Curing Cast Iron

[Maverickpro201]

What is the best oil for this and what is the best temperature and how long? 

Thanks,

[dblades]

Most any oil, but canola is what I used. Give it a wipe of oil, heat oven to 450, put the pan in upside down with foil underneath heat about an hour then turn the heat off and let cool. Repeat as required. 

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Maverickpro201 said:

What is the best oil for this and what is the best temperature and how long? 

Thanks,

Cast Iron Seasoning - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

Here is what I do. Easy, Done Hundreds of pieces of vintage cast Iron cookware. And close to that number abused better modern stuff. Good luck and enjoy cooking in it.

[ness]

My advice is to use just a tiny amount of oil to wet the surface, then wipe it out. If you leave a pool in the pan it will get gummy.

[Johnsfolly]

To reseason pans I use a similar approach that @BilletHead provided. Marty gave me that same link when I first got started in refurbishing old/vintage cast iron. 

After cleaning, I follow a similar approach to what @ness posted. The only difference for me is that I like to add and rub in the oil when the pan is warm.

[BilletHead]

Each time I add a layer of oil after bringing the cast Iron slowly up to temp which is Approx 350 to 360 degrees. You are working each layer at that hot temperature. Thin layers and immediately wipe it off and get it right into the oven again. When I say wipe it off, I mean like buff each coating off. The object is micro layers. As many as you want. I go three. Then oven off let it cool down slowly. Each time you use it wipe it clean and I mean clean. Use water if you can so as to loosen the sticky bits. Slowly heat your pan or what you are using on a burner just long enough to dry it completely. 

   There is no excuse to have a sticky oily gooey cooking vessel whatsoever. None, zilch, no way. Same thing for rust. No excuse. Your end goal is a thin carbon layer.

[Maverickpro201]

On 7/5/2024 at 8:34 AM, BilletHead said:

Cast Iron Seasoning - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

Here is what I do. Easy, Done Hundreds of pieces of vintage cast Iron cookware. And close to that number abused better modern stuff. Good luck and enjoy cooking in it.

Very informative Thanks. Now I know what to do with the Crisco I have in the basement

[BilletHead]

43 minutes ago, Maverickpro201 said:

Very informative Thanks. Now I know what to do with the Crisco I have in the basement

Ha funny! Ours is buried in the pantry. Always save and used for just seasoning cast iron. For baking instead of Crisco type products, we use rendered waterfowl fat.  Good luck and enjoy using your cast iron. 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

On 7/5/2024 at 8:34 AM, BilletHead said:

Cast Iron Seasoning - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

Here is what I do. Easy, Done Hundreds of pieces of vintage cast Iron cookware. And close to that number abused better modern stuff. Good luck and enjoy cooking in it.

I read the whole article.   I'm curious.  If inwas to season multiple layers wirh a low smole point oil, then later after many uses exceed the smoke point of the original or middle layers, would the seasoning be damaged?  I didn't seem to read anything on that idea.

[BilletHead]

1 hour ago, Daryk Campbell Sr said:

I read the whole article.   I'm curious.  If inwas to season multiple layers wirh a low smole point oil, then later after many uses exceed the smoke point of the original or middle layers, would the seasoning be damaged?  I didn't seem to read anything on that idea.

      No not at all Daryk. Just start cooking! The More you use it the better it's going to be.