I'm glad someone else is speaking up on this. And just an FYI you will be bashed in most cast iron groups for daring to say you don't have to hit smoke point for seasoning. Most of them believe in the 50 deg above smoke point myth and no matter how much evidence to the contrary, they just won't waiver from that one article they read
Yes, I do hear it but fortunately it's not a big deal. If someone wants to go over smoke point then it's just smoke in their kitchen (and maybe a slightly weakened seasoning). No harm, no foul. My goal here is to help those that do not want smoke, and get turned off using iron mainly because of the smoke issue.
@@Cook-Culture Yeah I've been trying to help those that don't want to smoke up their kitchen or have black flakes in their food. There's alot of pushback from the rest of the community, makes it hard
I've been experimenting with oven seasoning just below the smoke point for a while now. And I think why thinner coats works best is because of a larger percentage of the seasoning is exposed to oxygen from the air. Heat is not the only factor in polymerization. Oxygen and exposure time is the others. This is why some channels recommends that you let the pan cool off in the oven. That prolongs the exposure time under heat and the seasoning gets measurable less sticky than if you let it cool down in room temperature.
You are correct… I don’t think I have seen one video where they explain that all fats polymerize once exposed to oxygen, heat just accelerates that process (but, I have not finished this video)… However, this gentleman just mentioned the other key part to having that pan look black; which is a carbon matrix created by exceeding the smoke point of the fats - but, appears he might be going into those details…
@@EarlHayward For sure. That’s why oils get sticky on the pan even at room temperature over time. I noticed this with avocado oil after not using a particular pan for a month. I tend to use crisco now for maintenance. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t seem to tack up like other oils have.
I think I'm leaning towards the "just start using it" school after cleaning and seasoning once. It will improve week over week and become your friend in a few weeks.
Yes, certainly it can. Where we've run into issues, and why I recommend a longer process to those that cook with less fat, is to build a strong seasoning. Our customers that cook with lots of fat or fatty food have way less cooking issues but some see that as another more serious health problem.
@@Cook-Culture I mainly use oil, and use it for meat, egg and frying onions/carrots etc. The most difficult to bake are potatos, I typically use a nonstick pan for those.
Thank you from a new subscriber with notifications set to all. This is the most straightforward explanation of the seasoning vs. smoke point debate/conversation I have seen thus far from A LOT of videos watched. I absorbed more concise information from this video than the rest combined, thanks again. My engineer brain thanks you as well.
Love this so much. Not a lot of people out there talk about the difference between carbonization and polymerization. I remember feeling so disappointed when I did my first cast iron pan. Family heirloom 100+ year old Wagner, and it came out looking bronze and I didn't understand. Couple of questions. I recently stripped down my Matfer and took it back a beautiful seasoning, but even after a pre-seasoning scrub in the sink with cold water, I found I was getting those little tinges of flash rust after letting it warm up in the oven. Did you have that as well, and the camera just hides it a bit? I found my best defense was to take 0000 steel wool and some acetone, and then buffed it off with a clean rag before adding the seasoning paste. Thoughts? Secondly, I do still really appreciate that really deep coloring on carbon steel pieces, so I have taken to blueing them first over a really hot camping burner. Not only does this give a better cosmetic appearance for me, but I have heard that it can help the seasoning bond much more securely to the piece. Thoughts on this? I originally had really bad chipping problems with this Matfer, but since I did the blueing step this time, my seasoning has been perfect. Lastly, why not season the handle on your Matfer? What's the thought behind that?
Thank you for the very valuable info Jed! I had NO idea about reaching smoke point or higher, really makes perfect sense. Great video Jed, keep 'em comin'!
This is the best explanation and demonstration I have seen yet on seasoning. I have a new carbon steel wok to season but have been putting it off just because I don't want to smoke up my house and don't want to do it on my Big Green Egg as it can get too hot. I've watched a ton of videos and read articles on seasoning and this is certainly the most informative. Thanks so much!
Eccellent content. Very detailed Btw I was able to turn in a black carbon mess a new debuyer in one day, i throw there some onion carrot mix from freezer, all the dark seasonjng gone in food lol Just need start from zero
Ged bro this is your most useful video yet! I’ve been out off for so long due to the smoke and the smell when trying to season the pans because I was told it needed to smoke!
Excellent video, I am happy everything is explained in detail here, because it was quite frustrating trying to season cast iron pans with flaxseed oil to later see it all over the cooked food... My guess is that I used way too much for the coating, so it never actually polymerized properly, and then it flaked all over...
Wow! So educational! Changed what I was thought before that you needed to have the smoke for it to be seasoned.....Thank you. No more fire alarm to go off! lol
I am just starting out with cast iron - i mean like 3 days. Thank you for this information it will be very useful to my pans future. There is so much bad information out there in cyber space. You have a scientific but common sense approach. You also steered me away from the Hexclad with the common sense information you provided. I almost took the bait and paid the exorbitant price. Thanks for Great video and information. Tony Grass Valley CA.
Informative and entertaining as always, thanks Jed! In my 2 1/2 year journey with learning how to use and care for carbon steel it would appear I have made nearly every possible mistake with carbon steel. Ok, I haven't put them in the dishwasher but... This in spite of great videos by you and others such as Uncle Scott's Kitchen. It is one thing to see it in a video, but I guess it takes making some mistakes in person to drive the lesson home. As in "Oh, that's what he meant by ..." Today I learned apparently I am guilty of seasoning a little too aggressively at times - yes, causing smoke. The good news is, even if you make this mistake the pans will eventually recover as you use them. Mine have a great, hard layer of seasoning and dark color. This video came out with excellent timing. Tomorrow I am planning on doing a hard scrub on my carbon steel (3 DeBuyer skillets, 8, 10, and 12") to remove some built up carbon, followed by a "good" seasoning rather than a simple post-use seasoning. Thanks, now I'll be a little more circumspect and patient with my temperature, going lower and longer. I'm planning on using my portable butane burner out on the back patio - it is supposed to be 90 (f) here tomorrow - well on my way to polymerization temp! ;-)
Thanks for this tutorial. I’m preparing to season a few cold handle pans I’ve acquired and this is valuable info. I plan to utilize this slow and low method as the results looked amazing. Appreciate your wealth of knowledge. Now I’ve just got to strip down the first pan I seasoned because, number one I’m not happy with the outcome. Two, I tried to do it too fast to create a color through reaching a smoke point, thinking the color meant seasoned as opposed to building a solid season.
Thanks for this update. I'm french and having an induction stove for years, but never dug on the tech. I've been building a proper pan collection from november 2022 to today, from Matfer, Debuyer, Lodge, Beka, Le Creuset, Riess, etc. The only thing I could advise is to not overdo it. It takes time and patience. The most important thing I learned about the whole process is that I knew nothing about induction stove tech, and it's important, as important as knowing how to properly season and cook properly. New generations of induction stoves have zones that adapts to the bottom surface of the pan, and it's far better reliable, effective an even, than the ones with a ring. If you have a ring, you have to cook with a pan that has the exact diameter at the bottom than the ring. Bigger or smaller and it's not good to bad. You can find a quite extreme exemple of induction zone by searching for "Induction cooktop | Master your Gaggenau" in youtube. I watched the french and more explanatory version of this video and it opened a whole new world to me (and rabbit hole I guess).
Heat functions as a catalyst. It accelerates the polymerization process but also the carcinogen substances. For the initial seasoning I would recommend using high heat with a low smoke point unsaturated oil. Keep washing in between with a rough sponge to make the weak parts of the seasoning come off so only the strong seasoning survives. Once the initial seasoning is done, then I only apply saturated fat as seasoning after cleaning between uses. Saturated fats are far more stable which makes it harder for it to go rancid but will still prevent rust.
