Seasoning Cast Iron on the Summit, Much Easier


 
Jeff Holmes

Jeff Holmes

TVWBB Super Fan
We started using CI when her grandmother passed away and the family was literally throwing all these really old and well seasoned pans away. At the time, we didn't have an appreciation for CI, either, so we only took a few. It still pains us to this day. Nevertheless, when her grandpa on the other side passed away, we knew better and kept all we could. Like most people on here, I discovered the blog about using flax oil. It was an article I much needed to find because I wasn't having much success with bacon grease, criso, canola oil, veggie oil, etc. The largest skillet we had was a 10"- and we had a quite a few of them. With the family growing, however, I really wanted a 12". I was shocked at the prices these quality old skillets were fetching on eBay. I'm not a colletor and don't mind those who do, but it really hurts us that just want a quality old skillet to cook with. So, I started putting out requests for a 12", well seasoned old skillet. I asked people at church, work and family. Everyone either gave all of their CI away or were still using it.

The person that came through was a neighbor. He gave me a brand new lodge 12" skillet. Now I had read about the quality of the new lodge CI on the net but rather than sound unappreciative, I took it in and thought I'd give it a try. The cooking surface was rough, I mean REALLY rough. I took a flat pc of steel and kept raking it across the surface to try and remove all the stalactites- or would that be stalagmites? Then I sat off trying to season it and only got marginal results at best. I made myself cook with it off and on for about 2 years thinking it would get better with all that usage. There were times it did as well as some of my other stuff but it was hit and miss. I've just never been satisfied with it.

Recently, I took several steps back. I discovered that I could season CI on my S670 with indirect heat (direct actually took all the seasoning off and I was basically starting over). I used this opportunity to start the process and really try to get 6 coats of flax oil baked on it. I'm on #4 right now. Am I wasting my time and expensive flax oil? I have a logde griddle on there at the same time. It seems to have a much smoother surface and I think it'll be alright. I with I would have taken a random orbital sander to the lodge first, but I'm 4 seasonings in to it now.

What's your experience with trying to bring the new Lodge CI up to par with your old trusty/crusty CI?

...pic in a minute, it's on my phone

 
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I've used nothing but (mostly) metal spatulas on mine for that very reason.... if they're still not smooth I see no reason to NOT sand it, but if your'e 2/3 there, you could finish it up.

Seasoning, to me, is not a permanent thing---- i have no fear of "ruining" cast iron, I'd just clean it and season it again....mainly through use.

The Flaxseed oil seasoning is something I'd like to try but haven't yet. I'll like to see how it works for you.
 
I've used it on some skillets that were already seasoned, new things like my wok and redone some things that were perfect until my mom "helped" us wash dishes and took off 50 years of seasoning with a Brillo!!!! Flax worked great on all of these. I've used flax on the 12" lodge I'm seasoning now, but I never did the full 6 consecutive seasonings before cooking in it. I was going to give it a touch up in my summit the other day and messed up by over baking it on direct heat at about 700. It pretty much took it to bare metal. So, I thought it would be a good time to try building up 6 layers, maybe more. If this doesn't do it, I'll bite the bullet and find a quality one that has a machined surfaced. Here are some pics:



This is my no name brand egg/pancake CI skillet....it was ok when we inherited it but after a few flax treatments, it's truly nonstick. I amaze people by pushing eggs around on it...



It's such a generic skillet that it has a major casting flaw on the bottom. It won't set level on the burner. I've always meant to take a grinder and a flapper wheel to it...




Here's my wok




I have lots if other stuff but with this new found way, I'm looking forward to a huge CI skillet her dad left behind when he passed. It wouldn't even fit in our old oven- it was smaller than standard.
 
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Here's my wok:
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Here's 2 of the 12" lodge skillets - the one on the left has been my daily driver for the last few months, I just pulled the one on the right out for the photo. The one on the left looks a little rougher but closer look shows a deeper seasoning... it's going into storage & I'll use the one on the right for a few months & then switch it up again (done that a few times so far).
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Does your wok have this cool rainbow sheen too?
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I've been mainly using avocado oil, olive oil if I'm out of that.
 
Carbon Steel. I'd like a CI one though. Actually I think I'll end up with a discada....also carbon steel (I think) but really heavy.
 
