I have a set of lodge cast irons and I was really disappointed with the performance no matter how many rounds of seasoning I did. I did this as a trial run in one of them and it's night and day. Thank you for restoring my love for cast irons!
I picked up a Lodge skillet about 4 years ago and hardly ever used it. Everything stuck to it. I followed your instructions in this video and it is virtually non stick. Thanks for the info.
I don't see instructions here for how to season a cast iron skillet...clean it good with a scrub brush in hot soapy water, dry it, rub it with shortening or lard, put it in 400 deg oven upside down, put a pan under it to catch the dripping shortening, and heat it for an hour.Turn off the oven and let it cool.
My wife has a cast iron dutch oven that was passed down from her mother who has now passed. This oven was used for jambalaya and gumbo for the last 40 years. When i found it it was gummy, lightly rusted in spots and in poor condition. I found your cast iron videos and completely restored it. She just made a delicious jambalaya in it. Now i am watching your other videos astounded at how riveting it is to learn about cast iron. You are fabulous! thank you
Received a Lodge as a Christmas gift. Sanded it down using 80 and then 150 grit. Followed your seasoning tips using grape seed oil. Fried some taters with it afterwards. Been cooking with it for a couple weeks using olive oil and nothing sticks to it whatsoever. Rooster rockets, hog meat, and fajitas slide right out. Thank you Kent and Shannon. Many blessings to y’all for 2020!
I have always been disappointed with Lodge cast iron because of the sandpaper like finish. I started watching a plethora of youtube videos (I love being retired!) and here's what I have learned. 1) Listen to Kent - he's right on the money and his methods work! 2) There 2 types of seasoning - to prevent rust and to prevent sticking. Lodge 'preseasons' their products to prevent rust, thus prevent returns due to storage issues. That 'rustproofing' has done its job and should be retired. 3) Sanding or grinding the finish from sandpaper to medium orange peel seems to work best. When a surface is completely smooth, there isn't enough surface for the seasoning to stick to. Leaving texture dramatically increases the surface area for the seasoning you will apply to adhere to. 4) Flax seed oil is outstanding and you end up with a surface ALMOST as nonstick as teflon without the worries. 5) This method also works for carbon steel pans. My current favorite skillet is a Lodge carbon steel that felt like sandpaper when I got it. After 10 minutes of sanding and 3 rounds of baking with flax seed oil, I can flip eggs just like a teflon pan. Love these pans and am no longer afraid of them. Thanks Kent
Roger, I think that people in the know would want to purchase Lodge if it did NOT have that nasty finish. I probably have six Lodge utensils, but prefer to use my older ones. They are so smooth and non-stick.
I liked that Kent didn't take his all the way down to metal. Most of the other videos I watch did that and I don't have the tools. With Kent's method, I got it sanded down in about 20-25 minutes with just sandpaper and elbow grease. I'm seasoning it now and it's coming along fine. I'm amazed at the videos that show using oven clean. If a pan is porous enough to take seasoning, it will surely hold that oven cleaner...
Fat women always purchased Teflon because they were told cooking oil is what made them fat. Teflon won't last one year when castiron will last several lifetimes. Teflon is junk but dumb women keep on buying it.
What if someone was bored and decided to sandblast their cast iron? I'm not talking with an aggressive grit, maybe glass bead. Would it hold the seasoning better? I'm not going to do it, its 2 degrees and drifting snow outside currently. But if I were really bored this summer and a neglected lodge skillet that sat in a garage would occupy my time returning it to service.
I discovered this process by accident about ten years ago. I've always loved cooking on cast iron...nuthin like it. My boys, who were very young left my best pan outside, it got buried in the snow and I didn't find it till spring. All rusted up, I sanded it smooth as a babies butt and re-seasoned it. Best non stick on the planet, makes omelets Julia Child would be jealous of!
I think it's great that people are sanding their Lodge pans smooth these days. It's ironic, though, because that preseasoning saved the company. Lodge has been around 100+ years and they used to sell smooth, unseasoned pans. Folks would use them straight away and they would stick or they wouldn't buy at all because the seasoning process was too much a hassle. (Imagine this: I just paid good money for this pan and now I have to spend a day seasoning it?) They struggled in the late 90s and then came up with this preseasoning in 2002. They were the first cast iron company to sell seasoned cast iron. It saved the company and changed the industry. So, I'm not going to complain about it being rough. Honestly, I've had a 10.25 Lodge skillet for 10+ years and never sanded it. Works like a champ and, after years of use, it's smoothed out a lot on its own.
I do really appreciate the information and videos Kent Rollins gives us. "and never sanded it. Works like a champ and, after years of use, it's smoothed out a lot on its own." That's my experience. Seems sanding is extra work for not much return. That said, I'm no professional. Thanks for the Lodge history.
Never sanded a cast skillet or oven. Once seasoned if it sticks you weren't paying attention to your job! Cooking isn't a sporting event! It's a competition with your last meal!
I smoothed my 12" lodge skillet with multiple metal spatulas over 30 years, wish I would have done this! I was 25 when I got that skillet and right now she's my best one ,its truly non-stick, fried eggs just slip and slide in her! I really enjoy your channel! Thank you sir.🤠
I bought a new Lodge pan a couple of months ago and did this. I was like I can't believe I'm sanding a brand new cast iron skillet!! I was thinking I screwed up a new pan but oh my word what a difference. I'm glad I followed your video Kent! Thank you!!
I've been using these tips and buying old cast iron at yard sales and Value Village and bringing them back to condition and giving them to friends. I may be a little dull in my pastimes, but I find this fun and rewarding! Thanks!
Cast Iron is making a huge comeback. With all of these chemicals in non-stick pans and such. I'm following Kent's directions to bring back my Great Grandmothers skillt (she's in the oven right now curing that first coat of flaxseed oil). It's not a dull pastime! With so many people liking cast iron these days, they'd much rather appreciate a truly well and properly seasoned pan over one of those factory ones at the hardware store. They make great gifts!
