Cast Iron..seasoning

[Tigeresse]

DH just brought me home a new cast iron skillet and it may be wishful thinking, but it looks like it has already been seasoned. Does anyone know if that is the way they are coming these days? There was no label on it, but it is a Lodge. Last time I bought one was maybe 8 years ago and it was much more silvery in color and less shiny.

I'm thinking I will season it anyway, but I do need a refresher on how to do this. Has anyone used coconut oil to season? Has it worked well?

Thanks!

[quietserena]

Most of cast iron nowadays comes preseasoned though it's not enough to really use.

Coconut oil works *great* for seasoning because it's a saturated fat. I'm getting myself a 3 skillet set next week. I'm so looking forward to it!

[mosesface]

lodge does make a pre-seasoned line, but don't let that fool you!! it definitely needs to be seasoned before you use it.

[lovebugmama]

We get some very fine uncured handcut bacon and cook it in the pan regularly. We pour out the extra fat and wipe the pan with a paper towel. This does a beautiful job of seasoning.

[NotAMother]

Cast Iron Skillet Seasoning

Ditto on the bacon and coconut oil. I just found a 'seasoned' skillet yesterday on sale. I have found that when the iron is a shiny black color, only then is it truly seasoned. I try to never use soap and when I over brown food I use a nylon scrubbie and if it is too browned then I resort to the chore boy. That way it keeps the seasoning longer and avoid rust. Enjoy your new tools! -Charlotte

[Tigeresse]

Thanks for the replies....

Yes, I think I will go ahead and use coconut oil to season initially. I'm so excited to have another cast iron pan! I would get some larger ones but I can't lift 'em!

I also love the idea of using other kinds of fat ie. bacon grease to season, I do that kind of thing often with my older pans and it works beautifully!

[saratc]

If you're lazy like me, you can just skip the seasoning and cook only greasy foods on it for the first couple dozen times. I bought a preseasoned lodge and never reseasoned it. I exclusively cooked bacon and sometimes egg with lots of lard in it for a couple of months. The main things that helped it get season was making sure not to cook watery foods in it for awhile, using a metal spatula, and washing with a nylon/stiff bristle brush, and immediately drying and heating slightly with a thin coat of oil after washing.

[covertlycrunchy]

Typically if you want to fast season it, rub it with some kind of oil/fat (you could cook bacon then pour off the excess and wipe the inside with a paper towel) Then stick it in the oven upside down so any excess oil doesn't pool in the bottom at 200F until you get the results that you want. I think Griswold is the absolute BEST cast iron ever made, it is very durable and light for its size and once its well seasoned (almost ALL of it is, since its so old) it is very non stick. I love it.

[leighann79]

Originally Posted by saratc

If you're lazy like me, you can just skip the seasoning and cook only greasy foods on it for the first couple dozen times. I bought a preseasoned lodge and never reseasoned it. I exclusively cooked bacon and sometimes egg with lots of lard in it for a couple of months. The main things that helped it get season was making sure not to cook watery foods in it for awhile, using a metal spatula, and washing with a nylon/stiff bristle brush, and immediately drying and heating slightly with a thin coat of oil after washing.

That's what I did. Works great.