Pre seasoned cast iron

[knot-my-fault]

So I saw a website that talks about caring for cast iron skillets and they recommend lightly sanding down a "pre seasoned" skillet because they come with such a rough finish/ coating, has anyone done this and had success ?


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2017 255rlx Wildcat Maxx lite

[rp53]

we use cast iron to cook a lot of things fortunately all of ours are old hand me downs and have a smooth surface. go to a flea market or an antique store i have seen many old ones at very reasonable prices the old ones are smooth and are usually seasoned well. buy the way never wash your cast iron with soap.

[SidecarFlip]

My wife 'seasons' them by coating with cooking oil and baking in a hot oven for an hour. Not all CI cookware is the same. The cheapo oriental ones may need sanding. The quality ones don't.

[Bama Rambler]

Don't worry about the pebble finish. It won't hurt the pan at all. It'll still be just as non-stick as long as it's properly seasoned.

Don't worry about washing it with soap. I've been using cast iron for many, many years and I've never hurt the finish by washing it with soap.

The real trick is proper seasoning. There are only a few websites that recommend proper seasoning technique.

1) Wash the pan well and dry it. Drying it over a stove burner/element is fine.
2) Oil the pan on all sides with a very thin layer of oil. 100% vegetable oil is as good as anything. A lot of people recommend Lard or Crisco, and either of those are fine also.
3) It's up to you, but it's a good idea to line a lower rack of the oven with aluminum foil.
4) Put the pan upside down on a rack and turn the oven to 500ºF.
5) Turn the heat off after one hour. Leave the pan in the oven until it cools.

If that's the first time seasoning the pan, it's a good idea to season it another time or two before use. Also, the seasoning process will emit odors, but don't let that alarm you.

[wahoonc]

Never heard of doing that. I have some Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron and haven't had any problems with it. I also have some pieces that are pushing 100 years old that are in great shape and the seasoning has been on them for years. I have seen some cheaper made stuff that had rough surfacing, but sanding it isn't going to do much for it.

Aaron

[Philos3]

Have never heard of sanding, but not all cast iron tools are made of the same quality. If you want perfect smooth surface there are better tools, like a Demeyere saute pan - fantastic. Heavy pans distribute the heat evenly.

The internet offers up a wide variety of opinions of which the basis for the opinions are often ignored, but are more important than the opinion, as well as the source of the information.

I don't trust a do or a don't do on anything, including RVs, unless the explanation makes sense to me.

Since cast iron is iron, the most important thing is to avoid rust. However, a rusted cast iron cooking tool can be recovered, though a heavily rusted pan will take a lot of work...probably including sanding.

I have a variety of cast-iron tools, one is a dutch oven covered in enamel...very nice to work with...no need to worry about keeping it oiled.

I wash my cast iron griddle with soap, water, and a brush because I want it to be clean...not interested in leftover flavors mixed into my cooking. My flavoring is fairly subtle, making use of all the subtle flavors.

I dry it immediately with a dry towel and air dry for about half an hour or reheated to be sure it is dry, then recooled, then set it on my table and use a rolled up cloth towel to put on a high quality high temperature cooking oil, then store it. I get rice bran oil from my chefs school.

Do what you want, but be careful not to burn yourself or pull a muscle in your hand...suckers are heavy and retain the heat. Takes a bit of cooking with it to understand how to control the heat and when it is hot enough. By using a high quality of oil it doesn't smoke unit the tool attains a very high temperature, which is what you want to grill, the higher the better.

Chefs don't like burning the oil or burnt oil flavors, which when it starts smoking means the oil is starting to burn. However, many cooks will be right there and ready with the steak or whatever, and when it starts to smoke, on goes the steak and other stuff.

Most tools, when you throw stuff on them cool down and you can loose your caramelizing temperature temporarily. Cast iron holds that temp the best, but it takes more time to adjust the temperature to keep from burning stuff, so you have to know what you are doing to keep from burning things at the very high temperatures.

If I work with a fry pan, I can move it around or even lift it up to reduce the temp quickly. For cast iron, depending on your basic grill, the cast iron will have spots with different temperatures, so you can move to a different spot, or simply remove the product momentarily.

[rp53]

I have used cast iron for 40+ years my grandmother taught me. if you use soap you will have to reseason or it will rust trust me I learned from experience

[Philos3]

Trust you?

This is simple logic when working with metal - just get down and look under your RV and see the rust forming on the metal. If you were lucky the factory sealed the metal to help prevent and slow down rust. If you were unlucky the chassis was rusting before they built the house on it as it sat outside waiting for months to a year before being used...that is why the chassis date is often one year earlier than the build date.

Don't use this word re-season...it makes it sound really difficult or special or mysterious. It is straight forward.

Hey, would you leave crud on the bottom of a typical fry pan and mix that crud into your new dish? Why would you not clean your cast iron, then protect it properly. Don't use cast iron if you don't want to clean it properly and then protect it.