I'd not call your pastime dull at all. Taking someone's neglected, rusty old castoff, & bringing it back to prime condition & daily working order is little different than restoring classic cars or antique furniture, with the same very gratifying end result. Plus, you get to reap it's benefits on a regular basis, it stores in a cupboard, and you don't need to insure it either.:)
Mister Kent,good evening to you and your beautiful wife! I say evening because here in Italy it's 23:05. I bought a Lodge cast iron pan and initially intended to smooth it out. I thought we had a sander in that garage of ours. Come to find out we didn't and only had some sanding paper. Then I found out that some people keep the pan like that, without sanding it and eventually,becomes smooth. I tried to do just that. So I seasoned well after cleaning.. so well it got very sticky. I tried hard and food stuck to it. So I went in that garage of mine and took a few sanding papers and started to sand it down really good. It took me probably 45 minutes and it didn't look like it was sanded by a mouse or anything,but it was smoother that before and almost bare metal. My hands got soooo dirty and I washed it really really well with soap,rinsed really really well and then dried it and started seasoning. I seasoned it 4 times and it's a light to dark brown and OH MY GOD,it got sooooo much better,the glossy finish is amazing me! Now all I have to do is cook in it,I'll start with some bacon and deep frying. I was stubborn and tried to do it my way,but Mr. Kent was right! Don't use their seasoning,sanding it down and seasoning yourself is so much better!!! I'm so astounded by the results! Thank you,Mr. Kent Rollins and God bless you and your family. Simona
That's great to hear, but a small tip as well: your pan may have been sticky from too much oil. Be sure to heat it up till it just starts to smoke after cooking it in. Or, maybe just once a month or so throw it on the oven again to season and cook off any extra oil. That extra oil gums up after a while. Hope this helps. (Happened to my brother's pan, we put it in the oven, it came out nice and non stick again, that's how I know this works)
I have a couple of skillets that my grandmother used and probably her mother as well, they are over a 100 years old. I see no reason that they will not continue to be used for another century.....
@@johnbroadwell2603 I think they look great,don't they? I got the hang of my skillet and it's amazing,you really learn to love cast iron pans starting right away.
@@SimonaShine If you make a habit of rinsing it as soon as you take food out, in hot running water and wipe it dry, it will not need seasoning. I am going to try this soon, cowboy biscuit bread... www.youtube.com/watch? v=Phl6w_77Erw&t=936s
Thanks Kent. I filled your instructions on a new Lodge 8" and on my Gramas 11" deep skillet. She called it her Chicken pan. She used it constantly but it fell into disrepair after she passed, but I got it when my Mom passed. So I refinished it following your instructions and gave it to my niece for Christmas. She was tickled to get GG's pan. It's ready to go now. I just can't cook anything now in tin and teflon...
Non stick for a few uses. Wait till the seasoning starts flaking off in a rew more uses. You'll find yourself having to reseason it frequently because the smooth surface just can't hold the seasoning. Had you left it rough, and seasoned it 3 or 4 times, your eggs will slide around just like the smooth pan, but you won't be constantly reseasoning. Decades ago, cast iron companies would mill their pans smooth. Rough surface pans are actually a more modern thing. Can you guess why?? THEY REALIZED IT MAKES SEASONING PERMANENT. But go ahead and smooth your pan and lose heat retention and seasoning durability. You'll be working much harder to keep your pan non stick than I
@@michaeledwards2605 Really? Everyone online hates the pre-seasoned stuff. I just bought my first Lodge and have been doing research on proper care and feeding of cast iron before I use it. You’re the first I have heard talk about the rough surface being a good thing rather than bad.
I 've had my GRANDMOTHER's cast iron frypan for over 50 years! I figure it is at least 80 years old. When I got it, it was very well seasoned ...inside and out! I have used it almost daily ever since I got it and it is a dream! My kids argue over who will inherit it! I have 4 other pieces, but Nana's pan is my favourite!
Bless you sir. I've been eating off and using cast iron for my entire life. My Grandma, mom and I have always used it. You have taught me how to keep and care for my inherited Wagnerware and AB&C cast skillets, and Dutch Ovens. It is also much more healthful than Teflon which deposits harmful chemicals in everybody who uses it. Keep up the great work and recipes. Thank you!
Thank you Kent. I'm finally settled in my career and can afford to replace everything I own with cast iron. All of my pieces are rough. I'm dying to start cooking. I've been watching your videos for over a year now and now I'm trusting you for all of my care for my cookware.
@@ryanpark2049 high rust adherence. Must constantly be oiled. Exposure to air and even your hand can create rust spots. Not a good choice for cookware. Chef knife maybe, but requires a lot of attention
I used a hand held orbital sander with 80 grit, made short work of the roughness on my Lodge pan but leaves a "tooth" for the seasoning to adhere to. Use organic Avocado oil and can fry an egg on them.
Thank you Mr. Rollins! I bought two brand new Lodge skillets today. I followed your instructions and they came out beautiful! As slick as one of the $200 cast iron skillets. I fried up some bacon first then some fried eggs. My goodness, those were some of the best eggs I’ve ever had. God bless you and thank you for the videos.
Jess Cupp Okay thank you. It’s good to know. I have read and watched so much now about cast iron now - but I DON’T think I can say that I am LESS confused now compared to when I started :) . There’s so much contradictory information about cast iron out there. But there’s one very important thing I have learned though, and that is that if you don’t actually grind/cut a cast iron skillet in half you can always go back and start from scratch again if something goes wrong.
I just bought my first cast iron skillet and it was pre-seasoned and rough. Before watching this video I did season it the same method as him, but I didn’t sand it down. It’s fairly non-stick but now I want to go ahead and sand it down and restart from scratch. Love the videos kent!
Thank you for the great technique Kent! I've been aggravated at my new skillets because they never looked like my grandparents cast iron skillets. I knew that gritting feeling was NOT right. Keep putting out the content because it is appreciated!
I have a 3 week old 10.5 lodge thai I didn't sand. Seasoned it 3 times w canola at 450° for a hour and nothing sticks. Eggs slide like they're on ice scrambled included. Use it atleast twice a day and it already is smoother than when new. I love the thing. I'm going to get another one and give it the Cowboy Kent treatment just for fun ecause they sure are pretty when they're smooth and although the one I have now cooks perfectly I dont want to wait for it to get slick and pretty. Another great vid from the cowboy!
