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OT - Steel Pan Seasoning Question - OT

Eoin
Eoin Posts: 4,304
in EggHead Forum
I got these 2 steel pans cheap a while ago. They were 'pre-seasoned' with a polished dark grey finish. I've used the pan on the left more frequently and it gradually lost the shiny grey finish and now has a nice seasoned look. The other one never lost the grey shiny look, apart from round the edges where it seemed to peel off. I've not been able to get it any better than this. What's the best thing to do with it?


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Comments

  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 11,538
    When you say “steel pans,” I assume you’re talking carbon steel. Looks that way from the photos. Crisco (available in UK?) is your friend. I’ve tried plenty of other fats with disappointing results. Fire up a bbq (outside is best, as it will smoke plenty) to 350 or so. Apply a thin layer of Crisco. Let cook 30 mins. Let cool a little. Repeat until the pan has a nice, blackened sheen. True non-stick.
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  • Eoin
    Eoin Posts: 4,304
    GrateEggspectations said:
    When you say “steel pans,” I assume you’re talking carbon steel. Looks that way from the photos. Crisco (available in UK?) is your friend. I’ve tried plenty of other fats with disappointing results. Fire up a bbq (outside is best, as it will smoke plenty) to 350 or so. Apply a thin layer of Crisco. Let cook 30 mins. Let cool a little. Repeat until the pan has a nice, blackened sheen. True non-stick.
    Yes, carbon steel. The one on the left has come up well using canola. We don't have Crisco here, but we do have stuff that's similar. I'll give that a go.
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  • Gulfcoastguy
    Gulfcoastguy Posts: 7,324
    Coconut oil will work also.
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    You can "ash" the old seasoning by heating past 600F.  I'm not sure the rivets would handle that temp.  Anyway, that's how I burn off the old seasoning to start over.  Also heat and oven cleaner works great.  Then clean, dry and season.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,109
    Clean cycle in oven...but again, watch the rivets and handle.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 19,780
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 11,538
    nolaegghead said:
    Clean cycle in oven...but again, watch the rivets and handle.
    Quite the random pattern on the side of that pot, NOLA. Trying to tell us something?
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,920
    caliking said:
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 
    Flaxseed worked well for me.  No flaking at all.  The key is to take the time and not rush through the process.  Layers have to be as thin as possible, wiping off almost all the oil with a lint free cloth.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • GrateEggspectations
    GrateEggspectations Posts: 11,538
    paqman said:
    caliking said:
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 
    Flaxseed worked well for me.  No flaking at all.  The key is to take the time and not rush through the process.  Layers have to be as thin as possible, wiping off almost all the oil with a lint free cloth.
    I tried flaxseed as Paqman has suggested and using the method he describes, but had differing results. Was flaking within weeks. Crisco from now on. 
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,153
    edited January 2020
    GrateEggspectations said:
    paqman said:
    caliking said:
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 
    Flaxseed worked well for me.  No flaking at all.  The key is to take the time and not rush through the process.  Layers have to be as thin as possible, wiping off almost all the oil with a lint free cloth.
    I tried flaxseed as Paqman has suggested and using the method he describes, but had differing results. Was flaking within weeks. Crisco from now on. 
    I did six coats of flaxseed on my old Blackstone. What a joke. Basically all I did was waste a tank of propane. 
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  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,920
    DoubleEgger said:
    GrateEggspectations said:
    paqman said:
    caliking said:
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 
    Flaxseed worked well for me.  No flaking at all.  The key is to take the time and not rush through the process.  Layers have to be as thin as possible, wiping off almost all the oil with a lint free cloth.
    I tried flaxseed as Paqman has suggested and using the method he describes, but had differing results. Was flaking within weeks. Crisco from now on. 
    I did six coats of flaxseed on my old Blackstone. What a joke. Basically all I did was waste a tank of propane. 
    I used plain canola oil on my blackstone because it would not heat evenly and high enough throughout the surface.

    I did a wok, a carbon steel fry pan, and a CI skillet with flaxseed years ago but it was inside an oven to get high even heat; not on a burner.  The only time I had a problem was with my first CI skillet and it is because I did not follow the instructions (I used too much oil and wasn’t letting it cool down completely before starting over).  There may be other variables but I had good success  🤷‍♂️

