Cast Iron Restoration Tips In 53 Seconds

[MtnBadger]

I've been using, reconditioning (with and without electrolysis) and caring for cast iron for 50yrs. I started cooking with mom at twelve.
I don't mean to be disrespectful at all but, I know a thing or three about cast iron care and this *will* cause you problems sooner or later unless, your just lucky. I'll take time tested skill and experience over luck and cutting corners, anyday.
You were OK and Crisco works, until you start slathering it on so thick, then you lost me because i *know* what will happen eventually, if not immediately. You *will* have problems.
Using that much Crisco is only going to leave you with an uneven, thick, gooey mess that will always be somewhat sticky. It won't be the same thickness all over. The first layer will be too thick and not properly hardened to that nice, pitch black coating you want and need.
It'll never be right.
And FYI, using simple, rendered beef fat (tallow, the white hard layer that forms when the beef grease/liquid cools after frying or roasting) Is *best* as it's easy and consistent and, that's what you're adding everytime you cook burgers, steaks and bacon.
Save the fat trimmings every time you trim up your beef, it freezes indefinitely until you have a pound, give or take. I even get some from the butcher shop if needed.
Trim out *all* remaining meat as best you can, as well as any gristle. You just want soft fat.
Put it in a big enough pot, set it to *low* and leave it to render out slowly, until all the foamy stuff goes to the top. Scoop the foam out as needed and let the meat bits turn crispy and remove them, too and your done. Just pour the pure, clear fat into ramekins or a heatproof/leakproof container the size and shape you desire. Keep the "tallow" in the refrigerator or it will melt at room temperature. You can freeze it forever or refrigerate it for a time. Use your tallow for frying up anything from eggs and meats to veggies, like peppers, onions, garlic and mushrooms and the best fries you'll ever eat (it put McDonald's on the map).
When you season your cast iron, patience is a virtue and *will* be rewarded. Do it right once and don't worry about it again.
Put a *very thin, * very even coat, rubbing it into the pan and that's *all* you need for each coat! Any more is just going to drip/burn off, anyway and make a mess and smoke so, why use more?? You'll get the nicest, hardest, blackest chip-free finish that way.
They've been using tallow (bear is best!) for seasoning cast iron since it was first used for cooking. Tallow is good for all kinds of cooking, skin care if you're chapping and even waterproofing your boots. All the meat and rottable material is gone so it won't go rancid, even after quite a while (pork lard will do so eventually).
High temp oil is fine on cast but, contrary to popular belief, *do not* use flax oil!! It *will* eventually start chipping off and there's no way to prevent it. It was a fad but wouldn't stand the test of time.
Safflower oil, Grape seed oil and *non-virgin* olive oils are ok. Virgin olive oils are for finishing foods only and should *never* be used for any high-heat cooking because it burns. It will turn your on-stick, copper wear pans black and you'll have a hard time cleaning it. Regular olive oil is ok, as is ghee (clarified butter) which is good to 400°+f. None of those will ruin copperware or burn up your food. I'll also mix some oil with my butter to raise the temp tolerance for frying eggs or what have you.
But I digress...
Don't be lazy! You'll need to do at least 3 layers for bare cast iron.
Just accept it. Make your first layer very thin, just sealing the pan from rust which it will *immediately* start doing if you take it to bare metal, like with electrolysis, the preferred way with the least effort and best results, once you've set up your system. It's not needed (or worth it) if you're only doing a piece or two.
Once your pan is evenly coated, set your oven for *at leat* 400 to 425°f.
Let the pan(s) go for a *dead min.* of 60 minutes (75-80 is better), then shut off the oven and *do not open.* Let it cool to room temp before opening. Recoat your pan with another, very thin, very even coat and go again. Do this a *third time* if you're starting from scratch.
From there on, everytime you use your pan for steaks, burgers, bacon, eggs etc., just warm the pan, scrub lose any sticky bits with a wooden utensil (add a teaspoon of salt as an abrasive if needed) and *wipe it out.* That's it!
Especcially when its just starting out and while it's still warm, just wipe it down with a teaspoon of hightemp oil and wipe it so there's no extra, all but dry. That's the most maintenance you should ever have to do to your pan. You can add more seasoning layers if you want but, as long as you did the first 3 (maaaybe 4) layers right, time is all that's needed. My favorite steak pan has a layer of polymerized oil about 3/8" thick and is like a skating rink. Eggs just slide around.
A properly seasoned, warm pan should just wipe clean once any sticky residue is removed. If you make something really goopy/messy and you need to wash it, that's fine! Use hot, soapy water and wash by hand, *no dishwashers!!.* A dishwasher will strip the seasoning and youll have to start again. The myths about soap ruining your pan are false, just wash, then rinse well! As soon as your pan is clean, put it on a low burner to dry it out and your good. (My well seasoned pans shed water and dry themselves if I use hot enough water!)
Every time you use the pan it builds another season layer until a slick, polymerized film, like "greasy plastic" coats the bottom, getting thicker and thicker and, it won't chip off *if* you used the right oil/fat and did it right, in thin layers.