I have been cooking with cast-iron for over 30 years. I have some old pans and newer pan. We took your advice and sanded the finish off of our pans than re-season them. We cannot believe how great they work now. Thank you very much for the information. By the way lodge pans
Saw that video few months ago and dug out my cast iron skillets...perfection..can't use anything else...from fried eggs to grilled cheese it is absolute perfection
after watching maybe a dozen videos about people taking a wire wheel to their new pans and stripping them with lye and nonsense like that I just figured I'd take some rough sandpaper to my skillets with just a foam sanding block since they had some high spots and rust on them(they'd been sittin a while, never used)... just about got em re-seasoned now and they're 1000x better, feels pretty darn smooth to me.
I've been using the method you taught about cleaning cast iron ever since I purchased my new lodge stuff couple years ago but it's never been really good. Should've subscribed then. This was excellent information.
Happy to see you using flaxseed oil. I"ve been using it as you have, for initial seasoning and it works extremely well. I use a very thin coat and do it six times. One hour at 500 then two hour to cool down. Then I warm it before applying the next coat, put it in and raise the tempt to 500 and leave it.
It's been 40 yrs since I learned about iro skittle use ect. My grandpa taught me the ways of the cast iron. And of course I've forgotten most of it. But came across your channel and relearned something's. Hope to watch more of your videos. Thank you sir
Ok, so I just received my first Lodge skillet, I ordered the 3.5 inch one, as I hate buying things that I won't eventually use. Surface was so rough, to small for my sander to get in there so I had to hand sand it, it smoother tna it was but not perfect. Seasoned it only twice. Cooked a couple of eggs in there this morning, perfect! It's going to be great for an English muffin egg and bacon sandwich, yum yum.
Swahili SpicE years ago I found a small skillet in a thrift store. I seasoned it a few times and it shined. Eggs still stuck. Did it again and they still stuck.
Thabk you for making this video. My wife and I had pretty much given up on the cast iron skillets we bought when we were still dating after a quite a few attempts to reseason. I decided last week to give this a try and it's worked extremely well so far. Definitely noticing that the black color comes back more when I cook in the pan than when I was oiling and baking it, and that there's some give and take with cleaning/reseasoning after cooking that's making the finish more consistent. Just in case anyone is worried about splotchiness at the start like I got, it does vanish over about 10 uses.
I did this to a 12" lodge skillet I had for a while. Never had a good seasoning, food always sicked, and it recently got a little bit of minor surface rust. I did Kent's trick here, cleaned it with vinegar, re-seasoned, and wow that pan is truly awesome now. I steam clean and re-season after every use just like Kent says.
Yesterday I bought the Lodge 10 inch and it was completely smooth on the bottom and internally. I used it on my Cusimax infrared counter top stovetop and it heated up fast and nothing stuck to it. I oiled after I washed and dried it and placed it in a bag all night and it just sucked up that oil. I know, no more soap from hereon. It is darker today than when I brought it home. That pre-seasoning is beautiful then you build it and build it. I am so happy with my Lodge, I really hesitated. The 12 inch was only $20.00. How can that be? IT was at Meijer and Walmart--same prices. Actually, I think Meijer was a dollar higher--that's where I bought mine. Since the sides are straight, I thought the 10 inch was sufficient. I really wanted that 12 inch but it was too heavy for me. It was awesome looking, beautiful piece of art.
I just got 2, second hand that sadly were rusted. But by the feel of the iron, somebody loved these guys and they are in a new loving home once again. Thanks for this video. Renewing is something I have never had to do, this helps. God bless!
+emzirek- I don't have any power tools but a circular saw and a scroll saw. I need a more "elbow grease" way. For decades I used salt, but never had rust like this before. Granny always used salt and crisco. I wasn't sure it would be enough.
+Cowboy Kent Rollins Thank you, kind sir. The vinegar and baking soda is something I use all the time for other things. I'm glad to know I can use it for my cast iron.
Thank you Rollins family for the videos on cast iron skillets . I have invested in some lodge cast iron in the past and haven't given them all the love they deserved,; I was unaware the, " bed liner feel" , wasn't just rough casting.
I have had really good luck with using an cheap knife sharpening stone. I rub down the base till smooth, and running it into the corners will wear the stone to the shape of the curve. I got my stone at the dollar store, and while I would not use it on a knife, it makes fairly quick, and very good work of smoothing the surface of Lodge!
I found griddle stones, basically 4X4X10 piece of pumice. They were just fine, until I found a $40 Skil random orbital sander. There is a "restaurant supply" store nearby. Those griddle stones are a dollar. Yes, they do wear out. Spend $4 or so. steve
Thanks Ken, I live in the UK and got a cast iron skillet. I seasoned it properly and couldn't work out why it wasn't shiny like the ones in the videos. Now I understand, it's rough and needs sanding first! Thank you sir
Just bought a new lodge skillet. Kent is right. I did 10 minutes (8 to 9 is enough) with a sander and 60 grit paper. Seasoned with canola oil 4 cycles. It’s now smooth, non stick and cooks amazingly.
Ive worked in the trades for 20 years in America. Ive heard all kinds of colloquilisms and euphimsims and the most creative cursing. Not once have i ever heard anyone refer to an orbital sander as a mouse
I love the beagle looking for food on the table. I had three at one time. They are the worst - and the best at the same time. Good video. Will be seasoning my lodge pans properly. I have been disappointed that at US made product is so subpar compared to the French stuff.
I took your advice here on 3 Lodge pans. Sanded them beyond what you suggested to the point it was all silver with some small specks of the old seasoning and the iron felt nice and smooth. I opted for Safflower oil to season at 500 degrees 3 times since it has a smoke point of 475. Completely nonstick, eggs slide around. Only thing is the color can be improved it looks a bit two toned compared to the sides. Maybe just need to season the bottom a couple more times. But I'm extremely happy with the result. Cooking with them regularly, and can't wait to take them camping. Thanks Kent!
Oh yeah same! At first i was in that "seasoning will solve all camp!" but 2 years of seasoning later, stuff still stuck to the pan even if it was glossy smooth and black like a cannonball. Our second pan, sanded, started off a 8$ ozark, hated the HELL out of it's sandy surface right off the box! XD. but after some sanding with a (literal home depo brick, lol, for the speed/rough layer), and a stainless steel scourer (speedy smooth layer) after trying some sandpaper and knife sharpening stones, it's super slick. I think it sounds just like yours, while the other is pitch black, seasoned glassy, food still seems to stick to it slightly. Brown crusts, cookie sized patches. Still much more wonderful than the shitty rough sandy surface it started with. But our sanded pans have a little coppery crust, but stuff slides right off it like unoiled teflon with a push. It's not quite as good as oiled teflon, but it's defintely great enough that food pushes right off with a push, and it has a coppery tinge the first 1-2 coats that turns away to black later on. That's completely normal i think, it's just the color the first layers of thin seasoning are and it'll blacken with time.