Simple, no trust necessary.

Eat whatever you like and do what pleases you. But, if you don't want to clean your cooking tools be sure to use a strong sauce to hide the ill flavors and hope you don't have some runs and other problems from time to time.

[Bama Rambler]

I have also been cooking with cast iron for near 50 years and have always used soap and water to wash it. If you season the cast iron properly, washing it with soap and water will not cause it to rust.

Proper seasoning requires very little work and every time you fry in it, you improve the seasoning.

I've also heard that you shouldn't cook acidic foods in cast iron. I also don't believe that. I cook tomato products in cast iron all the time and it doesn't remove the seasoning either.

Cast iron does need to be dried after washing, but a little while on a hot stove is all it takes.

[CampingGator]

I did not grow up with cast iron, but started purchasing and using it last year. I wash mine with liquid detergent, but I have read to not use citrus based detergents. I also use a brush. Lodge cast iron sells brushes, but you can also buy brushes at Target, etc. I fill the skillet with hot water, detergent, and then brush clean. Rinse well and dry thoroughly. While the pan is still warm I rub in coconut oil with my fingers or a paper towel. I never have a problem with this method.

[lugoismad]

Every year or two I end up gunking up my cast iron skillet so badly that its not recoverable. Usually burning something in it really badly.

I get a nice big campfire going, then toss my skillet on top, and retrieve it in the morning. Then reseason. I use canola oil because it has a high smoke point. I rub it down, let it get hot, then rub it down again. Repeat 10x or so.

[rp53]

Originally Posted by Philos3

Trust you?

This is simple logic when working with metal - just get down and look under your RV and see the rust forming on the metal. If you were lucky the factory sealed the metal to help prevent and slow down rust. If you were unlucky the chassis was rusting before they built the house on it as it sat outside waiting for months to a year before being used...that is why the chassis date is often one year earlier than the build date.

Don't use this word re-season...it makes it sound really difficult or special or mysterious. It is straight forward.

Hey, would you leave crud on the bottom of a typical fry pan and mix that crud into your new dish? Why would you not clean your cast iron, then protect it properly. Don't use cast iron if you don't want to clean it properly and then protect it.

Simple, no trust necessary.

Eat whatever you like and do what pleases you. But, if you don't want to clean your cooking tools be sure to use a strong sauce to hide the ill flavors and hope you don't have some runs and other problems from time to time.

i never said i don't wash my cast iron all i said don't was with soap because you will have to re-season it,i was with plain water and make sure it is dry before i put it up please don't assume anything about me as you don't know me and you know what assuming does.

[Philos3]

I will stand on my comment. If you don't use soap to clean up with then please don't invite anyone to eat what your cook. Sanitary habits are critical when you cook for other people. You may not suffer a problem because you body adjusts, but others may suffer severe problems from uncleanliness.

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Philos3

I will stand on my comment. If you don't use soap to clean up with then please don't invite anyone to eat what your cook. Sanitary habits are critical when you cook for other people. You may not suffer a problem because you body adjusts, but others may suffer severe problems from uncleanliness.

If you have the skillet as hot as it should be ain't nothing going to live on it!

I don't use soap on my seasoned cast iron either. It gets wiped down, and if needed heated back up and scalded with hot water.


BTW I am a biology major, ever seen the cool stuff that GROWS on bar soap?

Aaron

[SidecarFlip]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

If you have the skillet as hot as it should be ain't nothing going to live on it!

I don't use soap on my seasoned cast iron either. It gets wiped down, and if needed heated back up and scalded with hot water.


BTW I am a biology major, ever seen the cool stuff that GROWS on bar soap?

Aaron

No pictures please...........

[BandJCarm]

I'm Southern.

I have way more cast iron skillets than I have sense. I use them a lot more too.

If you touch my stuff with soap, I'll whomp you with a stick. Use oil, wipe out.

Y'all do whatever you'ns want to.

[JohnF]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I'm Southern.

I have way more cast iron skillets than I have sense. I use them a lot more too.

If you touch my stuff with soap, I'll whomp you with a stick. Use oil, wipe out.

Y'all do whatever you'ns want to.

I agree. Scrub with hot water, dry and oil. That's it.

[keith_h]

Originally Posted by JohnF

I agree. Scrub with hot water, dry and oil. That's it.

This is what Lodge says to do with their products. It is also what I do with my cast iron pans and carbon steel woks. I have found it doesn't always get out the after taste of things like salmon but I just preheat and use some oil to clean it up more on its next use.

[rp53]

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I'm Southern.

I have way more cast iron skillets than I have sense. I use them a lot more too.

If you touch my stuff with soap, I'll whomp you with a stick. Use oil, wipe out.

Y'all do whatever you'ns want to.

amen brother
born and raised in the south as well

[Mrs Evans]

I scrub/clean mine with hot water and salt, wipe dry and then wipe with oil. We feed different people often and so far so good! :thumbup: