seasoning cast iron

[lonehunter]

Has anybody tried bear grease??
I tried it, best thing i have ever used. :v

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I have not and have heard that it's best to stick with vegetable-based shortening. That said, I bet most folks always just used lard anything much further past than 30 years or so and it must have worked just fine. Once the fat is rendered down and baked on, don't know that it would make much difference if it was beef, pig or bear.

 

[Homesteader]

I'm a black iron lover, and have used it for decades. I'm sure I seasoned it according to the instructions way back when, but now I just cook whatever I want and then wipe it out afterward. If something sticks I scratch it out with my fingernails. I've used peanut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil (supposed to be a no-no), lard, butter, and whatever un-nameable grease is left by squirrel, rabbit, and other wild critters. It just all seems to work on that good ole cast iron!

 

I've never heard of any manufacturer (or anyone) recommending animal fat to season cast iron. The properties of animal fat and vegetable oil are quite different.

 

[lonehunter]

I thought i would try it on a old skillet i had, it was in pretty rough shape, had not been used in years. Took steel wool to it to remove a little bit of rust, heated it in the oven, wiped it with bear grease i got from a very generous member of this forum, stuck it back in the oven for about a hour, then repeated, its slick as teflon, fried some flank steaks, when they were done fried some eggs in it, they slid around like you would not believe, nothing stuck. I am not saying it is the right or wrong way to do it, just saying if you can get your hands on some, try it, it works great. :v

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

Looks like I had better start planning my next bear hunt...

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I've heard it does good, deer and possum fat does well too.

 

[the11]

The best cast iron pans are usually old ones. And I'm sure they used mostly animal fats back in the old days.

 

[mazo kid]

The best cast iron pans are usually old ones. And I'm sure they used mostly animal fats back in the old days.

Yeah, my grandmother used an old wood burning cook stove and cast iron pans. She never seasoned them (as well as I can remember that far back) except by use. She cooked with lard, homemade butter, etc. And she DID use soap and water to clean them (supposedly a big no-no), but dried them on the top of the stove. Of course, the next time she used them they were seasoned from the use of lard.

 

[almrl]

I'm sure the surface finish also has a lot to do with it. Mom has an old Griswold #3 that she has had since before I was born and I'm 65. The surface is as slick as glass.

We've all seen those imports from the western side of the Pacific that look rough as a cob straight out of the box. I don't see how seasoning could help with those.

My best source is garage/estate sales. It takes some looking but it's worth the wait.

You know, "The thrill of the chase."

Old Coot

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I'm sure the surface finish also has a lot to do with it. Mom has an old Griswold #3 that she has had since before I was born and I'm 65. The surface is as slick as glass.

We've all seen those imports from the western side of the Pacific that look rough as a cob straight out of the box. I don't see how seasoning could help with those.

Funny that you should mention that...I have some older cast iron that I bought when the wife an I were first hitched. It seasons beautifully and I'm of the opinion that it is because of the un-ground surface inside those pans. Its not real rough like the import ironware but has those nice "pores" that the seasoning sticks to. With age, the seasoning is smooth as can be now.

I also have a large 16" frying pan but the inside surface was ground smooth during manufacture. Seems like no matter what I do with that one, the seasoning won't stick to it.

 

[chuckg413]

I use beeswax, does the job.

 

I use beeswax, does the job.

Wax melts as soon as you warm it - "seasoning" doesn't. Wax will keep it from rusting, but it won't season it. Perhaps you don't understand the concept of the seasoning?

 

[buford87]

I agree that the older cast iron takes the seasoning better than the new. When my wife and I married twentytwo years ago new cast iron was very difficult to season and never was well seasoned as compared to my mother-in-law's cast iron pots which were much older and was very much used with a slick as glass surface......watch yer top knot............

 

I had an article we use to supply with our cast iron ware written by Brook and Barbara Elliot called "The Care and Feeding of Cast Iron". I just did a search on the web and found that article at: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-12-01/Seasonin...

One section is titled:

SEASONING CAST IRON PANS
All new cast iron has a protective coating on it, which must be removed. American companies use a special food-safe wax; imports are covered with a water-soluble shellac. In either case, scrub the item with a scouring pad, using soap and the hottest tap water you can stand. Once the coating is removed, you should never again let soap touch the iron.

Let's repeat that. Do not use soap on seasoned cast iron. The cure (seasoning) is based on grease, and soap's job is to remove grease. So if you wash your iron with soap, you'll destroy the very effect you are trying for.

Also, make sure to remove all of the initial protective coating. If not, you'll get a very strange smell as the coating cooks during the curing process and this funky aroma will often linger, permeating and corrupting the flavor of any food later cooked in the pot.

When the iron comes clean, immediately dry it and wipe a fairly heavy coating of shortening over all the metal, being sure to include the handle and any legs or other protuberances. Historically, lard was used for this purpose. But lard, like all animal fats, has a tendency to turn rancid, so shortening is a better bet. Never use butter, margarine or any fat containing milk or salt to season cast iron.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and bake your cast iron pieces for about an hour. Remove them, blot up any puddles of oil with a paper towel, then let the iron pieces cool. Do not be alarmed if at this point the cast iron feels sticky; it'll lose this once the cure is complete.

Cast iron makers will tell you that the cookware is now ready for cooking, though most recommend that you use it only for frying the first few times. We find that oiling and heating the iron at least one more time before use effects a hotter initial cure. In this case, grease the piece lightly, and the stickiness should disappear; if not, it will the first time you cook with it.

After you've completed the second coating, it's okay to cook in the cast iron pan, but be sure to follow the manufacturer's suggestion and use the piece for frying only. Your ironware will be slightly discolored at this stage, but these first few frying jobs will complete the cure, turning the iron into the rich, black color that is the sign of a well-cured, well-used cast iron skillet or pot.

Go to this suggested page (it is lengthy filled with good information). When Brook and Barbara write an article it is always very well done with more information than you thought you needed. Good stuff folks.

Brook gave us permission back in the 80's to use this fine article, enjoy.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

cooking up any dish containing much tomato ingredient (pasta sauce 'specially) will remove the seasoning too.