Recipe Seasoning Cast Iron

[Laufen]

Hey yall, I just stumbled across this article, and the results are great.

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

 

[Bypass]

Thanks bro. I have always wondered how to season cast iron.

 

[Laufen]

Thanks bro. I have always wondered how to season cast iron.

It works well, but like she says, it takes about 6 coats to get a proper season. That's an all day affair. Get all of your cast iron stuff together and cram as much in the oven as you can.

 

[Glock 21]

I have a cast iron grate on my smoker I may try this on.

 

[Waterguy]

Well. I have always used crisco and my granny used lard. It is always nice to have more options.

 

[Laufen]

Well. I have always used crisco and my granny used lard. It is always nice to have more options.

Coconut oil works great too. It also has a very high flash point and doesn't smoke.

 

[freedom]

Interesting. I can't try it because cast iron is all I cook on, and it's already black. I might try it next time I find a rusty, antique pan that needs a new home.

IMO The best way to season cast iron is to use it. After you get a base coat or two, just use it constantly and avoid acidic foods until it's where it needs to be.

My wife has terrible anemia. So bad, she goes to a cancer specialist for iron IVs as often as our insurance allows. Cooking on cast iron does more to keep her iron up than anything else.

 

[DerekB711]

thanks laufen im def doing this on the next ones i get i need to make a trip back to the lodge factory outlet to pick some more up

 

[Hayata]

Do you think you could use your outside grill in lieu of the oven?

So the smoke stays outside?

 

[DerekB711]

I know you could use the coals from a big bonfire or firepit that's how we always did it out in the field in boyscouts just constantly turing the coals over and changing them out every 20 minutes or so for hot ones for a few hours on the side but close to the fire they always told us not to have it directly in the flames which would be my only worry with using the grill @Hayata

 

[PewPewPewCo]

Coconut oil works great too. It also has a very high flash point and doesn't smoke.

Good to know, love coconut oil

 

[ferrell]

Thanks, I need to get a round griddle, to cook hot cakes on..mmmmmm.....

 

[Buckeye76]

Bullshit. I've got 2 skillets that are over 100 yrs old and I can guarantee that neither of them have had any flax seed oil in them.
Crisco, lard, or bacon fat. Both are shiny black and even eggs cook well in them. I just don't let my girlfriend use them because she is rough on them, and won't listen when I tell her how to clean them.

 

[dial1911]

We've always used crisco, bacon drippings, heck, just about any edible grease or oil is fine (I didn't read the link, sorry). Mom and Granny would usually work out a day to do it together. Build a wood fire outside, oil the pans, and throw them into the fire. Fish them out after half an hour or so and repeat.

I've got Granny's biscuit pan and a frying pan in the kitchen now.

 

[freedom]

We've always used crisco, bacon drippings, heck, just about any edible grease or oil is fine (I didn't read the link, sorry). Mom and Granny would usually work out a day to do it together. Build a wood fire outside, oil the pans, and throw them into the fire. Fish them out after half an hour or so and repeat.

I've got Granny's biscuit pan and a frying pan in the kitchen now.

Moral of the story- Hipsters and foodies love making shit more complicated than it needs to be. If they do it they way it's been done since cast iron was invented, they can't feel superior to the rest of us.

 

[medium187mph]

I seasoned all of my cast iron just by cooking bacon in the AM and cornbread in the PM...

 

[kingkalifor]

Bacon grease for me. Tried Olive oil and didn't work very well

 

[Willy Leadwell]

I seasoned all of my cast iron just by cooking bacon in the AM and cornbread in the PM...

Yep. Butter the shit out of that pan before the cornbread goes in too.

 

[bamtech1]

Yep. Butter the shit out of that pan before the cornbread goes in too.

Well, you heat the oil that goes into the cornbread batter in the skillet in the oven.

 

[erkinator 2]

Grape seed oil is great also. We use a metal link chain cleaning tool or course salt and paper towel folded. Cold water first, rinse, heat up to dry. add oil and wipe in, let cool.