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cast iron skillet dilemma - can you help me?

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Comments

  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Begger said:
    If I wanted to de-season a skillet?   I'd put it ON THE EGG and leave the vent open and NO restriction on top.   I guarantee that'll do it.  Guaranteed!
    It might also warp or crack the CI. Don't ask me how I know. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    Carolina Q said:
    Begger said:
    If I wanted to de-season a skillet?   I'd put it ON THE EGG and leave the vent open and NO restriction on top.   I guarantee that'll do it.  Guaranteed!
    It might also warp or crack the CI. Don't ask me how I know. 

    Ditto.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    re-seasoned twice today using grape seed oil and it is picture perfect and slicker than....oh never mind!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Focker
    Focker Posts: 8,364
    RRP said:
    re-seasoned twice today using grape seed oil and it is picture perfect and slicker than....oh never mind!
    Glad fish's tip fixed it for you, and that you avoided the flax crap.

    Will keep this tip in mind, if it happens to me.
    Brandon
    Quad Cities
    "If yer gonna denigrate, familiarity with the subject is helpful."

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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Ron any pics before & after?  Enquiring minds would like to see. :wink: 
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Gotta obligue! - Have to be tomorrow morning though...you know ...us old f*rts have to get their sleep! Meanwhile - Yes  - the skillet is now bad *ss beautiful! 
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    I had a small 9 inch lodge pan do that. It happened after I made an apple pie in it in the egg. I just kept using it on the stove top, just like normal, and it eventually went back to a normal black black patina look. Completely non- stick. 
    Dave - Austin, TX
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,768
    Took this to sand blasting place and for $10 like new. Look down about 5 or 6 into post. 
    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/comment/1599029/#Comment_1599029
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Just given a Mini to add to the herd. 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    edited March 2016
    NPHuskerFL said:
    Ron any pics before & after?  Enquiring minds would like to see. :wink: 
    After:


    Before with the dull horseshoe shape:

    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    So what's the final diagnosis - the dull horseshoe  shape wasn't loss of seasoning, it was crud that you boiled off exposing the seasoning below?
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Legume said:
    So what's the final diagnosis - the dull horseshoe  shape wasn't loss of seasoning, it was crud that you boiled off exposing the seasoning below?
    Yes it must have been really deep hardened fond in the pores maybe. See how it was released from the boiling which I apparently didn't do as @fishlessman suggested, but I got it cleaned off just the same.

    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Ozzie_Isaac
    Ozzie_Isaac Posts: 21,676
    Focker said:
    RRP said:
    re-seasoned twice today using grape seed oil and it is picture perfect and slicker than....oh never mind!
    Glad fish's tip fixed it for you, and that you avoided the flax crap.

    Will keep this tip in mind, if it happens to me.
    Why should one avoid Flaxseed?  I thought it was the bee's knees for seasoning.

    I would rather light a candle than curse your darkness.

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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,597
    you did it right, just the other way and its done in seconds but the spatter is all over the stove top =)
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Abter
    Abter Posts: 128
    edited March 2016
    "Why should one avoid Flaxseed".  Shockingly, opinions differ :o
    The "flaxseed is the creme-de-la-creme"  sensei is Sheryl Canter.  Almost all the pro-flaxseed discussions lead back to her blog post "Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To" at http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

    The core of the argument against using flaxseed oil is "Flaxseed oil is fine for display pieces but a poor choice for seasoning cooking pans. "   A good discussion with this POV is from the Cast Iron Collector website:  http://www.castironcollector.com/seasoning.php
    This POV says if you want to hang your cast iron on the wall or show it in museum, flaxseed oil will make it shine better anything else.  That is why Lodge and many other manufactures use it to preseason their CI ware. But because of reports of flaxseed's poor adhesion, and ease of getting chipped off with a spatula or knife, the Cast Iron Collector and many others recommend grape oil, canola oil, or other oils with high smoke temps.

    Regardless of what you use to preseason CI, during regular use the patina will build up with whatever oils you are using, both from the food you are cooking and to wipe down with after cleaning.  Pretty soon a well used and properly cleaned CI will have a glorious collage of all sorts of edible oils in the coating.
    Stay Calm and Egg On
    1 lonely medium in Rockville, MD
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    FWIW, Mrs Chan of the Wok Shop ships flaxseed oil with her carbon steel woks, I assume with CI woks as well.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    I am just finishing up my 2 day effort in seasoning my new baking steel and I'm using grape seed oil. When I inspected the first side this morning I was very pleased with the obvious hard, shiny coating albeit very thin that is now baked on that steel. BTW the grape seed oil I bought came from France and was 16.9 oz for $7. I have to wonder how many grape seeds have to be crushed to get 16.9 oz of oil.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    What are you doing that takes two days? Mine is a cut-off from a steel yard (A36). I filed the edges just to take the burr off, washed it with soap and water, rubbed some canola on it and cooked something. The end.

    Did I miss something?

    This is mine. 

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 15,936
    Pound of bacon, some greazy burgers, more bacon, because bacon.
    THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    didn't read all the chatter here but "ash" off the old organics by running it through the cleaning cycle in your oven.  Or 750F plus in your egg.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • bigbadben
    bigbadben Posts: 397
    If you are going to strip and reseason, put it in the egg upsidedown and use the bottom as a pizza stone. 800 F will remove everything and give you a kick butt pie. 
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Carolina Q said:
    What are you doing that takes two days? Mine is a cut-off from a steel yard (A36). I filed the edges just to take the burr off, washed it with soap and water, rubbed some canola on it and cooked something. The end.

    Did I miss something?

    This is mine. 

    No you didn't miss anything - I just read a several step method that supposedly produces a kick butt durable finish using grape seed oil since it has a higher flash point.  It takes nearly 3 hours and steps up the heating and curing process from 200 to start 300 for a period and then finish off for a 2 hour cure at 400. Then you leave it to cool and harden over night. Since the steel is 2 sided then yes it took 2 days, but not 48 hours. So far I'm impressed with the results.


    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Carolina Q
    Carolina Q Posts: 14,831
    Thanks, Ron. I just took the easy way out.

    I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

    Michael 
    Central Connecticut 

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Carolina Q said:
    Thanks, Ron. I just took the easy way out.
    That's fine! I just wanted to try this process so I can decide if it was worth the effort - which there isn't much effort at all other than timing the 3 steps when to turn up the temperature - so no big deal. Heck - for years with a cheap cast iron grilling skillet from China that I use a lot I just re-season when needed with a quick shot of PAM - talk about taking the easy way out! BUT you know what? The PAM works and that little square skillet comes through a winner every time!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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