I'm an old geezer and have cooked with cast iron all my life. Learned the care and use of CI from my grandmother. Personally I never, ever clean CI with water. Here's what I do. When there is a crusty mess on the bottom. For a large pan I poor in about a 1/4 cup of table salt, make a small soft ball or pad from thin aluminum foil and use them together to clean in several ways. The soft 'tooth' of the foil ball makes a good scraper that wont damage the patina or the seasoning, and the salt absorbs excess grease but leaves the pan with a nice semi dry polish. Both the foil and salt are slightly abrasive, inexpensive, and disposable. Neither affect the flavor of the pan. Finally, use a paper towel to remove every last grain of salt. One last cooking tip. . . cool grease in a hot pan and eggs don't stick. That means have your eggs ready to go, shelled in a bowl. Put room temp grease in the hot pan and quickly follow-up with the eggs. If the pan is clean and well seasoned they will not stick. Try it and see.
it wont due to aluminum, especially foil, is much much softer than iron. It will instead act as a moderate hard surface and assisted by the salt, will scrape the food off.
Layput why does everyone that used cast iron seem to evangelize about how awesome it is before getting the the barebones facts about how to do X and Y 😂
I really appreciate these videos. This guy explains things perfectly, and I forward part 1 and 2 to anyone who I give cast iron to because they can "see" what I'm telling them to do, and replay it if they forget. These are the best and most realistic cleaning and care videos I've seen, and I've watched dozens.
Yes, i do agree on that. I however still have some doubts that i don't get answer on, in fact, i can't find any youtube video that shows this issue. There are some forum mentioned it, but i am not sure if they are saying the same thing i am revering to.. that's why i need video to verify if we are on the common ground. NO video on youtube shows wiping of the cleaned cast iron skillet with white paper towel. when i do mine, it make the white surface become blackish white..actually blackish slight oilish white. Why the black "stain" for a cleaned cast iron skillet ? i suppose it is from the cast iron itself which some said is not bad for woman.. but every time i wipe it , it is blackish... u sure it is healthy long run ?
I actually heat my CI up. Start to burn the stuck in food then really hot water sprayed on to it in the sink. Basically steam cleaning. I then use a good CI cleaning brush. Sometimes I do this twice. I then heat the pan up again and put a really light coat of avocado oil or lard on it till the next meal. Works good for me anyway.....
I've used cast iron for decades, as did my mother and her mother too. I prefer lard and bacon grease to cook with, but I also season at 500 F for one hour. Which means, with lard and bacon grease you get a house full of acrid smoke because of the low smoke point of animal fats. I have since switched to organic grapeseed oil for oven seasoning after cleaning, and periodically to reseal the onyx smooth inner and outer surfaces. As a result, it's very rare to have food stuck in the pan that can't be easily removed with warm water, and gentle scrubbing with the mildly abrasive side of a sponge.🍳
And remember one rule about pans: Cast-iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel-pans are to use for high heat. Teflon and other non-stick are made for low to medium heat. If you stick to this you always do fine :-D
New subscriber here. I’ve chosen you to be my cast iron guide. I am not as methodical nor do I care as much as you, but will most definitely be adopting your methods. I just purchased my fourth cast-iron pan which is 13 x 13 and I intend to use it on my little rocket stove. And that one has ribs on the bottom of the pan so I don’t think the little plastic scraper will work. I see some people clean with a chain like scrubbing device. Look forward to getting a prep education on how to cook cast-iron style Because I am done with the Teflon in the ceramic garbage
One correction for people. You season it with any type of oil, as long as it has a high smoking point. Do NOT use extra virgin or even virgin oils. The best oils are the ones you would use for deep frying like grape seed. You can also use heavy fats like lard etc.
You want to use fats that are predominantly polyunsaturated oils, since these polymerize best. This includes most vegetable, canola, and seed oils. I’m talking about actual baked-on seasoning here. For a maintenance layer, any oil will do, including olive oil.
I just pour boiling water or heat the pan with water to a boil. That softens the food then I use a spatula to scrape the loose food. Rinse wipe it down with a paper towel. Add just a little oil if you’d like. I do that every time I use my cast iron it works just fine.
Cast Iron Chaos Thanks! Really appreciate your knowledge about CI pans. I have another unmarked #3 B with a full smoke ring if you have any ideas about who made it?
@@jm8080ful Literally says in my instructions included with my pan that its okay to use hot soapy water but not harsh detergents so Im getting mixed information..
There's simply not THE one way to do it. There are a number of methods to clean cast iron (and carbon steel) and they all work just fine. Avoiding water and only scraping the skillet with coarse salt? Works just fine, but it's a chore and I would only delegate it to others as punishment. But it's actually neat if I find a little spot I missed after cleaning with water and don't wanna make it wet again. Using only warm water and a scraper / brush? Works fine in most cases. But some nasty stuff like bacon 'smear' can be hard to remove. Boiling water in the skillet to losen burnt stuff? Works just fine. The same goes for using a few drops of hot water on a hot skillet to have the steam losen stuff. I use all those methods depending on the skillet and the type of stuff I want to remove. But I also use a little dish soap if the skillet is greasy or caramelized stuff is sticking. I then use warm to hot water, a little dish soap (no aggressive detergent, just simple dish soap) and a brush. If stuff sticks really hard, I also use a chain mail cleaner. The myth that you can't use dish soap on iron cookware goes back to grandmother's days when dish soap was lye based. Lye does remove seasoning so keep it away from your skillet. But modern dish soap no longer is based on lye. Therefore it's safe to use on cast iron and carbon steel. But as it removes grease, it will actually get rid of the oil which is absorbed into the seasoning (which is good if that oil turned rancid). Thereforethe skillet will require a little bit more oil if you wipe it afterwards.
Great video sir, I love my cast iron, but its still new. Eggs stick to my large pan, but my 6 inch is as smooth as glass and I rarely have trouble with it. Bought a few lodge pans about 2 years ago, and they already have a decent layer of season. I will be on the lookout for the seasoning you used.
+Ron McKickass sticking has nothing to do with smoothness. Nothing. There are a few videos here that show brand new 'pebbled' Lodge iron pans being used to cook eggs perfectly. Sticking has to do with the amount of heat used and the food item being 'cooked'. Cast irons' two best friends are, first, a chain mail washcloth, and second, an infrared thermometer gun. Eggs cook best below 275°F, 260° being about perfect, in butter.
@@js4512 he couldn’t have dumped out all of it - not unless he washed it with dawn afterwards then used none before throwing in eggs. Egg yolks emulsify/bind with oil, it’s why mayonnaise works - so one kind of has to have enough fat to bind off the yolks with enough remaining to at least slick the iron - the french use butter.
SOOOO thrilled as I just received my FIRST cast iron pan! Got a 10 1/4 Lodge. Quick questions: Can I use Coconut Oil as a seasoner? Looking forward to checking out more of your vids.
i used the salt and oil method to clean my pan after the first and only time i used it. worked great, then i seasoned it with oil again but I used Canola oil because i didn't know it mattered what oil you use. i put it in the oven for hours to season and it looked great. pulled it out of my cupboard to use it a second time and the cooking surface is speckled with rust. not sure how to prevent that from happening again. your thoughts??
Just purchased a cast iron pan.... My husband tells me that I spend more time taking care of that pan than I did on my first born son. Not sure if it is worth all the bother to use cast iron..... the Jury is still out on this one
I was struggling with my pans. Facebook as a "cast iron Community" lots of great info and experts there. Now my pans are so easy to clean. I also learned that low and slow is the key to keeping food non stick. Heat on low medium for about 5 minutes. Than add your oil than your food. I have had no more stuck on gunk since trying this. My son didn't clean out the cast iron last night and let it sit over night. I put it on low for 5 minutes. Warmed it up. Used a plastic scrapper, It all came off. Than we ran it under hot water while pan was hot, and scrubbed with the lodge scrubber brush to make sure nothing was on it. Dried it. Heated it up for a few minutes to try it completely and than added a tiny amount of vegetable oil than wiped that out good. Make sure you get your cast iron seasoned good. I did 4x's in the oven for 1hr.
