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Old 07-07-2014, 11:55 AM
 
1,650 posts, read 3,782,119 times
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Ok, here's what's going on.
First off, I had a caphlon cast iron pan that was great for a year or two. Then it got too nasty and just needed re-seasoning. Went through the process twice (including putting it through my oven's cleaning cycle to get down to the bare cast iron) and couldn't get it back to a non-stick surface. Got frustrated enough that I picked up a brand new Lodge pre-seasoned skillet. I got it from amazon and on the amazon reviews I read where people got their new skillet and before using it they seasoned it further themselves. So this is what I did as well. Took it out of the box and did the following...

1) Wiped a THIN layer of organic flaxseed oil on top and bottom of skillet.
2) Put in cool oven, upside down
3) Turned oven to 500 degrees and baked for 1 hour after reaching temp.
4) Let completely cool in oven for several hours
5) Repeated 4 more times.

Excited to give it the ultimate test this morning, I heated the cast iron on my gas stove top this morning on medium heat for several minutes. Added a bunch of ghee, completely coating the skillet. Dropped in 3 eggs (planning on making over-medium fried eggs) and waiting a few minutes for the eggs to partially cook. Went to flip them with my spatula and they were completely stuck to the pan and had to be scraped off making a complete mess.

What gives?! Why am i having so much trouble?!
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Old 07-07-2014, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Montreal, Quebec
15,082 posts, read 14,256,441 times
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I've been through the same thing. I've given up.
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Old 07-07-2014, 12:15 PM
 
537 posts, read 1,234,515 times
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I also have a Lodge cast iron. I tend to use coconut oil or even bacon fat to season the cast iron. Daily, I'll rinse the cast iron after use, dry it and leave it in the oven at 350 with a light layer of coconut oil. I just use what heat is left from the oven after cooking. Once a week or so, I'll give it a couple hours in the oven with a light coating of oil. Works like a charm.

Are you using soap to clean your cast iron? If so, stop. That's stripping the seasoning. Just a quick rinse and dry will do. Even though the cast iron is seasoned, I will still use oil or butter for making eggs, potatoes, etc.
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Old 07-07-2014, 12:17 PM
 
3,201 posts, read 4,390,072 times
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just get you some enameled cast iron in the color(s) of your choice and be done with it
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Old 07-07-2014, 12:31 PM
 
1,650 posts, read 3,782,119 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drunkwithwords View Post
I also have a Lodge cast iron. I tend to use coconut oil or even bacon fat to season the cast iron. Daily, I'll rinse the cast iron after use, dry it and leave it in the oven at 350 with a light layer of coconut oil. I just use what heat is left from the oven after cooking. Once a week or so, I'll give it a couple hours in the oven with a light coating of oil. Works like a charm.

Are you using soap to clean your cast iron? If so, stop. That's stripping the seasoning. Just a quick rinse and dry will do. Even though the cast iron is seasoned, I will still use oil or butter for making eggs, potatoes, etc.
It's brand new! I hadn't even used it yet.
And usually, my cast iron skillet is my dedicated breakfast pan.
I'll cook my eggs, plate them, then cook my bacon and leave the bacon grease in it till the next day (no sugar or anything in my bacon, just the pig). I do this at least 6 days a week. Almost never washed it. Not even rinsing in water. Worked great on the original pan until it got screwed up and now I can't get the new pan working properly either.
I don't get it!
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Old 07-07-2014, 12:55 PM
 
Location: NC
11,192 posts, read 8,227,952 times
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OK, first of all, Calphalon is not cast Iron, so there's that. (EDIT: I just googled and apparently they have a cast iron line. Sorry for my bad info there.)

I've not used Cast Iron in a long time (mine had a little ridge on the bottom, so it stopped getting used when I moved to a place with a flat-top stove), but I'll say this. If it took your egg "a few minutes" to partially cook, then your skillet was not hot enough. To cook with cast iron, you need to get it hot so the egg IMMEDIATELY forms a 'skin' on it, and sizzles from the get go. If it's not doing this, you are not hot enough, and it won't work.

Also, FWIW, I never had luck with the textured cast iron (which is made in a sand-cast), I've had tremendous luck with the machined cast iron, which has a super-smooth surface. NOTHING sticks to it, I seasoned it once a year or less, as needed.

Hope this helps.
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Old 07-07-2014, 01:13 PM
 
16,715 posts, read 19,309,028 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by d2mini View Post
Ok, here's what's going on.
First off, I had a caphlon cast iron pan that was great for a year or two. Then it got too nasty and just needed re-seasoning. Went through the process twice (including putting it through my oven's cleaning cycle to get down to the bare cast iron) and couldn't get it back to a non-stick surface. Got frustrated enough that I picked up a brand new Lodge pre-seasoned skillet. I got it from amazon and on the amazon reviews I read where people got their new skillet and before using it they seasoned it further themselves. So this is what I did as well. Took it out of the box and did the following...
Calphalon is not cast-iron. It looks like it is, but it isn't. It's non-stick.
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Old 07-07-2014, 01:17 PM
 
Location: League City, Texas
2,919 posts, read 5,914,428 times
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How I've always seasoned cast iron is like this--nothing organic or coconut involved

1--grease it good with old fashioned Crisco shortening (inside only)

2--put it in a 200-250 oven & forget it for a few hours

3--let cool, wipe out old grease, then repeat steps 1 & 2 until it looks/feels the way you want it.


After you wash it or have any water left on it, let it sit it on a low burner a minute or two until dry. It doesn't hurt to wipe it out with a dab of Crisco when it's dry to keep it well seasoned. This is how I've kept my 100 yr old cast iron for the last 30 years I've had it.


I've never heard of seasoning a skillet on high heat or upside down.
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Old 07-07-2014, 01:20 PM
 
537 posts, read 1,234,515 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by d2mini View Post
It's brand new! I hadn't even used it yet.
And usually, my cast iron skillet is my dedicated breakfast pan.
I'll cook my eggs, plate them, then cook my bacon and leave the bacon grease in it till the next day (no sugar or anything in my bacon, just the pig). I do this at least 6 days a week. Almost never washed it. Not even rinsing in water. Worked great on the original pan until it got screwed up and now I can't get the new pan working properly either.
I don't get it!
Even if it's brand new, you should season it.
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Old 07-07-2014, 02:38 PM
 
1,650 posts, read 3,782,119 times
Reputation: 1489
Quote:
Originally Posted by hellpaso View Post
How I've always seasoned cast iron is like this--nothing organic or coconut involved

1--grease it good with old fashioned Crisco shortening (inside only)

2--put it in a 200-250 oven & forget it for a few hours

3--let cool, wipe out old grease, then repeat steps 1 & 2 until it looks/feels the way you want it.


After you wash it or have any water left on it, let it sit it on a low burner a minute or two until dry. It doesn't hurt to wipe it out with a dab of Crisco when it's dry to keep it well seasoned. This is how I've kept my 100 yr old cast iron for the last 30 years I've had it.


I've never heard of seasoning a skillet on high heat or upside down.
I did use crisco on my old pan. Maybe that's the diff.
But i keep hearing that this flax oil stuff is supposed to work the best and create the hardest finish!

Quote:
Originally Posted by drunkwithwords View Post
Even if it's brand new, you should season it.
Ya, i did. Even though it comes "pre-seasoned" from lodge.

But after going through the process in my OP 5x, it wasn't even close to non-stick!
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