Jose Suro said:
For prepping CI he uses a drill with a stiff wire brush:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35hX795Vkk&index=11&list=PLjT1Ep0PhB5VkZ7P5ltK64HRbxF2lmPc_
Click to expand...

That (or other safe smoothing methods) seems like such a good idea to me. I haven't yet.... I suppose the buffing material would have to be considered and known gone or safe to consume.... wouldn't want to eat dangerous chems/compounds so there are some concerns...but smooooooth---how could that be bad.


Jeff Holmes said:
Those look good. I can't keep my wife and MIL from filling it with water and letting it "soak."
Click to expand...

Women :rolleyes:
 
Jeff Holmes said:
Am I wasting my time and expensive flax oil?
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The consensus among the CI collecting community (who are always interested in better ways to do things) is that, yes, you probably are. While the "science" based method sounds good on paper, in practice it has been found wanting, the main and recurring complaint being that at some point down the line, chunks of the seasoning just slough off. On a properly cleaned and seasoned pan, using any of the old standbys-- Crisco, canola, refined grapeseed, PAM-- properly applied, you never hear of that happening during normal cooking.

While the repeated baking on of thin layers of oil can be a good start, the best seasoning seems to come, over time, simply from usage. And, since we don't cook with flaxseed oil...
 
So when I get my CI for Christmas (new Lodge CI from Walmart) I should take the wire wheel to it/them before I use it/them? I've asked for; 10" fry pan, 12" fry pan and the Dutch Oven, 7Qt. The 3 units total $85.88+tax (tot approx. $94)

Would I be better off buying something off craigslist (used) and wire brushing them? By my estimate I would pay maybe $50 total (used off craigslist) and some of that is Griswold (I saw a # 9 Dutch Oven for several hundred and I saw one for < $75) Seem like if I bought the #9 for say $50, after I wire wheeled it, it might be a good investment?

I hate myself, because when my Grandma died back in the mid 90's, I gave much of her kitchen stuff to Goodwill, needless to say, several CI pieces. Who knows what I gave away :(
 
Jose Suro said:
For prepping CI he uses a drill with a stiff wire brush:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35hX795Vkk&index=11&list=PLjT1Ep0PhB5VkZ7P5ltK64HRbxF2lmPc_
Click to expand...
I see absolutely nothing useful going on in this video. Even without seeing the bottom, I can tell from the large pour spouts and thin pan walls the skillet was made in the era of factory polish grinding, and is therefore already smooth. If there is roughness, it's only because the pan hasn't been cleaned properly. This video is a disservice to collectible cast iron in that it implies this is a prudent or necessary step when it is actually neither. I note that answers in the comments even make it appear that any type of wire brush will do, also not the case, as *anything* which changes the original metal surface instantly diminishes collectible value.

On a new pan, like Lodge, some will use methods, sanding, etc, to smooth the cooking surface to be more like the older pieces, and there's not a problem with that. But please, don't do this kind of stuff on vintage CI.
 
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I thought the same thing. I don't care about the collectibility but there's no way a wire brush will smooth the bottom of my lodge pan. Now if you want to remove a little rust or grime, that would do a good job. My old pans are of the era you speak of when the manufactures machined/surfaced the skillets.
 
If all you need is a user, a trip to a flea market or two will likely produce more than one pre-1960 Lodge, Birmingham Stove & Range Co, or unmarked Wagner, all from the period when pans were still being factory ground. Since they don't have brand names on them, they can usually be had inexpensively. Crud is easy to remove, as is surface rust. No power tools required.
 
Chuck, you can get a 5 piece set off Amazon for under $65. With free shipping if you have Prime. If you aren't a Prime member, ask around, family and friends..I have ordered stuff for friends using my prime price, and just had them shipped to friend as a gift, and they in return put the money in my pay pal account, or just paid me cash if they lived near by.
 
I was looking at that 5 piece set off Amazon, but my problem is that the Dutch Oven is only two quarts, and I'm leaning toward the seven quart DO

But now that I know you have prime.................................... :)
 
Chuck, Amazon must have changed the Dutch oven size recently, or say in the past year or so. When I ordered my set, it was a 6 piece set, and had a 5 qt Dutch oven, that was a couple years ago.. I ordered 3 sets last year for friends, and sent to their doors as gifts, and they were the 5 piece sets, but again with the 5 qt Dutch Oven.
And sure, I'd be more than happy to share my prime's free ship. I do it for friends and fam all the time!
 
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