Just wanted to thank you I'm an older lady selling my house and I packed away all my cookware after a little bit I couldn't live without my cast iron pan! I went and bought a Mainstay brand large cast iron from Walmart and it has the same rough pebbled finish. I followed your instructions, I sanded it down with my mouse, seasoned it three or four times and I just fried an over easy egg without sticking! Thank you so much!
I got lucky and found a skillet that was pretty well-seasoned when I bought it, but I still gave it a few more coatings for a black patina. Then I just used it and used it and it's super slick at the 2-month mark
I must be the luckiest man in the world. My lodge skillet worked right of the box. Just a quick wash with soap and water, dried with a cloth . Popped in some lard after warming it for 10 minutes on medium heat my spuds, sausages and eggs cooked up just fine with no sticking. Been working fine since then
John Slocum no one said it wouldn’t work out of the box. All anyone has said is that it works better when it’s smooth and out and re-seasoned. I have used out-of-the-box skillets and I have used skillets that I have smoothed along with naturally smooth Wagner‘s and Griswolds. This smooth ones always work better hands-down. But you can do whatever you’d like.
Thanks! you have a great youtube presence keeping the video interesting and to the point! I have stayed away from the new Lodge pans and have stuck with my 6 or so 40+ yr old pans. A couple weeks ago I spent 4 hours walking thru an antique mall looking at pans and I came to several conclusions after looking at really old cast iron pans. 1. Pans from 60+ years ago were much thinner and therefore lighter than today's clunkers. 2. The cooking surfaces were always ground after casting producing a flat smooth metal surface. 3. The seasoning on the pans where it had not been redone was very smooth and dry. This led me to thinking. When I worked as a cook at a restaurant we has a huge cast iron grill that was on all the time. We used a chunk of pumice the size of a block of butter to scrape off excess seasoning that built up. We pretty well took it down to bare metal to remove the rubbery stuff (polymerized oil). I used to only cook eggs or steak or pancakes on my pans for fear of messing up the seasoning. Now I cook fish and vegetables and with sauces and throw the pan in the oven to bake ribs. What I do to clean my pans is I heat them on medium heat until they are just about to smoke (where you would cook a steak) then I take them to the sink with all the gunk brown and bubbling and I run them under hot water and give them a light brushing with a bristle brush. The water hitting the pan creates a layer of steam that lifts everything off. Then before the pan can cool I put it back on the burner to dry. Any little bits that were missed along the edges can be gotten with a second steam cleaning. This process produces a hard smooth carbon layer that is bonded to the pan and will absorb a few drops of oil before you cook your pancakes. No more sticky oil on you pans in the cupboard and no fear about destroying your precious seasoning. Try it. It is very simple to do....but first you have to get rid of that gunk and don't worry about smoothing the cooking surface during sanding ... cast Iron is 3% carbon so it has pores (it actually looks like swiss cheese) that will help the seasoning stick.
@@monstermcboo7282 something went wrong... did you heat it on high and put in cold water. He says to let it cool in the oven. Cast iton will crack and stainless steel will warp if you change the temperature too quickly. It is possible you have a defective grill... the casting process is not perfect and hot shortness or residual stresses can cause cracking.
Putting my hot grill pan under the tap the way you suggested cracked my pan. Not blaming you; this happened over a year ago and I had followed someone else’s advice to do the same. As I said, I now only use water to loosen crust on a hot pan still on the burner. No issues. Also, the Lodge grill pan is truly an inferior, clunky, poorly made product and I know that since I’ve switched to using another brand of grill pan that is smoother, lighter, well-finished, and has much less sharp grill ridges. Sadly, Lodge just purely does not care about the quality of what they undoubtedly consider their “novelty” pieces. Also, their enamelware is total garbage. It’ll chip and stain right out of the box. Possibly if you look at it sideways. Very sad.
@@monstermcboo7282 Thank you for bringing this up. I have done my cleaning method on my 10 or more pans for 10+ years BUT you are correct if there are design or casting flaws it can crack... The likelihood of cracking increases with differential temperatures in the pan and the colder the water. To be clear I heat my pan up slowly on 6 on a 10 scale. the sides take a lot longer to heat up especially if you are using electric so be patient. If there is oil in the pan it will start smoking at about 400F (depends on the oil) that is when I put it under a spray of HOT water (preferably not a flood or water and definitely not plunging in a basin). I also hold it at an angle so the water does not pool in the pan.... it does not take at lot of water... the idea is to create a layer of steam over the surface that will lift the grime. This takes a bit of practice. ALSO the steam can be very hot so protect yourself (I use a silicon oven glove). I used to do it your way where you dump water in the pan to deglaze it. This works to a degree and if you are not comfortable with the steam clean method I describe I would suggest you stick with what works for you. I have had limited success with glazed cast iron and only use them when I am baking acid foods like tomatoes. take care Greg
A couple years ago I purchased a Lodge pizza "stone" for my wife. The rough finish was fine for that application and it has been great. So last week I decided to buy a cast skillet. I watched a review from 4 years ago I picked the stargazer. At the time it was $88. It's now well over $100. The lodge in the review was $20, todat it's $20. Definitely worth a small amount of work. Thanks for the instructive content.
I used 150 grit with a sander and some hand sanding. Seasoned it with alternating layers of Crisco and olive oil (because I wanted to). Now I have to chase fried eggs around the skillet just to flip them. I am amazed at how well it worked. Thank you.
Absolute legend for sharing that with us! My new pan had no seasoning and was like sandpaper due to the sand casting method. Tried this and it works just as stated. Awesome!!
I have a couple of 40 year old Lodge skillets that were much smoother new than what you get now. I believe they used a finer grit of sand in the moldings back then but don't know that for a fact. That said, I'll still buy Lodge today if I really needed a new piece of iron and treat it just like this video says. Then I would go out and find a new place to live after my wife found out I'd purchased it... I've already passed some of my pieces down to the children and still have some I haven't used in several years.
