New Cast Iron

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Wife got me a big Lodge pan. Like most of the newer stuff, it is pretty grainy. Would I be better off to take the sander to it and smooth out the inside before seasoning?

Also, which of you has the seasoning part down to a science? I’ve seasoned a couple others but have not gotten to a nonstick pan.

I have tried lard and canolla oil. Probably vegetable oil to. Every time I cook it turns into a scraping with hot water match to get it clean. Lately it ends with a heavy dose of a scotch pad and hot water.

They come out slick but something just isn’t right.
 

Dick

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
I find you need to watch temperature a bit with cast iron cooking. You may be cleaning it too much too.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Depends on what you cook and how you clean them..
Wile them down with oil and make sure you cook with grease or oil, lower the temp and start with bacon, ham or other things that have grease.
If you have used a scotch bright pad you need to season it again.
Always add water to the hot pan to clean it, it will lift anything off making it easy to wipe out oil and be done.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Fry bacon every day for a week.


tenor.gif
 

7mm-08

Twelve Pointer
You can sand it if you want. I wash a new one and coat it with oil, wipe off oil with a dry paper towel and bake it like the instructions say. Don’t use too much oil or it will get gummy.
Just start cooking with it. Don’t put food in it UNTIL IT IS HOT. Doesn’t matter how seasoned it is, fry an egg in a cold pan and it will stick. Bacon and ham leave residue. If you follow it with some home frys it will be clean by the time you cook them. If you finish with the country ham and have stuck spots, I usually boil a little water in it and wipe it out. I always dry it and oil it again and let it set on about “3 level heat” for 20 minutes (or whenever I remember to turn it off sometimes an hour or two). As in every time I cook with it, it gets oiled and set on 3 for a while when I’m done.


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Scrub

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Dang pricey!
For 249 I can get a mint shape Erie and several other brands and several at that.

Looks really nice but that price is too much.

I agree but it’s a unique piece of cast iron. I collect, to a small extent, cast iron got a small porridge spider pot from the 1600’s and another spider pot from 1700’s.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
I agree but it’s a unique piece of cast iron. I collect, to a small extent, cast iron got a small porridge spider pot from the 1600’s and another spider pot from 1700’s.
Yep I agree and understand.
I also collect stuff and when I find something I want paid high prices also.
They have a nice design will hand that to them..
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
Sand the inside smooth it doesn't take much to do a 4.5" angle grinder with a flap disc will do it in about 5 minutes. it makes for a much better pan once seasoned.


It also sounds like your waiting till the pan cools to clean. if you do like others have said and clean it while its hot it will make a huge difference. if im cooking something at a low height once done ill turn it up and get pan hot then take to sink and wash with water, turn eye off and wipe with a paper towel to get excess water out then wipe down with an oil rag. ( i have a wash cloth that i use that ive used for several years i add a little oil when the pan doesnt shine when i rub the rag around.)
 

7mm-08

Twelve Pointer
Those eggs look like they might stick. Edges of the pan is still cold.


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Downeast

Twelve Pointer
A buddy of mine who worked in a greasy spoon while in school cleaned his cast iron flat top with a few ice cubes while it was hot. The ice seems to just remove the grease and burned on items but doesn't seem to mess up the seasoning. I do that to mine as well as my bigger cast iron pans. A few cubes and a rag to push them around until they melt in a hot pan seems to work.
 

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
If you ever get it clean you might as well throw it away. It is last years fatback that gives food its taste. When the crust gets too thick, pitch it in a bed of hot coals and burn it down a little. Hog lard is my preference for seasoning one.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
If you ever get it clean you might as well throw it away. It is last years fatback that gives food its taste. When the crust gets too thick, pitch it in a bed of hot coals and burn it down a little. Hog lard is my preference for seasoning one.

once a spike always a spike
Uncles cousins wife’s sisters dad was a diver and saw catfish bigger than a Volkswagen when they did work at the dam

What other wives tails are we going to post? I’ve stripped and reseasoned various pans multiple times for various reasons. It’s not the only giving me the good flavor. Matter of fact, one reason I’ll strip from time to time is to get rid of the built up burnt grease taste.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
once a spike always a spike
Uncles cousins wife’s sisters dad was a diver and saw catfish bigger than a Volkswagen when they did work at the dam

What other wives tails are we going to post? I’ve stripped and reseasoned various pans multiple times for various reasons. It’s not the only giving me the good flavor. Matter of fact, one reason I’ll strip from time to time is to get rid of the built up burnt grease taste.


must be of British descent,,, drabness in the chow:taz:
 

thbassin

Button Buck
Always add water to the hot pan to clean it, it will lift anything off making it easy to wipe out oil and be done.

This right where for cleaning . Even if there’s food stuck in it I just heat up the pan and flash it with water and it cleans right up.

Then I just coat it with oil. If it seems like it’s lost a little , I’ll smoke some oil in it for a while to add to the season


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Hunterreed

Twelve Pointer
Lard or animal fat seems to season my cast iron cookware better than vegetable oil. Never wash them with soap either, wipe them out with a paper towel and boil a little water in them a few minutes. Then while they are still hot I melt a little lard in it for storage until next use. I stopped buying new cast iron because it takes so long to get it seasoned right. Even the old rusty pans and Dutch ovens can be referbished in a bed of red hot oak coals and takes seasonings better
 

jhwilli2

Eight Pointer
Well, I wasn't going to get involved but had enough Tito's tonight to jump in...I've bought and sold hundreds if not more pieces of cast iron over the years. My mom and dad are big collectors also, so I guess I got it honest...Anyway I thought I would share a few of my favorites or daily cookers. Wife said I could pick a couple, no way they were all coming out. First skillet is an Erie 9.. this is our daily cooker.
 

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