@@dianepatterson5506 I think the seasoning thing is getting better...... It takes a long time to build up a good layer on the pan..... Thanks for all your helpful hints......will always try to heat up well first
Hey! So I could use some help! I have a Lodge 10.25 and a 12. I thought I seasoned them properly but this happens every single time I use it them, no matter what I cook. I use either olive oil or avocado oil depending on the food being cooked. I let the skillet get nice and hot before I put my food in. But it always seems to stick. I cook steaks once a week and they leave a massive mess behind, and I have to put some serious elbow grease in with my scraper to get all the gunk off. Should I remove the seasoning and start all over from scratch?? Plus, mine ever never looked that smooth before. What am I doing wrong??
I just purchased my first iron skillet... ever... it's a Lodge that is preseasoned. I have seen some recommend sanding the surface off and starting fresh. I have done two coats of preseason and baking at 400 in oven. Should I just get using the pan and let it build up or start fresh?
Hello! Great video! I'm about to buy my very own cast iron cookware and had a question. How long do you leave the cast iron on the hot stove after seasoning?
That fear of soap and cast iron is such a myth. My pans came from my grandmother and are over 100 years old. I saw her use soap, my mom uses soap and I use soap. The seasoning on the pan is in excellent shape and the pans remain as stick-free as cast iron can be.
I use a Lodge scraper to get rid of the big stuff and a spot of dish soap finish the job. Everytime? I'd say 80% of the time and I use my cast iron every day. The soap just gets rid of the residual oil - it does not affect the polymerized oil that is stuck to the iron during the "seasoning" process.
How do you store your collection of cast iron? Also, i just picked up an 8" skillet and a 10" griddle by Lodge, and was wondering what is the best way to get them started. wash them out first and then throw the bacon in/on them and cook away? thanks for your help!
I just store mine in a dry place. A cabinet next to the oven, and my pantry. Congrats on the new cast iron! I would give them a rinse with water, dry them with a towel, put them on a burner for a bit and heat them up so any water will evaporate. You can then cook some bacon or seasoning them a few times in the oven (upside down, 350f for an hr two or three times) using an oil of your choice, I use this goo.gl/VbR4kN . Check out this video of mine, at the end I go over the seasoning process I do th-cam.com/video/VRE-9XdXDxE/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps and have fun!
Cooking With Cast Iron ok. last question and i'll stop buggin ya. :) what type of cloth do you use when you go to apply the oil? i just cooked up some bacon in the 8" and it seemed to smooth out a little more also. with time, it will be the best egg frying pan i have.
Now, when you apply a maintenance coating of oil, or whatever you are using, do you have to put it in the oven again like you did when you seasoned it in your seasoning video? Also, say you are using olive oil, or avocado oil, how much should you use, and should you use something with a high or low smoking point? Thanks!
Thank you for that info. Can u show us the paper tower after wiping around on the surface of the cleaned cast iron pan with white dry paper towel.. pls. Mine is always blackish (not like very dirty black, but it always blackish on white paper towel ) on paper towel no matter a million time i clean it (using warm water with non soapy sponge (even with coarse salt) and wipe on a thin layer of cooking oil) and wipe it.
Yes, often times it was homemade lard (their own or from neighbours) from pigs that were eating mostly food and farm scraps. Their lard was filled with much more unsaturated fat (more omega 3, more ALA). Lard was better for health and better for seasoning pans. Not to say that current lard is absolutely useless but you have to take this into consideration.
Looking into getting into cast iron I'm sure you answered it i might have missed it. Can you cook soon after that oil is applied or should you re rinse? And do you do that every single time you cook on it? And is oil really needed? College student with limited time.
+Evester Yes you can cook with it after you apply your oil. After you use it and clean it out, a small amount of oil is used to coat the pan again. Here is my cleaning video here th-cam.com/video/xwCeW5SYJNs/w-d-xo.html&lc=z12rhvyxoseyzfnlc22gc5mrktnghbelp
I am just now able to fry bacon then fry eggs in the same pan. I have a 6 wagner I have had for years and it's got buildup from so much use. It takes a very long time to get a good seasoning on your cast iron.
I know this video is old but I'm hoping to get a reply coz Its really important XD what substitute can one use aside from that lodge scraper? Anything that can be bought at the supermarket or hardware store? I live in the Philippines and I plan on buying a cast iron skillet in the near future Ty.
i use a metal spatula the same one i cook with it DOES NOT DAMAGE THE PAN OR THE SEASONING the seasoning is actually into the pan not just laying on the bottom and if you dont want to sand down your pan to get it smooth (if its a newer pan) over time using a metal spatula will give it a smoother surface. people that buy special product to season their pans are just confused and dont have anything else to spend their money on.
I just bought my first lodge cast iron skillet. I was wondering after I cook and do the cleaning of the pan , when I apply my maintenance coat of oil do I need to put the pan in the oven for the hr like I'll do when I season my pan for the first time?
I use course Kosher salt to clean mine. What do you think of using salt? In fact I use salt and water then dry it on the burner, let it cool and then season it with Crisco and then put it in the oven facing down on a cookie sheet (covered with tin foil) at 350 for an hour to an hour and a half then leave it overnight in the oven to cool off. And it's shiny and black the next day. I'm new to caring for cast iron and learned this method from Martha Stewart. LOL I will say your method is far easier. Never knew about that Lodge scraper, where can I find it? I love my skillet and plan to buy all sizes.
great stuff. I can't seem to remove a few burnt spots (duck skin got too crispy), tried with coarse salt and oil on the stove top, some went away, but still a little bit remains. should I just leave it there? or how can I get rid of those for good? cheers.
Hi. I purchased my first lodge cast iron skillet about 2 weeks ago. So far I love it. I have cooked bacon, stake, and pork sirloin. I do have a question. This last time I washed the cast iron, with water only of course it seemed I got everything out. Yet there is a spot on my pan that looks really dark. When I was washing it with just water I noticed that it looked like oil when mixed with water. I haven't used it in the last few days. have you ever seen anything like that? I have been cleaning it and seasoning it just like your video, but again maybe I did something wrong
I have noticed that this can happen to iron pans. Most of the time I assume its just different properties of metal in the pan that are becoming seasoned or reacting to heat while being used. If the pan seems smooth and clean I would just assume that it is a characteristic of that particular pan. Eventually it should all be close to the same color of dark black.
I plan to start cooking with a cast Iron Skillet for breakfast. I've watched your videos and learned a good bit but by any chance would you happen to have a cheat sheet on Do's and don'ts for taking care of it. Something I can keep by in the kitchen for myself and my gf. Just wanted to ask before I start trying to make it myself.
+Brandon Miller Start with low heat when cooking, always dry them thoroughly after washing, heat them up to evaporate any left over water and apply a small amount of oil. That's basically it =) There is a small learning curve when first starting to use CI, just enjoy it!
It's me again. So I just got my CI pan, just a light wash will do under luke warm water? Is that what you meant by cleaning it for first time use? and After you cook say 1-2 eggs in it just clean it out for the next day (as in leaving the butter to season it)? How often should I actually clean it? Would a spray of olive oil hurt as a substitute for butter when cooking? My bad for the questions, I don't want to ruin the pan or anything.
+Brandon Miller For cleaning it the first time yes that is correct. I clean mine whenever there are pieces that get stuck on or if its been a week or so. I have used olive oil cooking spray when I do pancakes and it works just fine. Good questions, don't worry too much, its hard to ruin them =)
About how long did it take for your pans to gather a non stick, slick surface? Just bought some brand new ones and this is the first time I've cooked with cast iron, and found some challenges with it.
These are vintage skillets, they are usually almost smooth like this. My new lodge griddle did take a year or so to become nice and smooth. New modern cast iron does take some time to get smooth and seasoned, but they still work well!
