How do you know that you have a good seasoning?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ย. 2024
- I often get asked about damaged seasoning. What is it, and how to fix it?
In this video I talk about the different states of seasoning. I hope you enjoy
Some of my past videos:
Smoke point: • NO SMOKE NEEDED. The u...
What's wrong with too much smoke: • What is the correct sm...
Deep dive on seasoning: • My beginners guide to ...
I really appreciate that your show pans that have genuinely been used a lot and explain what markings are fine and which are not. Most cooking shows seem to be using a brand new pristine pan every time they turn on a stove, and so it can feel like unless you end up with no markings whatsoever you’ve failed to clean and season it correctly.
Your carbon steel pan videos are the most thorough and helpful! You made me realize I have not been scrubbing the carbon buildup well enough. It kept building up and eventually flaking off. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong! I recently started over and reseasoned my pans using your oven method. They are working perfectly now. Thank you!
Great to hear! Thanks for the note.
Also, this is one of the few videos if not the only one that doesn't say to heat up the pan until it is smoking (to the point to have to open windows) to get a good seasoning and making a good distinction regarding what is good seasoning.
Great video! Really loved the examples between the pans and the explanation for the different pan states. Helped clarify a lot of questions for me!
Glad it was helpful!
My thoughts exactly
Frankly, this video was just what I needed to get over my anxiousness regarding how my Debuyer pan looks like after 1 month of usage. After 4 rounds of oven seasoning + a few cooks I was expecting a uniform, black, shiny outcome however it's more like the 2nd pan presented. Awesome video 👏
Glad it was helpful. Thanks for letting me know!
If your rough with your chainmail in the beginning it will actually strengthen your seasoning over time. I could not hold a seasoning until I started using my chainmail. I'm afraid to use acidic food, but I think it might hold the seasoning.
I have a decade old cast iron dutch oven like that. The seasoning on it is bullet-proof. I have made stews in it with a tomato sauce base and simmered them for a couple of hours over a low camp fire - without any visible affect nor taste issues.
It can, if your seasoning is strong and it sounds like yours is. The trick is just not to cook acidic foods every day!
You can add a bit of baking soda to neutralize the acidity.
I have a theory that it's like paint or adhesive. Usually you want to scrub up the layer so that the next layer can hold on. I believe this is why Lodge has such a rough surface at first. Over time the seasoning fills in the roughness and it smooths out.
@@Cook-CultureI’ve read that seasoning below smoke point is better…. that going above it just burning the oil off, do you know this to be true??
Way easier than the old "reaching smoke point" vids and less oil coating everything in my kitchen!
Incidentally, some have mentioned concerns of chain mail scratching their seasoning. I thought about that too. I just spent some time "seasoning" my chain mail by balling up and rubbing the bottom of my stainless steel sink to smooth out any burrs of rough spots in the chain mail. Not sure it did anything, but it doesn't scratch my seasoning.
Very interesting comparison. Just this past weekend I unintentionally abused one of my carbon steel pans. I cooked sausage in it, but this sausage had brown sugar and apple in it. That meant that the juices that came out were loaded with sugars. Worse, the sausages were the size of brats. I had to cook them hot enough to get good color on the exterior, but also long enough to cook through to the center. That meant the juices had plenty of time to reduce, then carbonize onto the pan. I had the pan covered, trying to hold some moisture in as well as heat to hurry the cooking process, but no luck.
I soaked it in hot water for a few minutes, then scrubbed, hard, on it with chain mail. I fully expected to go down through the seasoning. However, the seasoning on this pan is very good - it is my go-to pan so it gets used a lot. It is black and smooth. I was able to scrub down through the baked-on carbon to a glass-smooth finish and not visibly damage the seasoning at all. A quick warm/dry and then a thin coat of grape seed oil for storage and it looks like new...well, newly seasoned.
Perfect results! Good on you for putting in the effort!!
Covered carbon steel pans will impart a metallic taste to your food. Not recommended to cover.
@@barongugelsurch1145 That's only if you have a poor seasoning. Build it up and you will not get the iron taste
I just bought a brand new De Buyer pan. I followed your instructions about seasoning in the oven. However I used a mild olive oil. Mild means refined oil with a little (I guess a drop) of extra vierge oil. After seasoning I did the omelette test. The omelette moved from one side to the other without sticking at all. I did one seasoning and that was enough. Thanks for your instructions. You have made a happy De Buyer user from me.
