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Cast Iron Skillet and Bacon

post #1 of 31
5/1/07 at 1:54am
Thread Starter 
So I purchased a Farberware Cast Iron Skillet and attempted to make bacon today. The skillet said it was preseasoned so I did not bother seasoning it. I simply placed a couple slice of bacon into the cold pan, put it on the gas stove on about medium heat, and tried to fry it. Unfortunately after a few minutes, the bacon started to stick to the surface so in an unexperienced panic I started using my flipper to try and scrape it loose and flip it over. Needless to say, the bacon didnt come out looking very nice but it was edible.

A few parts of the bacon stuck to the skillet so I washed it with warm water and a little soap and probably applied more pressure than I was supposed to so now my skillet is slightly discolored (certain parts of the pan surface are a little lighter than others). My question is this...

Can I just continue to cook bacon in it over the next few days hoping this will help season it further and provide more of a seasoned/nonstick surface? Or have I already done enough damage and need to season it before I try cooking in it again? Some parts of the skillet are just slightly discolored and I can't tell if I scrubbed away all the seasoning or not. Or perhaps nothing is wrong and I just didn't cook it correctly. Was I supposed to preheat the pan first before putting the bacon in to help prevent it from sticking? Your help will be highly appreciated because I am...



THE WORST CHEF.

Thanks.
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post #2 of 31
5/1/07 at 1:55am
Thread Starter 

Cast Iron Skillet and Bacon

So I purchased a Farberware Cast Iron Skillet and attempted to make bacon today. The skillet said it was preseasoned so I did not bother seasoning it. I simply placed a couple slice of bacon into the cold pan, put it on the gas stove on about medium heat, and tried to fry it. Unfortunately after a few minutes, the bacon started to stick to the surface so in an unexperienced panic I started using my flipper to try and scrape it loose and flip it over. Needless to say, the bacon didnt come out looking very nice but it was edible.

A few parts of the bacon stuck to the skillet so I washed it with warm water and a little soap and probably applied more pressure than I was supposed to so now my skillet is slightly discolored (certain parts of the pan surface are a little lighter than others). My question is this...

Can I just continue to cook bacon in it over the next few days hoping this will help season it further and provide more of a seasoned/nonstick surface? Or have I already done enough damage and need to season it before I try cooking in it again? Some parts of the skillet are just slightly discolored and I can't tell if I scrubbed away all the seasoning or not. Or perhaps nothing is wrong and I just didn't cook it correctly. Was I supposed to preheat the pan first before putting the bacon in to help prevent it from sticking? Your help will be highly appreciated because I am...



THE WORST CHEF.

Thanks.
Reply
post #3 of 31
5/1/07 at 3:18am
Using a cold pan? That's probably half the problem... ;) And I'd still use a little oil to fry things for the first few times of use.
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post #4 of 31
5/1/07 at 6:52am
You probably scrubbed off a bit of the seasoning. Most cast iron afficianados would have given the pan another round of seasoning even with a preseasoned pan.

Whether you should reseason it is up to you. If it's small, spots, fingernail sized or so, I'd leave it be, or maybe run a cycle or two of high heat seasoning described below. If it's bigger, i'd reseason it completely. By completely, I mean strip off the seasoning and start over.

Bacon will stick now and then because of the sugar in it, especially early on. The best cleaning method for those sticky bits is some water in the pan and bring it to a boil. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes and it will clean up easily.

If you want to strip the pan and start over, put the pan through a self cleaning cycle of your oven. Or in a hot fire or outdoors grill. You can burn the seasoning off.It will turn gray instead of black. As soon as you take it off the heat, apply oil as it will rust quickly.

To season cast iron, I'm a fan of high heat methods. Coat the pan in oil or fat of your choice. Heat the oven to 500 degrees. Put in the pan upside down. This keeps the fat from pooling in the pan and making a sticky plasticized mess. Heat it for one hour and turn off the oven. Let it cool. Repeat at least once more and preferably 2 or 3 times to get a good thick & hard patina of carbon.

Phil
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post #5 of 31
5/1/07 at 7:24am
There were two problems, both of which are easily solved.