Once you put the seasoning back on the pan after cleaning, is the seasoning then heated up to dry or do you just heat the pan, reapply the small bit of seasoning, then store....leaving it actually feeling alittle greasy to the touch ??
ky prepper After I heat the pan up, I use a small amount of oil to coat the pan. Then let it sit and cool down, that's how they are stored. You don't want to use a lot of oil so there is a thick greasy coat. Depending on the oil that you use it could be greasy no matter what. The oil that I use here doesn't stay really greasy; when it cools it almost has the consistency of a wax coat. When it heats up it will become oily again. Hope that helps!
Thank you! Great information. I just started using my cast irons which are preseasoned. They smoke badly and it smells yucky....will this stop happening in time?
Suzie Overman if you’re pans stink, it’s because they were seasoned with animal fat rather than veg fat. Always us a high heat veg fat to season the pan. A good hint I’ve come across is to buy FlaxSeed (flax seed has highest smoke point)capsules in the vitamin section of a drug store, just break one or two capsules and spread around in a warm pan. Don’t use a paper towel because this leaves behind lint and the lint gets stuck under the seasoning. Heat upside down in a 375 oven for an hour. Let cool in oven. If, when cool, the pan looks like it cellulite, just use and the next time to season, make sure you’ve wiped the oil to extremely light layer, then wipe again. The more you use this method, the more you’ll learn that lighter seasoning coating the better. Remember, don’t season with animal fat, but high smoke-point vegetable oil.
I just use Crisco. I never ever use the ore seasoning. I strip to bare cast iron first. Clean it really well. Put in oven on about 200 to dry and pre heat. Take it out and turn oven to 400. Wipe on crisco. Then try to wipe it off like I don’t want it there. Trust me. Enough will be left to season. Then in the oven upside down for an hour. Then just start cooking in it.
+julie henderson I just bake it in the oven as my initial seasoning when the pan is new or stripped and I am starting the seasoning all over. So I only do that once and then the rest of the time I do this maintenance seasoning on the stove top after cleaning.
Hello. Thanks for the very informative video. I have seasoned a cast iron wok and this is how it looks after seasoning. I have used vegetable oil. I can’t seem to add a photo of the wok here.
I know your comments getting a little old, but if you do read this… Just clean and re-season inside every time you cook, and just do the outside maybe every other week or once a month is sufficient
2:49 into this video and just too wordy to continue....I'll find another with the instructions I need to clean and season. This should have been "why I like to cook with cast iron".
Should newly bought cast iron skillets be soap washed before using it for the first time? They do come pre-seasoned though, so would there be a risk of removing it if we soap washed it? Plus, would dishwand with an abrasive end be okay to rid the pan of the residue left from cooking, while washing in warm water? Because a lot of makes don’t sell a scraper.
Love the vids. Bo7ght my first lodge pan and seasoned it in the oven like in your other vid. Cooked bacon in it last night then eggs. Sadly I didn't wait for the water to soak the pan and just scrapped a bit hard with my lodge scrapper. Now I get a black residue when I wipe it and there is a ring in the center that isnt as black and shiny as the r3s of thd pan outside of this center ring. Is this pan done for for or am I being paranoid?
Sebastian Moreno It's really hard to ruin cast iron. Another subscriber (comment down below) suggested boiling water in the pan to help clean it out, I would give that a try. I would also get some super washing soda (goo.gl/oHnLSa) and let that soak in it for a bit and give it a good scrub.you might have to do a season layer again. Cast iron is usually never done for, you can recover =)
Cooking With Cast Iron actually just realized today I scrapped along the rop of the rim of my pan and found sone rust underneath. I only use water like u did here to get rif of the crust/excess oil and heat it to evaporate it and season just like your vids show. Any suggestions?
Sebastian Moreno it might have flash rusted when it was scraped. I clean the area best as you can and just start seasoning it again. once you get oil on it, that will help prevent the rusting process.
Awesome, it is on the top of the rim and that's most likely neglect to seasoning it on that specific spot. I scrapped off a bit of it, so ill be sure to season it more. I just picked up a stove top lodge griddle and a 6.5 inch pan and I couldn't be happier. Thanks for all the help! Cooking With Cast Iron
What ingredients are listed in your CI cleaner/seasoner? I saw another vid that said not to use that product, because what is in it, goes into the pores of the pan and ultimately digested with your food.
Hello from Arizona! I was wondering if anything stuck to your pan after you re seasoned it ? I usually have to do a complete seasoning using my oven in order for my next batch of scrambled eggs to turn out good and not stick to my pan.
+haloking623 Greetings! The pan works good still, I have found that butter and the proper temperature in CI is required for good scrambled eggs. I have also found that its best to do eggs in a clean pan. I had previously cooked bacon and went straight to eggs in this video.
So you just put a thin layer of oil on the pan after it has heated properly near the end? do you let it cool before you put it away? Do you just leave it on the stove? Wouldn't this leave a very sticky layer in the cast iron if the heated oil cools on the pan at air temp? I get the oiling after every use, but leaving a thick layer of oil like that, I don't know. I'm not too experienced so if you would explain how to handle the cast iron after applying the maintenance layer of oil. Thank you!
The oil product I use is a blend of palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil. Any of those individually would probably work; coconut oil is probably a good choice. Alternatively you could use a light coating of vegetable oil. Season it a few times in an oven with any of those oils and it should be a good start. Hope that helps and thanks for the comment!
I always tried to explain this to my parents they used nothing but cast iron but would always wash with dish washing liquid then reseason/grease with bacon grease. I tried telling them they were just degreasing all the seasoning out of the pan
Cooking With Cast Iron That seems to be a very controversial point though with scientific arguments pointing out that the molecular organization of the oil changes when heat is applied, or goes through a polymerization reaction. Thus, soap would be unable to remove what is now adhered to the iron of the pan, and anything in excess that wasn't cooked on by the heat would be removed. In other words, if you oil the pan without heat and then use soap, you wash away all the seasoning.
In one of your videos you baked it after you oiled it, it's that only for the initial use? In both cleaning videos you didn't bake after oil, it's that how it's supposed to be done?
+Fknstud For initial seasoning I oil it and bake it in the oven 3-5 times. That is the initial seasoning I do. Once I start using it and cleaning it, I just wipe it try, heat it up on the burner and then apply a small amount of "maintenance oil" to maintain the seasoning. Hope that makes is a little more clear.
I had exactly that from a delicious egg and sausage casserole I cooked in my oven, I may have messed up as I put water and boiled it. I finally got my pot clean and I re-seasoned my pan.
I know this is a old video but I hope you can get back to me on this anyway. I use only cast iron for my cooking, and I don't cook much so I don't use them often. But after I'm done cooking and the pan is cooled and there is some stuff stuck on there I fill the pan with water then throw it on the stove to boil. After it's boiled I pour it out and run warm water in it and with one swipe of a towel it's perfectly clean. It's so easy and becomes so clean it's crazy. I then wipe the extra moisture and water out with a paper towel and put it back on the stove on low-med heat until bone dry. Then wipe out with another paper towel soaked in olive oil while its still hot then I store it. My question is why don't more people use the boil out method? From all the videos Ive watched my method seems the easiest and my season is still black and shiny everytime?
Ryan Calhoun That's a good trick. I haven't tired that personally, sounds like the "de-glazing" a pan method. Not sure why more people don't use it. As long as the end result is the same and the pan is thoroughly dried and oiled it works! I think it's a cool idea, thanks for sharing it here!
Im trying to season some griswold pans I just got. I'm using the same oil you have at 350 for an hour. After an hour I check them and the oil is forming little spots that don't wipe away. Is this normal. I've seasoned them 3 times but still don't have a dark skinny coat yet.
gravesdu Were the pans clean from the start? There might be too much oil on them. If you want to email me some photos I can send you a DM with my email.
Its in a squirt tube =) I haven't used Crisco, so I would be able to say if there are advantages or not. I think crisco can go rancid over time, other than that I would know. Maybe I should do a side by side of new pans with crisco and the camp chef?