Great news. Yes, refined olive oil is a winner. I hope you have a long and happy life with your new forever pan.
What works for me is instead of scrubbing the pan in the sink alot is to just put the pan on the stove on medium heat and pour water into the pan. All that gunky stuff usually starts coming off pretty easily. And I stir the bottom of the pan with a spatula to help loosen it. Then take it to the sink and scrub it but it's usually mostly gone by then Then put it back on the burner, dry, lightly oil the pan and let it heat up till smoking a bit. Then wipe it down and I'm good to go The water boiling doesn't really hurt the seasoning that much it just takes off the gunk and even if the seasoning does come off I just oil it and cook with it and it comes back eventually.
Update. After watching your video I got out my chainmail and scrubbed down my Matfer with it and I like it better now that it's smoother. Thanks for the video!!
Thank you for this video - it was SO helpful to see pans in different conditions and have you point out the details! I have a beautiful old Griswold frying pan that I had stopped using because it was in bad condition and I didn't know exactly what was wrong or how to fix it. This video helped me figure out that my problem was carbon buildup from subpar cleaning (not exposed iron, which I thought was the black residue that would rub off). 20 minutes of scrubbing with some chainmail later and my pan is so lovely and smooth again (though my fingers are raw lol). I'm excitedly reseasoning it now :)
Nice! Thanks for letting me know!
I always thought you wanted your cast iron skillets to turn black eventually. I sanded down my Lodge skillet to most of bare metal so it was smooth instead of pebbly when you get it new. Got it all smoothed out, but I didn't take all of the black off of it but I've had no problems with food sticking, although carmelization does stick. Hot water and a scrubby takes it right off so I feel like it's doing fine. I noticed today that I see more dark areas in the pan but it remains smooth so not sure if it's some of that carmelization or if it's polymerizing. I'm going to leave it for now so long as it stays smooth. But never thought a cast iron pan should stay clear, always "was supposed to get black eventually."
I bought a de Buyer Mineral B. Followed your instructions on how to season it - mid-number on the hob and for about 20 minutes. Then cooked meats and 4 or 5 separate dishes. Then cleaned it scratching with my thumbnail at the food residue and also tried a plastic dough scraper and finally hot water and a plastic scourer. My pan started to rust. Have repeated the seasoning today and cooked eggs, then two different types of meat.
I don't leave cooked food in the pan but can I not leave cooking fat in it until the next time I want to cook? Have seasoned with grapeseed but always cook with tallow/dripping. It's a phaff to have to clean it every time - I think as someone who is new to carbon steel and it must be the same for a lot of other people we thought it was season once and then you are set for life !! Thanks for this video - it was very informative.
Hi, thanks for the comments. There are different stages of your seasoning. It's important to get a hardened season right away, using an oil that will harden, like grapeseed. The next stage is to build your seasoning, ensuring that you scour and post season after each time you cook. Once you have a deep colour, and a hard finish, you can start to be more casual with the pan, liking cooking with animal fat and just wiping the pan out. So it's not quite season once but the first 2 steps are not hard and don't take that long.
Thank you. It's great to know I can't damage it. I may swap to cooking with butter as I don't eat seed oils. It came up well tonight after a clean and have wiped it with grapeseed. @@Cook-Culture
@@justinerogers1353 Great, butter is fine to cook with on iron but it won't season your pan. Avocado oil or very refined olive oil is the best if you don't want to use seed oils
Thanks. Yes, to cook with. I'll stick to grapeseed for seasoning.
I really enjoy your videos!
that carbon build up on the edges, happens on non-stick pans too!
Great content and channel. Have you thought about doing some live session where viewers post pictures of pans and you comment how well seasoned are they and if there is issue with it, how to fix it ?
I hadn't thought about that but I could. Maybe I'll ask the community what they think and go with the results. Thanks for the idea!
