I bought this a few days ago and wanted to season it so I used bacon now after it was done it smelled,not bad but I didn't want to cook in it. So I was scrubbing it with salt to get as much of the seasoning off and start over. So what's the best way to season this grease or olive oil.
Help with a Dutch oven.
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Sawyer Rob
Super Member
I like to cook bacon in a new DO the first few times...
After each time, I wash it out GOOD with HOT water and wipe dry...then put it back on the stove to get it DRY and to open the pores.
Once DRY, and still fairly warm, I wipe it all over (inside and out) with a clean rag that has olive oil on it... Do NOT leave it "puddled" wipe it all off...
Mine season perfectly doing that and I have CI from a few years old to over 60 years old...
SR
After each time, I wash it out GOOD with HOT water and wipe dry...then put it back on the stove to get it DRY and to open the pores.
Once DRY, and still fairly warm, I wipe it all over (inside and out) with a clean rag that has olive oil on it... Do NOT leave it "puddled" wipe it all off...
Mine season perfectly doing that and I have CI from a few years old to over 60 years old...
SR
RNeumann
Elite Member
We have several sets of cast iron. We settled on Sprite/7up to season. Get the cast iron hot and add liquid until it cools off.
Maybe we are cheap! Who doesn't like bacon?!?! Haha
Maybe we are cheap! Who doesn't like bacon?!?! Haha
/pine
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Google and youtube it and decide what method best suits you...
Sawyer Rob
Super Member
And that's what I answered, it works perfectly...
The more times you do it, the better it will be seasoned.
SR
I should went there first! Because it seem like people here don't read before answering.
Redlands Okie
Veteran Member
sawyer rob gave a pretty good answer and your already half way there
jaxs
Elite Member
Everone was probably busy trying to locate odd size spools of gas shield flux core and missed the point.
Larry Caldwell
Super Member
I have been cooking with cast iron forever. The best thing to season frequently used cast iron is pork fat/bacon grease, but just cook in it. If I were reseasoning a dutch oven I would burn it clean in a hot fire, then make popcorn in it every day for a month. Unfortunately, animal/vegetable fats get rancid and the flavor can go off, so if you are only going to use the Dutch oven a couple times a year, season it with food grade mineral oil from the drug store.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Seasoning cast iron cookware is surely an individual process with each of us having the best method. ( Folklore abounds )
I'd suggest getting it nice & clean, then heating and apply butter to the surfaces. Heat to just below the smoking point. Do this for an hour or two and call it good.
In the OP 's case just heat it up till it smokes and keep it there for a bit. The retained remanents should burn off. Then just use as normal and seasoning will happen properly in due course.
I'd suggest getting it nice & clean, then heating and apply butter to the surfaces. Heat to just below the smoking point. Do this for an hour or two and call it good.
In the OP 's case just heat it up till it smokes and keep it there for a bit. The retained remanents should burn off. Then just use as normal and seasoning will happen properly in due course.
thatguy
Elite Member
I know that some ppl do not recommend using 'animal fats' since it can go rancid. Personally I have always used crisco or a high heat cooking oil.
One big issues seems to be that some cast iron has a pretty rough finish that makes it harder to season..
They way i season was to clean it well - you can spray with oven cleaner and place in garbage bag in the sun to get the old seasoning off. I then put it on a grill outside (tried it in the oven once and that smoked up my place badly).. after its heated up carefully spread the crisco all over it and then reheated it.. .. sometimes i would do this several times over a few days letting it cool between times.
brian
One big issues seems to be that some cast iron has a pretty rough finish that makes it harder to season..
They way i season was to clean it well - you can spray with oven cleaner and place in garbage bag in the sun to get the old seasoning off. I then put it on a grill outside (tried it in the oven once and that smoked up my place badly).. after its heated up carefully spread the crisco all over it and then reheated it.. .. sometimes i would do this several times over a few days letting it cool between times.
brian
gsganzer
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Try flax seed oil. If it needs refinished, then start by putting it in your oven and running the oven cleaning cycle. Let it cool, wipe it out with a dry rag then apply flax seed oil on both the inside and outside of the pan and lid. Put them in the oven with the pan upside down so the oil doesn't pool in the bottom and run the oven on 450 for 2 hours. You should have a hard dry finish.
TomSeller
Super Member
Second the flaxseed oil as a base coat. From a clean dry pan wipe on some flaxseed oil, then WIPE ALL OF IT OFF (as much as you can). Serious about getting as much off as you can or it will pool up. Then put in oven at 500 deg for an hour and cool. Repeat process one more time, maybe twice. THEN season with normal fats. Pork is real good. Google the process for flaxseed oil cast iron. Excellent base coat. I have probably 30 or 40 cast iron pieces and this is the best way to put a base coat on that I know.
For cleaning use the electrolysis process with laundry soda and a battery charger. Google that as well. Do that in a highly ventilated area.
For cleaning use the electrolysis process with laundry soda and a battery charger. Google that as well. Do that in a highly ventilated area.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Sandblaster or needle gun also work for cleaning.
RobertN
Super Member
So, one of our Cubmasters asked to use one of our Scout Troop DO's for a Webelo event. I have never heard of a camp DO getting burnt up so bad. He is a metal shop instructor; he finally bead blasted it clean...
RobertN
Super Member
Back when my son and I were involved in Scouting, he was Quartermaster a couple times. We had to reseason a few camp DO's over the years. Most of the time, it was because the DO's got scrubbed to hard trying to get burnt stuff out. Sometimes they got a little light rust after not getting oiled well, and sitting for a few months.
I found that we could usually just clean them up. Then, give them a liberal coating of oil(olive oil or Crisco), and stick them in a 350F oven. Let them get hot, and then shut the oven off and let it cool slowly.
Really not much different from doing an initial seasoning.
This is one of the better references I have found:
The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast
I found that we could usually just clean them up. Then, give them a liberal coating of oil(olive oil or Crisco), and stick them in a 350F oven. Let them get hot, and then shut the oven off and let it cool slowly.
Really not much different from doing an initial seasoning.
This is one of the better references I have found:
The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast
tcreeley
Elite Member
We've used cast iron for everything since I was a kid. Olive oil works great and frequent use. Don't let it soak or run it through the dishwasher. Once on the finish lasts. I bake bread in a dutch oven and after I seasoned it with olive oil- I occasionally add some swipes with a stick of butter before it is preheating for bread.
buckeyefarmer
Epic Contributor
I think i used oil and baked it in the oven. Smells some first time.
Cooking in it is best way to season, then clean as others said, hot water, wipe dry, and then rub down with oil.
Cooking in it is best way to season, then clean as others said, hot water, wipe dry, and then rub down with oil.
TomSeller
Super Member
That link has the electrolysis process, it is truly the best way to clean cast iron at the molecular level.
And thank you for the link. I don't believe that I have seen that one before.
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