Seasoning Cast
Iron
Cast Iron Cookware when
seasoned properly
will last a life-time.
New Pans
- Heat the oven to 250o
- 300o
- Coat the pan with a solid
vegetable shortening. We recommend
using the old fashioned ingredients of either bacon
grease or lard. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil
because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
- Put the pan in the oven. In
15 minutes, remove the pan & pour
out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the
oven and bake
for 2 hours.
PLEASE NOTE: If your pan has a wooden handle,
4. Use a variation of the above directions, Coat the pan with a
solid
vegetable shortening. We recommend using the old fashioned ingredients of either bacon
grease or lard. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil
because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan
will not be properly
seasoned, then put
your pan on the stovetop
at medium/low heat instead of in the oven.
5. Follow step #3 above substituting your stovetop for
the oven. You will want to keep the heat fairly low during the final step.
Repeating this process
several times is recommended as it will help
create a stronger "seasoning" bond.
Also, when you put the pan
into service, it is recommended to use
it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon
or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the
seasoning.
IMPORTANT
NOTE!
1) PLEASE USE THESE METHODS ONLY ON CAST-IRON
2) DO NOT PUT YOUR PANS WITH WOODEN HANDLES
IN THE OVEN
3) YOU DO NOT NEED TO SEASON YOUR PANS
THAT ARE COMPLETELY
ENAMELED ON THE INTERIOR SURFACE.
(Example: Chasseur pans, Le Cruset, etc)
Pans needing Re-Seasoning
If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of
the seasoning
wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should
be
properly cleaned and re-seasoned.
- Remove any food residue by
cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating
the pan first
to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores
of the
metal and makes it easier to clean.
- Dry the pan immediately with
dish towel or paper towel.
- Season the pan as outlined
above.
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Caring for
Cast Iron Cookware
Seasoning a cast iron pan
is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware.
And, like you cook and clean the modern
non-stick cookware with special
care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron
cookware wants some
special attention too.
- Clean the cookware while it
is still hot by rinsing with hot water
and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring
pad or
soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning.
- Never store food in the cast
iron pan as the acid in the food
will breakdown the seasoning and take on a metallic
flavor.
- Store your cast iron
cookware with the lids off, especially in
humid weather, because if covered, moisture can
build up and
cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.
New cast
iron cookware, may be medium gray in color,
but after usage, they start turning darker.
This is normal and should be expected.
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