Cast iron: seasoning, care, and restoration

[paulraphael]

Has anybody heard of seasoning tin lined copper cookware? I just got a ten piece set of cheap Portugese copper pots from craigslist, and the tin is wearing off.

I wouldn't do it. Tin melts at around 450F; this pretty close to the smoke point of the kinds of oils you'd want to use.

Tinned copper is such a great material for things like sauces. A seasoned finish is lousy for those purposes.

If you have a tinned copper fry pan, it might be interesting to remove the tin and to season the bare copper. IF you get the coating thick enough to keep acidic food separate from the copper, you'd have an interesting pan.

[slkinsey]

Has anybody heard of seasoning tin lined copper cookware? I just got a ten piece set of cheap Portugese copper pots from craigslist, and the tin is wearing off.

I have enough experience brazing/welding/soldering that I can retin them myself - and they aren't worth paying more than I've got in them to have it done professionally.

No, this will not be possible. The temperatures needed for seasoning are far in excess of those that will melt tin. Your only viable option is to re-tin them, although if they are cheap and thin they may only be good for table service anyway.

[Kouign Aman]

Cant paulraphael simply put the sticky pan into the heat until the sticky carbonizes a bit and stops being sticky? That several hours at temp described often in this thread?

[ScoopKW]

Reviving an old thread.

I just got a 1930s Griswold pan. No rust, totally black and smooth, but unfortunately quite sticky.

I've read the thread thoroughly but I'm confused about the next step. Should I:

- scrub all the seasoning off with steel wool and detergent, and reseason? or

- simply clean it as best I can with soap, water and perhaps salt?

Please advise best next move to deal with stickiness.

My way is probably not for everyone, but it works. Every year, in the fall, I prune back all my trees and shrubs and toss the limbs, leaves, and cuttings into the garden. I let it dry out for a week or so (that's all that's needed in the desert). Then on a windless day, I burn it all. Once the conflagration is going, I toss in the cast iron and let the fire burn off the old seasoning.

Once the fire is out, (and the pans have cooled, naturally), I remove the pans and clean them. Then I rake the ashes into the garden to temper our soil's acidity and add more topsoil.

Then I reseason the pans. My favorite way is to bring them into the kitchen and toss them in the fryer when the oil gets changed. 10 minutes in a commercial fryer, followed by a wipe-down and then an hour in the oven does the trick.

[patrickamory]

Cant paulraphael simply put the sticky pan into the heat until the sticky carbonizes a bit and stops being sticky? That several hours at temp described often in this thread?

This is what I'm wondering (I'm presuming paulraphael above should read patrickamory).

...and ScoopKW, I'd do that if I didn't live in a NYC apartment

[Kouign Aman]

Cant paulraphael simply put the sticky pan into the heat until the sticky carbonizes a bit and stops being sticky? That several hours at temp described often in this thread?

This is what I'm wondering (I'm presuming paulraphael above should read patrickamory).

Yes, it should have. :oops:

[paulraphael]

Cant paulraphael simply put the sticky pan into the heat until the sticky carbonizes a bit and stops being sticky? That several hours at temp described often in this thread?

Nope. See my post above and Slkinsey's, about melting point of tin.

Edited October 27, 2011 by paulraphael (log)

[patrickamory]

Cant paulraphael simply put the sticky pan into the heat until the sticky carbonizes a bit and stops being sticky? That several hours at temp described often in this thread?

Nope. See my post above and Slkinsey's, about melting point of tin.

FYI this was actually meant for me, and about cast iron not tin lined.

And it worked - did about 4 hours at 350 degrees and the surface is smooth as silk.

Toasted some spices nicely in it today. Griswold #3 did I mention that?? Block logo. A beauty.

[thock]

Hi,

There is a new oil and method for seasoning iron that looks very promising. It utilizes flaxseed oil and was developed by Cheryl Canter.

Shery's Blog on Seasoning

"It’s a “drying oil”, which means it can transform into a hard, tough film. This doesn’t happen through “drying” in the sense of losing moisture through evaporation. The term is actually a misnomer. The transformation is through a chemical process called “polymerization”.

The seasoning on cast iron is formed by fat polymerization, fat polymerization is maximized with a drying oil, and flaxseed oil is the only drying oil that’s edible. From that I deduced that flaxseed oil would be the ideal oil for seasoning cast iron."

This is an excellent analysis and offer new insight into a method of developing a much tougher seasoning.

Tim

I recently used walnut oil on a large Lodge Logic skillet. I did not completely remove the old seasoning, just scraped and scraped with a putty knife that I keep for such things, then washed, dried on the stove, and then poured a little walnut oil in and wiped with a piece of white t-shirt rag. I heated it on the stove, then wiped it with the rag again, just so you could barely see that the pan was "moistened." I repeated this several times, then finished up with a wipe and a cook in a 550F oven, twice. It's got a very nice, even coating on it, now, that I have never gotten on this particular pan, because I never bothered to season it beyond what it came with.

 

I've seasoned LOTS of cast iron, and so far, this is my favorite method. And I used walnut oil I'd gotten at Big Lots for about $2.00.

 

I would say, however, that while I used walnut oil, this method of barely "moistening" the pan is probably at least as much the reason for the good seasoning as is the oil that I chose to use.

[paulraphael]

 I would say, however, that while I used walnut oil, this method of barely "moistening" the pan is probably at least as much the reason for the good seasoning as is the oil that I chose to use.

 

I'm guessing both are important. I never thought of using walnut oil, but it's an ideal choice. It's so high in polyunsaturated (poymerizing) fat that its a traditional ingredient in paints and varnishes. It's up there with linseed/flax, and tung oil.

