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Let's Talk Cast Iron
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ptgarcia
Rank III
Enthusiast III
How is everyone storing their cast iron in their vehicle while travelling?
I just bought a few pieces and I'm a bit worried about scratching and dinging them while bouncing around off road. I was thinking about creating a storage container using a pelican case or similar. What are you all doing to keep your cast iron protected?
I just bought a few pieces and I'm a bit worried about scratching and dinging them while bouncing around off road. I was thinking about creating a storage container using a pelican case or similar. What are you all doing to keep your cast iron protected?
Cast iron being pretty tough, I dont think they would be injured much from a few scratches. However, I would think that a strip of cardboard a little wider than the pan, placed between each pan as you stack them, would be a huge help. Then store then in your pelican or any plastic storage with a clamping lid?
Member II
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I use a foam picnic plate as a divider between pots. I do this with teflon also.
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I put it in a plastic bag and under all of my other cooking stuff in my cook gear bag. The plastic bag is mostly to keep grease and oil off of stuff not to protect the cast iron.
Enthusiast I
I store mine in a plastic bin with most of my cooking equipment. I place a cut t-shirt between the two cast iron pans that I carry, this is mostly to prevent rattling from being annoying, but cast iron is very resilient. I've never scratched or broke one in transit.
NC Old Man Overland
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I need some help guys, I am getting ready to camp this weekend and noticed my cast iron frying pan looking a little rough.
I thought I would cleaned it and re-season..... I cleaned it with hot water, then used a brillo pad to get all the crud off of it. Between yesterday and today, I have run three cycles ---- Olive oil rub, 350 degrees for an hour and let the pan cool for 4 or 5 hours, then repeat. I just looked at the pan and it has gooey sticky nasty crap in spots. What did I do wrong?
I watched a video by Cowboy Kent Rollins
I thought I would cleaned it and re-season..... I cleaned it with hot water, then used a brillo pad to get all the crud off of it. Between yesterday and today, I have run three cycles ---- Olive oil rub, 350 degrees for an hour and let the pan cool for 4 or 5 hours, then repeat. I just looked at the pan and it has gooey sticky nasty crap in spots. What did I do wrong?
I watched a video by Cowboy Kent Rollins
ptgarcia
Rank III
Enthusiast III
Enthusiast I
Not enough heat? Wrong type of oil? Too much oil? Try bumping up the heat to 400. Reheat the pan when it’s done in the oven, then CAREFULLY wipe the excess oil off with a old Tshirt. I hope this helps!
ptgarcia
Rank III
Enthusiast III
When I do mine, I set the skillet/griddle/etc. on the stove top burners and heat to about 200*, then wipe on a thin layer of oil (avocado, usually) then bake an hour at 425*. I then let it cool completely in the oven. Then before I store the cast iron I give it a wipe with an oily cloth.
I was advised by an old timer to store the one he gave me in a paper sack. It fits nicely in my drawer set up and I stack the rest of my cookware inside it
Pics?
How was it when you started? Rough surface like Lodge? Too much oil perhaps?
I sanded Lodge first to get a smoother surface inside.
Steward I
The cast iron pan should be smooth when bare. Old timers used whetstones. Then the seasoning builds a molecule-thick layer of polymer; these layers build very gradually over time. To build it up, use a thin coat of high temp oil, wipe it off in order to leave a minimal layer, then put it in the oven. After a short time, take the pan out and wipe off the oil that has mysteriously reappeared in spots, and put back in the oven. Repeat a few times - thin coat, wipe off, heat, wipe again... I've used Buzzy Wax instead of oil to season pans, and it works perfectly. The Eerie blend is avocado oil, sunflower oil, and beeswax, and it leaves a nice dark finish.
The tip I learned from the OG, Martha Stewart was to take a little crisco on a paper towel after rinsing and wipe it over the hot pan to keep it conditioned and keep your season perfect.
Same here, and I do exactly what ol' Martha does as well. However, when wiping it down I make sure there is just enough on it to make the pan look 'wet', but not enough to feel 'wet' - if that makes sense.
I do what my grandmother taught me. Bacon grease in the oven at 400 (pan upside down so excess drips out). Do that a few times, then move on to cooking bacon and then on to other things. I do not use vegetable, avocado, grapeseed or any of the oils they never had back in the old days. The more stuff you can BAKE in the new pan, the better.
This works. It builds over time. Eggs will stick for a few weeks.
This works. It builds over time. Eggs will stick for a few weeks.
I admit I have not had crisco in my house since I moved out back in 1990-91. I MAY rethink that, just for the pans. I have been using canola oil and baking the pans for an hour, cool, bake again.
Ha ha. My mother used to save the bacon grease in an old coffee can, and alternate with crisco
