Cast Iron Help!! *****


 

A.D.Letson

TVWBB Fan
I need some help. I have 3 pieces of cast iron: a 10 inch skillet, a 6 inch skillet, and a bacon press. I had some free time today and wanted to reseason all 3. (I had just today taken the bacon press back down to the metal with some steel wool because of some rust.) Put all three in cold oven on same rack and turned on to 350 degrees. When they were warm, took them out and put shortening from same can on all three. Put all 3 back in upside down on top rack and cooked for an hour.

After an hour, I turned off the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. When I took them out, the bacon press and 6 inch skillet were perfectly seasoned with a nice sheen and nonstick surface. HOWEVER, the 10 inch skillet was "sticky" in places, especially on the convenience handle, and the cooking surface had a film on it that when I wiped did nothing but smear. I tried to cook some bacon in it and it stuck the minute it touched the pan. Now, after cleaning, it is dull and brown on the cooking surface, pretty much the complete opposite of being seasoned.

What happened? And how can I correct it?
 
AD, strip the pan of the fresh grease and do it over. This time turn the skillet upside down so the grease runs out of it, onto a sheet pan underneath it. What happens is that the grease polls up in the skillet, usually on the outer part of the skillet because it gets too thick, because of the grease running down the sides and into the pan. After doing the first season in the oven upside down do this to the skillet. If you have the time the best way to season it is by cooking french fries in the skillet. I do it this way when i can and it works perfect. I use peanut oil and make several batches of fries 5+ in the skillet, and they turn out perfect.
EDIT: Best way to strip the pan of tacky grease is to put it in a gasser upside down and let er rip for about an hour. 650+ temps will burn it right off.
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To add to what Bryan said, I also use my gasser to season. No mess in the oven and no smoke in the house. Really keeps the wife off my case, and I need all the help I can get!
 
I season in the gas grill at 425 to 450 degrees. The 325/350 isn't enough to put a good carbon layer on the iron in one pass. Use Crisco or Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner and only use a very thin film. If it puddles it won't form the conditioning layer.

Steve
 
Thanks for the speedy reply guys.

Bryan S.
I did season them upside down, but I guess I had too much oil on it. I don't have a gas grill so I guess I will have to be creative on how to get the crud off.
 
Got a self-cleaning oven? Stick it in there and run the cleaning cycle. If not, try heating the pan, dumping in a half cup of kosher salt and a few drops of water. Scrub with a paper towel in a circular motion; rinse well; dry; re-season. Melt the shortening first, before thinly adding it to the pan.
 

 

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