Thank you for this video. Not only did I learn about not needing to reach smoke point, but Ive panicked when my browning wasn't even across the whole pan. All other UA-camrs seem to have very even browning across the whole pan which made me think that unless the colour is even throughout, I'm doing it wrong. Your statement about it being OK to continue just using the pan even with uneven browning put my mind at ease. I also use an induction cooktop so I'm unsure what to do when I see other videos that mostly use gas. Do you have specific videos that talks about carbon steel cooking nuances specific to induction cooktops?
Totally agree with you about get rid of non stick stuffs. I initially learn how to cook Chinese cuisine with non stick wok. It's just a terrible experience until I bought my first carbon steel wok. Now I am using carbon steel woks, cast iron skillets and carbon steel pans. Everything changed since then.
Have you tried the swedish kockums jernverk carbon pans? Ther are 3mm thick workhorses the only thing is a little rough fabric seasoning but that smooths out pretty quick
Thank you for all your carbon steel seasoning videos. They have helped me a great deal to troubleshoot my seasoning issues. The only thing that would really help me more would be for you to take IR thermometer readings of the temperatures in your pans when you season them on the stovetop and show the readings on your videos. For example, I would find it very helpful if I knew that you were taking your pans to 300 degrees F, or 350, or 400, or 450 degrees instead of just what setting you are using on the stove. Also, I would like to know the readings when you are keeping the pans warm/hot on the stove for a while after seasoning them at a higher temperature. I have an odd thing that happened to me while trying to season my brand new de Buyer 8-inch pan on my induction cooktop. I scrubbed the pan to get the wax off, warmed it, then coated it with a thin layer of KNAPP seasoning wax. I use my IR thermometer to monitor the temperatures of my pans. I try to always keep my pans below 450 degrees. I was attempting to get my new pan up to 350 degrees F. My thermometer was showing that my pan was not getting very hot. My induction cooktop wound up turning off because the glass was at 500 plus degrees F before I realized what was happening. The setting was only 5 on my induction cooktop when this happened, and the pan had not been on the stovetop for very long. The pan handle got too hot, but the actual pan was showing that it only got to about 250 degrees F. It also took longer than normal to notice that the pan was warming up. I added some drops of water, and they did sizzle, but that test did not give me enough data to know how hot the pan actually got. I did some more troubleshooting, changed the thermometer battery, tested two of my other seasoned de Buyer pans and they got hot right away. I scrubbed the new pan again and tried to warm it again with the same low temperature results except I stopped before the stove turned off. I then scrubbed the pan again, coated it in a thin layer of grape seed oil instead of seasoning wax, and seasoned it in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour like you recommend. My pan is fine now, it heats up correctly, shows the temperature correctly on the IR thermometer, and I already used it for cooking. It has a good first seasoning coat on it now. I have never had anything like this happen to me before when I season on the stovetop. I like seasoning on the stovetop because I try to keep the de Buyer handles out of the oven. It was so odd to take the temperature of the pan and see low readings like this when a seasoned pan would be hot already. I have never had anything like this happen to me before with all my carbon steel pans. Do you have any idea why it appeared that the pan was not getting hot and maybe did not actually get hot according to the thermometer when the glass was over 500 degrees F? The pan did get a light patina with the first test when the stove top turned off, but there was no smoke and if the pan was hotter than the thermometer showed and near 500 degrees like the glass, I know I would see smoke. I am a little concerned that this happened because of the seasoning wax because I have only used grape seed oil in the past but that is just a guess. Also, the first seasoning attempt where the stove turned off left a bunch of char on the glass that I normally do not get; I am having some issues getting this char off which typically does not happen to me. I have not had that glass char issue with grape seed oil. Also, the cooktop gave no indication that there was poor contact with the pan. There was no buzzing or any indication that the stovetop did not like or connect properly to the pan. I was actually worried that there was something wrong with my new pan but that is not the case because the pan works great now that I seasoned it in the oven with grape seed oil. The wax is new, I normally use grape seed oil; I have used the wax to touch up the seasoning on some of my other pans, but this was the first time trying to use it to season a brand-new pan. The ingredients in the wax are grape seed oil, canola oil, and beeswax. I could not find other people talking about this issue that I had with the initial seasoning so I thought I would write to you and see if you have experienced this issue. I have a nice collection of de Buyer pans and one carbon steel wok and never had this issue where the pan did not get hot according to the thermometer (and lack of smoke) in the past.
Howdy, it sounds like the reflection of the new silver pan was messing with you IR reading. Once the carbon starts to form, the reading will be regulated due to the lack of reflection.
@@Cook-Culture Thank you for the reply. I used the pan again without issue and then put another light seasoning wax coating on the inside bottom and had the same issue again with low readings on the thermometer. I think it is the wax in the seasoning that messing with the IR reading because this is only happening when I use the wax seasoning. Thanks again for all your videos.
@@Sandy-xq2foeven on darkened in pans, a coating of fat/oil changes the reflective properties of the surface and throws off the IR reading. I’ve seen this effect on my blackest of cast iron.
@@darkhorsefive0 Thank you for this information. I have never noticed this effect before using oil in the pan; maybe the IR reading error is smaller than with the wax seasoning? I am still noticing this IR error with the wax seasoning even though my seasoning is building up on my new pan. The wax seasoning does not seem to be as durable as plain grapeseed oil inside my pan either because I have had some chipping of the seasoning using the wax seasoning that I have never noticed with grapeseed oil on my other pans. I am probably just going to stick with grapeseed oil for seasoning since the wax seasoning seems more difficult to work with. Thanks again for the reply.
This explains my experience on the stove top - thanks! Years ago, I scraped the scratched Teflon non-stick surface off my old aluminium pan, and successfully seasoned it with Canola Rapeseed oil. It came out a lovely bronze colour because I stopped heating at the first sign of smoke - smoking point reached, job done after 4 or 5 more layers. Fried eggs just slid around, perfect. I tried it again recently, with a non-stick teflon stainless steel pan that was badly scratched. This time, I overheated it and let it smoke wildly for a few minutes, for a nice carbonised finish each time, thinking that was the objective. It wasn’t. The seasoning layer became crazed, and little bits broke off with robust use. So it’s back to square 1, keeping it just below smoking point each time. Think I need to get the pan sand blasted to get down to base metal all over - easier than scraping and sanding. Thanks again.
@@pequodexpress I’ve just tried that - no effect on burnt carbon. I did get my stainless steel stir fry pan sand blasted and overdid it yet again! I even used a blow lamp on the sides to get them black as well! I didn’t use my oven because the handle is silicone rubber. I will use a sander for the carbon. For my next stove top attempt, I will hold the pan on the stovetop upside down. That should give a more even finish without pooling. This time, no aiming for a black colour! I’ve learnt my lesson.
This is the best explanation I’ve seen. Thanks. May be this is the reason my seasoning didn’t hold on but may be not. I took a enameled pot (le creuset) and removed the enamel from the inside and sanded it to an extra smooth finish (1000 grit). Then I seasoning it in the oven (the burned method (500f)) 6 times. But the first time we used it the seasoning disappeared at the light wash. Do you think it was caused by the over heat seasoning? Or because I polished it too much and the oil had nothing to hang on?
Jed, thank you for the excellent explanation and presentation of the proper polymerization process and seasoning techniques. I love the Cook Culture Beeswax seasoning paste. In my humble opinion, there is no finer seasoning paste available. I only wish you had a U.S. retail outlet. Thank you and God bless.
Listening to you, it sounds like it might be ideal to put down the first layer of seasoning with pure flaxseed oil, and then using seed oil or avocado oil for subsequent layers to protect the more brittle layer. What do you think? I got a cheap little pan from Webstaurant online and heat blued it before seasoning. MY absolute favorite little pan for 1 or 2 eggs. If I can get my hands on some pure flaxseed oil, I might strip it down and experiment with it. Between you and Uncle Scott, cooking has become fun again!