Haha yeah! It says that it has "organic palm, coconut, sunflower," "Vit E and citric acid". When this bottle is finished I am going to try some different products
Do you ever test the temperature by throwing a few water drops in the pan? According to Lodge, the droplets should dance around and not evaporate immediately. They say that this is the correct temperature for frying. Did your eggs stick after testing the temp?
eminusipi I don't test with water when I am doing eggs. I wait till the butter in the bottom starts to bubble a little. This comes from my experience using CI on my stove; I just know when its ready for eggs to go in. I would use the water test if I was going to cook steak in it. What happened here was a result of too much bacon junk left in the pan (probably too hot also) when I poured the eggs straight in.
I hate this process of washing a pan - evaporating water on a burner and seasoning it with oil again - that's crazy job for me, so I skip the last two steps simply... NOT washing a pan after cooking with it. I just leave it on the stove with old oil in it, so it won't rust until next time I need to cook something, then I wash it with hot (or boiling hot) water, may be soak it for 5 minutes or so and put it on gas right away. And if something is dead-stuck to it, I use Americas' Test Kitchen hint - put it on gas, pour oil and put sault in there and rub sault with paper towel holding it in clamps until pan is clean. Works like a charm, and no worries for me!
I had brinner last night! The bacon in the store has so much salt in it, and that eats the seasoning right off of it. I try to find the kind with no sodium. Eggs are effortless to cook, I just noticed the advice someone gave you below, it's like if your a plumber going to someone's house to fix the plumbing and someone tells you how to do your job! Haha. I get it all the time.
+MichaelSerial Low sodium makes sense to me. I have noticed that when I cook with seasoning or spices (and I assume sodium does this also) they tend to get stuck and gummy. Thus my results here. Thanks for the insight!
Sodium is the worst. If possible I don't season my meat before I cook on cast iron, but like my cast iron chuck roast steak video, I marinated that for 24 hours in a dry rub to tenderize it. I love your videos, and have learned alot from you
Cooking With Cast Iron I think when it was first taught to use bacon as a way to season the skillet was way back before they added so much salt and nitrates and other chemicals to preserve it. Just a theory. Great video.
I learned from Sam the cooking guy... add two cups of water, bring to a boil and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the stuck food. Works every time and keeps the seasoning. * yes, clean, dry and apply grapeseed oil after.
I have a Lodge 10 1/4 about 2 yrs old. I'm always having sticking issues. I just put it in the oven, again, and I'm gonna re-season it. I think I'm gonna use extra virgin olive oil. I've used lard in the past.
i got my cast iron pan for free markings are sk 10 and a D near the handle. I find any food on the pan comes off with oil and a rag right after using. When it's still warm. And getting it hot sanitizing the pan so no need for water.
I put a skillet in the frig (it had a steak on it). Between the cooking surface and the steak, there was a clove of garlic, which etched a pit into the face of my Griswold. I will never let the ironware go through anything like that again, EVER. Everything gets cleaned after cooking, always, forevermore.
Cooking With Cast Iron Ok, thank you! We just bought a cast iron and we don't know how to take care of it that's why we came to your video! We need all the help we can get and we don't want to mess our new cast iron.
Quick question...doesn't the oiling burn off or smoke on the bottom of the pan? I would think oiling just the interior is the right thing to do? Then again...how do you keep it from rusting if it isn't oiled....hmmmmm....
+yosemitesamiam You would think that would be the case. However, I haven't had an issue of it smoking with the oil I have been using. After cooking, you can clearly see where the flame was on the bottom of the pan.
+Cooking With Cast Iron good to know! I probably used slightly the wrong stuff. Also, I note that some heat the pan to coat while others do it after cleaning while cool. Is there really a right or wrong here?
+yosemitesamiam I am not sure if there is a right or wrong way. I just prefer to do it after I clean it and to get the pan hot. In my experience it helps to apply the oil better when the pan is hot.
I just bought my first cast iron and didn't condition it before cooking bratwursts. I was completely clueless on caring for cast iron so I let it soak overnight and got rust. Is it ruined?
No its not ruined. I would scrub it good with a scotch pad, try to get all the surface rust off. Dry it completely (use the burner to help evaporate after you towel it off) and then start the seasoning process. I have videos about seasoning and there are others on YT. Hope that helps, lmk how it comes out!
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I'm an old geezer and have cooked with cast iron all my life. Learned the care and use of CI from my grandmother. Personally I never, ever clean CI with water. Here's what I do. When there is a crusty mess on the bottom. For a large pan I poor in about a 1/4 cup of table salt, make a small soft ball or pad from thin aluminum foil and use them together to clean in several ways. The soft 'tooth' of the foil ball makes a good scraper that wont damage the patina or the seasoning, and the salt absorbs excess grease but leaves the pan with a nice semi dry polish. Both the foil and salt are slightly abrasive, inexpensive, and disposable. Neither affect the flavor of the pan. Finally, use a paper towel to remove every last grain of salt. One last cooking tip. . . cool grease in a hot pan and eggs don't stick. That means have your eggs ready to go, shelled in a bowl. Put room temp grease in the hot pan and quickly follow-up with the eggs. If the pan is clean and well seasoned they will not stick. Try it and see.
Steven Mccullough Good tips and advice, much appreciated!
Steven Mccullough so the aluminum foil wont scratch the cast iron?
it wont due to aluminum, especially foil, is much much softer than iron. It will instead act as a moderate hard surface and assisted by the salt, will scrape the food off.
that's a lot of salt though
👍🏻
Cleaning starts at 03:56 after a lengthy uninteresting life story.
06:10 Rinsing
Yes... very long to 'get to it'....
You are a god among men
Doing God's work ...
True MVP
Layput why does everyone that used cast iron seem to evangelize about how awesome it is before getting the the barebones facts about how to do X and Y 😂
I really appreciate these videos. This guy explains things perfectly, and I forward part 1 and 2 to anyone who I give cast iron to because they can "see" what I'm telling them to do, and replay it if they forget. These are the best and most realistic cleaning and care videos I've seen, and I've watched dozens.
Yes, i do agree on that. I however still have some doubts that i don't get answer on, in fact, i can't find any youtube video that shows this issue. There are some forum mentioned it, but i am not sure if they are saying the same thing i am revering to.. that's why i need video to verify if we are on the common ground.
NO video on youtube shows wiping of the cleaned cast iron skillet with white paper towel. when i do mine, it make the white surface become blackish white..actually blackish slight oilish white. Why the black "stain" for a cleaned cast iron skillet ? i suppose it is from the cast iron itself which some said is not bad for woman.. but every time i wipe it , it is blackish... u sure it is healthy long run ?
I actually heat my CI up. Start to burn the stuck in food then really hot water sprayed on to it in the sink. Basically steam cleaning. I then use a good CI cleaning brush. Sometimes I do this twice.
I then heat the pan up again and put a really light coat of avocado oil or lard on it till the next meal.
Works good for me anyway.....
I'm new to cooking with cast iron, so thank you for the tips.
I've used cast iron for decades, as did my mother and her mother too. I prefer lard and bacon grease to cook with, but I also season at 500 F for one hour. Which means, with lard and bacon grease you get a house full of acrid smoke because of the low smoke point of animal fats.
I have since switched to organic grapeseed oil for oven seasoning after cleaning, and periodically to reseal the onyx smooth inner and outer surfaces. As a result, it's very rare to have food stuck in the pan that can't be easily removed with warm water, and gentle scrubbing with the mildly abrasive side of a sponge.🍳
And remember one rule about pans: Cast-iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel-pans are to use for high heat. Teflon and other non-stick are made for low to medium heat. If you stick to this you always do fine :-D
Good point
So what did they do before teflon and other non stick products came out?
@@bigmetalcatballs657 you guessed it, Cast iron! 👍
I don't use Teflon coated pans, period. Love my cast iron!
After the pan dries on top of the stove, I use the Bacon Grease to coat the Pan, Before storing it away for the next times use etc.
Everybody thinks their way is the right way, if it works for you then it is the right way.
I agree! Everyone is an expert
unless if your method is actually dangerous and is slowly killing you from the inside...
Highly appreciate tips! And how cool that those pans are there from your grandma! Very neet.