Suprised you haven't tried a solidteknics pan yet. I got one not to long ago and it has quickly become my favorite pan of all time. They are single piece carbon steel advertised as wrought iron. They are seasoned using an interesting method too, they sandblast the surface and then heat the pan up and quench it in cold oil. It feels like a cast iron that heats up much more evenly.
Thanks. Yes, video coming soon
@@Cook-Culturewould love to see this, pan had me intrested at first… but the reviews saying poorly balanced, and then rust residues even after oiling / seasoning put me off.
My pan always ends up with this matte-looking dark black surface of built up carbon. I use it almost exclusively to sear steaks and burgers, so I crank the gas all the way up to quickly build that crust, and I think I've just been cooking too hot with it. Time to strip it again and start cooking a little more gently going forwards.
Same case here! Trying to strip the pan now, what's the best way to get it off?
Good on you, yes, heat is the culprit
you can protect from corrosion with cold oil though so seasoning is something more than protect from corrosion
How often should one expect to season a carbon steel pan?
I gave up on seasoning my De Buyer carbon steal 30cm. First, doing it on an induction plate is impossible. Every induction plate has hot zones and oitside those the seasoning takes ages. Doing it in the oven is better, but I needed at least 3 stages. And after that, the nice brown layer turns black and sticky within 2-3 uses. I never use acid, no tomatoes no soap for cleaning. After baking shrimps or a steak with some herbs the residu is only removable with a brush and that damages the layer. I tried for 5 months, repeating seasoning for 6 times. It feels like a new hobby, but I already have enough hobbies. I just want to use a pan for what it is made for.
yeah no. lmfao I have multiples of debuyer pans seasoned well with induction range.. I just go easy with chain mail, and use non abrasive sponges to clean
Being pretty new to CS Pans ( Thanks Jed ) I was also worried about the scratches left by Chainmail, even a fine one, but while grabbing a new Vileda Dish brush a few months ago I noticed they had a new Product called a Power Pad ( 2 pack = $5 ) which is a Polyester Pad woven with fine Stainless steel Threads and I immediately thought of my CS pans - they work great, and last well , I'm still on the 1st one.... definitely worth a try.
Good tip! Thanks, I'll check it out.
@@Cook-Culture Try L.Drugs they also have the German made Microfiber dishclothes which are also excellent.
I always enjoy your videos, Jed. Thanks! Once you've seasoned your pans with seasoning paste, and let it sit on the hob for a few minutes, then let cool down, do you wipe out any excess paste afterwards, or is it dry by then?
Thanks, Geoff! It should be totally dry by then. Using the paste allows you to use just the thinnest amount.
Can you deglaze the carbon steel to get some of the chunks off?
Be cautious of using acidic food in iron, but yes, it can be done.
it's a lot easier to soak the pan in some vinegar for a couple hours before scrubbing if you're trying to nuke it.
Good point
Thanks for all the videos on seasoning. One thing that I find a lot of that times when post seasoning or heating pan to dry is the black residue when wiping. What is the best way to reduce that as the pan feels smooth with no detectable carbon build up?
Good question! Do you use chain mail?
I have two type of chain mail. One coarse mesh and one fine mesh depending on how much material seems stuck on the surface.
I used the chain mail until the surface feels smooth and the hot water looks clean during rinsing. During drying it seems clean or minimal dark spots on the paper or rag. However, after oiling and heating the pan for regular maintenance it seems that any wiping of the surface just comes up black.
I supposed it could be that some seasoning is coming off as the pan is warming up and the metal expands. Just don't know how normal this is if my seasoning is good.
I notice that this happens more with the carbon steel (Matfer) than the wrought iron (SolidTeniks) and cast iron (Stargazer).
Not cooking any acid type foods, sauces
nor leaving anything in the pan after cooking is done.
@@Cook-Culture
@felix4525 thanks for the through explanation. That sounds fairly common once the pan is hot. As long as it's not flaking it should be fine.
Sorry I didn't really get the question in the title answered I think. How do you tell if the pan is done polymerising?
That is a very good question. If you have a solid temperature, and use very little unsaturated oil, your seasoning will start to harden within a minute of application. Turn off the heat and let it cool. If it is not wet, sticky, or gummy, then you have a polymerized seasoning
Great great video
Glad you enjoyed it
What is a “post seasoning”?