Jed!! You have been a life saver with seasoning my new Dartos but you should really invest in and infrared thermometer and include those readings in your videos! I did a 3x30min @ 425°F oven season and everywhere I didn't season turned blue! Meaning the pans themselves exceeded 575°F ! And the seasoning on the cooking surface has all flaked off and is very sticky when cooking 😰 im trying this lower temp method not but still having trouble holding onto a season, the pan is blotchy with near silver spots on it... should I strip it down and start over? Thanks Jed!!❤
So I finally got a cast Iron pan. I decided to sand the bottom since it felt like sandpaper itself and I was really worried about my ceramic induction stove. I applied a thin layer of rapeseed oil, rinsed it with a towel and put it in the oven at 250°c (smoke point is said to be at 190-230°c) for an hour. It does smoke a bit. I'll try a lower temp for the next round, maybe 230°c and see if that works.
I found 3 lodge 8in skillets inside a grill place at the dumpster i striped them to bare metal then started the seasoning process they all turn that real golden dark brown after 3 times in the oven and i was like damn it's not working there not turning black thank God for this video
I have a question about using the convection oven mode in an oven for seasoning. Basically has anyone tried using convection? Does it shorten the length of time under heat?
The advice I hear a lot is to select a temperature 20 degrees F over the smoke point of the oil or fat being used. I've seen a quite a few videos recommending 550°F for an hour. I think I'll be staying around 400° F
I am planning to get de Buyer pan, all my life I had cheap Ikea teflon it is time to get the real stuff. So if i get this right, if i do not have the wax preseasoning in the oven goes like this. Oiled cloth, a small layer of oil around the pan, and put it in the oven at 180-200 C for an hour. Then take it out to cool down. After it gets cold repeat the process a few more times. Am i right?
Temperature of the oven is dependent on the oil u use. Check the smoking point of the intended oil online set the oven to a max of 20 degrees below the smoking point. Otherwise you are right. Good luck 🙂
Do you have a recipe for making our own bees wax paste? I think in an older video you did you mention 50/50 beeswax/oil. Can tallow or lard be used for the oil? Thanks.
I had to search the transcript, since he only said it once. At 6:20: I am going to season this pan very simply at 350 degrees for one hour. He didn't say how many times you should do it, I guess more is better? At 20:19 he shows a pan that's been done in the oven five times.
Thank you so much for this video! Finally someone confirms what I have suspected for a long time already: reaching the smoke point is not necessary or even a good thing when you're seasoning your cast iron or carbon steel cookware. 🙂
HI, Jed! This is a great video! If we are doing oven seasoning using BuzzyWaxx or similar seasoning waxes, is 350F the right temperature. I've seen anywhere from 350-420F. I've stuck with 350F and seems to be consistent. Is this the right thinking?
Thanks Jed. I hope you will make a video on seasoning the OXO carbon steel pan as it is a black one. Would love to see the results. I am eager to move on from nonstick but I just hate the maintenance of carbon steel.
@@Cook-Culture I'd argue stainless is WAY more maintenance than carbon steel. It's so much easier to clean carbon steel than stainless, unless you only ever simmer your food in stainless pans.
I never heard the oven temp setting for that one hour... i did get the article you read about smoking points of sesame seed also grape seed was around 400 degrees...so again not sure what temp area you used,,,tks
Is this new, I've just finished watching a video of you seasoning a pan seven months ago. Bit too much smoke. Is this a new tech no smoke. It's all good, next time in Vic I hope to come and visit your place. Cheers
Howdy, it's just being very particular. Some smoke is fine but burning, as we deal with all the time, is what I'm addressing here. Drop in when you can! Thanks
Great information, Jed! I wish I knew this when I seasoned my carbon steel pans a couple of years ago. I brought each of my pans to the smoke point because that's what other channels said to do. Next CS pan I get I'll definitely season as per your info here. Can I ask the temperature you have the oven set to for warming the pan before applying the paste? Also, what oven temp did you use for seasoning?
Would a food thermometer be helpful for seasoning on te stove top? I have a new carbon steel wok with wooden handles, and don't feel comfortable putting it in the oven.
So... what temperature did you use for the first round?? I don't think you even mentioned it!! Anyways I don't like the bee's wax, it makes the finish rough
Jed, does this method apply to cast iron as well as carbon steel when seasoning? I have some old smooth CI skillets that I need to strip and re-season.
brand new pan de buyer mineral b, 4 layers of seasoning in the oven with 17 hours drying pause, and first egg stick the way i couldnt remove it at all. ill give it one more try and then it will go to trash :D
So what does this mean for cast iron or carbon steel used to sear steaks? In order to properly sear cook a steak, your pan needs to be well beyond the smoke point of cooking oils or anything you may have used to season your pans. Does this ruin the seasoning?
It's important to know that high heat cooking has its issues. Yes, it can be harsh to your seasoning and it does create carbon build up. These are problems that can be fixed , however. Knowing the signs of wear and tear, and build up, will help you know when and how to maintain your pan for longevity. I hope that helps.
I have a ne de Buyer mineral B pan and after watching your video i think seasoning in the oven is the best way. However, the mineral B pan handles have a coating on them. Do you think they are still oven safe at 350 for an hour? I can't find any info online about how oven safe the handles are. Thanks!
Is using a Stainless Steel scouring pad OK? I used that to clean the Linseed oil from my Darto pan, and it left scratches in the pan visible to the eye, not the hand....like swirl marks.
I have a question for you. I use this method to season my Mineral B pans. I prefer seasoning wax but ran out and tried using Grape Seed Oil. It tends to bead up a lot more and makes the surface of the pan rough, dull and a less slick. What causes the beading up, is it a problem and is there a way to reduce it?
@@Cook-Culture Not a new pan. There was a tad bit of carbon I removed with chain mail but the pan got a little scratched. So rather than strip the seasoning I decided to just build it back up using Grape Seed Oil. So the beading is happening on top of the seasoned surface underneath.
ok i am seasoning my first pan ever, i almost did your old tutorial but this one is updated i guess :D i am baking only with grapeseed oil, and should i also apply here the 24 hour pause between next seasoning or i can do it in a row ? i like to do the best solution possible while i expect to fail while it is my first time
my oven is kind of strong i guess, its an old one but i did 350F for one hour and my pan is perfectly bronze, what i did noticed is white spots which was left from tiny parts of my cotton cloth, which is also not very good i guess. but i will repeat the proces
hey Jed - how many reps of pan lifting can you do? ;-) heh heh heh. Your seasoning wax recipe made the world of difference to myself and my pans - thanks heaps from downunder!
hi, do you have a video where you show how to cook with carbon steel?Specially with the temperatures. how long to heat until oil is put in the pain.. waht temperature to put the food in etc.?
Great question. No, all good. Seedoil will create polymerization at around 350 and up. Higher is fine but too high is the long term problem, especially on the stove top.
How on earth do you keep them from warping while seasoning? I’ve ruined two sets of Sardel carbon steel pans now trying to season. Did the initial 4 rounds of seasoning in the oven. No warping at all. Still getting a LOT of sticking, so I decided to try stovetop for another couple layers. I have a glass top stove. I know they heat insanely fast. So I did the stair step method, start at setting 1 of 9, let it sit for 6-8 min, go to setting 2, 6 to 8 min, etc, up to 5 of 9 which is labeled “medium.” So literally taking at least 30 minutes slowly stepping the heat up. Once it hits 5, pans start to warp almost instantly and only gets worse the longer it sits on the burner. Is Sardel just junk? What am I doing wrong??
Why are there bees wax with the seed oils in your seasoning paste? Why is it better than straight sunflower seed oil? You have one of the top cast iron & carbon steel channels. Thank you for the great videos.
