Cast Iron/Stainless steel pan seasoning

Gracie

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Feb 13, 2013
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So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?
 
Season stainless! No. I never heard of such a thing. Cast iron is seasoned because it isn't washed. Not ever.

I use spray non stick like Pam on stainless. In cast iron cook your eggs in the bacon grease but they still might stick. Pam might work but I doubt it. Let the cast iron pan cool then wipe it out with paper towels. Once someone washed my cast iron pan and the whole thing rusted. It was an absolute bear to restore to cooking ability.
 
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So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

I use both type. You don't need to season stainless steel. I am not sure if you could season it it would be really stainless steel. They do stick but are super easy to get clean. I usually uses a non scratch sponge but will take a SOS pad to them if I really really have burned something. I can usually clean them with the non-scratch in less than a minute during normal wear and tear days.

As for the cast iron, I am a sinner and throw mine in the dishwasher from time to time. I then make sure they are dry and spray them with cooking spray and then take a paper towel and rub the spray all over the pan and to wipe off any excess. That keeps them on decent shape. Other things I have done in the past is rub them with veg oil and put on the top rack of my oven closest to boiler and just left them there when I bake other things. Some people recommend you coat them and then leave them in the over on low over night. What I do not do is the never wash them thing. I had a cast iron frying pan done that way and it built up and built up and eventually the crap was flaking off like mad and I had the strip all the seasoning off to get it back to a normal pan.

As for avoiding sticking your eggs in cast iron (or stainless too) use some oil and get the pan and oil hot before you add the eggs.
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

I use both type. You don't need to season stainless steel. I am not sure if you could season it it would be really stainless steel. They do stick but are super easy to get clean.
If you season your stainless steel pans they won't stick. That's the whole point of seasoning them in the first place.

And if they start getting sticky after a while you can just re-season them.
 
Heat it in the oven and then just rub any oil on it and wipe back off after washing. The quality of the steel makes the pan. One of my favorites that I use only for eggs is a long handled 1800's no 8.
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

I use both type. You don't need to season stainless steel. I am not sure if you could season it it would be really stainless steel. They do stick but are super easy to get clean.
If you season your stainless steel pans they won't stick. That's the whole point of seasoning them in the first place.

And if they start getting sticky after a while you can just re-season them.

Stainless steel will not hold "seasoning". You would have to either be one of those people who never clean them or redo it every time. It is pointless. Putting oil in the pan and heating it before you add anything does the exact same thing.
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

You can most certainly season stainless. I do,I also season my carbon steel De Buyer pans.
To really make your cast iron nice if you're not willing to ass up the money for a Field or a Smithey you should use an electric rotary sander on them to smooth them out and then sugar blast them. This will leave microscopic holes for the polymerized oils to stick so they dont flake off.
You can do the sanding yourself for the price of a cheap rotary sander and some sand paper and have a local company sugar blast them for really cheap.
You'll have turned a cheap Lodge Pan into something almost as good as a $200 Field pan for the price of a $38 dollar rotary sander investment and some sand paper.
And you'll have that rotary sander to do other cast pans in the future.

The Field pans are Really Nice and super slick!!!!
But they are pricey.
E8453324-C6E1-4DBE-BD9C-6B3D8DD28952.jpeg
 
Season stainless! No. I never heard of such a thing. Cast iron is seasoned because it isn't washed. Not ever.

I use spray non stick like Pam on stainless. In cast iron cook your eggs in the bacon grease but they still might stick. Pam might work but I doubt it. Let the cast iron pan cool then wipe it out with paper towels. Once someone washed my cast iron pan and the whole thing rusted. It was an absolute bear to restore to cooking ability.

At most you might put some salt and hot water in your cast pan and scrub LIGHTLY for stuff thats really stuck on but other than that you definitely dont want soap in em.
My brothers ex girlfriend ran his through the dishwasher....to say he was pissed would be a huge understatement!!!!
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

You can most certainly season stainless. I do,I also season my carbon steel De Buyer pans.
To really make your cast iron nice if you're not willing to ass up the money for a Field or a Smithey you should use an electric rotary sander on them to smooth them out and then sugar blast them. This will leave microscopic holes for the polymerized oils to stick so they dont flake off.
You can do the sanding yourself for the price of a cheap rotary sander and some sand paper and have a local company sugar blast them for really cheap.
You'll have turned a cheap Lodge Pan into something almost as good as a $200 Field pan for the price of a $38 dollar rotary sander investment and some sand paper.
And you'll have that rotary sander to do other cast pans in the future.

The Field pans are Really Nice and super slick!!!!
But they are pricey.View attachment 458683
I wanted a Stargazer but DAYUM...the $$$$$$$$$$
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

I use both type. You don't need to season stainless steel. I am not sure if you could season it it would be really stainless steel. They do stick but are super easy to get clean.
If you season your stainless steel pans they won't stick. That's the whole point of seasoning them in the first place.