[sergpie]

My grandma had large iron skillet she was so proud and jealous of. She brought the thing from Italy to Venezuela in the 1940s, and then to Spain when Chavez took over, and then back to its original kitchen in Italy shortly before she passed. She would clean it sparingly, scouring it with hot vinegar, bar soap, water and either salt or borax. She would season it with chicken fat or with lard, and so many memorable dishes were cooked in that skillet. It would go on stoves, in ovens, over fire pits; truly the dreadnaught of the kitchen .

[marissa]

Another great short, awesome stuff! Hmm... suddenly in the mood for a breakfast sandwich... 😂

[scotmetcalf]

Best skillet ever make hands down! Won’t see any other around as long as these! Have a fantastic day

[pinkyblessed]

Modern Crisco is soybean oil. Highly GMO’d. Use lard. Also, sold in the grocery store. Sold by Armour.

[markjanssens]

Nice! Thank you for this important information. Love cooking with cast iron while camping.

[castironsavvy]

Many vintage cast iron pans have significant collector value. DO NOT use a grinder or power tool, or sand blaster to clean them. You will destroy any collector value they may have. Soak in lye or use oven cleaner.

[jasbirsmith]

I'd recommend sanding the cooking surface old school cast irons aren't porous and work a bit better because of it.

[joeytomato]

Just put a light coat of grape seed oil on it... Also available in the grocery store... And cheaper for the small amount you'll need... And has a higher smoke point... 1 hour at 500, and it's done.

...and you won't have to deal with it dripping, or create extra steps.

[redarrowsmk]

Hello sir! I respectfully wish to discourage using a chucked abrasive wheel (wire, etc) in removing old seasoning. Some mediums may eat away at the iron itself and uneven the surface, while others leave a deposit, and others will knock down the natural texture to a "deburred" slickened surface which will take less well to even seasoning. A factory-machined surface is different, since the tools used in such a process still grind away at the metal instead of effectively stropping it. Many use a lye bath, electrolysis, slow heat and salt/sand hand-rubbed, razor blade/putty knife for deep crud, and/or a vinegar soak/baking soda rinse to reveal bare iron. Best of luck to you and the newcomers!

[westbobby]

An even easier way. If you have excess to oxygen and acelen set. Use a rosebud and heat it up. Everything comes off and looks like when you bought it.

[stroys]

I use lard. High smoke point and cheap.

[Alej_]

Dear God that was satisfying. I always use grapeseed oil but now I kinda wanna try crisco!

[tomwelshshore]

Literally its a 1 step process toss it in a bonfire retrieve after.... cleaner than any cast iron youve ever seen

[BigRheno]

You can also burn off the seasoning over a high temp flame and then sand it down with a little bit of lightly soaped water if you don’t have power tools.

[Redacted-Information]

My mom used crisco and her pans were GLASS SMOOTH

[rolls_]

generally you don't really need a high smoke point for the oil you are seasoning with, in fact it's often easier with a lower smoke point. but this seemed to work great so nice job!

[jacygardner]

Real talk... make corn bread in them. It works like a charm

[tomwall]

Can you please do one on seasoning a carbon steel pan? Is it the same process as cast iron?

[VinylUnboxings]

This is great because I'm avoiding Teflon when I buy my own pans.