1. Cast iron should be preheated, just like stainless, for best results overall. With things like bacon it is critical.

2. Preseasoned cast iron arrives at the stage it would be after one attempt at seasoning following the manufacturer's instructions. It is nowhere near cured properly. The first few times you should only fry in it, to help build the cure.

Those spots are not a real problem. Follow Phil's advice to really get a cure going. Even better: Do it over an open fire, so the grease and soot work together to quickly fill the poors and create that black finish you want.

Either way, once properly cured, soap should never again touch that piece.

Remember, the seasoning is made of grease. And soap's job is to dissolve grease. So if you wash it with soap (or, God forbid, put it in the dishwasher) all you'll be doing is stripping away the cure you worked so hard to obtain.
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post #6 of 31
5/1/07 at 7:37am
I always preheat my skillet.. Much better results that way..
If your food is sticking, it may be because of the cold pan, but I suspect your new skillet needs more seasoning even though it says it comes preseasoned.

Also, your skillet may have had a protective coating on it.. If so, that needed to be removed before using.. That could be why you are having discoloration..

Check out this cast iron care link.. Its got some good info..

Learn about Cast-Iron Pans, Cast Iron Skillets, Cast Iron Griddles and Cookware
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post #7 of 31
5/1/07 at 8:12am
Yeah. What they said.

Pre-seasoning is ONLY a head start. True seasoning takes time and care. But it's SO worth it.
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post #8 of 31
5/1/07 at 8:30am
Years ago I bought a couple of cast iron skillets, and, being young and foolish, almost ruined them because i didn't know how to properly care for them. I was able to rescue one, and now that I know better, can honestly say that for some cooking tasks there's nothing better.

Has anyone used the new pro-logic skillets from Lodge? Comments?

TWC, is there any particular reason you chose to get a farberware skillet? Do you know if a lid is available for them? Couldn't find anything about them at the Farberware site.

Shel
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post #9 of 31
5/1/07 at 9:08am
I've wondered about that. I don't think the patina is grease anymore.

I emailed Camp Chef once about it and their response was that the patina was carbon. I can see that. Grease, oil and fat are hydrocarbons. C(arbon) H(ydrogen) and O(xygen). You're breaking the bonds and rearranging them when you season a cast iron pan. That's why you can get the brown stickies with a poor seasoning job as you only partially converted the grease and it more resembles a phase of plastic than the carbon patina you're working for.

I've used soaps/detergents in my cast iron on occasion without detriment. The Cast Iron crowd is firmly divided about this. What I've read most often about soap is to avoid the use of scented soaps. Cast iron is porous and those darn scents can linger in a pan for a few cookings if you use a scented detergent.

The patina is certainly soluble though and that's something soap speeds up. Leaving water in cast iron overnight for something very sticky (a burned cobbler while camping in my case) can take the seasoning off.

Phil
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post #10 of 31
5/1/07 at 10:32am
I prefer cast iron pans over anything else. True, it does take some getting used to but it provides a more even cooking surface and it makes everything just taste better. One thing that I find to be necessary is to spray your pan with cooking spay after it has been heated. To clean the pan I always put warm water in the pan and boil it for a few minutes. After empting the water out I scrub the pan with a mild scrubbing pad and then put it back over low hear to dry for about 10 minutes. It’s probably a little more labor then some people are willing to put forth but I think it is well worth it. NEVER use soap!
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post #11 of 31
5/1/07 at 3:19pm
first lesson: there is no such thing as a 'pre seasoned cast iron skillet'

second lesson: Farberware makes cheap, poor quality cookware.
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post #12 of 31
5/1/07 at 4:13pm
One of the best things about my catering kitchen (100 year old building, kitchen was renivated in 1949) is the 10 cast iron pans that came with it.

I talked my way into a tour of an old blacksmith in rural Illinois and he had a 20" cast iron Wagner that is daughters don't want anything to do with......they like non-stick pans. He was 90 years old......need to stop back by and see if he's willing to sell yet.
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post #13 of 31
5/1/07 at 5:11pm
I would tend to agree with that. Especially the bit about a preseasoned pan. The preseasoning is just to get you started; you need to treat your pan well to maintain and improve the seasoning process.