Thank you for the great video! I've got a 20 year old lodge pan that has always been a pain in the behind. Everything sticks to it. I've stripped it and re-seasoned it multiple times. Nothing has helped. I just got done hitting it with my orbital sander - 2x 60 grit disks, 1x 100 grit, 1x 150 grit. Not quite perfectly smooth, but much, much smoother. It's getting its first coat of seasoning now! Fingers crossed! We need to replace our nonstick and I really hope this makes the cast iron usable!
Thanks for the video Ken. I live in the UK and been using LeCreseut cast iron which is enamel coated. Recently moved to raw cast iron as the enameled stuff isn't great after a few years. Just purchased 2 Lodge skillets, thanks to Amazon actually reasonably priced in the UK. tried your sanding method today and completed 2 coats of seasoning. So far so good.
I've got a Wagner Ware pan that I bought new in 1975, that was polished shiny at the factory, and took a kind of long process to get fully seasoned, but eventually became a spectacular pan. I've got two Lodge pans that I polished really smooth myself with an angle grinder and a stripping wheel, and they also took a while to get well seasoned, but now perform beautifully. And I've got a few Lodge pans that I simply added a couple more layers of additional seasoning to before first use, and they also perform beautifully, and get better with each use. Cast iron is very forgiving of trial and error. You almost can't go wrong with it.
I had a lodge skillet a roommate left behind when they moved out. The thing was horrible to cook out of. I don’t think it was even cared for properly. I followed these instructions exactly to start over and now it’s amazing! It’s on bacon frying and vegetable sautéing duty until it builds of a good seasoning. I’ve only used it a handful of times and it’s already starting to get a nice black finish. Thanks!
I bake mine over a 3 day period, full of oil in the oven, obviously, you have to be very careful not to set it on fire with too high a heat for too long, I start a the lowest temp possible, and about every 3 hours, I turn it up another 50 degrees, until I reach about 350 or it starts to smoke a bit, then I slowly reverse the process until it gets to the lowest temp again, which takes about a day. I do this 3 times. My cast iron pans, nothing sticks, when washing I use very very little soap and never let it soak. Yes it is a bit expensive for the oil to do it this way, but I've been doing it for over 30 years, nothing sticks ever, even without sanding the bottom... of course the real secret to using cast iron pans, is pre-heating before use.... I have NEVER had to re-season a pan, even after my son has used it :)
When my grandma needed to have her cast iron refinished/ re-seasoned, she would give it to the grandkids for the sandbox. She had two or three pans of each size, so a couple months in the sand was no problem. When it was time to re do the ones she was using, she would trade with the boys in the sandbox and get on with the seasoning. Worked great.
I got a 14" cast iron griddle/pizza pan on sale a few weeks ago. Finish was way rougher than even my Lodge Chef's collection skillet. I want to eventually smooth out the skillet, so i figured that the griddle would be a good practice piece. Smoothed the sides with sandpaper and sanding sponges, didn't go crazy. Smoothed out the bottom with an oscillating sander and some 60 grit. then roughed it back up with the 60 grit by hand. I'd read a few threads about the seasoning not sticking to a perfectly smooth pan, so that's why i roughed it back up slightly. I simmered some water in it for about an hour to develop a light oxide to it (for better adhesion). Rinsed it out good, then dried it in the oven, then thoroughly wiped off the loose rust with a towel. So the pan had a slightly dark finish already when i started. I proceeded to do 4 coats of grapeseed oil, baking each for an hour at 350, then after the 4th bake, i brought it up to 450 for an hour then let it cool in the oven. It came out beautiful! Gorgeous smooth glassy finish, nice blackish color. So the next day i heated her up on the stove, splashed a little of that grapeseed oil in, then cracked an egg into it........ I now have an egg shaped stain in my pan. Stuck like nothing i've ever seen stick before. So i burnt the egg remnants and scrubbed them out and re oiled the pan and put it away. Guess i gotta cook some other stuff in it before i go trying over easy eggs again.
I just got a new Smithey cast iron skillet. It is a work of art in my opinion. They machine the inside to a smooth finish and season it 3 times with Grapeseed oil. I will season it 3 more times before using. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you Kent. I recently lost my older brother and he left behind some cast iron that I took. I am looking forward to using it after I get it seasoned properly.
A solid instructional video, Kent. Thank you. The one thing I would have added is a cautionary note about cooking foods with a high degree of acidity (tomato sauces, dishes with lemon or lime juice added, vinegars, etc.). Acidic dishes will take a bit of the seasoning layer off the bottom of your lovingly maintained cast iron pan. This is not a bad thing, and will not hurt the pan in any way, but you might want to oven season it a time or two before cooking with it again to restore that 'smooth as a baby's butt' finish you worked hard to create and maintain. Best wishes and keep the good work a-comin!
I am new to cast-iron and bought a lodge skillet because it was only like 20 bucks. It’s amazing! Nothing sticks it and it cooks great. The best skillet I’ve ever owned. No need to sand anything down! I’m sure there are better cast-iron options out there but if you’re new to cast-iron get yourself a lodge and bask in its magnificent glory.
I thought I had just bought a bad pan. Bought it a few years ago and I didn’t enjoy cooking with it, hard to cook, hard to clean, everything stuck to it so I put it in the back of the shelf. But recently I’ve been working with it again and your videos have been so helpful!
This is the most sensible way smooth out that rough surface. Those shinny points are the bare metal of all the rough metal that was sticking up and making it rough. It leaves the pre-seasoning in the pores intact if it's not taken too far. That is a good thing. That's why I don't like the wire brushing method. I did this by hand for only a few minutes and it still worked great.
I love this guy and the video. He is a genuine person ( not a celebrity chef), great tips, but my favourite part was; his reaction to make up, at the end.
When I season my cast iron I always put the article in the oven upside down. Too many times the coating wouldn't be uniform due to the surface being unlevel and it would be thick in spots. By doing it upside down it doesn't puddle or pool. You've got to put aluminum foil or a baking pan under it unless you want your oven and house to fill with smoke.
