Seasoning Cast Iron: What am I doing wrong?!?!?! (ingredient, reheat, preheat)

[d2mini]

This morning i went ahead and fried up some smoked uncured no-sugar bacon in it.
Can I leave the bacon grease in the pan and then tonite either bake it again in the oven or use the bacon grease to fry some veggies or something?
And this is the lodge "skillet" with just a lip around the edge, no sides. So i'm a little more limited on what I can cook with it.

I'm really missing my morning eggs in CI!
They just don't taste the same in a cheap teflon pan.

[Sherifftruman]

Originally Posted by d2mini

Ok so after round one of the crisco, the pan came out of the cool oven with a layer of sticky crisco.
Now what?

You are probably putting the oil on too thick. You basically need to do it so thin you think its almost all wiped off. Essentially the surface is just darkened and not really that shiny. I would not leave a ton of grease in there and cook again. Better to drain it off, heat or let the pan dry, then use it again, IMO.

Interesting the various smoke points for Flaxseed oil we are seeing. I know with any oil, the purity can definitely have much to do with melt and smoke points, so I wonder if that is why?

I will say that cooking lots of bacon is an excellent way to get the seasoning going. I pretty much did 4-5 coats of Flaxseed then started using it for normal stuff including bacon. I also will sometimes take the bacon grease and coat the other pans with it lightly and heat them for a minute or two until they just start to smoke. Otherwise, I scrub with water and a plastic brush, dry, the pan, hit with a quick shot of Pam and wipe down totally before putting away.

Originally Posted by Robert20170

You're assuming that when he sets his oven to 500 it's actually at 500. Ovens notoriously cook at a different temperature than set at.

That's definitely a consideration and a whole post on its own. Everyone doesn't have an oven thermometer hanging to stuck to the wall of their oven? I know ours is maybe 15 degrees or so higher than indicated.

[Classy Sassy]

I have some cast iron pans that have been in the family for three generations. There is nothing better IMO.

One day a friend was helping me clean up after having guests over. She put one of my cast iron frying pans in the dishwasher and started it. I've re-seasoned it a few times since, but it has never been the same. I'm determined to get it back to the way it was!

[NLDad]

i cook in mine, then wipe (or rinse or wash if needed) If I use water to clean up, I put it back on the burner and dry it out, then **** dab of non-organic regular ol corn oil in it, wipe it around and heat it until it smokes, then wipe the extra oil out and let it cool. Pan stays nicely seasoned, never have to go through and kind of lengthy "re-seasoning." Easy.

[d2mini]

Ok so after a day or two it looks like this.
Seems to have some areas with a thin black film filling up the textured surface.
If I get out my scraper I can kind of get some off but it would take a LOT of elbow grease to completely clean.
Do i leave it or do i need to get it totally clean?

[hot pocket]

Keep at it...that is exactly what you want. Don't clean it, keep on doing what you're doing.

[d2mini]

Really? Ok. Thanks!

[hot pocket]

It's smooth and not sticky, right? As long as that's the case, you're in good shape.

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by hot pocket

It's smooth and not sticky, right? As long as that's the case, you're in good shape.

I wouldn't say it's sticky... but i'd say it's velvety/soft feeling.
It's not glass smooth.

And now it's oily because I cooked bacon over it this morning and just wiped the pan out with a paper towel when done.

[flowbe202]

You know, it might also be your technique, too.

Why not cook your eggs with part bacon/part butter?

Cooks illustrated uses oil/butter, but I bet some bacon fat would bring it together, too.

How to cook the perfect fried egg | Life and style | The Guardian