Cast iron seasoning and pork belly

flachick

I just purchased a Lodge cast iron dutch oven with a lid that doubles as a skillet. I'm in the process of seasoning them over their factory pre-seasoning. Last week I bought a package of frozen pork belly at BJ's. 3.5 lbs for $9, so I'm not expecting too much of it. I know people use bacon to season their skillets. Do you suppose the pork belly would do the same thing as a final layer in the process? Then, should I chuck the fat or hang onto it? Thanks

Photo Egg

Never had good luck seasoning over the Lodge factory seasoning.
I stripped mine and sanded with fine wet sandpaper to smooth the interior more and then seasoned from scratch.

blasting

I season 5-6 times, using rendered lard.   I think your pork belly would be fine as a final layer.

Unlike @Photo Egg I've had good luck going right over top of the factory seasoning.  The only time I've had to re-strip and start again is when I tried out flax oil.

Chubbs

I am terrible at seasoning CI. I need some schooling

bgebrent

Chubbs said:

I am terrible at seasoning CI. I need some schooling

With you brother.  Count on cooks to season, clean with Kosher salt.  Works for me.  Now, the Blackstone, I gave that more attention 

blasting

Chubbs said:

I am terrible at seasoning CI. I need some schooling

@Chubbs  
There are plenty of different schools of thought on how to season Cast Iron - here is mine.-Fire up your gas grill - medium heat.  You can also use your oven, but it might smoke or give off an odor.-Put your pan on and let it warm up so it is warm to the touch.-Using a paper towel, apply a thin layer of pure lard covering entire piece.-Using a fresh paper towel, wipe it all off.  It will remain shiny.  Make sure it is all wiped off, otherwise it will drip and and the drip will harden.  You will also end up with a sticky pan.-Put pan back on the grill, upside down and let it bake on medium heat for 2 hours.-Shut off the grill and leave the lid closed for at least an hour to cool down.-Repeat process 5-6 times.I have never had to re season any of my pieces when I have used this procedure.  I have had to re season two pieces that I tried to use flax oil, which has some buzz on the interweb.Some folks say they use soap with no ill effect.  I choose not to.Clean pan with hot water (no soap) and a Ringer.  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FKBR1ZG?keywords=ringer&qid=1456284332&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2Wipe pan down with an oiled paper towel prior to storage.

bgebrent

@blasting, you're description is worthy.  My friend, it's a little overkill for me.  Not wrong by any means!  Mod high heat with a good fat and done on a pre-seasoned CI piece and it's nonstick.  We must break bread one day brother.

Mr. & Mrs Potatohead

Photo Egg has the right go. I'm old school when it comes to CI. I have and use a lot of it!
Clean the factory seasoning off and then season with high and then low heat. In my mind lard works best for those first seasonings. Once you've got that done, just oil after each use.
With that said...Pork belly should work, but I'm not a fan of using bacon because of the salt.

Ike

I only use flax oil to season my CI pots and skillets.  ONLY use 100% oil, the junk you find in many health foods stores has additives.  Using the very light coating and wiping it down to make it very thin and then upside down in a stinky hot gas grill.  30 minutes on high and turn it off and do not open until it has completely cooled.  Am almost nasty about how I treat my CI and make the absolute best skillet cornbread.  My son will inherit some great cooking tools when I do my last.

Photo Egg

My first experience using Flaxseed oil was a bust...but it was my fault.
I used a cheap oil. Turns out it had additives in it.
Look for Organic, Cold Pressed. Purity is the key. I have reasoned  all of my older stuff with good Flax and it's worked so much better.

blasting

Photo Egg said:

My first experience using Flaxseed oil was a bust...but it was my fault.
I used a cheap oil. Turns out it had additives in it.
Look for Organic, Cold Pressed. Purity is the key. I have reasoned  all of my older stuff with good Flax and it's worked so much better.

I just went and looked and the stuff I used is organic, cold pressed without additives.  Maybe I did something wrong; a lot of people swear by the flax oil.  

Photo Egg

blasting said:

Photo Egg said:

My first experience using Flaxseed oil was a bust...but it was my fault.
I used a cheap oil. Turns out it had additives in it.
Look for Organic, Cold Pressed. Purity is the key. I have reasoned  all of my older stuff with good Flax and it's worked so much better.

I just went and looked and the stuff I used is organic, cold pressed without additives.  Maybe I did something wrong; a lot of people swear by the flax oil.  

What did you not like? It also goes bad if old or not refrigerated.

Abter

I am a long time old school  Lodge CI fanatic.  I've never used a new pre-seasoned, so no info there.  But I agree with Photo Egg...strip (I use a soft wire brush on a dremel at low speed) and start over.  I use multiple very thin layers, but not with lard.  Lard can turn rancid over a season without use.  I have used canola (rape seed) oil for years and it works fine.  I disagree with blasting: I want to season the lid and oven separately.  I found if I let it cool with the lid on neither the oven nor the lid get well seasoned around the rim. To me the most important thing is after seasoning never, never, never use a soap or detergent product to clean.  2nd most important thing is to do another warm thin oil layer (like seasoning runs), and then wipe down after every cook.  That drives any remaining water off, and leaves your Lodge clean and smooth for next time.

If a well meaning boy scout (or other friend helping at cleanup) does use a soap and water cleanup, don't yell at them.  Clean up help is wonderful, and unfortunately rare from boy scouts.  Stuff happens. Suffer in silence, break out the dremel, and start over.