If after a round of seasoning a pan the oil is pooling at a low spot on the pan or your coat of seasoning is uneven, then you used too much oil. You should be applying the oil to the entire pan, then use a different towel to completely wipe the pan dry of the oil you just applied. This will leave only the oil you need for seasoning soaked up in to the cast iron pan in a thin shiny layer. That's all the oil you need. Any more and you'll end up with a sticky residue, uneven spots, and a layer of seasoning that will be prone to chipping off in flakes. You want the oil to be thin so that it goes through a polymerization reaction with the pan and the two become one brand new surface greater than the sum of their parts. A layer of oil too thick won't undergo this reaction, instead leaving a thick, sticky layer of goop similar to what you might find on the bottom of your oven.
The rough on Lodge is from the texture of the iron from the sand used as the casting form. Sanding the rough off is far more than removing the 'seasoning' that is factory applied, it is removing the tips of the bumpy iron itself. Some brands are smoother because they either grind or machine the inner surfaces after casting, or in some cases, the pans are cast in a smoother medium than sand. I like to remove the bumpy texture from any cast iron cookware cooking surface. Collectors hate that, .. they want 'as made', but then they are rarely using their iron as cooking tools.
Thanks Kent. I just bought a Le Creuset coated-cast iron skillet, at the same time I bought a Lodge number 10 Dutch Oven (first venture into cast iron cookware). I didn't understand why the skillet was so smooth and shiny compared to the rough and shiny Lodge. I did some research and found your vid, among many others. I decided to try your method, I went out and bought a cheap, small, orbital sander and took the surface down to remove the rough texture. I then used your seasoning technique, I did it seven times, and tonight I am currently cooking a Venison stew (first meal after). Looking forward to the result.
I bought the "chef collection " from lodge. I like the shape which makes food easier to flip. Its a little more expensive than their cheap line, but still doesn't break the bank. I spent about $100 on three pans 8", 10", 12". I didn't have to sand anything, they work fine. I seasoned them once before first use.
Kent, thanks for the help. Bought a circular sander with the proper grit pads today. It may just be my oven, but I've been waiting about 2 hours for the pan to get to room temp before the second treatment. I'm furloughed so I've got nothing else to do 🤣
Great video! I've got a handful of lodge cookware and a few days ago, after owning my first lodge 8" skillet for almost 7yrs, I sanded it all the way to smooth beautiful bare cast iron...220 grit. I applied a generous layer of olive oil, baked it at 375 for an hour and repeated again. I wasn't happy with the results at all as the oil formed a bunch of islands all over the surface so I had a polka dot skillet. Yesterday I sanded it down again, this time with 120 grit and I buffed the oil on in very light layers and baked at 450F for 30min, took it out, wiped on another layer, put it back in the oven and repeated 4 times...she's a beaut now! Gorgeous bronze color - for my other lodge gear, I'll probably save a ton of time and use the method here presented.
Hi Kent, I did this. I sued a wire brush attachment for my drill and also my dewalt sander. I did the three seasonings as you do. I also did what is recommended for carbon steel where you get potato peels, 2/3 cup of salt and 1/3 of a cup of oil and cook this until the potato peels get browned. I then made home fries with the potatoes. the skillet is really smooth now. Thanks, Doug
Dang, I guess I was lucky to find a nice old Wagner cast iron pan at my second hand store for $5. The pan was so smooth, after just a cleaning and seasoning, I gave my Lodge pan to a friend.
As soon as he said my little sweet wife, I immediately subscribed. This guy is like that old neighbor down the road a bit that you go to when even your dad can’t figure something out.
Thanks Kent and Shannon, this is very good information. I've got several pieces of Lodge still boxed from Christmas that needs this treatment. Soon as I get off my duff I'll get it taken care of. Getting old is the pits. Thanks again for another great video. Stan
I was recently given a Griswold skillet and a Wagner skillet by my 90 year old Dad. My late Mother used to use them. I remember many great meals being made in these skillets. They were each 100 years old that they had inherited from my Grandmother. They were slick as glass. I guess things were made better back then. But they did need some re seasoning. They had a small amount of rust on them. So I removed the rust with salt and an abrasive pad. Then I coated them with a bit of Crisco and baked them upside down in the oven with a baking sheet to catch any drips. It only took once. Each of them are great non-stick skillets now.
This is the best method for new cast iron or stuff that you buy used and is rough. Thanks for the vid Kent. Takes care of my Kent video addiction for a couple of days LOL.
Good advice overall. I'd use a higher smoke point oil like grape-seed or avocado, and I would place the pan upside down in the oven with a sheet pan under it so any excess oil drips out instead of forming gummy spots in the bottom of the pan. With the higher smoke point oil you'll need to raise your oven temp to 400-450 degrees. Flax seed oil was really popular for carbon steel pan seasoning because you can get some really dark seasoning on bare unseasoned pans really quick, but long term it tends to be brittle and flake off, at least on carbon steel anyways. Cast iron is more porous so it may hold better and be fine, but I'd rather go with something I know will work and last. Good point about not having to take the pan all the way down to bare metal. I've seen posts on Facebook cast iron groups where people spent days taking their pan down to a mirror finish. As you demonstrated, totally not necessary, just get it smooth and start re-seasoning. 👍👍
I am a new user of a cast iron skillet. I am looking for information on Polish, English and American UA-cam. I must say that you are the best. I bought two Lodge 10 and 12 inch pans. I believe they are one of the best on the market. Regards Anna from Poland currently living in Great Britain 😉
I have a set of lodge cast irons and I was really disappointed with the performance no matter how many rounds of seasoning I did. I did this as a trial run in one of them and it's night and day. Thank you for restoring my love for cast irons!
I picked up a Lodge skillet about 4 years ago and hardly ever used it. Everything stuck to it. I followed your instructions in this video and it is virtually non stick. Thanks for the info.
@@AD4M1873 I believe he said you only need byo sand the bottom and the corner.
@@AD4M1873 The bottom and9 the corners. Just a bit on the sides.
@@AD4M1873 I always rub shortening all over my skillets,,, Mama rubbed lard on hers, which are now mine..
Cool there's hope for mine.
I don't see instructions here for how to season a cast iron skillet...clean it good with a scrub brush in hot soapy water, dry it, rub it with shortening or lard, put it in 400 deg oven upside down, put a pan under it to catch the dripping shortening, and heat it for an hour.Turn off the oven and let it cool.