 

The light coats are helpful because they keep the oil from running and forming drips and puddles. Oil thins when it heats, so heavier coats that look like they'll stay put at room temperature can start dripping in the oven.

[Shel_B]

Has anyone had any experience with this product?  Any thoughts about it's efficacy?  Thanks!

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Hudson-Cleaner-Stainless-Chainmail-Scrubber/dp/B00KQCJ0CG/ref=sr_1_8?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1410247357&sr=1-8&keywords=cast+iron+grill

[Ashen]

haven't used one but I saw them on the cast iron cooking group on facebook a couple months back.   

 

link to a cooks illustrated review that came up while I was googling to try and find the link to the blacksmith on that group that makes them. 

 

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment_reviews/1346-chain-mail-scrubber#.

[takadi]

Seems quite pricey for a piece of chainmail but the problem with using steel wool is that it scratches off seasoning quite easily.  I've read around and the reviews seem to be pretty good. Right now I am using the oil and salt method, occasionally with some crumpled aluminum foil, but there are some charred spots on the pan that can't quite seem to get out

[Martin Fisher]

Regular stainless steel scouring pads are what I've used on cast iron for the past 30+ years....no problems when used lightly.

[dcarch]

Regular stainless steel scouring pads are what I've used on cast iron for the past 30+ years....no problems when used lightly.

 

I have done all kinds of bad things which they don't recommend to my cast iron cookware, I have been unable to damage the seasoning on my cookware.

 

According to their adv:

"Hudson XL chainmail scrubber is the ideal way to effectively and easily clean your cast iron cookware without stripping away accumulated flavor and seasoning"

It seems to me they have no idea what seasoning is on cast iron cookware.

 

dcarch

Edited September 10, 2014 by dcarch (log)

[Shel_B]

 

It seems to me they have no idea what seasoning is on cast iron cookware.

 

dcarch

 

Would you be kind enough to elaborate on that statement?  What are they getting wrong?  Perhaps you can define what you mean by seasoning so we can see how the Hudson people are mistaken.  Thanks!

[dcarch]

Would you be kind enough to elaborate on that statement?  What are they getting wrong?  Perhaps you can define what you mean by seasoning so we can see how the Hudson people are mistaken.  Thanks!

 

Sure.

 

"----accumulated flavor and seasoning"

It seems to me they think seasoning is seaoning as in spices. Why wouldn't you want to strip away accumulated flavor? 

 

dcarch

[Ashen]

seasoning is just polymerised fat.  I don't subscribe to the only one type should be used camp though.  There are a lot of folks that swear by flaxseed oil these days because it is a semi-drying oil but I switch up most times I touch up my seasoning.  Avocado oil, plain veg oil, ghee, grapeseed oil,  lard. I don't like using shortening , I find it ends up with a tacky finish, not really hard .   Cleaning, just wipe out and warm water if I can get away with it, otherwise I have nylon scrappers that work perfectly well without hurting the seasoning . I am not overly picky about it though, if I need to use a scrubber or soap  I will and then just re season.  I think the best part about cast is that it is nearly indestructable in normal use , unless you manage to crack or warp it with excess heat or heat variations, usually the worst that happens is you need to reseason. 

[weinoo]

Another solution looking for a problem.  

[rotuts]

the Test Kitchen some time ago liked the metal'chain'

 

recently they recommended something else:

 

you have to look at the video, here :

 

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/1416-heavy-duty-handled-scrub-brushes

 

take it or leave it !

[Shel_B]

the Test Kitchen some time ago liked the metal'chain'

 

recently they recommended something else:

 

you have to look at the video, here :

 

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment_reviews/1416-heavy-duty-handled-scrub-brushes

 

 

 

The winning brush looks like a good adjunct to my kitchen equipment ... thanks!

 

Hmmm ... don't see it listed at BBB ....

Edited September 10, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[Martin Fisher]

If cast iron is properly seasoned, you don't need anything out of the ordinary to clean it...certainly not something as expensive as that chain thingy.

[dcarch]

The winning brush looks like a good adjunct to my kitchen equipment ... thanks!

 

Hmmm ... don't see it listed at BBB ....

 

I will disagree with their recommendation.

 

1. A short handle will not give you more leverage in scrubbing. Very inconvenient, especially sometimes you scrub very hot pans and tall pots.

 

2. I don't think they tested durability. To test brush durability, it takes months.

 

3. Those short bundled bristles trap dirt like crazy and cannot be cleaned.

------------------------------

 

The very best kitchen scrub brush, IMHO, is in fact a cheap bamboo one, used in all Chinese kitchens.

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0082/1262/products/Bamboo_Scrubber_540x540_grande.jpg?v=1310353467

 

dcarch

[weinoo]

The very best kitchen scrub brush, IMHO, is in fact a cheap bamboo one, used in all Chinese kitchens.

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0082/1262/products/Bamboo_Scrubber_540x540_grande.jpg?v=1310353467

 

dcarch

Yep - about $3 - $5 in any decent Chinatown.

[takadi]

Sorry to say but those bamboo brushes might be good for a routine rinse after cooking by washing down a hot pan with hot water and giving the inside a good swirl and scrape, but for really charred and stuck on messes, it is useless and gimmicky. At most it scrapes off the top of charred bits but never really removes them. Its effectiveness is mostly placebo.. what it removes could be removed easily by any light abrasive, like a paper towel or a plastic pot scrubber.  Not to mention it will fall apart with regular use in a couple months. I've gone through a dozen of them before I gave up. There's a reason why they are dirt cheap. I keep one by my decorative wok for hipster value

Edited September 10, 2014 by takadi (log)