How to reseason cast iron: stove top style.

[@lunarrelics7898]

You made this process seem so much more approachable than others! Thank you

[@Ulfhednar-o9t]

Savage !!! 👍👍

[@jackg9581]

Love it! I'm not sure why but taking care of a cast iron skillet is super satisfying.

[@patc1309]

Straight and to the point. Bravo! Too much information overload out there. This was PERFECT

[@mattross9980]

This is so much simpler than many other videos on KZbin. Thanks!

[@simongsmith]

Thank you - very informative and I always suspected there was an easier way to season my pan. Can't wait to try this.

[@matypete1]

I've tried seasoning a number of different ways, and this way was the best. Quick, easy, and no pointless fancy stuff. Gave my vintage Wagner #8 5 coats of this and it is a beautiful shiny, smooth black.

[@mamaof6loves]

Thanks for this video. My 2 number 5s have small cracks. Hoping to reseal. They have so far given me no trouble to keep cooking in. The tips for stove top were excellent. Thanks again

[@ginalicious627]

Absolutely best video on cleaning the cast iron!! I love that you did this on the stove top instead of inside the stove!

[@577buttfan]

I did the same thing using multiple thin layers and it works great.i used bacon grease.

[@full95one]

The tip about the oil spots getting thin are where it gets sticky is absolutely gold. Thank you so much for this info

[@scotmaciver]

That’s not correct. Stickyness comes from too much oil. I suggest doing a little more research before trying this method. I learned the hard way a long time ago.

[@full95one]

@@scotmaciver every single source I look to says something different. I've researched more than you know

[@scotmaciver]

Thin layer of oil is all you want. Heat up the pan, apply the oil, then wipe it out like you never wanted it there. Too much oil and not enough heat time equals sticky gummy mess. That’s one thing the experts agree on.

[@full95one]

@@scotmaciver OK. So far I had good no sticky results with it swimming in oil but i will try this too. Should it look dry like he shows in the video?

[@scotmaciver]

fUll 951 let me watch the video again because I didn’t see where it looked dry. But yes it should look and feel dry when you put it up in the cabinet to store for next time. A little oil is not bad I guess but after I clean a pan, if I put a thin layer on I heat it on medium till it starts smoking a little and cut it off and let it cool. I may even let it heat and smoke for 5 minutes or so, and when I say smoke I mean just light wisps of smoke to let the oil polymerize. You can actually see it on the bottom and your goal is a nice matte finish. You won’t get that in one season. But you can see what it could end up as when you see the polymerization starting.

[@fillupread]

Yea, you didnt season a pan, you oiled it. To season you must reduce the oil (evaporate) leaving the polymers behind....

[@dbergeron9956]

Holy oil slick "Vatman" we hit the motherload...this isn't seasoning...this is an oil change for the next 3000 miles.

[@MichaelBrooksmsb400]

This is exactly how I do my Cast Irons. Did it this way as soon as I got my new 12" LODGE home.

[@seasonstudios]

I seldom use paper towel. I use an old lint free cloth like a T shirt. Works great.

[@HickSquatch]

Since the video, I sourced some old towels that work great. I just used what I had.

[@choux8372]

This is so helpful, I'll be sure to try this when I get my first cast iron

[@KeyserTheRedBeard]

sweet video Rob Pendle. I broke that thumbs up on your video. Always keep up the wonderful work.

[@Man_Cave]

My Grandmother pretty much did this same technique, but that was because she would use the same pan later on in the day for the next meal. Today, we use them once and store them away. In those cases I recommend coating the pan with Crisco lightly and throwing it in the oven for a couple of hours at 300-350 dgs.

[@chucktaylor4958]

That’s how I do it. Martha says to use shortening, rather than a liquid. I imagine pioneers used bacon grease or another lard.

[@LupitaSin21]

Just got my first ever cast iron griddle and my oven doesn't work so I looked for stove top curing and yours is the first one I came up to. Doing the curing as I write this, will do it for a couple more times. Hopefully I'm doing it right. Thanks for the video. :)

[@lx7lw]

Thanks a lot! :)

[@ennaregnoc6983]

Thank you for your informative video

[@azlannakamoto7913]

With that much oil, brace yourself U.S soldiers is on their way to set you free!

[@illumiNOTme326]

Lolll

[@BassForever44]

😂

[@kryptonianog9418]

🤣

[@HickSquatch]

Hopefully you aren’t using dinosaur juice oil. I use plant juice: canola generally

[@toonerfische6237]

​@HickSquatch much better to use Mobile 1 or Amsoil.

[@smrfi]

That was easy 😲 thank you

[@MyYTaccountName]

How were those Rellenos? I love those things.