My wife has a cast iron dutch oven that was passed down from her mother who has now passed. This oven was used for jambalaya and gumbo for the last 40 years. When i found it it was gummy, lightly rusted in spots and in poor condition. I found your cast iron videos and completely restored it. She just made a delicious jambalaya in it. Now i am watching your other videos astounded at how riveting it is to learn about cast iron. You are fabulous! thank you
Received a Lodge as a Christmas gift. Sanded it down using 80 and then 150 grit. Followed your seasoning tips using grape seed oil. Fried some taters with it afterwards. Been cooking with it for a couple weeks using olive oil and nothing sticks to it whatsoever. Rooster rockets, hog meat, and fajitas slide right out. Thank you Kent and Shannon. Many blessings to y’all for 2020!
Glad you are enjoying and Thanks for watching
To all you doubters....this method WORKS...all it takes is just a little effort, and the return is a GREAT PAN. Thanks Kent!
I have always been disappointed with Lodge cast iron because of the sandpaper like finish. I started watching a plethora of youtube videos (I love being retired!) and here's what I have learned. 1) Listen to Kent - he's right on the money and his methods work! 2) There 2 types of seasoning - to prevent rust and to prevent sticking. Lodge 'preseasons' their products to prevent rust, thus prevent returns due to storage issues. That 'rustproofing' has done its job and should be retired. 3) Sanding or grinding the finish from sandpaper to medium orange peel seems to work best. When a surface is completely smooth, there isn't enough surface for the seasoning to stick to. Leaving texture dramatically increases the surface area for the seasoning you will apply to adhere to. 4) Flax seed oil is outstanding and you end up with a surface ALMOST as nonstick as teflon without the worries. 5) This method also works for carbon steel pans. My current favorite skillet is a Lodge carbon steel that felt like sandpaper when I got it. After 10 minutes of sanding and 3 rounds of baking with flax seed oil, I can flip eggs just like a teflon pan. Love these pans and am no longer afraid of them. Thanks Kent
Roger, I think that people in the know would want to purchase Lodge if it did NOT have that nasty finish. I probably have six Lodge utensils, but prefer to use my older ones. They are so smooth and non-stick.
Thanks Roger so much for watching
I liked that Kent didn't take his all the way down to metal. Most of the other videos I watch did that and I don't have the tools. With Kent's method, I got it sanded down in about 20-25 minutes with just sandpaper and elbow grease. I'm seasoning it now and it's coming along fine.
I'm amazed at the videos that show using oven clean. If a pan is porous enough to take seasoning, it will surely hold that oven cleaner...
Fat women always purchased Teflon because they were told cooking oil is what made them fat. Teflon won't last one year when castiron will last several lifetimes. Teflon is junk but dumb women keep on buying it.
What if someone was bored and decided to sandblast their cast iron? I'm not talking with an aggressive grit, maybe glass bead. Would it hold the seasoning better? I'm not going to do it, its 2 degrees and drifting snow outside currently. But if I were really bored this summer and a neglected lodge skillet that sat in a garage would occupy my time returning it to service.
I discovered this process by accident about ten years ago. I've always loved cooking on cast iron...nuthin like it. My boys, who were very young left my best pan outside, it got buried in the snow and I didn't find it till spring. All rusted up, I sanded it smooth as a babies butt and re-seasoned it. Best non stick on the planet, makes omelets Julia Child would be jealous of!
I think it's great that people are sanding their Lodge pans smooth these days. It's ironic, though, because that preseasoning saved the company. Lodge has been around 100+ years and they used to sell smooth, unseasoned pans. Folks would use them straight away and they would stick or they wouldn't buy at all because the seasoning process was too much a hassle. (Imagine this: I just paid good money for this pan and now I have to spend a day seasoning it?) They struggled in the late 90s and then came up with this preseasoning in 2002. They were the first cast iron company to sell seasoned cast iron. It saved the company and changed the industry. So, I'm not going to complain about it being rough. Honestly, I've had a 10.25 Lodge skillet for 10+ years and never sanded it. Works like a champ and, after years of use, it's smoothed out a lot on its own.
I do really appreciate the information and videos Kent Rollins gives us. "and never sanded it. Works like a champ and, after years of use, it's smoothed out a lot on its own." That's my experience. Seems sanding is extra work for not much return. That said, I'm no professional. Thanks for the Lodge history.
Never sanded a cast skillet or oven. Once seasoned if it sticks you weren't paying attention to your job! Cooking isn't a sporting event! It's a competition with your last meal!
Yes, mine has also lost its coating on the inside, yet kept it's beautiful red outside, its the only frypan I use.
@Jon Perala
He does say it's a polymer soy based liner, no thank you!
@Death Wish Anyone who uses the phrase "I have tons of Lodge" is a cast iron newbie caught up in the fad.
I smoothed my 12" lodge skillet with multiple metal spatulas over 30 years, wish I would have done this! I was 25 when I got that skillet and right now she's my best one ,its truly non-stick, fried eggs just slip and slide in her! I really enjoy your channel! Thank you sir.🤠
Thanks for watching and good seasoned iron is the best
I love his voice. I could listen to him all day, what a beautiful accent. Greetings from the UK 🇬🇧
Thanks for watching
Southern Oklahoma accent ......comforting like a old flannel shirt
I agree! His voice, personality, and many down home talents are great. I think he's pretty easy on the eyes too.
I bought a new Lodge pan a couple of months ago and did this. I was like I can't believe I'm sanding a brand new cast iron skillet!! I was thinking I screwed up a new pan but oh my word what a difference. I'm glad I followed your video Kent! Thank you!!
Do I have to use flak seed oil? Can I use grape seed oil. I love your videos.
@@clancyson he no longer recomends using flax seed oil if you see one of his newer videos
I've been using these tips and buying old cast iron at yard sales and Value Village and bringing them back to condition and giving them to friends. I may be a little dull in my pastimes, but I find this fun and rewarding! Thanks!
Cast Iron is making a huge comeback. With all of these chemicals in non-stick pans and such. I'm following Kent's directions to bring back my Great Grandmothers skillt (she's in the oven right now curing that first coat of flaxseed oil).
It's not a dull pastime! With so many people liking cast iron these days, they'd much rather appreciate a truly well and properly seasoned pan over one of those factory ones at the hardware store. They make great gifts!
