Guys, we have all seen the threads about cooking in cast iron. And as we have all probablly eaten alot of meals cooked in it as well. So we all know that it just makes the food taste better. With that said, it can be a pain to clean up if not properly seasoned when running hot water isn't avialable. So is the trade off of cast iron, right?
Not true. I decided that since there are pretty substanial studies showing the healh risk that comes from cooking in the current non stick cookware, I just had to make my cast iron cookware as non stcik as my dads, which is about 60 years old. He just sprays a little oil in it and cooks. When I say a little, that is exactly what I mean. Just enough to wet the skillet. I tried that and stuck more than I cooked. When I asked him how to achieve his non stick surface he said, "Son, you just gotta cook in it. When yours gets 60 yeras old it will be just as good." Being that I am not yet 40, I didn't intend to wait that long.
So I began the search for proper seasoning that would cook potatoes, eggs, meat, whatever with out geting sticky after being in the pan for a few minutes. The internet search was pretty confusing as there are so many contrasting recipes to properly season your cookware. This is what I have learned. I cannot take credit for it and do not mean to, but it has worked magic for my pans to the point it simply takes a paper towel and a few secoonds to clean up after a meal.
Only one thing really causes the pan to not be non stick. That is all due to the oil not being cured correctly. Either you cooked the skillet at to low of heat or you put the coat of oil you are seasoning with on to thick. Both will cause the seasoning to be sticky, whether it feels that way or not, and both will allow the seasoning to break down when you cook, causing your food to stick after a few minutes in the pan. Other than that, if you get this right the pan will become an ice rink for the food.
Pork fat or lard was the norm years ago to season a skillet. I doubt your grandma's knew this but farm raised free grazing pork is very high in omega 3 fatty acids, which is also very good for you. But the pork fat you buy today is mostly raised on corn which highly decreases the amount of omega 3 fatty acids in it. Plus, the additives and medicines used to clean, preserve, and keep it healhy in the horrid enviornment it is raised in is in that fat. So this makes the Lard of today less than idea for seasoning unless you like the thought of eating that everytime you fire up that skillet.
Vegetable oil can be summed up the same way. There is so many things in the crap that only you should be the one to decide how much your food touches it when cooking, and not your skillet seasoning. This brings up the best choice for several reasons: Flax Seed oil.
Flax seed oil is very high in omega 3 fatty acids. It is also the hardest oil that is edible once cured, but has the lowest smoke point. Smoke point in oil is very important for seasoning because curing will only occur once the oil starts smoking. So in esscence, it it the best of all ooils for you, cures at lower temps, and hardnes extremely hard. It can be found at most every pharmacy in 10 ounce bottles. It cost about a dollar an ounce. Thaqt is enough to do all he cast iron cookware on this forum so don't worry abou the price. After a couple days of leisure seasoning work and you will need it no more. So get it. Then do this.
Get the old seasoning off the skilet by putting it in the oven on self cleaning mode. Once the skillet is cooled to touch, take it out of the oven and wipe it out and clean up the old seasoning laying in the bottom or stuck to the sides. It will be a gray color at this point. Don't be afraid to wash it with water if need be to get it clean, then use super fine steel wool to clean any small rust if it pops up. Place the skillet on the eye of your stove and heat it to make sure it is totally dry. If rust appears or re-appears, just sand it out.
While the skillet is heating up, turn the oven to 500 degrees. Once the skillet is dry, get it off the eye and take the Flax seed oil and put a very light coat on it. The skillet should be too hot to handle with uncovered hands when you do this but not blazing. After you coat the skillet, take a dry paper towel and wipe it off and get it as dry as you can. Place it in the 500 degree oven for 1 hour. When done, turn off the oven and let it stay there until cool. Then repeat this process 5-6 times before you attempt to cook out of it.
At this point the skillet will be black and starting to shine quite a bit. Each coat will make it more shiny until finally you will be able to look into a dry pan and see a dark reflection looking back at you. This is when it is good and has taken on usually 8 or so coats. Your eggs and food will lietrally slide around in the pan with very little oil. I just cooked 2 eggs tonight with no oil in a skillet with 4 coats. Very little sicking and a gentle nudge with my spatula released it. No stciking when done. By the time I get 8 on it it will be unreal like my others.
A few words of advice to follow. Make sure you put the pans upside down while seasoning. You will not need a cookie sheet under it if you applied the oil according to directions, but it keeps the oil from gathering in the curve of the pan where cooking surface meets side. This will cause non curing and in time sticking.
Also, use the 500 degree heat. Anything else will just take much more time. It will not hurt your pan and the high temps ensures that you are curing the oil. To cure oil has to smoke and harden. 250-350 degrees just doesn't get the hardening right like it should. If your oven doesn't go that high, use 450, just cook it 15 minutes longer.
And this is the most important part other than the oil you use. DO NOT put the seasoning on too thick. Take the time and be patient to do as directed here. Getting antsy like I did just ensure you will have to re-clean and start again because the seaoning will not cure correctly and your pan will stick.
This is a long read but everyone loves cast iron or should. The health benefits versus the current skillets are off the charts, and it just taste's better. Just look at how many old imers are still kicking afer eating bacon and eggs all her life. Plus iron is one of the most deficient minerals in the American diet now. Didn't use to be. I wander why? But, besides all this, it also is the fastest to clean up after if yours is truly non stick. Deer camp is about fellowship and hunting, not cleaning. Like I said, I cannot take credit for it, just passing it on after giving it a try and seeing how well it works. I hope this helps. Now get those skillets seasoned and enjoy. God Bless
Topic: Cooking wih cast iron in deer camp (Read 825 times)