I made my own 4 to 1 seasoning paste and seasoned my Mineral B Pro for 2 hours in 425 degrees then let i cool down in the oven. It looks like the best seasoning yet. Haven't fried anything on it yet but it was very even seasoning.
Amazing information. Why do you think de buyer shows to wait until oil smokes? They have been around and manufactured carbon steel forever, sure they scientist would adress the oil temp during seasoning
This may sound like a silly question but I’m going to ask it anyway: It has to do with beeswax. I have purchased a carbon steel wok pan so want to season it properly from the get go. I want to purchase the beeswax so want to get the right kind. I’m unfamiliar with this product so want to know if I should be getting the cutting board wax as it states that it is food safe. The others that I see on Amazon are for furniture polishing etc which I imagine is not food safe. Is there any other kind that perhaps I should use instead?
Speaking of leaving non-stick in the dust (you succeeded in converting me!), what do you make of the new de Buyer Blue Carbon Steel Access (2mm thick body/4mm thick handle)? Is it meant to be an even easier swap to carbon steel (like the OXO pan you reviewed)?
Interesting. Why is it easier? Im guessing its because its lighter and easier to handle. But the actual cooking on the stovetop might be harder. If you have a traditional induction stovetop I would not recommend a 2 mm body. It will warp easily and it will not distribute heat well. The thicker the better in my experience (for induction).
@@Cook-Culture have you tried an extra thick cast iron pan on induction and compared its performance with a de Buyer or a Lodge? I love carbon steel and cast iron but honestly I think the heat distribution is very poor on an traditional induction stovetop. Both Lodge and De Buyer pans are about 3 mm thick. But I just discovered that there are some cast iron pans with a much thicker bottom and Im thinking this should be great on an induction stove. Better heat distribution and fewer hot spots.
I have made in carbon steel wok, carbon steel 12 inch frying pan, and a carbon steel roasting pan. I can attest that all of them have warped with any sort of high heat. Outside of that they are super high-quality and will take a seasoning very well. They work super well with heat distribution, but the 2 mm thickness will warp regardless of brand.
Does avacodo oil work as well as grapeseed oil in seasoning Matfer carbon steel pans? I'm a little concerned about the possible health affects of grapeseed oil .
In another one of your videos you seasoned the carbon steel pan with Buzzywaxx at 475 for 1 hour. In this video you didn't say what temperature you actually used. Curious to know what actual time/temp/product you used to get the best results. Also what are your recommendations for follow-up seasoning... Thanks!
Many thanks for this tutorial. Based on your previous tutorial, I seasoned my DeBuyer carbon steel pan over 5 days, allowing each application of Cook Culture paste to harden overnight. All went well and the bronze colour appeared progressively over 4 days. On the 5th application, the inside of the pan turned whitish. I went ahead and used it, seasoning it after each use as directed (I think) about 3 times. On the 3rd use, the pan became stick central with pancakes--zero non-stick. At the time of the previous tutorial, the pan smoking was considered part of the process, so that may be the problem...? Before, I remove my failed seasoning, I'd like to know what I did wrong. What does the whitish surface mean? Apparently DeBuyer can't be used in the oven so I guess I have to continue on the stovetop. My induction stovetop doesn't have a numbered temperature dial so I don't know the degree of heat. Can the temperature be too low?
It's similar to how hardening oils are treated to make paint or coating for wood. You can easily create a fast hardening oil by heating it up a lot and fast, but the resulting surface will be more brittle once dried. That's why for example "sun oil" made from linseed oil, dried for months on end until it becomes very thick and honey like, creates an additive to paint that will create a tough, not brittle surface.
@Cook-Culture is there a reason why? I figure the area of the handle right in front of the pan needs to be protected against rusting since it gets washed or atleast splashed when washing the pan since it is uncoated iron. Thanks
I'm new to carbon steel pans , and I think I fell victim to using flax seed oil to season my De Buyer mineral B pan at 450° in my oven for 1 hr. Now I have 3 layers of flax seed oil on my pan. Do I need to remove that seasoning or can I just add grape seed oil over it .
Finally a tutorial on cast iron seasoning that's based on some science and not just folklore. Thank you
Haha! Hard to separate iron cookware and folklore! Thanks for watching!
I'm glad someone else is speaking up on this. And just an FYI you will be bashed in most cast iron groups for daring to say you don't have to hit smoke point for seasoning. Most of them believe in the 50 deg above smoke point myth and no matter how much evidence to the contrary, they just won't waiver from that one article they read
Yes, I do hear it but fortunately it's not a big deal. If someone wants to go over smoke point then it's just smoke in their kitchen (and maybe a slightly weakened seasoning). No harm, no foul. My goal here is to help those that do not want smoke, and get turned off using iron mainly because of the smoke issue.
@@Cook-Culture Yeah I've been trying to help those that don't want to smoke up their kitchen or have black flakes in their food. There's alot of pushback from the rest of the community, makes it hard
I've been experimenting with oven seasoning just below the smoke point for a while now. And I think why thinner coats works best is because of a larger percentage of the seasoning is exposed to oxygen from the air. Heat is not the only factor in polymerization. Oxygen and exposure time is the others. This is why some channels recommends that you let the pan cool off in the oven. That prolongs the exposure time under heat and the seasoning gets measurable less sticky than if you let it cool down in room temperature.
Good tip!
You are correct… I don’t think I have seen one video where they explain that all fats polymerize once exposed to oxygen, heat just accelerates that process (but, I have not finished this video)… However, this gentleman just mentioned the other key part to having that pan look black; which is a carbon matrix created by exceeding the smoke point of the fats - but, appears he might be going into those details…
@@EarlHayward For sure. That’s why oils get sticky on the pan even at room temperature over time. I noticed this with avocado oil after not using a particular pan for a month. I tend to use crisco now for maintenance. I don’t know why, but it doesn’t seem to tack up like other oils have.
Wow! That was the best lesson on seasoning I've ever seen. Thank you so much for that.
You are so welcome!
I think I'm leaning towards the "just start using it" school after cleaning and seasoning once. It will improve week over week and become your friend in a few weeks.
Yes, certainly it can. Where we've run into issues, and why I recommend a longer process to those that cook with less fat, is to build a strong seasoning. Our customers that cook with lots of fat or fatty food have way less cooking issues but some see that as another more serious health problem.
@@Cook-Culture I mainly use oil, and use it for meat, egg and frying onions/carrots etc. The most difficult to bake are potatos, I typically use a nonstick pan for those.
and that way you also waste less energy. I really don't feel good about having the oven run at high heat for hours just to get a nice color of a pan.
@lausianne - ideally, do it in the winter where the heat has a secondary use heating the house
Same, I season once then the rest is done while cooking after that.
I’m so glad I found this video. I live in an older apartment that doesn’t have an exhaust fan. I didn’t want to smoke up the apartment.
Glad I could help!
Smoke is also a health risk to your lungs.
Thank you from a new subscriber with notifications set to all.
This is the most straightforward explanation of the seasoning vs. smoke point debate/conversation I have seen thus far from A LOT of videos watched.
I absorbed more concise information from this video than the rest combined, thanks again. My engineer brain thanks you as well.
Love this so much. Not a lot of people out there talk about the difference between carbonization and polymerization. I remember feeling so disappointed when I did my first cast iron pan. Family heirloom 100+ year old Wagner, and it came out looking bronze and I didn't understand.
Couple of questions. I recently stripped down my Matfer and took it back a beautiful seasoning, but even after a pre-seasoning scrub in the sink with cold water, I found I was getting those little tinges of flash rust after letting it warm up in the oven. Did you have that as well, and the camera just hides it a bit? I found my best defense was to take 0000 steel wool and some acetone, and then buffed it off with a clean rag before adding the seasoning paste. Thoughts?