[@seasonstudios]

There may be an instance for oven reseasoning but as they say the more you use cast iron (properly) the better it seasons. It's just metal and it's just heat... at the correct temperature. Good video.

[@HickSquatch]

Oven seasoning is definitely a better process, this is more of a maintenance process if something gets burnt on or something happens (like wife puts it through the dishwasher;) Thank you

[@michaelthompson4188]

Thank you for the video.

[@gbmarie836]

Should you also oil the outside of the pan if it’s a new skillet?

[@stylish1012]

I don’t put bck on stove after use I just wash it dry it really well re-oil it all over with Crisco and put it away that’s how my grandma use to seasoning her pans .

[@wstewart5532]

So what?

[@ajahndallas]

If you use Crisco and store it for a long time, it could turn rancid. As long as you use it daily, no problem.

[@marksieber4626]

No Matter how you reseason your pans, or what oil you use, do this before you try to cook in it. If I strip a pan down I’ll do three coats in the oven then a stovetop seasoning before use. I bet he could have eggs swirling around the pan if he wanted to show off. I even do that with cornbread pans of any kind. Good video and techniques

[@joeespo177]

Good video except I prefer to use an old t-shirt or similar material in lieu of paper towels. There is always the possibility you'll get tiny bits of paper towel rubbed into the pan that are barely visible.

[@boilerhonkiedude9163]

Blue shop towels are good too.

[@1969CampEvans]

clean stove trop

[@CP-fe6jr]

Hey Rob, I grew up in a town called Clitheroe which is right by the side of Pendle Hill (actually pedantically it should just be called "Pendle". because the word Pendle means hill.) in Lancashire UK.

[@straycat1674]

I watched a video from somebody who makes cast-iron and they say that never washing with soap and water no longer really applies. And the reason why is this dish soap that we used today is not as abrasive or damaging as in the past. So if you have to use a little bit of dish soap and warm water, it’s perfectly fine. Obviously you want to make sure to dry your pants off and they suggest exactly what’s being done here just a simple oil coating. What modern dish detergent in the rules of cast-iron do not necessarily completely apply.

[@HickSquatch]

Very true. Back in the day, soap was often homemade with wood ash and lye. I use Dawn dish soap with no issues

[@straycat1674]

@@HickSquatch I’m from the south, so cast-iron is kind of a religion. And even to the moment of my mothers death, she never knew different. She always threaten me, don’t you dare wash that is soap and water. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago I actually learned that it’s perfectly fine. And I’m almost 50.

[@HickSquatch]

@@straycat1674 yes indeed!!! My mom used her grandmother’s iron when I was a kid. That’s how I learned. That’s why I made the video. I want to do one on cleaning but I broke my arm and it’s slowing me down too much lol.

[@knightsouls]

@@straycat1674 Washing up liquid breaks down the grease. Tbh in England/Italy many people just rinse cast iron with just warm water and a small drop of washing up liquid in to take off the upper layers, dry the pan, then just oil it cold and leave it.

[@joseph4185]

Will this work on a new non-seasoned cast iron skillet? Would you have to do it 2 or 3 times maybe?

[@HickSquatch]

Joseph yes it can if you do it a few times. The more you use it, the better it gets. These pans are over 30 or 40 years old. I also have a new Lodge 12" pan... I did this twice when I first got it. It's not as good as the old ones, but it's totally usable.

[@joseph4185]

Thank you!

[@bendadestroyer]

@@HickSquatch I tried your method and it kind of worked. There was definitely some mild polymerization. I washed it with soapy water and you could see the water trying to bead. I think if you did this multiple times or over a longer period then you could get good results. I have tried the thin layer on the stove top method as well and the center of the pan burns off like you said. So far, the best results I have achieved were inside the oven. Thank you for showing me this method. I don't know why some people identify with their own ideals so much that they cant accept that there might be other viable methods. I also watched your omelet video, it seems like you are doing something right. I am honestly concerned about your weight, I hope you can get it under control. Have a good one friend.

[@todd5198]

Could you so me what this pan looks like after you wipe the oil out? I am trying to learn to do this with my stove top and I tried it buy it got sticky and I think I didnt wipe enough oil out.

[@HickSquatch]

Just re-oil it and wipe it dry. Worst case scenario, scrub it with hot water and soap and re-oil it. It'll be fine. If theres too much oil in there when you heat it, or it sits for a long time, it can get sticky. I just heat it, oil, let it cool to where I won't burn myself and wipe it dry. I don't leave any oil in it except the thin film from wiping it with a paper towel or dishrag.

[@rachelkasierski1081]

This is how my mom cooked with cast iron. She would boil a 1/2 inch of water in the dirty pan, Scrub it out then return it to the stove to burn off the water. When the pan started to smoke, she'd wipe it with oil. She did this every time she used her skillets. It kept them happily seasoned/ re-seasoned. I wonder though - can you still use this method for an unseasoned pan? Does seasoning a pan in the oven for the first time do anything other than season the exterior of the pan and on that note - does the exterior of the pan need to be seasoned at all?