Third lesson: Do not use soap to clean the pan. You are washing off the seasoning. That's not a disaster, it just means you have to start again.

Do a search on this site for seasoning/cleaning cast iron. There has been a lot written about it. I would also recommend looking at a Lodge cast iron skillet (preseasoned or otherwise) for a superior product and good care instructions. I haven't priced them recently but I'm sure you can still get a 10" pan for under $20.

Jock
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post #14 of 31
5/1/07 at 5:16pm
This is another of those annoying situations where there is a duplicate post. I responded to the other one and basically repeating what everyone is saying here.

Jock
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post #15 of 31
5/1/07 at 5:21pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the advice guys..one question: How can you tell if you've lost some of the seasoning? The surface of the skillet has some swirls in it but it's generally still the same dark color throughout. Also, say I want to season it...can I just take the fat I get from cooking bacon in the skillet, and just rub it all over the pan, put it in the oven, etc.?
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post #16 of 31
5/1/07 at 7:01pm
The best way I know to tell if spots of the pan lost it's seasoning is to look for dark grey vs black & shiney, the grey areas will have lost some of it's seasoning.
Absolutely use some of the fat from the bacon, but use only a thin coating. Pre-heat oven to 350 or higher, lightly coat the pan and turn it upside down in the oven. Let it bake for an hour or more then turn off the heat, DO NOT remove the pan. Let it cool as the oven cools, could take several hours. My favorite method to season my cast iron (do to the ammount of smoke) is to use my gas BBQ. I crank up the heat and put my lightly coated cast iron in upside down, bake for a hour then turn off the heat, let the pan cool the ambient temp, wipe off any excess, and I'm done.
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post #17 of 31
5/1/07 at 8:49pm
Thread Starter 
Well the reason I got a Farberware skillet was because it was really cheap (8 bucks and free shipping) and I thought that there wouldnt be that much difference in quality from one cast iron skillet to another...Was I mistaken? If you pros think it's worth it for me to toss this and buy a better cast iron skillet, I'll do it. And no, there is no lid.
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post #18 of 31
5/1/07 at 9:29pm
I'm a Crisco girl, myself. For seasoning cast-iron pans, that is. ;)

And I'm also in the "it's okay to wash it" camp, because I use a lot of marinades that tend to burn on and need to be soaked off. If I'm concerned that I may have damaged the seasoned coating, I just heat up the pan after cleaning, brush on some Crisco, heat it until it barely starts to smoke, then let it sit. When it's cool I wipe out any extra.

TWC: it's a good idea to reseason the pan every so often in any case. And you'll know if/when it needs it, anyway: it starts to develop rust spots. Just scrub those off with steel wool and reseason. No need to junk the pan. (Although hey, free shipping for a cast-iron pan -- wow! :lol: )
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post #19 of 31
5/1/07 at 10:19pm
I'd be tempted to treat it much like a wok - re-season it with oil over heat, rinse off with hot water (and a wok brush to get the sticky bits off) , dry off *completely over heat. And never wash in detergent again
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post #20 of 31
5/2/07 at 12:03am
Thread Starter 
Thanks guys..my cast iron pan is in the oven as we speak. So was it a mistake to purchase a Farberware cast iron pan? I was thinking the brand didn't matter since it's just a hunk of iron...
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post #21 of 31
5/2/07 at 6:56am
Brand doesn't automatically matter. The better brands, Wagner, Lodge, Camp Chef are more reliably smooth casting. I would buy one of these pans without having seen it without worrying much about the quality I'd get.

Once you get into the off-brands, good pans can be had cheap but I wouldn't buy one sight unseen. You need to inspect them for smooth and even casting thickness, no warping and no cracks or chips.
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post #22 of 31
5/2/07 at 4:03pm
The fact is, you didn't have much to start with. The gray spot in the middle you spoke about may have been some lost "seasoning".