Secondly, I do still really appreciate that really deep coloring on carbon steel pieces, so I have taken to blueing them first over a really hot camping burner. Not only does this give a better cosmetic appearance for me, but I have heard that it can help the seasoning bond much more securely to the piece. Thoughts on this? I originally had really bad chipping problems with this Matfer, but since I did the blueing step this time, my seasoning has been perfect.
Lastly, why not season the handle on your Matfer? What's the thought behind that?
Thank you for the very valuable info Jed! I had NO idea about reaching smoke point or higher, really makes perfect sense. Great video Jed, keep 'em comin'!
Glad it was helpful!
This is the best explanation and demonstration I have seen yet on seasoning. I have a new carbon steel wok to season but have been putting it off just because I don't want to smoke up my house and don't want to do it on my Big Green Egg as it can get too hot. I've watched a ton of videos and read articles on seasoning and this is certainly the most informative. Thanks so much!
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the kind words.
Eccellent content. Very detailed
Btw I was able to turn in a black carbon mess a new debuyer in one day, i throw there some onion carrot mix from freezer, all the dark seasonjng gone in food lol
Just need start from zero
I learned a lot from this video! Thank you.
Glad to hear it!
Ged bro this is your most useful video yet! I’ve been out off for so long due to the smoke and the smell when trying to season the pans because I was told it needed to smoke!
Glad it helped
Excellent video, I am happy everything is explained in detail here, because it was quite frustrating trying to season cast iron pans with flaxseed oil to later see it all over the cooked food... My guess is that I used way too much for the coating, so it never actually polymerized properly, and then it flaked all over...
God bless you. 👍 For your great initiative against non stick.
Informative. Almost everything I have is stainless steel, interested in carbon steel and cast iron.
Wow! So educational! Changed what I was thought before that you needed to have the smoke for it to be seasoned.....Thank you. No more fire alarm to go off! lol
Glad it was helpful!
I am just starting out with cast iron - i mean like 3 days. Thank you for this information it will be very useful to my pans future. There is so much bad information out there in cyber space. You have a scientific but common sense approach. You also steered me away from the Hexclad with the common sense information you provided. I almost took the bait and paid the exorbitant price. Thanks for Great video and information. Tony Grass Valley CA.
Glad to be of service, Tony!
Informative and entertaining as always, thanks Jed!
In my 2 1/2 year journey with learning how to use and care for carbon steel it would appear I have made nearly every possible mistake with carbon steel. Ok, I haven't put them in the dishwasher but... This in spite of great videos by you and others such as Uncle Scott's Kitchen. It is one thing to see it in a video, but I guess it takes making some mistakes in person to drive the lesson home. As in "Oh, that's what he meant by ..."
Today I learned apparently I am guilty of seasoning a little too aggressively at times - yes, causing smoke. The good news is, even if you make this mistake the pans will eventually recover as you use them. Mine have a great, hard layer of seasoning and dark color.
This video came out with excellent timing. Tomorrow I am planning on doing a hard scrub on my carbon steel (3 DeBuyer skillets, 8, 10, and 12") to remove some built up carbon, followed by a "good" seasoning rather than a simple post-use seasoning. Thanks, now I'll be a little more circumspect and patient with my temperature, going lower and longer. I'm planning on using my portable butane burner out on the back patio - it is supposed to be 90 (f) here tomorrow - well on my way to polymerization temp! ;-)
Nice! Good on you!!
Very interesting. The first ten seconds of your video spoke to me and I subscribed.
Thanks for this tutorial. I’m preparing to season a few cold handle pans I’ve acquired and this is valuable info. I plan to utilize this slow and low method as the results looked amazing. Appreciate your wealth of knowledge.
Now I’ve just got to strip down the first pan I seasoned because, number one I’m not happy with the outcome. Two, I tried to do it too fast to create a color through reaching a smoke point, thinking the color meant seasoned as opposed to building a solid season.
Good on you!
Thanks for this update.
I'm french and having an induction stove for years, but never dug on the tech.
I've been building a proper pan collection from november 2022 to today, from Matfer, Debuyer, Lodge, Beka, Le Creuset, Riess, etc.
The only thing I could advise is to not overdo it. It takes time and patience.
The most important thing I learned about the whole process is that I knew nothing about induction stove tech, and it's important, as important as knowing how to properly season and cook properly.
New generations of induction stoves have zones that adapts to the bottom surface of the pan, and it's far better reliable, effective an even, than the ones with a ring. If you have a ring, you have to cook with a pan that has the exact diameter at the bottom than the ring. Bigger or smaller and it's not good to bad.
You can find a quite extreme exemple of induction zone by searching for "Induction cooktop | Master your Gaggenau" in youtube. I watched the french and more explanatory version of this video and it opened a whole new world to me (and rabbit hole I guess).
Thanks for the comment!
Very,very interesting video.i'm in the learning phase of carbon pans. This video is really helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Underrated video. Thank you ❤
Heat functions as a catalyst. It accelerates the polymerization process but also the carcinogen substances. For the initial seasoning I would recommend using high heat with a low smoke point unsaturated oil. Keep washing in between with a rough sponge to make the weak parts of the seasoning come off so only the strong seasoning survives.
Once the initial seasoning is done, then I only apply saturated fat as seasoning after cleaning between uses. Saturated fats are far more stable which makes it harder for it to go rancid but will still prevent rust.
I totally get pimples almost every time I eat fried food. I was uncomfortable within smoking method too
Thank you for this video. Not only did I learn about not needing to reach smoke point, but Ive panicked when my browning wasn't even across the whole pan. All other UA-camrs seem to have very even browning across the whole pan which made me think that unless the colour is even throughout, I'm doing it wrong. Your statement about it being OK to continue just using the pan even with uneven browning put my mind at ease. I also use an induction cooktop so I'm unsure what to do when I see other videos that mostly use gas. Do you have specific videos that talks about carbon steel cooking nuances specific to induction cooktops?
I've read to raise the heat setting by one position every 15-20 seconds until you get to your desired temperature.
Totally agree with you about get rid of non stick stuffs. I initially learn how to cook Chinese cuisine with non stick wok. It's just a terrible experience until I bought my first carbon steel wok.
Now I am using carbon steel woks, cast iron skillets and carbon steel pans. Everything changed since then.
Thanks for sharing!!
Great info, thanks so much!
Good to know. Thank you for busting seasoning myths.
Have you tried the swedish kockums jernverk carbon pans? Ther are 3mm thick workhorses the only thing is a little rough fabric seasoning but that smooths out pretty quick
Thank you for all your carbon steel seasoning videos. They have helped me a great deal to troubleshoot my seasoning issues. The only thing that would really help me more would be for you to take IR thermometer readings of the temperatures in your pans when you season them on the stovetop and show the readings on your videos. For example, I would find it very helpful if I knew that you were taking your pans to 300 degrees F, or 350, or 400, or 450 degrees instead of just what setting you are using on the stove. Also, I would like to know the readings when you are keeping the pans warm/hot on the stove for a while after seasoning them at a higher temperature.
I have an odd thing that happened to me while trying to season my brand new de Buyer 8-inch pan on my induction cooktop. I scrubbed the pan to get the wax off, warmed it, then coated it with a thin layer of KNAPP seasoning wax. I use my IR thermometer to monitor the temperatures of my pans. I try to always keep my pans below 450 degrees. I was attempting to get my new pan up to 350 degrees F. My thermometer was showing that my pan was not getting very hot. My induction cooktop wound up turning off because the glass was at 500 plus degrees F before I realized what was happening. The setting was only 5 on my induction cooktop when this happened, and the pan had not been on the stovetop for very long. The pan handle got too hot, but the actual pan was showing that it only got to about 250 degrees F. It also took longer than normal to notice that the pan was warming up. I added some drops of water, and they did sizzle, but that test did not give me enough data to know how hot the pan actually got.
