Kitchen Questions: #1 Cast Iron Skillet Seasoning

[BigBlueHen53]

Thanks to everybody who has responded so far!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Don't use Mineral Oil.

The black seasoning on cast iron is carbonized oil. Essentially, very carefully "burnt"oil. Which causes it to form polymer chains, turning a liquid (oil) into a hard, slick, durable surface that bonds with the pores of the iron, protecting it against pretty much whatever is put in it.

Mineral oil doesn't polymerize well. So even if you get "food grade" mineral oil, you won't be happy with the results.

Best oils to use for curing and maintaining cast iron have high smoke points and are unsaturated (which helps them form those polymer chains) - avocado, safflower, canola, peanut, sunflower, sesame, siimilar - and the "cleaner" you can get those oils, the less risk you have of imparting off flavors to your food. Safflower oil is my choice - not unreasonably priced, very neutral flavor. Canola, the lighter in color the better, is my next pick.

 

[Shadrach]

Of course. A good piece of cast iron is a thing of beauty.

Also, while we are sharing tips re: cast iron.

1) Don't cook acidic foods in it - most people know this already. Tomato sauces are particularly hard on them.

2) A great way to "maintain" your cure? White gravy/sausage gravy. The process of making a roux, with oil and flour, cooking it to the desired color while gently moving it about, then adding a significant quantity of liquid (i.e., milk) does a marvelous job of ensuring a reasonably even, thin coat of oil works into any open pores, while the sudden cold liquid and scrapping (I use a plastic/nylon "spoonula" or a square nose slotted spoon, depending) helps ensure no fond sticks to the bottom.

While what you write about cooking acidic foods foods in cast iron pans is what is usually advised the only pan that makes a decent tomato sauce is my largest cast iron pan. Of course, it's nonsense but I'm sure I can taste the difference between sauce cooked in my cast iron pan and one of my stainless steel pans.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

While what you write about cooking acidic foods foods in cast iron pans is what is usually advised the only pan that makes a decent tomato sauce is my largest cast iron pan. Of course, it's nonsense but I'm sure I can taste the difference between sauce cooked in my cast iron pan and one of my stainless steel pans.

Interesting! Just for that, next time I cook a shakshuka, I'm gonna use my cast iron skillet and see what happens.

 

[tlcmurphy]

Interesting! Just for that, next time I cook a shakshuka, I'm gonna use my cast iron skillet and see what happens.

I LOVE Shakshuka, great for all our eggs!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Maybe I'll make it tomorrow since I have to strip my pan anyway.

 

[Shadrach]

I let the pan cool a bit then fill it with warm water in the sink and let it soak.
I have a bamboo spatula that I've put an edge on and I use this to scrape the pan; it sort of polishes it a bit in the process. Once clean I put it on the stove with a low heat setting and drip a bit of olive oil on the same spatula and polish the oil into the pan while its warm.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Shakshuka, and numerous variations on the theme, are awesome. Eggs in Purgatory. Huevos Rancheros and culinarily adjacent, Doro Wat (chicken two ways!).


You might well be able to taste the difference, actually.

and I make tomato-based things in cast iron w/ frequency. "Swiss Steak" is one of my favorites. But it is hard on the cure. So I will usually make buscuits and gravy later in the week.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Incidentally, my stovetop is glass, so it heats evenly, unlike cooking over gas. If I could have my "druthers," I would love to have a hybrid, or perhaps a gas stove on the back porch, so I could easily blister peppers, for example, over an open flame. Hmmm. I do have a nice gas grill in the back yard, I suppose I could put that to use for things like that. Put a nice char on fresh corn on the cob, etc.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I let the pan cool a bit then fill it with warm water in the sink and let it soak.
I have a bamboo spatula that I've put an edge on and I use this to scrape the pan; it sort of polishes it a bit in the process. Once clean I put it on the stove with a low heat setting and drip a bit of olive oil on the same spatula and polish the oil into the pan while its warm.

I lke this, Shadrach.