PS:  Lodge recommends vegetable oil, either melted solid (i.e., Crisco) or liquid for both pre-seasoned and regular CI.

blasting

Photo Egg said:

blasting said:

Photo Egg said:

My first experience using Flaxseed oil was a bust...but it was my fault.
I used a cheap oil. Turns out it had additives in it.
Look for Organic, Cold Pressed. Purity is the key. I have reasoned  all of my older stuff with good Flax and it's worked so much better.

I just went and looked and the stuff I used is organic, cold pressed without additives.  Maybe I did something wrong; a lot of people swear by the flax oil.  

What did you not like? It also goes bad if old or not refrigerated.

I bought it and used it right away.  I did two skillets with it, and in both cases the seasoning began to flake.  None of my other pieces have required reseasoning, so I'm reluctant to try again.  One of those "why mess with what's worked" things for me.

flachick

Thank you everyone. I have many well-loved shiny CI skillets, but this is the first time I've purchased one pre-seasoned. I've always used Crisco shortening for seasoning. (It's what my mom told me to use) However, I only have the butter flavored stuff, so this time I'm using lard.  I'll watch out for it turning rancid. Thanks @Abter. The pieces should be ready for a test drive tonight. Fingers crossed

Darby_Crenshaw

it won't turn rancid. 

easiest way to season a pan is to just use it.  my wife often ends up boiling something in the pan about once a month and that removes the seasoning.  i just hit the warm pan with a coat of cooking oil, and it's fine.

i used to do a big long effort each time i re-seasoned, but it didn't do anything special beyond the seasoning i got from daily use anyway, and was a big pain in the aaaaa... adenoids.

for cleaning, i just use a plastic or stainless scrubber.  no soap.  sometimes not even water.

whether the pan is hot or cold, just wipe it around to remove anything that may have stuck, if anything.  then wipe out the oil/grease with a paper towel and hang it up.

even without soap, hot water can remove the seasoning, which is why you shouldn't boil anything in CI pans.  the wife makes the best gravy though, and she loves that pan, so i ain't gonna stop her from using it.  takes tens seconds to hit it with oil.

this is w/r/t a smooth-ground older pan, which is super slick to begin with.  th rougher castings may need more attention

Photo Egg

blasting said:

I bought it and used it right away.  I did two skillets with it, and in both cases the seasoning began to flake.  None of my other pieces have required reseasoning, so I'm reluctant to try again.  One of those "why mess with what's worked" things for me.

Thanks for all the information, understand.
Frustrating spending the time just to have it fail/flake off.
Take care. 

Abter

this is w/r/t a smooth-ground older pan, which is super slick to begin with.  th rougher castings may need more attention

This could be a very important point, Darby.  All my experience is with direct CI surfaces.  Machined may well make seasoning a whole different ball game.

Toxarch

I just use veg or canola oil on mine and clean it with the Ringer. I'll cook with it, clean it with the ringer, wipe it all out, then wipe it with a coat of oil, then stick it in the oven for a while. No problems so far.

Terrebandit

When mine get stuff stuck on them I just scrub them with a little warm water and re- oil them. No issues. 

The other day,  I discovered a little trick. If you use a little of that non- stick spray on stuff on your cast iron pans before you cook on them you will significantly improve their nonstick performance and reduce clean up time.  Try it. 

Zmokin

blasting said:I bought it and used it right away.  I did two skillets with it, and in both cases the seasoning began to flake.  None of my other pieces have required reseasoning, so I'm reluctant to try again.  One of those "why mess with what's worked" things for me.

I guess I might have a different definition of re-seasoning, as I re-season my CI after every cook.  I wash with hot water only after every-cook, then I add some fresh oil or bacon fat, heat on gas range high until it begins to smoke.
Wipe it down once with a paper towel while hot, then again with a new paper towel after it cools.  Then it hangs from a hook until the next time I use it.  I received this pan used from my MIL who washed it with soap and water.  I know my process is adding seasoning as the bottom of the pan has gotten darker over the years.

Darby_Crenshaw

You shouldn't need to reseason after every cook

hot water removes the very seasoning you are after. No hot water. No soap

it's pretty easy

bgebrent

Darby_Crenshaw said:

You shouldn't need to reseason after every cook

hot water removes the very seasoning you are after. No hot water. No soap

it's pretty easy

Kosher salt and any cooking oil handles 99% of cleanups.  I never use soap or water.

blasting

Zmokin said:

blasting said:I bought it and used it right away.  I did two skillets with it, and in both cases the seasoning began to flake.  None of my other pieces have required reseasoning, so I'm reluctant to try again.  One of those "why mess with what's worked" things for me.

I guess I might have a different definition of re-seasoning, as I re-season my CI after every cook.  I wash with hot water only after every-cook, then I add some fresh oil or bacon fat, heat on gas range high until it begins to smoke.
Wipe it down once with a paper towel while hot, then again with a new paper towel after it cools.  Then it hangs from a hook until the next time I use it.  I received this pan used from my MIL who washed it with soap and water.  I know my process is adding seasoning as the bottom of the pan has gotten darker over the years.

@Zmokin my maintenance routine is virtually the same as yours, except I don't heat on high.  I rub some oil into it while warm and put it away.  I totally agree this is adding seasoning.  I had been referring to the initial seasoning / base coat.

Darby_Crenshaw said:

hot water removes the very seasoning you are after. 

it's pretty easy

@Darby_Crenshaw  - It hasn't been my experience that warm water affects the seasoning.  I have several dozen pieces that are all jet black and perfect, and I've been using warm water from the beginning.