I did some more troubleshooting, changed the thermometer battery, tested two of my other seasoned de Buyer pans and they got hot right away. I scrubbed the new pan again and tried to warm it again with the same low temperature results except I stopped before the stove turned off. I then scrubbed the pan again, coated it in a thin layer of grape seed oil instead of seasoning wax, and seasoned it in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour like you recommend. My pan is fine now, it heats up correctly, shows the temperature correctly on the IR thermometer, and I already used it for cooking. It has a good first seasoning coat on it now. I have never had anything like this happen to me before when I season on the stovetop. I like seasoning on the stovetop because I try to keep the de Buyer handles out of the oven. It was so odd to take the temperature of the pan and see low readings like this when a seasoned pan would be hot already. I have never had anything like this happen to me before with all my carbon steel pans.
Do you have any idea why it appeared that the pan was not getting hot and maybe did not actually get hot according to the thermometer when the glass was over 500 degrees F? The pan did get a light patina with the first test when the stove top turned off, but there was no smoke and if the pan was hotter than the thermometer showed and near 500 degrees like the glass, I know I would see smoke. I am a little concerned that this happened because of the seasoning wax because I have only used grape seed oil in the past but that is just a guess. Also, the first seasoning attempt where the stove turned off left a bunch of char on the glass that I normally do not get; I am having some issues getting this char off which typically does not happen to me. I have not had that glass char issue with grape seed oil. Also, the cooktop gave no indication that there was poor contact with the pan. There was no buzzing or any indication that the stovetop did not like or connect properly to the pan. I was actually worried that there was something wrong with my new pan but that is not the case because the pan works great now that I seasoned it in the oven with grape seed oil.
The wax is new, I normally use grape seed oil; I have used the wax to touch up the seasoning on some of my other pans, but this was the first time trying to use it to season a brand-new pan. The ingredients in the wax are grape seed oil, canola oil, and beeswax. I could not find other people talking about this issue that I had with the initial seasoning so I thought I would write to you and see if you have experienced this issue. I have a nice collection of de Buyer pans and one carbon steel wok and never had this issue where the pan did not get hot according to the thermometer (and lack of smoke) in the past.
Howdy, it sounds like the reflection of the new silver pan was messing with you IR reading. Once the carbon starts to form, the reading will be regulated due to the lack of reflection.
@@Cook-Culture Thank you for the reply. I used the pan again without issue and then put another light seasoning wax coating on the inside bottom and had the same issue again with low readings on the thermometer. I think it is the wax in the seasoning that messing with the IR reading because this is only happening when I use the wax seasoning. Thanks again for all your videos.
@@Sandy-xq2foeven on darkened in pans, a coating of fat/oil changes the reflective properties of the surface and throws off the IR reading. I’ve seen this effect on my blackest of cast iron.
@@darkhorsefive0 Thank you for this information. I have never noticed this effect before using oil in the pan; maybe the IR reading error is smaller than with the wax seasoning? I am still noticing this IR error with the wax seasoning even though my seasoning is building up on my new pan. The wax seasoning does not seem to be as durable as plain grapeseed oil inside my pan either because I have had some chipping of the seasoning using the wax seasoning that I have never noticed with grapeseed oil on my other pans. I am probably just going to stick with grapeseed oil for seasoning since the wax seasoning seems more difficult to work with. Thanks again for the reply.
This explains my experience on the stove top - thanks! Years ago, I scraped the scratched Teflon non-stick surface off my old aluminium pan, and successfully seasoned it with Canola Rapeseed oil. It came out a lovely bronze colour because I stopped heating at the first sign of smoke - smoking point reached, job done after 4 or 5 more layers. Fried eggs just slid around, perfect.
I tried it again recently, with a non-stick teflon stainless steel pan that was badly scratched. This time, I overheated it and let it smoke wildly for a few minutes, for a nice carbonised finish each time, thinking that was the objective. It wasn’t. The seasoning layer became crazed, and little bits broke off with robust use. So it’s back to square 1, keeping it just below smoking point each time.
Think I need to get the pan sand blasted to get down to base metal all over - easier than scraping and sanding. Thanks again.
I just read that bringing white vinegar to a boil will remove your previous failed attempts at seasoning.
@@pequodexpress I’ve just tried that - no effect on burnt carbon. I did get my stainless steel stir fry pan sand blasted and overdid it yet again! I even used a blow lamp on the sides to get them black as well! I didn’t use my oven because the handle is silicone rubber. I will use a sander for the carbon.
For my next stove top attempt, I will hold the pan on the stovetop upside down. That should give a more even finish without pooling. This time, no aiming for a black colour! I’ve learnt my lesson.
This is the best explanation I’ve seen. Thanks. May be this is the reason my seasoning didn’t hold on but may be not. I took a enameled pot (le creuset) and removed the enamel from the inside and sanded it to an extra smooth finish (1000 grit). Then I seasoning it in the oven (the burned method (500f)) 6 times. But the first time we used it the seasoning disappeared at the light wash. Do you think it was caused by the over heat seasoning? Or because I polished it too much and the oil had nothing to hang on?
I would bet that you over polished the surface. Scuff with 180 grit
Truly a carbon steel Jedi.
Note: I’ve been watching lots of Star Wars clips and now YT reckons I should see more of Jed 😝
Love it!!
Do you let it cool in the oven before adding a 2nd coat or can another coat be added right after the hour?
Jed, thank you for the excellent explanation and presentation of the proper polymerization process and seasoning techniques. I love the Cook Culture Beeswax seasoning paste. In my humble opinion, there is no finer seasoning paste available. I only wish you had a U.S. retail outlet. Thank you and God bless.
Thank you for your support
5:50 the key is length - low temp long time works !!! Thx
I will put this to the test.
Since we do not reach the smoke point of the oil we are using we should/could prolong the time in the oven?
Listening to you, it sounds like it might be ideal to put down the first layer of seasoning with pure flaxseed oil, and then using seed oil or avocado oil for subsequent layers to protect the more brittle layer. What do you think? I got a cheap little pan from Webstaurant online and heat blued it before seasoning. MY absolute favorite little pan for 1 or 2 eggs. If I can get my hands on some pure flaxseed oil, I might strip it down and experiment with it.
Between you and Uncle Scott, cooking has become fun again!
would not recommend flaxseed oil. Many find it flakes off. Visit the cast iron subreddit
Jed!! You have been a life saver with seasoning my new Dartos but you should really invest in and infrared thermometer and include those readings in your videos! I did a 3x30min @ 425°F oven season and everywhere I didn't season turned blue! Meaning the pans themselves exceeded 575°F ! And the seasoning on the cooking surface has all flaked off and is very sticky when cooking 😰 im trying this lower temp method not but still having trouble holding onto a season, the pan is blotchy with near silver spots on it... should I strip it down and start over?
Thanks Jed!!❤
Howdy, that may be the right approach.
So I finally got a cast Iron pan. I decided to sand the bottom since it felt like sandpaper itself and I was really worried about my ceramic induction stove.
I applied a thin layer of rapeseed oil, rinsed it with a towel and put it in the oven at 250°c (smoke point is said to be at 190-230°c) for an hour. It does smoke a bit.
I'll try a lower temp for the next round, maybe 230°c and see if that works.
I found 3 lodge 8in skillets inside a grill place at the dumpster i striped them to bare metal then started the seasoning process they all turn that real golden dark brown after 3 times in the oven and i was like damn it's not working there not turning black thank God for this video
Glad it helped!
Hi Jed, great video. What brand and size was the pan you seasoned in this video?
Great video as always
Glad you enjoyed
I was uncomfortable with the smoking point method. Because I get pimples on fried food. I am glad you promotes lower smoking point.
Glad it works for you
I have a question about using the convection oven mode in an oven for seasoning. Basically has anyone tried using convection? Does it shorten the length of time under heat?
