Originally Posted by
DougGuy
DO NOT EVER put a valued cast iron anything in HOT COALS! The temps in those coals are well over 1,200F and will RUIN the iron in the pan. The iron will be heat damaged, the molecular structure of the iron WILL CHANGE, the pan can become warped, and may never take seasoning again.
For seasoning, you need to understand what seasoning really is. Seasoning is a coating of hard polymerized carbons and plastics created by the heating of oils and fats above their smoke point. Yes, it's basically a hard plastic layer that is VERY thin which forms the more or less non stick cooking surface. That also prevents rust.
To season iron, you need to wipe on oils or fats, in a THIN layer. Thicker layers will only cause it to puddle and to make a mottled appearance on the surface that is annoying but will eventually blend in. Wipe on the oil, wipe as much of it off as you can, and heat the pan ABOVE the smoke point of the fat used, this usually requires 450F but not over 500F. Temps over 500F will break down the seasoning and begin to cook it off.
I put a pan with a thin coating of oil on it in a 450F oven for 30mins, using gloves and a blue Scott Shop Towel (no lint) I remove the pan and while it is hot, wipe it all over with a thin layer of oil and return it to the hot oven. I do this 5-6 times, and in an afternoon, I have a good layer of seasoning started. It will improve with daily use.
When I get a new Lodge, I just rinse it out with hot soapy water, oil it and use it. I don't strip or season over the factory seasoning, it's the same as you could do with it, and they use canola oil.
No green pad, that is scotchbrite, an abrasive, it will sand off the seasoning. I use a single paper towel most of the time and that's often all that's needed. A hard plastic spatula to scrape it when necessary, use about 1/8" of warm water and turn the burner on, scrape the pan with the plastic spatula, wipe clean and dry with a paper towel. sometimes I use a stainless steel scrubbee, and light pressure. Seasoned iron can be washed occasionally with soapy water, if you can't cook the seasoning off of the iron, what makes you think soapy water is going to remove it? This is a myth often repeated by those who only heard it from someone else..
The WAGS, (Wagner And Griswold Society) strictly adhere to non-abrasive methods of cleaning. They do not approve of nor do they promote the use of any type of blasting media, wire wheels, sandpaper, fire, they even frown on a self cleaning oven for removing old crud.
Acceptable methods are: Soak in a lye bath, coat the iron with yellow top EZ OFF oven cleaner and stick in a garbage bag, electrolysis tank, vinegar and water (only for short periods of time as this can cause pitting). The preferred cleaner is Barkeeper's Friend, commonly called BKF in the cast iron circles.
I have used a water only 2600# pressure washer on tough to remove parts like letters and logos, this is not blasting, it's not abrasive, it does exactly NOTHING to change the patina of the iron on the surface. This change of the surface is what the collectors frown on the most. Any kind of physical contact with tooling or blasting will change the look of the surface. I have a ton of old Erie, Wagner, Lodge, Griswold, Sidney, Wapak, National, Vollrath, Favorite, and i have some newer Lodge. I like and use them all.