[@HickSquatch]

I don't like oven seasoning, but that's just me... not had good results, just a lot of stink. This is what my mom did too.

[@HickSquatch]

Exterior, helps keep it clean, yes

[@jackieboxer9702]

Nice clean stove. Mines a mess.

[@jennycampbell989]

Am about to purchase a pan,why do you use Salt to season ? Thank you.

[@HickSquatch]

Salt is just a mild abrasive to scour the pan without scratching it, but more aggressive than a soft nylon brush. A lot of cast iron care is tradition and lore; and often doesn’t apply to modern iron: modern dish soap like Dawn won’t hurt it at all. Traditional soap was made with wood ash lye and could be rather hot. That would strip the seasoning, modern dish soap doesn’t use lye or other corrosives. I always scrub my new iron in hot soapy water and then dry and oil it. The residue from manufacturing and however many people touching it before I got it: yup it gets scrubbed!! You can also oil the pan and lay it upside down on the bbq grill and run it about 450 degrees for a half hour or so and let it cool with the lid closed: as good as oven seasoning without the smell and heating up the house; which is why I do my maintenance on the stove top Enjoy!!

[@happycat0411]

Just fry some bacon and save the oil in a tin or steel cup as the bacon fat adds for great taste when frying cabbage or making fried rice. After frying the bacon and pour out the excess bacon oil from the cast iron pan just use a couple of sheets of old newspaper and wipe the pan dry of any oil and fat. Any extra oil and fat will get absorbed into the cast iron and season the cast iron each time you use the cast iron pan to cook as cast iron is a porous metal. The Chinese always use this same method to season their cast iron woks in restaurants.

[@carinecampier]

Bacon will clog your arteries 😱

[@danieljdesimone]

this isn't seasoning. This is just dumping too much oil in a pan and heating it😐 You want to smear a small amount of oil all over every surface of the skillet top and bottom including the handle. Then you get a fresh paper towel or rag and pick up the excess oil by lightly making a couple passes over entire skillet. Then you put it on high and let is smoke for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool down some, add a little more oil, smear and wipe off again. Repeat the process a few times and you will have polymerization

[@HickSquatch]

Perhaps I didn’t make it clear enough that this is not intended as a primary seasoning for a new or refurbished pan; it’s what I do to maintain my daily use iron. It’s been working just fine for me for over thirty years.

[@MyREDTAIL]

How many times should this be done to make it stick free for doing eggs etc.?

[@HickSquatch]

MyREDTAIL all depends on what condition your pan is in. This is for maintenance of an established pan. Mine all slide really well, but they are old, well seasoned, smooth pans. Eggs also have their own tricks, like a warmed up pan and oil. Cold eggs stick more too.

[@scotmaciver]

I can pull out a new lodge and cook an egg without it sticking without ever seasoning. If you have a seasoned pan it’s all about process. If you are stripping and starting from bare iron I would do 3 to 6 times.

[@scotmaciver]

But I also would not do the process in this video

[@dominiquedevereux7205]

Every video I've seen for stove top seasoning methods have been for people with GAS ⛽ 🔥 stoves. How would you season the outside & bottom of the pan on the stove top if you have a glass top, electric stove? I imagine there is no way to do so because the oil would stick to the glass surface & burn-2-be-damned. But I 've been trying to find a method other than the oven method as the oven eats up too much power 🔋, takes too long, & stinks up the house 🏠 which causes my parents to have a conniption 😡, which prevents me from seasoning my pans as much as they need!!

[@HickSquatch]

In the oven would be best, or on a bbq grill works great too. I really don’t worry about the outside too much; just the cooking surface. The outside and bottom just keep clean so it doesn’t rust and look bad. Just a good dry wipe and rub a little oil or even food grade wax with a paper towel or rag should be sufficient

[@davidwilliams1856]

What about the Chile’s?

[@dieterh.9342]

Olive oil work?

[@HickSquatch]

Yes it does. It has a lower smoke point, meaning the oil burns at a lower temperature than other oils, like flaxseed or canola. I have used olive oil, butter and various others. Flaxseed and canola are my favorites; peanut could be a good choice too, but I don’t see it except in five gallon buckets and some folks have severe allergies to peanut

[@nohandle62]

The Cowboy said you shouldn't use paper towels because fibers get embedded in the seasoning. Cloth of some kind? Don't remember.

[@HickSquatch]

I don't have a problem with paper towels getting fibers into my iron, but I also keep some old terrycloth bath towels cut into rags for cleaning my iron too.