New subscriber here. I’ve chosen you to be my cast iron guide. I am not as methodical nor do I care as much as you, but will most definitely be adopting your methods. I just purchased my fourth cast-iron pan which is 13 x 13 and I intend to use it on my little rocket stove. And that one has ribs on the bottom of the pan so I don’t think the little plastic scraper will work. I see some people clean with a chain like scrubbing device. Look forward to getting a prep education on how to cook cast-iron style Because I am done with the Teflon in the ceramic garbage
One correction for people. You season it with any type of oil, as long as it has a high smoking point. Do NOT use extra virgin or even virgin oils. The best oils are the ones you would use for deep frying like grape seed. You can also use heavy fats like lard etc.
I always use avocado oil. Very high smoke point.
BS
You want to use fats that are predominantly polyunsaturated oils, since these polymerize best. This includes most vegetable, canola, and seed oils. I’m talking about actual baked-on seasoning here.
For a maintenance layer, any oil will do, including olive oil.
I have small brown discolorations possibly rust on the edges of one of my pans. What do you suggest? Thank you for such great videos!
I just pour boiling water or heat the pan with water to a boil. That softens the food then I use a spatula to scrape the loose food. Rinse wipe it down with a paper towel. Add just a little oil if you’d like. I do that every time I use my cast iron it works just fine.
My Mom said to use salt to scrub lightly, but *never* water once the pan has been seasoned.
That unmarked #5 egg pan is a Vollrath - you can tell because the size number is at a right angle to the handle.
Cast Iron Chaos Thanks! Really appreciate your knowledge about CI pans. I have another unmarked #3 B with a full smoke ring if you have any ideas about who made it?
3B would likely be Birmingham Stove and Range. If you don't fall asleep while watching, this may be useful: Identifying Old Cast Iron Pans
Cast Iron Chaos Awesome I will watch! Thanks
Cast Iron Chaos It has a Vollrath handle on it too. One with a slight dip.
Cast Iron Chaos (
Video starts at 3:53
I'm new to cast iron pans. Took ages to scrub the egg off which got stuck on it. What was that scraper you used?
I've watched 3 videos tonight on how to do this and that all did it very differently...
Curt Popejoy I know it’s so annoying
Just do whatever works for you, all of them say don't use dishwashing soap so don't use that.
@@jm8080ful Literally says in my instructions included with my pan that its okay to use hot soapy water but not harsh detergents so Im getting mixed information..
There's simply not THE one way to do it. There are a number of methods to clean cast iron (and carbon steel) and they all work just fine.
Avoiding water and only scraping the skillet with coarse salt? Works just fine, but it's a chore and I would only delegate it to others as punishment. But it's actually neat if I find a little spot I missed after cleaning with water and don't wanna make it wet again.
Using only warm water and a scraper / brush? Works fine in most cases. But some nasty stuff like bacon 'smear' can be hard to remove.
Boiling water in the skillet to losen burnt stuff? Works just fine. The same goes for using a few drops of hot water on a hot skillet to have the steam losen stuff.
I use all those methods depending on the skillet and the type of stuff I want to remove.
But I also use a little dish soap if the skillet is greasy or caramelized stuff is sticking. I then use warm to hot water, a little dish soap (no aggressive detergent, just simple dish soap) and a brush. If stuff sticks really hard, I also use a chain mail cleaner.
The myth that you can't use dish soap on iron cookware goes back to grandmother's days when dish soap was lye based. Lye does remove seasoning so keep it away from your skillet. But modern dish soap no longer is based on lye. Therefore it's safe to use on cast iron and carbon steel. But as it removes grease, it will actually get rid of the oil which is absorbed into the seasoning (which is good if that oil turned rancid). Thereforethe skillet will require a little bit more oil if you wipe it afterwards.
I have been using a quick spray of high temperature Pam. It is made for grills. Any thoughts? I have been enjoying your videos. Thank you.
Great video sir, I love my cast iron, but its still new. Eggs stick to my large pan, but my 6 inch is as smooth as glass and I rarely have trouble with it. Bought a few lodge pans about 2 years ago, and they already have a decent layer of season. I will be on the lookout for the seasoning you used.
+Ron McKickass Awesome! Thanks for letting me know!
+Ron McKickass sticking has nothing to do with smoothness. Nothing. There are a few videos here that show brand new 'pebbled' Lodge iron pans being used to cook eggs perfectly. Sticking has to do with the amount of heat used and the food item being 'cooked'. Cast irons' two best friends are, first, a chain mail washcloth, and second, an infrared thermometer gun. Eggs cook best below 275°F, 260° being about perfect, in butter.
@@podboq2 Eggs don't stick to grease.... He never should have dumped out the bacon grease....
@@js4512 he couldn’t have dumped out all of it - not unless he washed it with dawn afterwards then used none before throwing in eggs. Egg yolks emulsify/bind with oil, it’s why mayonnaise works - so one kind of has to have enough fat to bind off the yolks with enough remaining to at least slick the iron - the french use butter.
SOOOO thrilled as I just received my FIRST cast iron pan! Got a 10 1/4 Lodge. Quick questions: Can I use Coconut Oil as a seasoner? Looking forward to checking out more of your vids.
+LiveLikeNoOneElse Awesome! I think coconut should work well. Most oils do, just use a light amount when seasoning it for the first few times.
Awesome!! Thanks for taking time to answer my question. Looking forward to seasoning.
i used the salt and oil method to clean my pan after the first and only time i used it. worked great, then i seasoned it with oil again but I used Canola oil because i didn't know it mattered what oil you use. i put it in the oven for hours to season and it looked great. pulled it out of my cupboard to use it a second time and the cooking surface is speckled with rust. not sure how to prevent that from happening again. your thoughts??
Just purchased a cast iron pan.... My husband tells me that I spend more time taking care of that pan than I did on my first born son. Not sure if it is worth all the bother to use cast iron..... the Jury is still out on this one
“My husband tells me that I spend more time taking care of that pan than I did on my first born son”...😂😂😂😂😂
It takes a while for the seasoning to build up. Once it does it’s worth it.
It does seem like quite a bit of work.
I was struggling with my pans. Facebook as a "cast iron Community" lots of great info and experts there. Now my pans are so easy to clean. I also learned that low and slow is the key to keeping food non stick. Heat on low medium for about 5 minutes. Than add your oil than your food. I have had no more stuck on gunk since trying this. My son didn't clean out the cast iron last night and let it sit over night. I put it on low for 5 minutes. Warmed it up. Used a plastic scrapper, It all came off. Than we ran it under hot water while pan was hot, and scrubbed with the lodge scrubber brush to make sure nothing was on it. Dried it. Heated it up for a few minutes to try it completely and than added a tiny amount of vegetable oil than wiped that out good. Make sure you get your cast iron seasoned good. I did 4x's in the oven for 1hr.
@@dianepatterson5506 I think the seasoning thing is getting better...... It takes a long time to build up a good layer on the pan..... Thanks for all your helpful hints......will always try to heat up well first
what kind of rag works? I used paper towel and some other cloth, it always left lint in the pan.
100% cotton.
Lint free rag
Hey! So I could use some help! I have a Lodge 10.25 and a 12. I thought I seasoned them properly but this happens every single time I use it them, no matter what I cook. I use either olive oil or avocado oil depending on the food being cooked. I let the skillet get nice and hot before I put my food in. But it always seems to stick. I cook steaks once a week and they leave a massive mess behind, and I have to put some serious elbow grease in with my scraper to get all the gunk off. Should I remove the seasoning and start all over from scratch?? Plus, mine ever never looked that smooth before. What am I doing wrong??
I just purchased my first iron skillet... ever... it's a Lodge that is preseasoned. I have seen some recommend sanding the surface off and starting fresh. I have done two coats of preseason and baking at 400 in oven. Should I just get using the pan and let it build up or start fresh?
You drained the bacon grease out? 🤔 Who drains bacon grease out before following behind with cooking eggs in the same pan??
Exactly. I drain but leave a small amount of bacon grease. Eggs never stick. Ever.
Hello! Great video! I'm about to buy my very own cast iron cookware and had a question. How long do you leave the cast iron on the hot stove after seasoning?
