Cast Iron pan seasoning Question

[2002_HR_Endeavo]

I have a new in box Lodge skillet that was sent from Lodge as a replacement to one I previously bought and had problems with.

I had done exactly as the Lodge instructions said .. never used soap or scrubber .. purchased the Lodge brush .. and still food stuck...
Scrubbed with steel wool no soap and re-seasoned in oven 3 times but still food stuck. Lodge customer service simply sent a replacement.

Now am wondering if there is a 'foolproof' way to season that you personally suggest ?

Thank you in advance .. Very much

[agteacher]

I have some old Wagners that were rusty when I bought them. Cleaned them up with some acid to remove the rust and then coated them with vegetable oil. I started cooking with them. After cooking, I allow them to cool and then wash with dish detergent and water. I cracked a Griswold by washing it when it was still really hot one day. Dry completely and coat with oil. I cook eggs in them and they stick less than the non-stick pans. Key is to keep them coated with oil and allow them and oil to get hot before adding food.

[down_home]

We know the Lodge Folks.Fine People. new cast iron is not the same quality as the old stuff, which they tried to make with as fine or small a pore as possible.Seperating the iron and filling the pores with lard or other shortening is the only way I know of. Grand Ma cleaned the skillets with a kitchen towel and a hand full of salt, or sand. When Mm go the pans they had a thick crust on the outside and the insides were black and slick, with ages of burned in grease etc. They got hot many times on the wood cook stove and in the oven. how many times she had to scrub them as described I don't know. When Mama got her first self cleaning stove she used it on the skillets and all that burned off.Great Grand Ma 1857-1933 used those skillets and that crust truly was antique.
The skillets I know never performed the same.Wife has some Cross? Pans and they don't stick.
Heat the skillets not real hot with oil or lard rubbed in both inside and out.
Let them col after there is no fat t swish around wipe out and repeat. I don't know how many times, until the inside looks and feels slick in the corners or edges too. If it sticks clean but not wash and reseason again.
I see some godposts on the subject like Wonderlost too.
There is more than one way to skin a cat and I have no idea how Grand Ma did it was the best but I do think lard is the better idea. Bacon grease I'm wondering about though,even though everyone has used it has some salt in it.

[Wanderlost]

Mom moved in with Sister, whose kitchen is too small for both sets of cookware. We got Mom's cast iron, and Sister took the Corningware. All of the CI need re-seasoning, as she's not cooked for three years.

The oven needs cleaning, so we'll just put the CI into the oven, clean, and then start the re-seasoning process. I prefer bacon fat, lard or Crisco for seasoning -- they all work just fine for me. And as old and well used as these pieces are, I've no doubt they'll re-season just fine.

Now where to store them -- that's the issue. Our kitchen isn't much bigger than Sister's, but dang if I'll ever give up cast iron...

[ppine]

Don't toss them anywhere.

[Jebby14]

make several batches of bacon. wipe down in between. when im done with my good cast iron i give it a wipe with lard or oil (inside and out, very thin) and toss it in the oven, around 400 (really whatever its at from cooking) and shut the oven. let them cool together. mine took come work (its a newer pan only about 10 years old) but now its smooth and black and cooks great.

[ppine]

There is a lot of folklore connected to Dutch Ovens. People believe all kinds of things that are not true. They are actually very forgiving and easy to use cooking pots. Never abuse them. Don't toss them in the back of your truck. Always dry them off. Never put hot water in a cold oven. Then you can pass them on to our kids.

[Ron3rd]

2002 HR Endeavor wrote:
I have a new in box Lodge skillet that was sent from Lodge as a replacement to one I previously bought and had problems with.

I had done exactly as the Lodge instructions said .. never used soap or scrubber .. purchased the Lodge brush .. and still food stuck...
Scrubbed with steel wool no soap and re-seasoned in oven 3 times but still food stuck. Lodge customer service simply sent a replacement.

Now am wondering if there is a 'foolproof' way to season that you personally suggest ?

Thank you in advance .. Very much

Tons of info on Youtube about the subject. One guy takes a disc sander to new Lodge skillets and takes all the roughness off claiming they must be smooth to work the best. He goes by Cowboy Kent Rollins and has 100's of Youtube videos.

[rhagfo]

Some good ideas, we always season our Cast Iron with suit that we got from local meat cuter (AKA Butcher).

[magnusfide]

Trekkar wrote:

Wanderlost wrote:
Here's how he fixes rough cast iron:

How To Smooth Rough Cast Iron

Meanwhile, look at the recipes on his channel. Amazing.

Yup. His videos are fun to watch.

Double ditto.

[Trekkar]

Wanderlost wrote:
Here's how he fixes rough cast iron:

How To Smooth Rough Cast Iron

Meanwhile, look at the recipes on his channel. Amazing.

Yup. His videos are fun to watch.

[Wanderlost]

Here's how he fixes rough cast iron:

How To Smooth Rough Cast Iron

Meanwhile, look at the recipes on his channel. Amazing.

[yankee_camper]

Check out this video follow it to a "T" and you'll be smiling.I did and my pans are better than Teflon following this advice.https://youtu.be/rRZMXZfcol8 I love this guys videos and recipes, lots of good stuff there!

[2002_HR_Endeavo]

Again thank you all for the conversation and comments!
Another point I forgot to mention is that in the center, there were rust spots. It reappeared even after cooking lots of bacon.
Never used spray oil, never used soap, always rinsed with hot water while pan was still hot .
I'm going to make bacon in the new pan this weekend!

[magnusfide]

OkieGene wrote:
Quit reseasoning and just cook in it.

Cook in it.

Rinse and repeat.

Just keep cooking in it.

Double ditto.