You don't want to use an animal fat to cure the pan. It has too low a smoke temperature and it can go rancid on you. A vegetable oil is better. Rub some olive or peanut oil over the pan and put it in a 350 oven for an hour or so. Wipe off any excess oil. That is just the beginning. The more you use it and with proper cleaning the seasoning will continue to improve. Soon enough you will be able to say, Teflon? Who needs it?

Jock
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post #23 of 31
5/3/07 at 2:26pm
worst chef,for anything that sticks while you are reaching the optimal season,instead of soaking,heat pan till it gets to smoking point splash hot tap water in it and scrape bits off with a wood spatula,careful of the steam.it's just like we remove browned bits from pan to make sauce or gravy.then wash with water and re-season pan.lids can easily be found in most hardeware stores...good cookin...cookie
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post #24 of 31
5/4/07 at 12:44pm
If you use Phil's upside-down seasoning approach it would seem appropriate to put a cookie sheet under the skillet so any fat drips don't get vulcanized to the bottom of the oven. :suprise:

I've got a well-seasoned Wagner 11-3/4" skillet that has developed a rounded bottom. Just doesn't work on the ceramic-top electric cooktop we've got now. Stuff in the center burns while stuff around the periphery is underdone. :( Looking around for a Lodge.

What's a Lodge "Pro-Logic?" How do they get a computer into a cast-iron skillet? :)

Mike
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post #25 of 31
10/1/09 at 8:19pm

Trying to season a skillet...

Hi all,

Newcomer here...

I picked up a CI skillet at the garage sale and I'm currently trying to season it. First, I scrubbed it with a soapy steel wool and rinsed it with hot water. I actually did this twice because when I wiped it dry with a paper towel, it smelled of metal and the paper towel was becoming light grey - is this normal?

I then wiped canola oil on it and put it in the oven at 500.

Am I doing it right? I am worried that I didn't scrub it clean enough?

Any advice would be helpful. TIA.

PS - the only writing on the skillet is 10 1/2 inch cast iron, TAIWAN
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post #26 of 31
10/2/09 at 5:26am
I only use Lodge if I'm reaching for cast Iron. The main reason is that Lodge is a foundry rather than just a casting facility. Their skillets start as Ore rather than ingots.
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post #27 of 31
10/2/09 at 6:21am
Xiaobao, your basic approach is fine. Personally, I don't care for liquid oils as curing agents, because there's a tendency for them to pool, and then turn to a sticky film. Sometimes it happens sometimes not. I've never had that happen with a solid oil such as shortening.

No, I cannot explain it except that it's an observation.

That greyness and metallic smell only meant you were down to raw metal, as you're supposed to be. Before you washed it the skillet was coated with an edible shellac that scrubbing removes.

You skillet may or may not take a good cure. Those Taiwainese-made cast iron pieces run the gamut of quality. Many of them, unfortunately, are very porous, with big "pores" and, in cross section, numerous occlusions. As a result, they are difficult (near impossible) to cure properly. On the other hand, I've seen some that were every bit as good as Wagner and Lodge. But it's pretty much the luck of the draw what you get.

I tell you this so that if the one you have does not take a good cure it isn't because of anything you did wrong.
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post #28 of 31
10/2/09 at 6:59am
Thanks loomer!:bounce:

It looked a little darker this morning after baking it last night for 1 hour and this morning, I baked it again at 500 for 1 hr, again with canola oil.

On the bottom of the pan, there are concentric circles - is this normal for a CI pan?

So, should I keep on baking it until it becomes black or should I try frying an egg on it now to see how it performs?

I'm curious to find out if it's at least decent enough for me to use :suprise:

TIA.
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post #29 of 31
10/2/09 at 8:48am
You could cook it on it.
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post #30 of 31
10/2/09 at 12:19pm
Yeah, I agree with Phil. It's time to start using it.

However, for the first few times at least, I would confine it to fried foods, which will help build the cure. It's probably too early to cook an egg in it.

Eventually you'll have a rich, somewhat shiny, black coating over the entire thing. At that point you'll be as close to having a non-stick pan as it's possible to get.
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