That fear of soap and cast iron is such a myth. My pans came from my grandmother and are over 100 years old. I saw her use soap, my mom uses soap and I use soap. The seasoning on the pan is in excellent shape and the pans remain as stick-free as cast iron can be.
+John Cooper Right on, everyone has their method when it comes to cast iron. Cheers
do you use soap each time? how much of it?
I use a Lodge scraper to get rid of the big stuff and a spot of dish soap finish the job. Everytime? I'd say 80% of the time and I use my cast iron every day. The soap just gets rid of the residual oil - it does not affect the polymerized oil that is stuck to the iron during the "seasoning" process.
thanks!
thanks!
How do you store your collection of cast iron?
Also, i just picked up an 8" skillet and a 10" griddle by Lodge, and was wondering what is the best way to get them started. wash them out first and then throw the bacon in/on them and cook away? thanks for your help!
I just store mine in a dry place. A cabinet next to the oven, and my pantry. Congrats on the new cast iron! I would give them a rinse with water, dry them with a towel, put them on a burner for a bit and heat them up so any water will evaporate. You can then cook some bacon or seasoning them a few times in the oven (upside down, 350f for an hr two or three times) using an oil of your choice, I use this goo.gl/VbR4kN . Check out this video of mine, at the end I go over the seasoning process I do th-cam.com/video/VRE-9XdXDxE/w-d-xo.html. Hope that helps and have fun!
Cooking With Cast Iron ok. last question and i'll stop buggin ya. :) what type of cloth do you use when you go to apply the oil?
i just cooked up some bacon in the 8" and it seemed to smooth out a little more also. with time, it will be the best egg frying pan i have.
Jason Sherman I have an old shirt I have been tearing up and using, 100% cotton. Seems to make a good dedicated cast iron rag.
Now, when you apply a maintenance coating of oil, or whatever you are using, do you have to put it in the oven again like you did when you seasoned it in your seasoning video? Also, say you are using olive oil, or avocado oil, how much should you use, and should you use something with a high or low smoking point? Thanks!
Hope you doing OK bud! Your video helped me with my new cast iron
Glad to hear, That’s buddy
Thank you for that info. Can u show us the paper tower after wiping around on the surface of the cleaned cast iron pan with white dry paper towel.. pls. Mine is always blackish (not like very dirty black, but it always blackish on white paper towel ) on paper towel no matter a million time i clean it (using warm water with non soapy sponge (even with coarse salt) and wipe on a thin layer of cooking oil) and wipe it.
I love your unmarked no 5 pan!
SMDH just put an inch of water in pan cover and bring to a boil.....turn off heat and let cool....scrub if actually needed and rinse and season
Thank you. Can you season it after washing/drying without heating it up on burner?
What kind of cast iron seasoning do you use???
What kind of burner? I'm interested in the two burner also!? Thx
Grandmother's for generations have always used plain old lard.
True, I still use it at times
I use oils with a high smoking point mainly flaxseed and coconut oil for optimal polymerization but lard works real well.
The Chinese use lard in their woks. I think it works.
Yes, often times it was homemade lard (their own or from neighbours) from pigs that were eating mostly food and farm scraps. Their lard was filled with much more unsaturated fat (more omega 3, more ALA). Lard was better for health and better for seasoning pans. Not to say that current lard is absolutely useless but you have to take this into consideration.
Looking into getting into cast iron I'm sure you answered it i might have missed it. Can you cook soon after that oil is applied or should you re rinse? And do you do that every single time you cook on it? And is oil really needed? College student with limited time.
+Evester Yes you can cook with it after you apply your oil. After you use it and clean it out, a small amount of oil is used to coat the pan again. Here is my cleaning video here th-cam.com/video/xwCeW5SYJNs/w-d-xo.html&lc=z12rhvyxoseyzfnlc22gc5mrktnghbelp
I am just now able to fry bacon then fry eggs in the same pan. I have a 6 wagner I have had for years and it's got buildup from so much use. It takes a very long time to get a good seasoning on your cast iron.
I know this video is old but I'm hoping to get a reply coz Its really important XD what substitute can one use aside from that lodge scraper? Anything that can be bought at the supermarket or hardware store? I live in the Philippines and I plan on buying a cast iron skillet in the near future Ty.
Any type of plastic scraper should work fine. You don't want anything that is too hard or it could damage the seasoning. Thanks!
NEET TALK f
i use a metal spatula the same one i cook with it DOES NOT DAMAGE THE PAN OR THE SEASONING the seasoning is actually into the pan not just laying on the bottom and if you dont want to sand down your pan to get it smooth (if its a newer pan) over time using a metal spatula will give it a smoother surface. people that buy special product to season their pans are just confused and dont have anything else to spend their money on.
I just bought my first lodge cast iron skillet. I was wondering after I cook and do the cleaning of the pan , when I apply my maintenance coat of oil do I need to put the pan in the oven for the hr like I'll do when I season my pan for the first time?
David Gilmore
I use course Kosher salt to clean mine. What do you think of using salt? In fact I use salt and water then dry it on the burner, let it cool and then season it with Crisco and then put it in the oven facing down on a cookie sheet (covered with tin foil) at 350 for an hour to an hour and a half then leave it overnight in the oven to cool off. And it's shiny and black the next day. I'm new to caring for cast iron and learned this method from Martha Stewart. LOL I will say your method is far easier. Never knew about that Lodge scraper, where can I find it? I love my skillet and plan to buy all sizes.
great stuff. I can't seem to remove a few burnt spots (duck skin got too crispy), tried with coarse salt and oil on the stove top, some went away, but still a little bit remains. should I just leave it there? or how can I get rid of those for good? cheers.
That sounds like it is stuck on good! Some other methods suggest boiling water in the skillet to loosen up stuff. Have you tried that?
Hi. I purchased my first lodge cast iron skillet about 2 weeks ago. So far I love it. I have cooked bacon, stake, and pork sirloin. I do have a question. This last time I washed the cast iron, with water only of course it seemed I got everything out. Yet there is a spot on my pan that looks really dark. When I was washing it with just water I noticed that it looked like oil when mixed with water. I haven't used it in the last few days. have you ever seen anything like that? I have been cleaning it and seasoning it just like your video, but again maybe I did something wrong
I have noticed that this can happen to iron pans. Most of the time I assume its just different properties of metal in the pan that are becoming seasoned or reacting to heat while being used. If the pan seems smooth and clean I would just assume that it is a characteristic of that particular pan. Eventually it should all be close to the same color of dark black.
Hi there. What's that small scraper you're using? May I ask where you bought it and for how much?
Or one can use an old credit card or drivers license.
I plan to start cooking with a cast Iron Skillet for breakfast. I've watched your videos and learned a good bit but by any chance would you happen to have a cheat sheet on Do's and don'ts for taking care of it. Something I can keep by in the kitchen for myself and my gf. Just wanted to ask before I start trying to make it myself.
+Brandon Miller Start with low heat when cooking, always dry them thoroughly after washing, heat them up to evaporate any left over water and apply a small amount of oil. That's basically it =)
There is a small learning curve when first starting to use CI, just enjoy it!
Ok, thank you! It just seemed like a lot. Just bought the lodge scraper, oil, and skillet!
+Brandon Miller You will find your groove and what works best for you. Sounds like you are off to a good start!
It's me again.
So I just got my CI pan, just a light wash will do under luke warm water? Is that what you meant by cleaning it for first time use?
and
After you cook say 1-2 eggs in it just clean it out for the next day (as in leaving the butter to season it)? How often should I actually clean it?
Would a spray of olive oil hurt as a substitute for butter when cooking?
My bad for the questions, I don't want to ruin the pan or anything.
+Brandon Miller For cleaning it the first time yes that is correct. I clean mine whenever there are pieces that get stuck on or if its been a week or so. I have used olive oil cooking spray when I do pancakes and it works just fine. Good questions, don't worry too much, its hard to ruin them =)
About how long did it take for your pans to gather a non stick, slick surface? Just bought some brand new ones and this is the first time I've cooked with cast iron, and found some challenges with it.
These are vintage skillets, they are usually almost smooth like this. My new lodge griddle did take a year or so to become nice and smooth. New modern cast iron does take some time to get smooth and seasoned, but they still work well!