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 34,570
    edited January 2020
    couple bacon cooks and im good to go. and theres the bacon for my time and effort.  its not like we are trying to make a magical wok
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,137
    DoubleEgger said:
    GrateEggspectations said:
    paqman said:
    caliking said:
    Grapeseed oil has worked well on my CI and Blackstone griddle. That flaxseed oil foolishness, that was popularised a few years ago, was a colossal waste of time. 
    Flaxseed worked well for me.  No flaking at all.  The key is to take the time and not rush through the process.  Layers have to be as thin as possible, wiping off almost all the oil with a lint free cloth.
    I tried flaxseed as Paqman has suggested and using the method he describes, but had differing results. Was flaking within weeks. Crisco from now on. 
    I did six coats of flaxseed on my old Blackstone. What a joke. Basically all I did was waste a tank of propane. 
    Same results with me and flax.
    It looked like it was working perfect. Beautiful dark shine. But peeled and flaked off.
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    edited January 2020
    I use Grapeseed for touch ups and wipe downs b/c that's my goto vegetable oil when I'm not using Olive Oil. For a dedicated seasoning session I use good ol' Crisco.  Like someone said above, aim for the thinnest coat you can get. Wipe as much off as you can, then wipe it off again. If at any time it feels tacky to the touch you've added too thick a layer.
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • milesvdustin
    milesvdustin Posts: 2,882
    I used vegetable oil on my blackstone. Crisco in my CI skillet 

    2 LBGE, Blackstone 36, Jumbo Joe

    Egging in Southern Illinois (Marion)

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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    SonVolt said:
    I use Grapeseed for touch ups and wipe downs b/c that's my goto vegetable oil when I'm not using Olive Oil. For a dedicated seasoning session I use good ol' Crisco.  Like someone said above, aim for the thinnest coat you can get. Wipe as much off as you can, then wipe it off again. If at any time it feels tacky to the touch you've added too thick a layer.
    When you feel it’s “tacky” what do you do? Some of my CI feels this way in certain patches (it’s stubborn - salt rub & hot h20 does nothing) but i am hesitant to do full strip to start over.
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • DoubleEgger
    DoubleEgger Posts: 19,153
    Don’t forget to turn the pan upside down in the oven to help prevent any pooling and subsequent bubbling of the finish. 
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  • SonVolt
    SonVolt Posts: 3,316
    edited January 2020
    NDG said:
    SonVolt said:
    I use Grapeseed for touch ups and wipe downs b/c that's my goto vegetable oil when I'm not using Olive Oil. For a dedicated seasoning session I use good ol' Crisco.  Like someone said above, aim for the thinnest coat you can get. Wipe as much off as you can, then wipe it off again. If at any time it feels tacky to the touch you've added too thick a layer.
    When you feel it’s “tacky” what do you do? Some of my CI feels this way in certain patches (it’s stubborn - salt rub & hot h20 does nothing) but i am hesitant to do full strip to start over.

    It depends on what it is... i make extensive use of the Lodge Pizza Pan as a griddle and if it gets tacky I'll throw it on my gass grill until it hits 600F+ (how I typically use it for searing steaks etc), then squirt some water on it and scrape it with a stuff metal spatula. That'll take off any gunk including overly-thick seasoning. If it's a dutch oven I'd probably just spray it down with Easy Off oven cleaner, wrap it in a garbage bag and let it sit over night. That'll get it back down to bare iron with minimal scrubbing the next day. 
    South of Nashville  -  BGE XL  -  Alfresco 42" ALXE  -  Alfresco Versa Burner  - Sunbeam Microwave 
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  • rcone
    rcone Posts: 219
    Coat with a decent oil with the oven method. Then fry up 5 pounds of onions in a few batches until they are carbonized; you will get a great coating, decrease any metallic taste from the raw steel, and work on knife skills. 
    "Feed me, or feed me to something; I just want to be part of the food chain" Al Bundy

    LBGE, SBGE, Carson Rotisserie, Blackstone Griddle  

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,435
    SonVolt said:
    NDG said:
    SonVolt said:
    I use Grapeseed for touch ups and wipe downs b/c that's my goto vegetable oil when I'm not using Olive Oil. For a dedicated seasoning session I use good ol' Crisco.  Like someone said above, aim for the thinnest coat you can get. Wipe as much off as you can, then wipe it off again. If at any time it feels tacky to the touch you've added too thick a layer.
    When you feel it’s “tacky” what do you do? Some of my CI feels this way in certain patches (it’s stubborn - salt rub & hot h20 does nothing) but i am hesitant to do full strip to start over.

    It depends on what it is... i make extensive use of the Lodge Pizza Pan as a griddle and if it gets tacky I'll throw it on my gass grill until it hits 600F+ (how I typically use it for searing steaks etc), then squirt some water on it and scrape it with a stuff metal spatula. That'll take off any gunk including overly-thick seasoning. If it's a dutch oven I'd probably just spray it down with Easy Off oven cleaner, wrap it in a garbage bag and let it sit over night. That'll get it back down to bare iron with minimal scrubbing the next day. 
    @SonVolt thanks - I use that same Circle lodge pizza CI for most of my BGE searing!  Fits great in the large.  I give all my CI tons of TLC but many have tacky spots - I guess I need to start over on a few of them 😔 
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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