[@madrewcrazy1562]

I use water better than oil

[@JohnShalamskas]

Using high heat is a mistake. The cooking surface of the pan will overheat and start burning the oil, while the sides will never get hot enough to polymerize. The oil should not be burning. What you are shooting for is polymerization, which occurs below the point where it smokes. Also, the amount of oil used here is way too much. It will cause a thick flaky layer which chips off easily.

[@HickSquatch]

That’s why I don’t take it to fully smoking: just right near the smoke point. This isn’t a full seasoning process, just maintenance of the surface.

[@kevinzhao9222]

Stick it in unlit oven after it starts smoking to not stink up the house!

[@rayfox5655]

The whole point of this video is how to not use an oven

[@compute4christ]

You don't turn the oven on. Just to hold in the smoky smell from the rest of the house.

[@kryptonianog9418]

It polymerizes it doesn't carbonize

[@timothyward8564]

Interesting,,,,,first time I've seen anyone use that much oil,,,hmmmmmm

[@offshoretinker]

Carbonising? Polymerising surely?

[@HickSquatch]

Michael Pollard sure. I’m just parroting terminology. Im not a chemist or physicist

[@MaximRecoil]

Seasoning is a mixture of polymerized and carbonized oil. Where do you think it gets its black color from if not carbon? Notice that Lodge uses both terms on their website: "When oils or fats are heated in cast iron at a high enough temperature, they change from a wet liquid into a slick, hardened surface through a process called polymerization. This reaction creates a layer of seasoning that is molecularly bonded to the iron. Without this layer of carbonized oil, iron cookware would corrode and rust due to the oxygen and moisture in the air."

[@rfornabaio23]

Too much oil, it should be a single light layer, no pooling. Also the oil is polymerizing, not carbonized

[@scotmaciver]

I doubt anything is polymerizing over there.

[@MaximRecoil]

Seasoning is a mixture of polymerized and carbonized oil. Where do you think it gets its black color from if not carbon? Notice that Lodge uses both terms on their website: "When oils or fats are heated in cast iron at a high enough temperature, they change from a wet liquid into a slick, hardened surface through a process called polymerization. This reaction creates a layer of seasoning that is molecularly bonded to the iron. Without this layer of carbonized oil, iron cookware would corrode and rust due to the oxygen and moisture in the air."

[@ConwayTruckload]

Crisco works better

[@michaelmurphy5476]

That's way way to much oil

[@MrBullet888]

Absolutely and wrong oil. Grapeseed or avacado works great. Crisco too. Thin layers. Pan should almost look dry.

[@mikerobertson4041]

Lots of ways to season cast iron. I would never use that much oil, but if that's what works for you, go for it!

[@VeritasEtAequitas]

Too much oil and the wrong kind will get tacky and gummy

[@scotmaciver]

Please don’t use this solution. It works for him which is great. Do some research. It doesn’t have to be complicated which is the one thing I agree with this guy on but this is way too much oil and the thing about being to thin causing it to be sticky is incorrect. Please do some research like I did so you don’t have to learn the hard way. Shouldn’t put a pan away this oily or even oily at all.

[@Finn959]

So what do you recommend? Oven only? Or another stovetop method?

[@gilmourwaters]

@@Finn959 I agree with Scott. This really isn’t the way to go. To maintain my pans I get the pan hot on the stove ( no oil) just until you start to feel the heat where the pan meets the handle. If it’s hot there it’s plenty hot in the pan. Kill the heat . Add a small amount of oil . Just enough to apply a very thin layer of oil to coat the whole pan. After you apply the oil , get another rag and wipe it all out The very thin layer that will remain with absorb into the pan as it cools creating that non stick surface After you wipe off the pan just let it cool…. Done

[@kenborgie1727]

HOLY CRAP - BAD BAD ADVICE - LIKE THE GUY SAID LOOKS LIKE AN OIL CHANGE AT 3000 MILES.

[@ryanpark2049]

I change mine at 3000. I don't care that the oil holds up to 5k, and at time 10ks. It's about the carbon deposits I don't want bonding to my engine

[@dontblameme6328]

Waaaaaaay too much oil!

[@scotmaciver]

Thank you

[@david.thomas.108]

I thought so at first too, but actually the thicker oil layer results in an even seasoning coat. It still polymerises on the cast iron surface, works well.

[@stoutlager6325]

The point of contention is that there are two ways to go about this, both of which work. You can do thin oil layer or you can put enough oil to guarantee entire cooking surface is covered throughout the process as shown in this video. I find the method shown here to be more forgiving (for stovetop). For whatever reason if you go the thin layer method and accidentally use slightly too much, that is when sticky spots occur. Sticky spots do no occur, ever, if you use lots of oil on stovetop.