Once you put the seasoning back on the pan after cleaning, is the seasoning then heated up to dry or do you just heat the pan, reapply the small bit of seasoning, then store....leaving it actually feeling alittle greasy to the touch ??
ky prepper After I heat the pan up, I use a small amount of oil to coat the pan. Then let it sit and cool down, that's how they are stored. You don't want to use a lot of oil so there is a thick greasy coat. Depending on the oil that you use it could be greasy no matter what. The oil that I use here doesn't stay really greasy; when it cools it almost has the consistency of a wax coat. When it heats up it will become oily again. Hope that helps!
Sure does help ! Thank you !!
Thank you! Great information. I just started using my cast irons which are preseasoned. They smoke badly and it smells yucky....will this stop happening in time?
Suzie Overman if you’re pans stink, it’s because they were seasoned with animal fat rather than veg fat. Always us a high heat veg fat to season the pan. A good hint I’ve come across is to buy FlaxSeed (flax seed has highest smoke point)capsules in the vitamin section of a drug store, just break one or two capsules and spread around in a warm pan. Don’t use a paper towel because this leaves behind lint and the lint gets stuck under the seasoning. Heat upside down in a 375 oven for an hour. Let cool in oven. If, when cool, the pan looks like it cellulite, just use and the next time to season, make sure you’ve wiped the oil to extremely light layer, then wipe again. The more you use this method, the more you’ll learn that lighter seasoning coating the better. Remember, don’t season with animal fat, but high smoke-point vegetable oil.
I just use Crisco. I never ever use the ore seasoning. I strip to bare cast iron first. Clean it really well. Put in oven on about 200 to dry and pre heat. Take it out and turn oven to 400. Wipe on crisco. Then try to wipe it off like I don’t want it there. Trust me. Enough will be left to season. Then in the oven upside down for an hour. Then just start cooking in it.
Where did you get those no brand pan? Were they smooth when you bought them or that's from continued usage?
Vintage pans from family
Love the video. If I rinse heat on burner and grease after each use, how often do I do the whole oven baking/heating and oiling procedure??
+julie henderson I just bake it in the oven as my initial seasoning when the pan is new or stripped and I am starting the seasoning all over. So I only do that once and then the rest of the time I do this maintenance seasoning on the stove top after cleaning.
I’ve heard you’re supposed to heat the seasoning (oil) after applying it to its smoking point so it doesn’t go rancid.
If you dont use the pans enough the oil should be heated. If you use it frequently it doesnt matter.
Hello. Thanks for the very informative video. I have seasoned a cast iron wok and this is how it looks after seasoning. I have used vegetable oil. I can’t seem to add a photo of the wok here.
After I clean my cast iron, do I need to season the bottom part of cast iron too? Or just the top part where you cook the food?
I know your comments getting a little old, but if you do read this… Just clean and re-season inside every time you cook, and just do the outside maybe every other week or once a month is sufficient
2:49 into this video and just too wordy to continue....I'll find another with the instructions I need to clean and season. This should have been "why I like to cook with cast iron".
you find one? or do i need to make a video?
Should newly bought cast iron skillets be soap washed before using it for the first time? They do come pre-seasoned though, so would there be a risk of removing it if we soap washed it? Plus, would dishwand with an abrasive end be okay to rid the pan of the residue left from cooking, while washing in warm water? Because a lot of makes don’t sell a scraper.
Love the vids. Bo7ght my first lodge pan and seasoned it in the oven like in your other vid. Cooked bacon in it last night then eggs. Sadly I didn't wait for the water to soak the pan and just scrapped a bit hard with my lodge scrapper. Now I get a black residue when I wipe it and there is a ring in the center that isnt as black and shiny as the r3s of thd pan outside of this center ring. Is this pan done for for or am I being paranoid?
Sebastian Moreno It's really hard to ruin cast iron. Another subscriber (comment down below) suggested boiling water in the pan to help clean it out, I would give that a try. I would also get some super washing soda (goo.gl/oHnLSa) and let that soak in it for a bit and give it a good scrub.you might have to do a season layer again. Cast iron is usually never done for, you can recover =)
Cooking With Cast Iron actually just realized today I scrapped along the rop of the rim of my pan and found sone rust underneath. I only use water like u did here to get rif of the crust/excess oil and heat it to evaporate it and season just like your vids show. Any suggestions?
Sebastian Moreno it might have flash rusted when it was scraped. I clean the area best as you can and just start seasoning it again. once you get oil on it, that will help prevent the rusting process.
Awesome, it is on the top of the rim and that's most likely neglect to seasoning it on that specific spot. I scrapped off a bit of it, so ill be sure to season it more. I just picked up a stove top lodge griddle and a 6.5 inch pan and I couldn't be happier. Thanks for all the help! Cooking With Cast Iron
Sebastian Moreno You will get happier the more you use it and continue to use it in 20, 30 + years =)
Hi. Was wondering what that rag you were using was? I'm looking for better lint-free towels so figured I'd ask. Nice videos.
+NewMetroDesign9 Good question. I use worn out 100% cotton shirts that I rip into rag pieces. Thanks!
I have a little #5 i use fir eggs .......yours looks like a “vollrath” a very nice looking pan.....
Can you use avocado oil?
Do you have to rinse and do a maintenance seasoning everytime you cook?
Put it on the burner on high and let a cup of water boil. Some salt and a green scrubby will do it, perfect clean,
That works also, thanks!
Since I don't have the cast iron oil, I simply rinse, and then add a little oil (any oil) to a paper towel and wipe. Done.
Wish you still made these videos.
The cooking surface of the cast iron skillet what I have is very rough and not smooth but yours is very smooth. Is it normal or I bought a wrong one?
What ingredients are listed in your CI cleaner/seasoner? I saw another vid that said not to use that product, because what is in it, goes into the pores of the pan and ultimately digested with your food.
Hello from Arizona! I was wondering if anything stuck to your pan after you re seasoned it ? I usually have to do a complete seasoning using my oven in order for my next batch of scrambled eggs to turn out good and not stick to my pan.
+haloking623 Greetings! The pan works good still, I have found that butter and the proper temperature in CI is required for good scrambled eggs. I have also found that its best to do eggs in a clean pan. I had previously cooked bacon and went straight to eggs in this video.
Unless I missed it, after the pan's clean and your seasoning it again, how long should it stay on the heat?
So you just put a thin layer of oil on the pan after it has heated properly near the end? do you let it cool before you put it away? Do you just leave it on the stove?
Wouldn't this leave a very sticky layer in the cast iron if the heated oil cools on the pan at air temp?
I get the oiling after every use, but leaving a thick layer of oil like that, I don't know. I'm not too experienced so if you would explain how to handle the cast iron after applying the maintenance layer of oil.
Thank you!
I'm from Portugal and I don't have access to Crisco our that product you recommend for seasoning the pan. What should I use instead?
The oil product I use is a blend of palm oil, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil. Any of those individually would probably work; coconut oil is probably a good choice. Alternatively you could use a light coating of vegetable oil. Season it a few times in an oven with any of those oils and it should be a good start. Hope that helps and thanks for the comment!
Cooking With Cast Iron Thank you for the quick reply! We have lots of sunflower seed oil here I will try that!
This seems like dumb question but do you have to preseason the pan after each use?
No, just maintenance oil to help keep the seasoning building.
Oh, thanks.
I always tried to explain this to my parents they used nothing but cast iron but would always wash with dish washing liquid then reseason/grease with bacon grease. I tried telling them they were just degreasing all the seasoning out of the pan
Reaper Soap is an oil emulsifier, so unfortunately it does wash away some of the seasoning layer. At least you know how to do it right!
Cooking With Cast Iron That seems to be a very controversial point though with scientific arguments pointing out that the molecular organization of the oil changes when heat is applied, or goes through a polymerization reaction. Thus, soap would be unable to remove what is now adhered to the iron of the pan, and anything in excess that wasn't cooked on by the heat would be removed. In other words, if you oil the pan without heat and then use soap, you wash away all the seasoning.