Thoughts about using lemon juice on purpose to strip the coating when you made a mess and you need to start over with the seasoning anyway?
I just tried it on my carbon steel wok and for now it looks like it was a good idea
Yes, I bet it would work great. I suggest vinegar as it should be a bunch cheaper.
Wondering if you have any experience with copper frying pans and how to season them. I have a friend that is ready to scrap a pan they bought in France when touring, and I'm thinking a good seasoning might solve their problems with cooking on it.
Yes, I do. Is tbe pan lined with stainless or tin?
Can you pre-season with beeswax and cook with olive oil? Or will this mess the further seasoning process?
Should carbon build up be cleaned? because as I try to clean it, I lose seasoning. Also, it's really hard to clean. I have a well seasoned de Buyer with these kind of carbon build up on the edge and the center partially. Thank you for the video.
Yes remove it all. If the result is a clean seemingly unseasoned surface you need to re season. A good practice is to always keep the surface smooth after each cook with a chain mail scrubber.
Yes, good advice!
Two questions...one, does a lye bath affect the handle on a de Buyer pan and two when you season a Matfer pan in an oven, do you season the handle as well?
Hi, question #1 - I'm not 100% certain, because I have not tried it, but I would assume no. It will only dissolve organic material. #2 - no need to season the Matfer handle
@@Cook-Culture Thank you much!
Yesterday, I was seasoning my Field cast iron skillet after using it and while the seasoning oil was polymerising, I forgot about it and it stayed on the stove for 5 minutes too long. The result was the centre of the cooking surface now looks almost new like when I bought it, while the outer edges are still darkened, as it's been been for a while. Do you know why this might be? Have I burnt off the seasoning in middle? Or perhaps after watching this video, I’m confusing seasoning with carbon?
Hi, it should be fine, just super dry. Season again and it should be good.
When you say" polymerized dull shine" you means "matte shining"? Sorry english isn't my mothertongue.
Hi, yes, exactly.
Also, is the beeswax seasoning paste a better product to use for post-seasoning than a high flash-point oil?
Same/same
What is the best thing to cook in a pan as a "break in" right after 3 oven seasonings, I tried onion and it looks like it did more damage than good, thanks
Onions are great. It may look that way at first but keep cooking!!
@@Cook-Culture Cool thanks, you have an excellent channel !
@@TheMetalCrafter thank you!!
what do you think of the RAD PAN? RADICAL PAN WITH 3.5 ANODIZED ALUMINIUM - They say it is the healthiest - but aluminium has a bad rep then they say ' ultra durable non-stick. Could you advise?
Don't trust it they have a non stick coating they say pfoa free and are probably using ptfe with some other additive, just because they haven't been proven toxic yet doesn't mean they aren't. ptfoa was added because it was presumed safe and now its banned just stay away from plastic coatings, if the pan is aluminum it will have a probably toxic coating. Also price wise it looks like it costs more than a good carbon steel like matfer or de buyer
Stay away, far away. PTFE toxic garbage, that will last months.
I think these carbon steel pans require too much care. You can't even cook tomato sauce in them. I think I'm just going to return the one I bought and stick with stainless steel.
I used to take a lot of care with the seasoning. now I don't bother. I just use my cs pan with anything. wash it normally. dry over a stove. rub a super thin layer of oil when cool. store. repeat.
Some people prefer stainless, but lots of people use both. Whatever works!
@@roberttaylor9259 VERY good point.
Cooking oil polymerizes when it hits its smoke point. When the oil reaches that temperature, the fat molecules oxidize and bond to the iron in a series of chemical reactions, converting them into a layer of polymers.
Hi, smoking fat during seasoning is a correlation, not causation. You do not have to create smoke for a proper seasoning, but most people use it as a visual indicator.
My comment is straight from googles definition of polymerization.
@madroot oh, right, sorry. That must be correct. 🤣
@@madroot I saw that in a cookware related site which I believe is what you found as well, not a scientific fact, I found a few public papers but none mentioned the smoke point and they mention that oxygen and metal catalysts like iron can influence the polymerization
A commercial?
Take care of your bad cut on your wrist do not let it get infected..
Thanks!!
How do you know that you have a good seasoning?
Um... your food doesnt stick???