The advice I hear a lot is to select a temperature 20 degrees F over the smoke point of the oil or fat being used. I've seen a quite a few videos recommending 550°F for an hour. I think I'll be staying around 400° F
400 works great for most ovens.
I am planning to get de Buyer pan, all my life I had cheap Ikea teflon it is time to get the real stuff. So if i get this right, if i do not have the wax preseasoning in the oven goes like this. Oiled cloth, a small layer of oil around the pan, and put it in the oven at 180-200 C for an hour. Then take it out to cool down. After it gets cold repeat the process a few more times.
Am i right?
Temperature of the oven is dependent on the oil u use. Check the smoking point of the intended oil online set the oven to a max of 20 degrees below the smoking point. Otherwise you are right. Good luck 🙂
Hi, yes, you got it. Not a bad idea to let the pan cool in the over. Use grapeseed, sunflower, or Canola.
Do you have a recipe for making our own bees wax paste? I think in an older video you did you mention 50/50 beeswax/oil. Can tallow or lard be used for the oil? Thanks.
Do you also recommend this oven method for carbon steel woks? All the manufacturers are recommending over the stove
Super helpful, thanks very much!!!
Glad it was helpful!
So what temperature for 1 hour? Also how many times in oven? 3?
I had to search the transcript, since he only said it once. At 6:20: I am going to season this pan very simply at 350 degrees for one hour. He didn't say how many times you should do it, I guess more is better? At 20:19 he shows a pan that's been done in the oven five times.
If I don’t like using seed oil can I use avocado oil it has a high smoke point
Thank you so much for this video! Finally someone confirms what I have suspected for a long time already: reaching the smoke point is not necessary or even a good thing when you're seasoning your cast iron or carbon steel cookware. 🙂
Glad it was helpful!
HI, Jed! This is a great video! If we are doing oven seasoning using BuzzyWaxx or similar seasoning waxes, is 350F the right temperature. I've seen anywhere from 350-420F. I've stuck with 350F and seems to be consistent. Is this the right thinking?
Thanks Jed. I hope you will make a video on seasoning the OXO carbon steel pan as it is a black one. Would love to see the results. I am eager to move on from nonstick but I just hate the maintenance of carbon steel.
Yes, that is an issue for some people! All carbon will take the same maintenance. Maybe Stainless Steel is your thing?
@@Cook-Culture I'd argue stainless is WAY more maintenance than carbon steel. It's so much easier to clean carbon steel than stainless, unless you only ever simmer your food in stainless pans.
Hi, I have a de Buyer pan. How does the 350F oven seasoning affect the lacquer protection on the handle?
I have no issue.
I never heard the oven temp setting for that one hour... i did get the article you read about smoking points of sesame seed also grape seed was around 400 degrees...so again not sure what temp area you used,,,tks
Depending on your oven, go with 350 to 400
What temperature do you set the oven at?
It depends on the oven but 400f should be safe.
Is this new, I've just finished watching a video of you seasoning a pan seven months ago. Bit too much smoke. Is this a new tech no smoke. It's all good, next time in Vic I hope to come and visit your place. Cheers
Howdy, it's just being very particular. Some smoke is fine but burning, as we deal with all the time, is what I'm addressing here. Drop in when you can! Thanks
I have always seasoned my pans when I am either baking fruit pies or baking a roast. Low and slow has always worked for me.
Nice.
Hi Jed, Thanks for this video. What temperature was the oven at when you were pre-heating the pan and how long was the pan in there?
Hi, I preheat on a medium low heat for 5 min or so
@@Cook-CultureWhen you put the pan in the oven for one hour, what temperature was the oven?
@@Terratracer1909 Hi, 400 to 425f, depending on the oven.
Great information, Jed! I wish I knew this when I seasoned my carbon steel pans a couple of years ago. I brought each of my pans to the smoke point because that's what other channels said to do. Next CS pan I get I'll definitely season as per your info here. Can I ask the temperature you have the oven set to for warming the pan before applying the paste? Also, what oven temp did you use for seasoning?
Thanks, Geoff. I will do a temp specific stove top post seasoning video soon. Oven is about 425.
Would a food thermometer be helpful for seasoning on te stove top? I have a new carbon steel wok with wooden handles, and don't feel comfortable putting it in the oven.
You want an infrared thermometer.
It's best to go with the visual cues.
@@Cook-Culture Thanks. - Now I need to figure out exactly what those cues are.
@@edwardcasper5231 Haha. Lots of videos on my channel and check out my buddy, @unclescottskitchen
@@Cook-Culture - Scott mentions getting the pan to smoke. I sent him a copy of this video. I'm probably overthinking the whole issue. LOL
Very informative thanks! So this would mean that we could season the De Buyer pans with coated handles in the oven if we only need 350F?
I do. 350 to 400 depending on the oven
So... what temperature did you use for the first round?? I don't think you even mentioned it!! Anyways I don't like the bee's wax, it makes the finish rough
It all depends on the stove, but 400 to 425 works very well for most. If you have any texture from using paste, it's a sign you've used too much.
Jed, does this method apply to cast iron as well as carbon steel when seasoning? I have some old smooth CI skillets that I need to strip and re-season.
Hi, yes it does, exactly the same.
brand new pan de buyer mineral b, 4 layers of seasoning in the oven with 17 hours drying pause, and first egg stick the way i couldnt remove it at all. ill give it one more try and then it will go to trash :D
So when you finally put the pan in the oven -after applying the paste- what was the temp? You didn’t say during those scenes…
350
So what does this mean for cast iron or carbon steel used to sear steaks? In order to properly sear cook a steak, your pan needs to be well beyond the smoke point of cooking oils or anything you may have used to season your pans. Does this ruin the seasoning?
It's important to know that high heat cooking has its issues. Yes, it can be harsh to your seasoning and it does create carbon build up. These are problems that can be fixed , however. Knowing the signs of wear and tear, and build up, will help you know when and how to maintain your pan for longevity. I hope that helps.
I have a ne de Buyer mineral B pan and after watching your video i think seasoning in the oven is the best way. However, the mineral B pan handles have a coating on them. Do you think they are still oven safe at 350 for an hour? I can't find any info online about how oven safe the handles are. Thanks!
I made a video about that!
Is using a Stainless Steel scouring pad OK? I used that to clean the Linseed oil from my Darto pan, and it left scratches in the pan visible to the eye, not the hand....like swirl marks.
That's all good. The seasoning will fill in all the gaps
I have a question for you. I use this method to season my Mineral B pans. I prefer seasoning wax but ran out and tried using Grape Seed Oil. It tends to bead up a lot more and makes the surface of the pan rough, dull and a less slick. What causes the beading up, is it a problem and is there a way to reduce it?
It's beading on a new pan?
@@Cook-Culture Not a new pan. There was a tad bit of carbon I removed with chain mail but the pan got a little scratched. So rather than strip the seasoning I decided to just build it back up using Grape Seed Oil. So the beading is happening on top of the seasoned surface underneath.
Is cold pressed sunflower oil a good choice for seasoning?
Hard to say. You need to test it to find out.
You made a point of saying you were not seasoning the handle. Why are you okay with the handle oxidizing?
ok i am seasoning my first pan ever, i almost did your old tutorial but this one is updated i guess :D i am baking only with grapeseed oil, and should i also apply here the 24 hour pause between next seasoning or i can do it in a row ? i like to do the best solution possible while i expect to fail while it is my first time
my oven is kind of strong i guess, its an old one but i did 350F for one hour and my pan is perfectly bronze, what i did noticed is white spots which was left from tiny parts of my cotton cloth, which is also not very good i guess. but i will repeat the proces
That pan on the butchers block is beautiful, what brand is it?
