dried.

    Zsetrek on
  • RipsawRipsaw Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Constant use will season the pan. Don't expect perfect performance right off the bat.
    Just use it properly, take care of it, and in a few weeks it'll be perfect.

    Vegetable oil is fine.
    I use bacon. Mmmm. Bacon.

    Ripsaw on
  • Monolithic_DomeMonolithic_Dome Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I had a cast iron for a while, but it's such a bitch to clean. How do y'all clean yours?

    Monolithic_Dome on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • EverywhereasignEverywhereasign Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I season mine with Crisco, once done it's slicker then my Teflon pan.

    To clean, i pour hot water into the hot pan. Most of the stuff de-glazes right into the water. A quick wipe with a moist cloth, no soap. Then I rub it with a light coating of vegetable oil and hang it back up. I re-season probably once a year, or when I notice it starting to get food stuck to it.

    Everywhereasign on
    "What are you dense? Are you retarded or something? Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the goddamn Batman!"
  • Baron DirigibleBaron Dirigible Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    Ripsaw wrote: »
    Constant use will season the pan. Don't expect perfect performance right off the bat.
    Just use it properly, take care of it, and in a few weeks it'll be perfect.

    Vegetable oil is fine.
    Yeah, I've heard cast iron improves with age – I'm more concerned about the tackiness / discolouration now. I'll probably have a chance to do a quick (say, one hour tops) reseasoning tonight, on top of what's already there, if people think the discolouration is nothing major / worrying, and that the tackiness just means it needs more time in the oven.

    Baron Dirigible on
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I've got a Lodge and an old Wagner Ware pan.

    I use kosher salt to clean mine. Toss some salt in there, rub it w/ a paper towel, then wipe it out.

    EDIT: "The Pan Man" has a different style of seasoning: http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html He uses Crisco or fat too.

    MichaelLC on
  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    edited October 2008
    In my girlfriends cast iron wok, there was really no need to 'season' it. I just dollop about a tablespoon of canola oil in it and wipe it around with a paper towel after scrubbing it in the wash to stop it from rusting in the cupboard.

    Donovan Puppyfucker on
  • skyybahamutskyybahamut Registered User regular
    edited October 2008
    I just use grapeseed or olive oil, I have had no problems.

    skyybahamut on
    This signature is for SCIENCE!
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