I just bought a lodge 12" cast iron skillet. It's the first cast iron skillet I've ever owned (yes, really) and I'm struggling with the whole seasoning process. I've been using flax seed oil and the end result is disappointing to say the least.
I test the pan with some oil and an egg, simply enough but the egg consistently sticks to the pan.
Any pro tips?
those come preseasoned - just cook some bacon in it and don't wash it out
turn your oven as hot as it goes and coat the inside outside and the handle in the oil and rub it in with a towel. leave it in there an hour with the fan on. then turn it off and let it cool
then finish with a light layer of oil and it should be good
dont cook eggs till its mostly smooth to the touch, like said, bacon, other oily/greasy food. rinse it out mostly, a bit of soap is fine. Just dont scrape or scrub too hard
oh, I did this exactly but I guess it was a bit soon to go for the egg test.
you should be able to fool if its smooth with your hand when its cold
if its sticky then you didnt do it right
it wasn't sticky.
>Any pro tips?
Just make sure you have enough heat in your pan before you add anything, and you'll be fine.
The good thing about cast is that most shit won't stick as long as there is oil in the pan, or moisture, but if you cook it all out then shit will start to stick to the bottom....which is what you want for some dishes in order to make a sauce.
OP use a nonstick for eggs. That's the right pan for that job.
Since you are new to this, you use your cast iron for:
FRYING things like okra, green tomatoes, cutlets. Items that benefit from browning when frying, like cubed steaks, or chicken fried steak, schnitzel, zucchini fritters, sausages. Frying in batches is nice because it doesn't chill down as you add cold batter, or potato pancakes one by one. Other pans might need constant oil temp adjustments. Heavy bottom and dark color rules.
STIR FRY things like a wok. It's a good screaming hot substitute for a wok, sear your meats, sautee your veggies, reduce your sauce.
BAKING where you go on and off the stovetop to oven, or preheat pan in the oven before filling it with like Dutch Baby, Apple german pancake, or bacon grease rich cornbread. Occasionally, you can like a frittata and finish off the top in the oven with browning, but will have to oil it well.
PAN FRYING chops, steaks, searing on both sides, and simmering in a simmer sauce, or sending to the oven to finish to the correct temperature.
As long as you use oil in your cast iron, you'll like it. Forget about what you heard about seasoning making it nonstick, that is a thing of the past. Modern forging doesn't polish or make the same glass-smooth metal surface that allows it like in the turn of the century little charmers you can sometimes find in an antique store. Think of a new pan like a bumpy orange surface and though you get that carbonization on it, it's just not smooth enough to have foods peel right off. So use oil in it, wash with soap and water as you wish, esp if it's been a while since you used it last, and oil it up after drying, or just plan to use it again soon with oil. A ceramic-lined cast iron is Le Crueset, and if not abused is nearly nonstick.
>glass smooth metal surface
this is why carbon steel is better
OP you're probably using too much oil, you want the lightest coat possible when seasoning. Wipe it with a paper towel and spread it all around.
It's only really going to get a nice semi-nonstick surface over time and with proper maintenance.
OP here, this has been very educational! Thanks for all the helpful replies!
read the booklet that came with the pan.
...
>soap
>on cast iron
muh no soap is an old wife's tale
Use a shit ton of butter like every other lard ass that cooks in cast iron.
enjoy your shit tasting like soap, faggot
false
Give it some time and keep cooking with it regularly. Assuming you season and care for it properly, it will eventually build up a smooth surface and become "non stick." Once it reaches that point, you should only need a sponge and hot water to wash it if you're doing things right.
Buy a sanding flapper wheel and sand down the inside. Old cast iron used to be machined, new stuff isn't. Then season with rapeseed or canola oil.
No need for this.
Seasoning != Oil
Same reason why soap doesn't get rid of the thin shiny layers of "oil" on a baking sheet, unless you let it soak for a long time. The oil is chemically changed by the heating process.
How else are you going to get a nice smooth surface? It's ten minutes of work to replace years of scraping with a metal spatula.
It becomes smooth on its own with regular use and proper care. But I don't know why you care so much about the texture of the surface in the first place, it doesn't effect the cooking. Smooth does not automatically equal non stick, and rough doesn't automatically equal sticky.
This, or an angle grinder and then sandpaper.
Here's a recipe for your new lodge......
5 slices of bacon
1/2 head of cabbage (white or red, or combined)
1.5 cups sliced onion
1.5 cups sliced bell pepper
2 sliced habanero pepper (or jalapeno, or skip if you don't like spice)
2 tbs minced garlic
chicken stock as needed
1/4 cup green onion (as garnish)
1/4 cup chpped parsley (as garnish)
salt to taste
1 tbs smoked paprika
1/2 tbs cayenne
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Prep: Chop up sliced bacon into small pieces, place in heated skillet and render fat from the bacon. Add onions and bell peppers and cook in bacon fat until slightly brown. Add garlic and hot pepper and cook until fragrant. Add cabbage, seasonings, and cook until it just starts to get soft. Add chicken stock until everything's covered, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour on low heat.
Bonus: Use this to simmer pork loin.
Serve with bread, pork loin, and mustard, or eat as a soup.
Hot wok, cold oil, food won't stick.
This is a Chinese proverb that offers useful advice on how to achieve a non-stick cooking surface with a cast iron pan. (This saying was also quoted by Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet.) It summarizes a good method on how to heat your cast iron pan for cooking: gradually heat up the pan until it is hot enough to cook. When your pan is hot enough, adding oil on top of the hot metal will create a thin film of oil that goes into the pores of the metal, creating a "non-stick" effect. The oil then dances easily on the surface.
My point here is simply to wait a few minutes and let your pan heat up. Don't place your cast iron pan on your stovetop burner, immediately add oil and/or butter, and start cooking right away – this will cause your food to stick. Just wait a little bit and let your pan heat up to the proper temperature. When it's good and hot, hold your hand a couple of inches above the surface of the pan. If you can feel the heat of the pan (without touching it!), you're just about ready to begin cooking.
How to tell when your pan is hot enough to add oil: wet your fingers with tap water, and flick the drops of water onto the surface of the pan. If the water doesn't sizzle right away when it hits the surface of the pan, it's not hot enough and you need to let it heat up some more. When you flick drops of water onto your pan, and the water sizzles loudly and evaporates almost immediately, the pan is at the right temperature. After the pan is hot, add your oil. The oil will shimmer and ripple, and in about one minute it will be ready for you to cook.
Chang here knows his shit.
I haven't really thought about this, thanks!