I think you're looking at a Darto pan.
hey Jed - how many reps of pan lifting can you do? ;-) heh heh heh. Your seasoning wax recipe made the world of difference to myself and my pans - thanks heaps from downunder!
any specific oven specs other than the temp itself? like heat from top and bottom? fan? etc?
It's not that specific of a process. A heated oven will work.
hi, do you have a video where you show how to cook with carbon steel?Specially with the temperatures. how long to heat until oil is put in the pain.. waht temperature to put the food in etc.?
Hi, I don't as there are so many types of food that cook a bit differently. Lots of variables.
Per previous video - I have been using the oven method at 450 to 475 using your “homemade bees wax n oil”.. Is 350 degrees the new normal?
Great question. No, all good. Seedoil will create polymerization at around 350 and up. Higher is fine but too high is the long term problem, especially on the stove top.
I'm curious why you don't use an infrared thermometer to measure temperature.
I do, but most people don't. I try to show people what they can do without very specific tools.
Oven temp?
How on earth do you keep them from warping while seasoning? I’ve ruined two sets of Sardel carbon steel pans now trying to season. Did the initial 4 rounds of seasoning in the oven. No warping at all. Still getting a LOT of sticking, so I decided to try stovetop for another couple layers. I have a glass top stove. I know they heat insanely fast. So I did the stair step method, start at setting 1 of 9, let it sit for 6-8 min, go to setting 2, 6 to 8 min, etc, up to 5 of 9 which is labeled “medium.” So literally taking at least 30 minutes slowly stepping the heat up. Once it hits 5, pans start to warp almost instantly and only gets worse the longer it sits on the burner. Is Sardel just junk? What am I doing wrong??
Hi. Sorry I do not have any experience with Sardel Cookware. It could be the weight or an unbalanced coil. Does that happen on every burner?
Why are there bees wax with the seed oils in your seasoning paste? Why is it better than straight sunflower seed oil? You have one of the top cast iron & carbon steel channels. Thank you for the great videos.
just acts as a medium to allow you to evenly spread the oil in a super thin layer evenly all over the pan. No pooling and such.
Yes, @ascalon132 nailed it.
I made my own 4 to 1 seasoning paste and seasoned my Mineral B Pro for 2 hours in 425 degrees then let i cool down in the oven. It looks like the best seasoning yet. Haven't fried anything on it yet but it was very even seasoning.
@@tk75jo great news!
Amazing information. Why do you think de buyer shows to wait until oil smokes? They have been around and manufactured carbon steel forever, sure they scientist would adress the oil temp during seasoning
This may sound like a silly question but I’m going to ask it anyway: It has to do with beeswax. I have purchased a carbon steel wok pan so want to season it properly from the get go. I want to purchase the beeswax so want to get the right kind. I’m unfamiliar with this product so want to know if I should be getting the cutting board wax as it states that it is food safe. The others that I see on Amazon are for furniture polishing etc which I imagine is not food safe. Is there any other kind that perhaps I should use instead?
If you're looking to make your own paste, use natural bees wax and canola oil
Speaking of leaving non-stick in the dust (you succeeded in converting me!), what do you make of the new de Buyer Blue Carbon Steel Access (2mm thick body/4mm thick handle)? Is it meant to be an even easier swap to carbon steel (like the OXO pan you reviewed)?
That's a good question. I'll look into it. Thanks!
Interesting. Why is it easier? Im guessing its because its lighter and easier to handle. But the actual cooking on the stovetop might be harder. If you have a traditional induction stovetop I would not recommend a 2 mm body. It will warp easily and it will not distribute heat well. The thicker the better in my experience (for induction).
@@Cook-Culture have you tried an extra thick cast iron pan on induction and compared its performance with a de Buyer or a Lodge? I love carbon steel and cast iron but honestly I think the heat distribution is very poor on an traditional induction stovetop. Both Lodge and De Buyer pans are about 3 mm thick. But I just discovered that there are some cast iron pans with a much thicker bottom and Im thinking this should be great on an induction stove. Better heat distribution and fewer hot spots.
I have made in carbon steel wok, carbon steel 12 inch frying pan, and a carbon steel roasting pan. I can attest that all of them have warped with any sort of high heat. Outside of that they are super high-quality and will take a seasoning very well. They work super well with heat distribution, but the 2 mm thickness will warp regardless of brand.
My simon gault carbon steel pan has a wooden handle ,can't be put in the oven and can't be removed
Yes, that's a tough one
Im looking to buy dutch oven and not sure if i should go enamel or non enamel
Generally, people go for enamelled vs raw. It's much more versatile
I used avocado oil.. That good? Has high smoke point.
If the results are good then it's great!
@@Cook-Culture no wasn't that great.. Everything kept sticking.. Could be user error.
Does avacodo oil work as well as grapeseed oil in seasoning Matfer carbon steel pans? I'm a little concerned about the possible health affects of grapeseed oil .
Some people have great results with Avocado oil.
In another one of your videos you seasoned the carbon steel pan with Buzzywaxx at 475 for 1 hour. In this video you didn't say what temperature you actually used. Curious to know what actual time/temp/product you used to get the best results. Also what are your recommendations for follow-up seasoning... Thanks!
Hi, you can oven season anywhere from 350 f up. The sweet spot for most ovens is about 450. Follow up seasoning is best done on the stove top.
Many thanks for this tutorial. Based on your previous tutorial, I seasoned my DeBuyer carbon steel pan over 5 days, allowing each application of Cook Culture paste to harden overnight. All went well and the bronze colour appeared progressively over 4 days. On the 5th application, the inside of the pan turned whitish. I went ahead and used it, seasoning it after each use as directed (I think) about 3 times. On the 3rd use, the pan became stick central with pancakes--zero non-stick. At the time of the previous tutorial, the pan smoking was considered part of the process, so that may be the problem...? Before, I remove my failed seasoning, I'd like to know what I did wrong. What does the whitish surface mean? Apparently DeBuyer can't be used in the oven so I guess I have to continue on the stovetop. My induction stovetop doesn't have a numbered temperature dial so I don't know the degree of heat. Can the temperature be too low?
I've used my DeBuyer in the oven up to 450 with no problem.
Hi, this is a hard one to diagnose without seeing the pan. Please email me at jed@cookculture,com
What process did you follow to get the pan on the stovetop darker? Was it multiple 15 minute seasoning sessions?
It was after the first seasoning, on lowish heat for about 15 minutes. Low and slow.
By doing 3 full rotations in the oven do you mean three 1h seasonings at 350F? And do you let the pan fully cool in-between the rotations?
Hi, yes, exactly. Ovens can differ so don't be shy to go to 375 or 400 depending on your oil. This should still be under smoke temp
What oil did you use in cooking the egg? Does the oil you use in cooking effect your seasoning process of the pan?
Hi, great question. Cooking with oil that is less gummy will help you keep a solid seasoning. Grapeseed, Canola, thin Olive Oil.
It's similar to how hardening oils are treated to make paint or coating for wood. You can easily create a fast hardening oil by heating it up a lot and fast, but the resulting surface will be more brittle once dried. That's why for example "sun oil" made from linseed oil, dried for months on end until it becomes very thick and honey like, creates an additive to paint that will create a tough, not brittle surface.
Interesting stuff, for sure!
Why wasn't the handle seasoned?
Thanks for the video!
Hi, the handle does not require seasoning
@Cook-Culture is there a reason why? I figure the area of the handle right in front of the pan needs to be protected against rusting since it gets washed or atleast splashed when washing the pan since it is uncoated iron.
Thanks
I'm new to carbon steel pans , and I think I fell victim to using flax seed oil to season my De Buyer mineral B pan at 450° in my oven for 1 hr. Now I have 3 layers of flax seed oil on my pan. Do I need to remove that seasoning or can I just add grape seed oil over it .
You should be fine as long as it's hard and semigloss. Keep going!
Thank you!