Seasoning Cast Iron

[SpurHunter]

Lets hear what method you like. </p>

</p>

<font size="2">Here are instructions I found that sound right to me.</font><font size="1">
</font>
</p>[*]<font size="1">Prepare your pan by scrubbing it with hot soapy water, ensuring there is no food residue or rust, and dry it completely.
</font>[*]<font size="1">Warm the pan up slightly, and apply a coat of melted shortening to the inside and outside. Liquid cooking oils are not recommended.
</font>[*]<font size="1">Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put your cookware in upside right, on a foil-covered cooking sheet, to catch any drips. If you use a non-covered baking sheet, it will require a good scrub afterwards - the foil saves on the cleanup.
</font>[*]<font size="1">Bake for approximately 20 minutes. If it starts to smoke, reduce the temperature by 10-15 degrees until it stops. This may increase the time by a few minutes, but will not hurt the cure.
</font>[*]<font size="1">Drain off any excess grease, and put the pan back in the oven, this time upside down, for 1 to 3 hours. A re-seasoning may only require half of that time.
</font>[*]<font size="1">Turn the oven off, and let the pan cool down naturally before removing it.</font>

 

[Guest]

Spur, the new cast iron skillets from Lodge in South Pittsburg are pre-seasoned but i guess you have some older ones that need seasoned.

 

[SpurHunter]

Didnt say I had one to do Doc, just wondering what folks use to season them.

 

[bbdown]

After using mine I just clean it out with hot water and very little soap. Then rub the whole thing down with a light coat of olive oil on a towel.

 

[minner]

That is almost exactly what I have done in the past but would use my outdoor grill instead so it doesn't smell up the house.

 

[cb1340]

I do this to cornbread irons but I use a grill like minner said

 

[SpurHunter]

bbdown - 1/13/2009 1:17 PM After using mine I just clean it out with hot water and very little soap. Then rub the whole thing down with a light coat of olive oil on a towel.

</p>

I am assuming you have a pre-seasoned model?</p>

 

[churly]

Throw it in the camp fire then oil heavily!?

 

[bbdown]

SpurHunter - 1/13/2009 4:18 PM

bbdown - 1/13/2009 1:17 PM After using mine I just clean it out with hot water and very little soap. Then rub the whole thing down with a light coat of olive oil on a towel.

</p>

I am assuming you have a pre-seasoned model?</p>

</p>

I don't know how to tell if they are pre-seasoned but I don't thinkthey areas they are fairly old. 10+yrs My wife uses the small one for cornbread regularly. The others used camping or at home to blacken fish and game. Sometimes I'll quickly sear a steak on one then finish in the oven. mmmmmm.... I'm getting hungry.</p>

 

[dragfish]

I just dodge it when my wife swings it, doesn't matter the season, prefer Uncle Buck's. emoGeezer

 

[yellburt]

my granny said never put soap on them .put them on a coleman stove or in the oven as you said an get them as hot as you can .when you wash them use hot hot hot water only when washing them.put them on a stove eye an heat it dry.therefore no rust.thats what ganny said/an hers was slick as teflon.she could fry an egg an it would just slide around.but i also think the old ones were better than the lastest model.

 

[Guest]

Put the lard to it, do it right and you won't have to do it again. Ask Fat Albert, he is older than dirt and is very knoledgeable about things like this.

 

[fishmedic]

I use cast iron exclusively at home. I do it just like the instruction. I buy mine at estate sales. You can get really good deals on them usually. After I buy them I throw them in a camp fire and leave them a while which burns the seasoning off, then I season as instructed above. Very rarely use any soap to clean them, just hot water. Buying them used, I just dont trust the previous owners seasoning.

 

[cb1340]

dragfish - 1/13/2009 8:57 PM I just dodge it when my wife swings it,

</p>

LOL!!! fast reflexes huh?!?</p>

 

[hookset]

I found an old rusty skillet in Colorado and packed it back to Cleveland. Like Churly I built a good hot fire out in the pit in our backyard and threw it in till the fire cooled down. Rust was virtually gone and cleaned with HOT warter baked it, oiled it and baked it again. Use it quit often especially on camping trips.