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Cast iron skillet?

ltbaney1

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So I have a Lodge cast iron skillet, used it Tuesday night and cleaned it like normal. I use no soap, just hot water and salt with elbow grease. No sponge or brush. After the wash, I threw it back on the stove and heated until no moisture was present. Went to move it off the stove to cook tonight and it had a black residue, being curious I wiped it with a clean dry towel and it came off black. Not sure if this is normal, first cast iron skillet and haven't used it much. It was properly seasoned prior to first use. Is this normal, or do I need to do something else? The more I use it the more I like it and want it to last. Thanks for any help or ideas.
 

Waffles

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Did you strip the stock seasoning and do it yourself or did you cook with the stock seasoning on?

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copterzach

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Yes the stock oil needs to be cleaned off


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ltbaney1

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Not sure about the stock oil, I seasoned it with canola in the oven according to how lodge tells you too. But it sounds like I need to figure out how to strip it and them re season it
 

Waffles

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Not sure about the stock oil, I seasoned it with canola in the oven according to how lodge tells you too. But it sounds like I need to figure out how to strip it and them re season it
That's what I would do. Sounds like you have burnt left overs on the pan lol.
There's a couple of good YouTube channels strictly dedicated to cast iron and will show you how to do it properly.

I threw all of mine in the oven on self clean to strip it off and used flax seed oil to reseason....but be forewarned....it's quite the process. I took about 3 days to season all my stuff.

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johnnyC

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the easy way for a cast iron skillet is to find one in a garage sale or steal it from your mother like i did, best pan i have ever cooked with!!!
 

Sleek-Jet

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Cook a steak in it.

I've had a Lodge pan for close to a decade, that's all I've ever done to "season" it. I hose it down with warm water after wiping out most of the oil and grease after cooking. Dry it with a clean towel. Done.

It ain't fine China...
 

Gelcoater

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Cook a steak in it.

I've had a Lodge pan for close to a decade, that's all I've ever done to "season" it. I hose it down with warm water after wiping out most of the oil and grease after cooking. Dry it with a clean towel. Done.

It ain't fine China...
I do bacon.
 

Rajobigguy

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Dont get to worries about using soap or scrubbing your pan. It's not a film of oil that keeps food from sticking to it, it's the layer of pure carbon that builds up after time and use. I have lots of cast iron cookware (mostly Lodge) and it has so much carbon build up that most everything just slips and slides like a brand new Teflon pan.
 

Waffles

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Dont get to worries about using soap or scrubbing your pan. It's not a film of oil that keeps food from sticking to it, it's the layer of pure carbon that builds up after time and use. I have lots of cast iron cookware (mostly Lodge) and it has so much carbon build up that most everything just slips and slides like a brand new Teflon pan.
Pretty sure it's not carbon buildup but polymerization of oils that make cast iron "non stick"

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C-2

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Dont get to worries about using soap or scrubbing your pan. It's not a film of oil that keeps food from sticking to it, it's the layer of pure carbon that builds up after time and use. I have lots of cast iron cookware (mostly Lodge) and it has so much carbon build up that most everything just slips and slides like a brand new Teflon pan.

X2, I wash my my cast iron's all the time with soap without issue.
 

Rajobigguy

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Pretty sure it's not carbon buildup but polymerization of oils that make cast iron "non stick"

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OK , well you cook on your polymers and I'll cook on my carbon and we'll both be happy.:D
 

HOOTER SLED-

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Been wanting to get me one of these....any tips?
 

Paul65k

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Yup.....we love our cast iron when we go camping!!! A skillet and flat iron for the Camp Chef, but are cleaned with a wet towel while still hot and the food just slips off!!

Weird that we only use cast iron when we camp....the heaviest stuff to carry with us and lighter stuff at home.....WTF??
 

Old Texan

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We use a lot of cast aluminum skillets at the restaurant. Bought a nice won for home and it takes time to get it seasoned right to keep things from sticking. More so than cast iron.

I've found cast iron is often just using it and it will get to a "just right" point. Patience has been the key for me, not trying to start over and "re-season".

If it was easy, teflon and other nonstick options would have never come along.:D
 

Racey

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The issue with soap is if you let it set in the pan, it will absorb into the seasoning and then the next thing you cook will probably end up tasting like soap. If you wipe it fast with a soap sponge and immediately rinse there isn't enough time for the soap to penetrate anything.
 

Mandelon

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Racey is right, don't let it sit with soap in it. Sometimes to get it clean I do add a bit of soap and water and put it back on the burner. The boiling water lifts all the burnt stuff off the bottom and there's not much left to scrub.

Wash it, put it back on the stove top for a few minutes to drive out the moisture, then once it cools I oil it with vegetable or olive oil, and back it goes into the drawer.
 

Sleek-Jet

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Racey is right, don't let it sit with soap in it. Sometimes to get it clean I do add a bit of soap and water and put it back on the burner. The boiling water lifts all the burnt stuff off the bottom and there's not much left to scrub.

Wash it, put it back on the stove top for a few minutes to drive out the moisture, then once it cools I oil it with vegetable or olive oil, and back it goes into the drawer.

Don't encourage him... :D

I don't wipe the pan down with oil, if it's seasoned and you use it occasionally it will not rust.

Oil oxidizes and can give some funky tastes.

One other tip, if the recipe calls for de-glazing with anything acidic, use a SS pan. You'll strip the carbon right off the cast iron pan.
 

Yellowboat

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You have 2 problems

1 too much oil

2 not hot enough when you season it.

Don't be a afraid to burn off all the seasoning and start over. I personally like flax seed oil.
 

was thatguy

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Racey is right, don't let it sit with soap in it. Sometimes to get it clean I do add a bit of soap and water and put it back on the burner. The boiling water lifts all the burnt stuff off the bottom and there's not much left to scrub.

Wash it, put it back on the stove top for a few minutes to drive out the moisture, then once it cools I oil it with vegetable or olive oil, and back it goes into the drawer.

That's exactly what I do.
It sees soap for about 30 seconds tops.
 

Mandelon

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So after I left here, I opened Facebook. Here's the ad that was on the side of the page:

frying pan.JPG


They're spying on me!
 

ChevelleSB406

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Since I am a sous vide guy, I use cast iron quite often. Someone stated oil going rancid, yes this can happen, especially in cutting boards, use mineral oil on those only no like one with beeswax already in it. For cast iron, flax seed is good but if you want to step up your game, avocado oil is the new all that as it has the highest smoke point in the group. I use that or canola interchangeably, but keep in mind I am going for “inside a volcano” ripping hot pan to do thirty second sears on already cooked through meat.
 

Waffles

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Been wanting to get me one of these....any tips?
Get a cheap set to see if you'd even like it before dropping coin on some good shit. Walmart of Buena Park has a couple of ozark trail 3 piece kits on sale for $15. Comes with two pans and a griddle.

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