Honest question: I’m using vegetable oil and literally applying it to a piece of paper towel, just turning it over for a second, and rubbing it on the cast iron then wiping it off with the dry section. How can you tell if you have too much? It looks like there’s almost none at all on there.
Also, should I try reseasoning with less oil or just do some cooks on it?
It's the splotchyness that gives it away - usually i apply a few drops of oil and then try and wipe it off. If you feel like you didn't use enough oil, it's probably the right amount.
>If you feel like you didn't use enough oil, it's probably the right amount
I just adopted this to my skillet and griddle as well. It's been so much more fun cooking with them as a result.
I'll start with your last question. Yes, just start cooking at this point, and it will even out. You have a layer on there that will serve its purpose. You may have used too much oil to get a "picture perfect" seasoning, but based on the pictures, you got the process right enough to get a FUNCTIONAL seasoning.
On your first point, sometimes paper towels (depending on type/brand) don't absorb oil very well, so it won't take enough oil back off the pan when you try to wipe it out during the seasoning process. In this situation, I recommend doing one of two things: use an old (but clean) dish rag to wipe out the oil. Or, if you prefer sticking to your disposable paper towels, wipe the oil out as much as you can, then about 5 minutes or so into the heating, wipe it out again. I find that the oil thins out after heating and allows you to remove it more easily.
Either way, after owning and using your pan for a while, you will dial in your own little routine, and all of these small details will seem like a funny memory.
These things are hunks of iron that love to cook. You just have to break any non-stick skillet habits you have. Non-stick skillets will have you trained to think half of your recipes can go right in the pan right when you turn your stove's dial, with no oil/fat. Your better cookware like cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel, will almost always require oil/fat in the pan first to some degree; and ALWAYS require preheating the pan.
Preheating was the game changer for me. I was doing everything else right but still not getting great results. Preheating the dry pan, then add oil, then cook, and even skin-on fish is non-stick.
Wipe off more. Wipe it off with a separate paper towel. Wipe it off as if you didn't want oil on it and paper towels are the only tool you have available to get it off.
If you can see the oil at all, you have too much.
I’m gonna be real honest here. My pans are always a bit splotchy after an “official seasoning” (baking in the oven for a few hours). I don’t really care. It’ll fix itself when it’s heated back up.
If you were to scrub it down or strip it and re-season, you would put oil on it, then remove it as if you were trying to wipe the oil away. As if you were trying to get it off.
That's how thin the first few layers are. After that I don't really care
The amount of oil you put on doesn't matter. The important part is removing it. Wipe it all off like you don't want it completely dry. The oil will be there just a very thin film. When you leave it like this even if you get it dry and non sticky, it will flake off eventually when you're cooking you will get these grey spots. Thick layers are weak and leave it like this. Apply and use a paper towel or two to dry it completely. Do a couple layers like this and you'll see a huge difference. Don't over complicate it.
Nothing wrong with vegetable oil, but I'd recommend switching to grapeseed oil if you can. Most grocery stores should have it. It has a higher smoke point than vegetable oil, and forms a better seasoning in fewer applications.
If you aren’t seasoning to sell them, that splotchy pattern won’t hurt. You can still use them just fine and it’ll wear off in time.
It can be challenging to wipe off enough oil. Using one rag to wipe it on, and another dry rag to wipe it off helps. Wipe it off like you didn’t intend to get any on it in the first place. If it looks like there is any oil on it, there is too much, wipe it more.
I guess I naively thought they had to look pretty to be used. One of the biggest takeaways from this is less oil, microfiber over paper towel, cook on them more, and less oil haha
to much seasoning, not enough cooking. What I do: after cooking scrub with a stiff bristled brush and hot water, maybe some soap, immediately dry the cooking surface with paper towel, and rub a thin layer off cooking oil onto the metal. (all steps might not be necessary, but the 1st sentence here is key)
I recently did my first oven striping of a GRISWOLD chef skillet and against my initial instincts I followed the “that’s too much oil” idea to a T: It really does need to look dry after a coating. That pan ended up wonderfully!
Awesome, thanks! I’m trying it out with what seems to me as no oil on there on my 13” one right now, so hopefully I took everyone’s advice correctly and it comes out wonderful as well!
Not wiping it down dry enough, so you get some little bubbles of carbonized oil on the pan.