And if they start getting sticky after a while you can just re-season them.

Stainless steel will not hold "seasoning". You would have to either be one of those people who never clean them or redo it every time. It is pointless. Putting oil in the pan and heating it before you add anything does the exact same thing.

It will if you scuff the surface with some light sandpaper to give the polymerized oil something to stick to.
I'm not a huge fan of stainless cookware myself although I do use it on occasion.
I'm big of Field for cast iron fry pans ,Le Creuset for large stock pots and De Buyer carbon steel stuff. They're all super slick,easy to clean and hold temps really well.
 
Season stainless! No. I never heard of such a thing. Cast iron is seasoned because it isn't washed. Not ever.

I use spray non stick like Pam on stainless. In cast iron cook your eggs in the bacon grease but they still might stick. Pam might work but I doubt it. Let the cast iron pan cool then wipe it out with paper towels. Once someone washed my cast iron pan and the whole thing rusted. It was an absolute bear to restore to cooking ability.

At most you might put some salt and hot water in your cast pan and scrub LIGHTLY for stuff thats really stuck on but other than that you definitely dont want soap in em.
My brothers ex girlfriend ran his through the dishwasher....to say he was pissed would be a huge understatement!!!!
Cleaning cast iron of stuck on gunk

Coat the area to be cleaned with corn oil or vegetable oil. Use a copper pan brush scrub the pan until the stuff is gone. Wipe clean with paper towels. After cleaning coat the pan with oil and put it into a 400 degree oven that has been turned off. Allow to cool. Good as new.
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?

You can most certainly season stainless. I do,I also season my carbon steel De Buyer pans.
To really make your cast iron nice if you're not willing to ass up the money for a Field or a Smithey you should use an electric rotary sander on them to smooth them out and then sugar blast them. This will leave microscopic holes for the polymerized oils to stick so they dont flake off.
You can do the sanding yourself for the price of a cheap rotary sander and some sand paper and have a local company sugar blast them for really cheap.
You'll have turned a cheap Lodge Pan into something almost as good as a $200 Field pan for the price of a $38 dollar rotary sander investment and some sand paper.
And you'll have that rotary sander to do other cast pans in the future.

The Field pans are Really Nice and super slick!!!!
But they are pricey.View attachment 458683
I wanted a Stargazer but DAYUM...the $$$$$$$$$$

Yeah the Stargazer stuff ain't cheap either,it's up there with Staub and Field.
The Field Pan is $200 bucks but I look at it like this...you'll use it the rest of your life and it'll never piss you off come cleaning time or with food sticking.
 
So..I tossed all my teflon after watching Dark Water movie. Too late now, probably already poisoned, but...what the hell. I tossed them all. Ordered a Lodge Cast Iron 6.5 inch pan, and the same size in a stainless steel pan. Both had reviews saying to season the stainless steel...but to NOT use olive oil. I don't have vegetable oil. Someone said I can cook some bacon and that would do well. The cast iron is preseasoned but reviews said not enough and to do it again.

Well..I have never used cast iron OR stainless steel as a fry pan. I like me eggs and bacon, lol. So...any suggestions for a newbie on both types of pan to make the eggs slide out and not stick, the proper way to season both pans, and in general how to keep them in good condition?
And when you wash them use very, very little dish soap.
 
Season stainless! No. I never heard of such a thing. Cast iron is seasoned because it isn't washed. Not ever.

I use spray non stick like Pam on stainless. In cast iron cook your eggs in the bacon grease but they still might stick. Pam might work but I doubt it. Let the cast iron pan cool then wipe it out with paper towels. Once someone washed my cast iron pan and the whole thing rusted. It was an absolute bear to restore to cooking ability.

At most you might put some salt and hot water in your cast pan and scrub LIGHTLY for stuff thats really stuck on but other than that you definitely dont want soap in em.
My brothers ex girlfriend ran his through the dishwasher....to say he was pissed would be a huge understatement!!!!
Cleaning cast iron of stuck on gunk

Coat the area to be cleaned with corn oil or vegetable oil. Use a copper pan brush scrub the pan until the stuff is gone. Wipe clean with paper towels. After cleaning coat the pan with oil and put it into a 400 degree oven that has been turned off. Allow to cool. Good as new.

If I get any stuck on stuff I first try boiling some water in it and scraping with a hard plastic spatula.
Nine times out of ten that does the trick for a well seasoned pan.
 
Found it on amazon..ordered it. Will be here tomorrow.

Meanwhile..I'm confused. Reviews on all cast iron skillets say to use chain mail scrubber. I thought that was a no no? I know NO SOAP. But what is the reason for seasoning it, then scrubbing it all back off again? Is this a regular procedure every time you use it?

Friend of mine said she uses a scraper knife on hers...like those razor ones that retract. Which confuses me more.
 

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