Seasoning cast iron cookware

[opsec]

Anybody know what is the best oil to use to season new cast iron cookware? Any other tips or suggestions for seasoning cast iron?

[Rusty Shackelford]

We usually use Peanut oil.  Whether it's the best or not is subject for debate.

[Atash Hagmahani]

I use Crisco just because being saturated, it sticks well. Ultimately, what is going to happen, is that whatever you coat it with will saturate, oxidize, and carbonize into a hard, black, shiny coating.

The traditional coating is bacon grease.

Lodgeware comes pre-seasoned these days, but it is a thin and somewhat delicate coating of baked-on vegetable oil.

[Rusty Shackelford]

Pre-seasoned?  That's just wrong.

When I worked at a pizza joint, they seasoned the pans with vegetable oil mixed with Oregano and some other seasoning.

[Ryder]

Bear fat. It was a hangin offense to scrub out the frying pans on the old time cattle drives. All that built up baked on stuff lends a seasoning to what is beinig cooked. Beans and salt pork becomes epicurian fare

[oscar615]

Don't know whats best.  We have used whatever oil we have around at the time.  They all seem to work.  Just make sure when you are heating the pot/pan that you get it hot enough to open the "pores" some and let the oils "soak" in. 

[opsec]

Pre-heat the pans, that much I knew. How hot? Hot as the oven can get or does it matter that much?

[Atash Hagmahani]

I put the stuff on cold, and bake them fairly low (about 250F) for 3 hours or so.

My pans have a "sandy" texture to them. That might make a difference.

[oscar615]

if it is a new pot it will have a protective coating from the manufacturer. Either wax or water soluble shellac. Scrub with steel wool or some kind of scouring pad with soap and the hottest water you can stand.  If it is an old skillet just wash it to make sure it is clean. Make sure it is perfectly dry by setting it on a hot burner for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 350 or so. Coat the pan lightly with oil while the pan is warm.  Bake for an hour or so. Let it cool down in the oven.  You might get some smoke.  That is normal so maybe open your windows during the process.  You may also want to put something under the pan to catch any oil that drips off.  It should be smooth and shiny.  It may be a little sticky at first but this will go away after cooking with it.  After cooking with it wash lightly with soap and water.  DO NOT let the soapy water sit in it.  You do not want to remove the seasoning, but just the little bit of grease that may be left behind.  If you leave to much grease after cooking it will go rancid on the pan.  But if you quickly and lightly wash you should just remove the grease from cooking and not remove the seasoning.  My grandmother used to just basically wipe hers out with hot water.  But according to today's health codes this would be bad.

[Mike]

Count me in as a cast iron enthusiast.

I'm with Oscar615's Granmother.  I don't like soap touching the pans.  I hit them with a paper towel then scrub them with some kind of 3M textured plastic sponge.  The goal is to get them looking like they  are clean and sanitary.  Then they are tossed in the cupboard.

To cure the pans I use any kind of oil.  They all seem to work.

Does anyone have an opinion about aluminum pans being bad for the mind?

[Dame]

I do not use aluminum anything that touches food, excepting a popcorn maker and it is very low use.  I prefer, French Enameled Cast, harder to care for but the most versatile and healthy choise.  Works on electric ceramic cooktops and woodburning cookstoves equally well.

Initial price seems high, however my mother has some which are 60 years old and still in use.

[Rusty Shackelford]

We've got a full set of Le Creuset.  We had the advantage of going to the outlet mall just south of Portland (no sales tax), having a coupon, and finding pretty much everything we wanted in their "seconds" rack.  We've picked up the odd piece or two at Costco or the outlet store in the Tulalip Outlet Mall north of Seattle.  The stuff is great - trouble free, easy to clean and versatile.

If you shop it hard, it's not that expensive for a lifetime of use.  They constantly have sales and coupons. 

For the more economy minded, there are other brands that you can find that work just as well, but aren't as heavy.  Sportsman's Warehouse carries one of these lines. 

[justamom]

I have a dumb question, so please forgive me.  I have never owned cast iron cookware, and I plan to buy an entire set of Lodge pre-seasoned cookware.  From things that I've read online, cast iron can be quite fickle.  If I ever need to re-season it, do I season "both" inside and out?

[oscar615]

no such thing as a dumb question.  I do both inside and out to help with preventing rust.

[mantis308]

Thanks for the info all-- I'm looking into cast-iron now.