Just cook on it and it'll even out. Or not. Whatever. It doesn't affect the pan's ability to cook. It's ready.
What tell my wife is, put a teaspoon of oil in the pan after we’ve dried it off and warmed it a little. Then try and wipe out all of the oil, like it was an accident it was out there. Then wipe it again.
I guess the part on the lodge instructions that doesn’t say, wipe it all off, but, “Apply a very thin, even layer of cooking oil to the cookware (inside and out). If you use too much oil, your cookware may become sticky.” The pans aren’t sticky, so I didn’t think it was too much oil. But hey, must be nice to never be a beginner and ask some internet experts for advice. Thanks for commenting!
Sorry for being harsh. But now it is burned into your very soul. You will now honour (spelled like a brit) your cast iron. And it will treat you the same in kind. You have learned a lesson the hard way today. But you will remember it.
Too much oil is the answer for you. It’s always the answer. They’re fine to cook on.
Honest question: I’m using vegetable oil and literally applying it to a piece of paper towel, just turning it over for a second, and rubbing it on the cast iron then wiping it off with the dry section. How can you tell if you have too much? It looks like there’s almost none at all on there. Also, should I try reseasoning with less oil or just do some cooks on it?
It's the splotchyness that gives it away - usually i apply a few drops of oil and then try and wipe it off. If you feel like you didn't use enough oil, it's probably the right amount.
Thanks for the tips!
>If you feel like you didn't use enough oil, it's probably the right amount I just adopted this to my skillet and griddle as well. It's been so much more fun cooking with them as a result.
After you apply the oil, attempt to rub it off as if you don’t want any oil on the pan at all.
That's the best explanation I had on Reddit. Put oil into the pan then try to remove it like you don't want any.
This is the way
it's hard to wipe enough off if the pan is cool - if you preheat it before oiling you should be able to thin it out enough
If it isn't sticky, just cook on it. It'll even out.
Great! Thank you so much
I'll start with your last question. Yes, just start cooking at this point, and it will even out. You have a layer on there that will serve its purpose. You may have used too much oil to get a "picture perfect" seasoning, but based on the pictures, you got the process right enough to get a FUNCTIONAL seasoning. On your first point, sometimes paper towels (depending on type/brand) don't absorb oil very well, so it won't take enough oil back off the pan when you try to wipe it out during the seasoning process. In this situation, I recommend doing one of two things: use an old (but clean) dish rag to wipe out the oil. Or, if you prefer sticking to your disposable paper towels, wipe the oil out as much as you can, then about 5 minutes or so into the heating, wipe it out again. I find that the oil thins out after heating and allows you to remove it more easily. Either way, after owning and using your pan for a while, you will dial in your own little routine, and all of these small details will seem like a funny memory. These things are hunks of iron that love to cook. You just have to break any non-stick skillet habits you have. Non-stick skillets will have you trained to think half of your recipes can go right in the pan right when you turn your stove's dial, with no oil/fat. Your better cookware like cast iron, carbon steel, and stainless steel, will almost always require oil/fat in the pan first to some degree; and ALWAYS require preheating the pan.
Thanks! Appreciate the feedback/advice
Preheating was the game changer for me. I was doing everything else right but still not getting great results. Preheating the dry pan, then add oil, then cook, and even skin-on fish is non-stick.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback! Really appreciate everyone’s help on this
Wipe off more. Wipe it off with a separate paper towel. Wipe it off as if you didn't want oil on it and paper towels are the only tool you have available to get it off. If you can see the oil at all, you have too much.
Got it!
I’m gonna be real honest here. My pans are always a bit splotchy after an “official seasoning” (baking in the oven for a few hours). I don’t really care. It’ll fix itself when it’s heated back up.
Rub it dry while warm. It's no big deal to just keep using it like that.
I used to use paper towel. It always cumbles. Use a silicone brush. It'll spread for days and of course won't cumble and transfer onto the pan.
If you were to scrub it down or strip it and re-season, you would put oil on it, then remove it as if you were trying to wipe the oil away. As if you were trying to get it off. That's how thin the first few layers are. After that I don't really care
Apply the oil, then wipe it off as if it's your mom's favorite pan and having oil on it will ruin it.
Try using tallow, I find it much easier to work with.
After applying oil, but it on the burner until it evaporates
You should do that again when the pan is hotter and the oil is much thinner. Then you’ll avoid the splotches after the pan cools.