Ugh, I needed this! Haha we had a fondue type night with cast iron beer cheese....well, my skillet is now crusted over with cheese haha!
In one of your videos you baked it after you oiled it, it's that only for the initial use? In both cleaning videos you didn't bake after oil, it's that how it's supposed to be done?
+Fknstud For initial seasoning I oil it and bake it in the oven 3-5 times. That is the initial seasoning I do. Once I start using it and cleaning it, I just wipe it try, heat it up on the burner and then apply a small amount of "maintenance oil" to maintain the seasoning. Hope that makes is a little more clear.
+Cooking With Cast Iron thanks!
I had exactly that from a delicious egg and sausage casserole I cooked in my oven, I may have messed up as I put water and boiled it. I finally got my pot clean and I re-seasoned my pan.
I know this is a old video but I hope you can get back to me on this anyway. I use only cast iron for my cooking, and I don't cook much so I don't use them often. But after I'm done cooking and the pan is cooled and there is some stuff stuck on there I fill the pan with water then throw it on the stove to boil. After it's boiled I pour it out and run warm water in it and with one swipe of a towel it's perfectly clean. It's so easy and becomes so clean it's crazy. I then wipe the extra moisture and water out with a paper towel and put it back on the stove on low-med heat until bone dry. Then wipe out with another paper towel soaked in olive oil while its still hot then I store it. My question is why don't more people use the boil out method? From all the videos Ive watched my method seems the easiest and my season is still black and shiny everytime?
Ryan Calhoun That's a good trick. I haven't tired that personally, sounds like the "de-glazing" a pan method. Not sure why more people don't use it. As long as the end result is the same and the pan is thoroughly dried and oiled it works! I think it's a cool idea, thanks for sharing it here!
Im trying to season some griswold pans I just got. I'm using the same oil you have at 350 for an hour. After an hour I check them and the oil is forming little spots that don't wipe away. Is this normal. I've seasoned them 3 times but still don't have a dark skinny coat yet.
Cooking With Cast Iron yes, upside down. I made sure they were completely dry before applying the seasoning also.
gravesdu Were the pans clean from the start? There might be too much oil on them. If you want to email me some photos I can send you a DM with my email.
Cooking With Cast Iron that would be great. I cleaned the pans right down to the gray cast. Thanks for all the help.
Good info. Thanks. I could never get iron pans to get cleaned properly.. right now I know how it works. I appreciate it.
+NeonAera Glad I could help
Hot pan, then add hot water steams dried food off also
What are the advantages of using that Camp Chef seasoning over Crisco?
Its in a squirt tube =) I haven't used Crisco, so I would be able to say if there are advantages or not. I think crisco can go rancid over time, other than that I would know. Maybe I should do a side by side of new pans with crisco and the camp chef?
Haha yeah! It says that it has "organic palm, coconut, sunflower," "Vit E and citric acid". When this bottle is finished I am going to try some different products
Do you ever test the temperature by throwing a few water drops in the pan? According to Lodge, the droplets should dance around and not evaporate immediately. They say that this is the correct temperature for frying. Did your eggs stick after testing the temp?
eminusipi I don't test with water when I am doing eggs. I wait till the butter in the bottom starts to bubble a little. This comes from my experience using CI on my stove; I just know when its ready for eggs to go in. I would use the water test if I was going to cook steak in it. What happened here was a result of too much bacon junk left in the pan (probably too hot also) when I poured the eggs straight in.
I hate this process of washing a pan - evaporating water on a burner and seasoning it with oil again - that's crazy job for me, so I skip the last two steps simply... NOT washing a pan after cooking with it. I just leave it on the stove with old oil in it, so it won't rust until next time I need to cook something, then I wash it with hot (or boiling hot) water, may be soak it for 5 minutes or so and put it on gas right away. And if something is dead-stuck to it, I use Americas' Test Kitchen hint - put it on gas, pour oil and put sault in there and rub sault with paper towel holding it in clamps until pan is clean. Works like a charm, and no worries for me!
+Max Nits I agree, most of the times my pans just sit on the stove and don't get washed. But when I do, I do it this way.
try stainless steel chain mail scrubbers.........work great
I have seen these, but never tried them. Maybe on my next amazon order!
How often do you season your skillets?
I had brinner last night! The bacon in the store has so much salt in it, and that eats the seasoning right off of it. I try to find the kind with no sodium. Eggs are effortless to cook, I just noticed the advice someone gave you below, it's like if your a plumber going to someone's house to fix the plumbing and someone tells you how to do your job! Haha. I get it all the time.
+MichaelSerial Low sodium makes sense to me. I have noticed that when I cook with seasoning or spices (and I assume sodium does this also) they tend to get stuck and gummy. Thus my results here. Thanks for the insight!
Sodium is the worst. If possible I don't season my meat before I cook on cast iron, but like my cast iron chuck roast steak video, I marinated that for 24 hours in a dry rub to tenderize it. I love your videos, and have learned alot from you
Cooking With Cast Iron
I think when it was first taught to use bacon as a way to season the skillet was way back before they added so much salt and nitrates and other chemicals to preserve it. Just a theory. Great video.
+MichaelSerial Ah yeah that makes sense! Thanks for the input!
Cooking With Cast Iron
Your welcome! Thanks for all that you taught me!
Great vids, looking forward to cast iron cooking!
Thanks, have fun!
What kind of rag are you using to out the conditioning oil on with?
Honestly looked like a lens cleaning cloth
Very cool it helped alllllllooootttt.
YEET
I learned from Sam the cooking guy... add two cups of water, bring to a boil and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the stuck food. Works every time and keeps the seasoning. * yes, clean, dry and apply grapeseed oil after.
I have a Lodge 10 1/4 about 2 yrs old. I'm always having sticking issues. I just put it in the oven, again, and I'm gonna re-season it. I think I'm gonna use extra virgin olive oil. I've used lard in the past.
Hugh Janus Lots of butter helps when cooking.
Cooking With Cast Iron Hey, butter's on sale at the store Friday! Butter time! Thanks man.
Cooking With Cast Iron.....how high was your gas stove when you waited for the CI to heat up and dry please?
What kind of rag do you use
i got my cast iron pan for free markings are sk 10 and a D near the handle. I find any food on the pan comes off with oil and a rag right after using. When it's still warm. And getting it hot sanitizing the pan so no need for water.
Nice
I put a skillet in the frig (it had a steak on it). Between the cooking surface and the steak, there was a clove of garlic, which etched a pit into the face of my Griswold. I will never let the ironware go through anything like that again, EVER. Everything gets cleaned after cooking, always, forevermore.
PERFECT! I just got eggs stuck on mine this morning.
After seasoning the cast iron, how long should I let it sit in the burner before storing it in the cabinet?
***** just till its cool to the touch
Cooking With Cast Iron Ok, thank you! We just bought a cast iron and we don't know how to take care of it that's why we came to your video! We need all the help we can get and we don't want to mess our new cast iron.
Quick question...doesn't the oiling burn off or smoke on the bottom of the pan? I would think oiling just the interior is the right thing to do? Then again...how do you keep it from rusting if it isn't oiled....hmmmmm....
+yosemitesamiam You would think that would be the case. However, I haven't had an issue of it smoking with the oil I have been using. After cooking, you can clearly see where the flame was on the bottom of the pan.
+Cooking With Cast Iron good to know! I probably used slightly the wrong stuff. Also, I note that some heat the pan to coat while others do it after cleaning while cool. Is there really a right or wrong here?
+yosemitesamiam I am not sure if there is a right or wrong way. I just prefer to do it after I clean it and to get the pan hot. In my experience it helps to apply the oil better when the pan is hot.
I just bought my first cast iron and didn't condition it before cooking bratwursts. I was completely clueless on caring for cast iron so I let it soak overnight and got rust. Is it ruined?
also I used dish soap to wash it
No its not ruined. I would scrub it good with a scotch pad, try to get all the surface rust off. Dry it completely (use the burner to help evaporate after you towel it off) and then start the seasoning process. I have videos about seasoning and there are others on YT. Hope that helps, lmk how it comes out!