Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2021/01/27/these-stiff-bristled-brushes-are-great-for-cleaning-my-cast-iron-skillet.html
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a steel spatula, Kosher Salt and scotch-brite pads, finishing with Barleen’s Flaxseed oil and stove heat. The surface just keeps getting better.
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I once saw a grown man cry because a housemate washed his frying pan.
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An effective if diabolical way to get your housemate to do the dishes.
“That’s some nice cast iron. Shame if something happened to its seasoning.”
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Very true.
Also, never challenge a chef to a tea-towel fight. A man that can remove a peach pit with one *snap can make you regret your life decisions.
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In the world of “behave like 2 year olds throwing a tantrum” – I saw a chef who had his cast iron put in a dish washer go 1000% Kylo Ren on the kitchen-- and he really isn’t even that good a cook.
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Polymerizing oils are the key, for sure. I tried to bake the linseed on, which worked to make a nice polymerized layer, but I felt like it actually set too thick and just kind of chipped off over time like Teflon would. A daily dose is more than enough and, honestly I don’t even bother with extra oil most of the time. And the occasional soaping doesn’t really do any damage unless you don’t really have it seasoned in the first place. The real key to cooking with cast iron is getting it hot enough to prevent sticking in the first place before you put the food in. But even though Mrs Peas never does this, a steel spatula and a wipe out with oil is sufficient.
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It’s only funny if it isn’t your pan.
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Mine has been thru housekeepers disrespecting it. I seasoned it, it is fine. I am pretty chill about it but it is much nicer when the pan is working right.
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I never ever ever did that, or that I can remember.
@cannibalpeas I use avocado oil, it seems to really put the surface paste on cast iron.
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For sure. There’s very little in the world worth going 2-year-old about.
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Someone named Karen, in I think the USA would beg to differ…
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Putting in a little oil and trying to wipe it out again is important. Any thick layer will not harden fully. I found bringing the pan just starting to smoke then shut off heat. You can see the oil change from shiny to a drier look. I routinely use the oiled rag to add another couple of layers during the cool down.
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Hot take coming in! I think seasoning is bullshit. I’ve tried every method, and they all work, but only in the short term. Flaxseed is great but eventually will flake. Lard is great, but not as hard as flaxseed. Same goes for coconut oil. Canola oil works ok…
I switched from a bumpy lodge pan to a Star Gazer cast iron, that’s made similar to how vintage cast iron pans were made. The reason food doesn’t stick to the bottom is because the bottom is completely smooth. I’ve also machined down lodge pan surfaces, which also works pretty well but I get some odd heat spotting with that method.
IMHO all you need is a super smooth machined bottom cast iron pan, and some coconut oil to rub over the surface when not in use to ensure no rust can occur.
For cleaning 90% of the time I just fill it with water, and throw it on the stove until the water starts to boil. I then dump the water, splash in a little kosher salt, and wipe out with paper towel. On occasion when something does stick, I’m a big fan of chain mail. And for the rare-occasion when chain mail isn’t doing the trick I use copper wool (although I think copper wool could potentially scratch the perfectly smooth surface so I avoid it as much as possible).
I took my pan and after putting in ear plugs, used my random orbit with 120 grit paper to polish down the cooking surface. Do it somewhere cleanable. Fine Iron powder can be a pain to remove. Then I seasoned it as noted here. Cast Iron Seasoning
I have not had flaking yet, but i think very fine coating increases the durability.
Yeah, I’ve done that method as well (both the flaxseed oil & machining down the surface of an old lodge pan) and didn’t have the same luck. It also stunk up the house when seasoning and took a long time applying thin coats. It’s possible I still messed up with coats of oil being too think.
But at the end of the day I’ve had zero issue skipping the seasoning. No rust or sticking as long as I heat my pan before cooking, and apply coconut oil to the surface after cooking.
My theory is your work polishing the pan does way more than the flax seasoning applied after. But this based on my own anecdotal evidence, and I obviously have some confirmation bias.
40 years ago, I seasoned my pans with whatever vegetable oil I had. Then I just cooked in them.
I had to re-season one 20 years ago when the husband washed the dishes and threw it in the water to soak overnight. A couple of heat-ups and cool-downs with peanut oil, probably. He doesn’t touch my cast iron, or wooden utensils, anymore. Something about “not going thru THAT again”. I use a steel spatula, or a grill brush if it’s bad enough, but generally:
Hot pan, cold oil, food doesn’t stick.
I heard that on some cooking show pack in the network television days and it’s been a reliable tip.
The long-ago disgraced Frugal Gourmet. Had most of his paperback cookbooks till my wife through them out.
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