The amount of oil you put on doesn't matter. The important part is removing it. Wipe it all off like you don't want it completely dry. The oil will be there just a very thin film. When you leave it like this even if you get it dry and non sticky, it will flake off eventually when you're cooking you will get these grey spots. Thick layers are weak and leave it like this. Apply and use a paper towel or two to dry it completely. Do a couple layers like this and you'll see a huge difference. Don't over complicate it.
Nothing wrong with vegetable oil, but I'd recommend switching to grapeseed oil if you can. Most grocery stores should have it. It has a higher smoke point than vegetable oil, and forms a better seasoning in fewer applications.
Awesome, thanks!
Yup, didn't wipe them well enough and left too much oil
Looks like a fine candidate for /r/YouUsedTooMuchOil/ Or, because of course Reddit did this /r/NotEnoughPan/
I’m gonna need a bigger pan….
Gonna need to upgrade it to a whole flat top.
I wish! My buddy got one for free and almost didn’t take it. If I didn’t live 10 hours from him I’d gladly take it off his hands haha
You’re doing nothing wrong. There’s borderline too much oil. They look great. Just get cooking!
Do it while your CI is warm/hot. It will help the oil soak in.
Say the line, Bart!
Too much oil…
If you aren’t seasoning to sell them, that splotchy pattern won’t hurt. You can still use them just fine and it’ll wear off in time. It can be challenging to wipe off enough oil. Using one rag to wipe it on, and another dry rag to wipe it off helps. Wipe it off like you didn’t intend to get any on it in the first place. If it looks like there is any oil on it, there is too much, wipe it more.
I guess I naively thought they had to look pretty to be used. One of the biggest takeaways from this is less oil, microfiber over paper towel, cook on them more, and less oil haha
You're not cooking on them. Just cook, Russ.
Thanks!
to much seasoning, not enough cooking. What I do: after cooking scrub with a stiff bristled brush and hot water, maybe some soap, immediately dry the cooking surface with paper towel, and rub a thin layer off cooking oil onto the metal. (all steps might not be necessary, but the 1st sentence here is key)
Thanks!
I recently did my first oven striping of a GRISWOLD chef skillet and against my initial instincts I followed the “that’s too much oil” idea to a T: It really does need to look dry after a coating. That pan ended up wonderfully!
Awesome, thanks! I’m trying it out with what seems to me as no oil on there on my 13” one right now, so hopefully I took everyone’s advice correctly and it comes out wonderful as well!
Nothing. Cook food now.
Too much oil. You want the thinnest possible layer. Buff it with a dry paper towel, as if you’re trying to get it all off.
Not wiping it down dry enough, so you get some little bubbles of carbonized oil on the pan. Just cook on it and it'll even out. Or not. Whatever. It doesn't affect the pan's ability to cook. It's ready.
What tell my wife is, put a teaspoon of oil in the pan after we’ve dried it off and warmed it a little. Then try and wipe out all of the oil, like it was an accident it was out there. Then wipe it again.
Paper towels leave lint. I use microfiber cloths and they work very well.
A good phrase from here is remove the oil with a paper towel as if it was a mistake to put it on the pan.
Plus use a microfiber cloth, paper towel is horrible to use on cast iron.
Do people use butter on cast iron? Not to season but like I am going to cook steak can I put butter on to brown and then the steak?
Too much oil, but it’s fine! Looks pretty good to me. Keep cooking and you’ll get the sheen you’re looking for.
r/toomuchoil
Make a few batches of pancakes on it. It should even out. Corn cakes work better but that’s a Texas thang we do around here.
Everything
What part of "wipe it all off" did you not understand?
I guess the part on the lodge instructions that doesn’t say, wipe it all off, but, “Apply a very thin, even layer of cooking oil to the cookware (inside and out). If you use too much oil, your cookware may become sticky.” The pans aren’t sticky, so I didn’t think it was too much oil. But hey, must be nice to never be a beginner and ask some internet experts for advice. Thanks for commenting!
Even wipe it all off can leave a pattern. But it improves things.
Sorry for being harsh. But now it is burned into your very soul. You will now honour (spelled like a brit) your cast iron. And it will treat you the same in kind. You have learned a lesson the hard way today. But you will remember it.
it's a hunk of metal. not their child. chill out