I'd not call your pastime dull at all. Taking someone's neglected, rusty old castoff, & bringing it back to prime condition & daily working order is little different than restoring classic cars or antique furniture, with the same very gratifying end result. Plus, you get to reap it's benefits on a regular basis, it stores in a cupboard, and you don't need to insure it either.:)
That is an awesome past time
Mister Kent,good evening to you and your beautiful wife! I say evening because here in Italy it's 23:05.
I bought a Lodge cast iron pan and initially intended to smooth it out. I thought we had a sander in that garage of ours. Come to find out we didn't and only had some sanding paper.
Then I found out that some people keep the pan like that, without sanding it and eventually,becomes smooth. I tried to do just that. So I seasoned well after cleaning.. so well it got very sticky. I tried hard and food stuck to it. So I went in that garage of mine and took a few sanding papers and started to sand it down really good. It took me probably 45 minutes and it didn't look like it was sanded by a mouse or anything,but it was smoother that before and almost bare metal. My hands got soooo dirty and I washed it really really well with soap,rinsed really really well and then dried it and started seasoning. I seasoned it 4 times and it's a light to dark brown and OH MY GOD,it got sooooo much better,the glossy finish is amazing me!
Now all I have to do is cook in it,I'll start with some bacon and deep frying.
I was stubborn and tried to do it my way,but Mr. Kent was right! Don't use their seasoning,sanding it down and seasoning yourself is so much better!!! I'm so astounded by the results! Thank you,Mr. Kent Rollins and God bless you and your family.
Simona
That's great to hear, but a small tip as well: your pan may have been sticky from too much oil. Be sure to heat it up till it just starts to smoke after cooking it in. Or, maybe just once a month or so throw it on the oven again to season and cook off any extra oil. That extra oil gums up after a while. Hope this helps. (Happened to my brother's pan, we put it in the oven, it came out nice and non stick again, that's how I know this works)
@@imover9999 yeah,I think it was just that. Thanks for the tip
I have a couple of skillets that my grandmother used and probably her mother as well, they are over a 100 years old. I see no reason that they will not continue to be used for another century.....
@@johnbroadwell2603 I think they look great,don't they? I got the hang of my skillet and it's amazing,you really learn to love cast iron pans starting right away.
@@SimonaShine If you make a habit of rinsing it as soon as you take food out, in hot running water and wipe it dry, it will not need seasoning. I am going to try this soon, cowboy biscuit bread... www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Phl6w_77Erw&t=936s
Thanks Kent. I filled your instructions on a new Lodge 8" and on my Gramas 11" deep skillet. She called it her Chicken pan. She used it constantly but it fell into disrepair after she passed, but I got it when my Mom passed. So I refinished it following your instructions and gave it to my niece for Christmas. She was tickled to get GG's pan. It's ready to go now. I just can't cook anything now in tin and teflon...
❤️ GG’s pan 🎯
That's such a beautiful story. I'll bet there's a lot of love in that pan :)
Thanks for sharing that story
Kent, I actually did your process 4 times in the oven. Slick as glass sir. Thank you. Today, bacon and eggs. Then the 10" skillet.
Great job!
Good info we have our skillets hanging on our cabinets also
Best park of the video is at the end when the beagle takes a look at the table to see there is any thing good to eat.... cute dog 🐶 👏
Non stick for a few uses. Wait till the seasoning starts flaking off in a rew more uses. You'll find yourself having to reseason it frequently because the smooth surface just can't hold the seasoning.
Had you left it rough, and seasoned it 3 or 4 times, your eggs will slide around just like the smooth pan, but you won't be constantly reseasoning.
Decades ago, cast iron companies would mill their pans smooth. Rough surface pans are actually a more modern thing. Can you guess why??
THEY REALIZED IT MAKES SEASONING PERMANENT.
But go ahead and smooth your pan and lose heat retention and seasoning durability.
You'll be working much harder to keep your pan non stick than I
@@michaeledwards2605 Really? Everyone online hates the pre-seasoned stuff. I just bought my first Lodge and have been doing research on proper care and feeding of cast iron before I use it. You’re the first I have heard talk about the rough surface being a good thing rather than bad.
I 've had my GRANDMOTHER's cast iron frypan for over 50 years! I figure it is at least 80 years old. When I got it, it was very well seasoned ...inside and out! I have used it almost daily ever since I got it and it is a dream! My kids argue over who will inherit it! I have 4 other pieces, but Nana's pan is my favourite!
I hear you Patti, that old stuff is the best ever
This guy is good! Sandblasted my lodge skillet and seasoned it the way he said and wow! Eggs slide around nothing sticks! Thanks kent.
What material did you blast with, I was thinking Bead Blast or Soda blast. Maybe Garnet ?
@@askledhead I would recommend Walnut shells to BLAST it.. It's not super harsh and will clean it well!
Sandblasting? Brilliant!
Bless you sir. I've been eating off and using cast iron for my entire life. My Grandma, mom and I have always used it. You have taught me how to keep and care for my inherited Wagnerware and AB&C cast skillets, and Dutch Ovens. It is also much more healthful than Teflon which deposits harmful chemicals in everybody who uses it. Keep up the great work and recipes. Thank you!
Thank you Kent. I'm finally settled in my career and can afford to replace everything I own with cast iron. All of my pieces are rough. I'm dying to start cooking. I've been watching your videos for over a year now and now I'm trusting you for all of my care for my cookware.
Best thing to cook with, Thanks for watching
@@CowboyKentRollins
What about Carbon Steel? I'm thinking about moving to this
@@ryanpark2049 high rust adherence. Must constantly be oiled. Exposure to air and even your hand can create rust spots. Not a good choice for cookware. Chef knife maybe, but requires a lot of attention
I used a hand held orbital sander with 80 grit, made short work of the roughness on my Lodge pan but leaves a "tooth" for the seasoning to adhere to. Use organic Avocado oil and can fry an egg on them.
Thank you Mr. Rollins! I bought two brand new Lodge skillets today. I followed your instructions and they came out beautiful! As slick as one of the $200 cast iron skillets. I fried up some bacon first then some fried eggs. My goodness, those were some of the best eggs I’ve ever had. God bless you and thank you for the videos.
Our pleasure Jess and Thanks so much for watching and Happy New Year to you
So you did the same light sanding as shown in the video? Is it starting to look better now?
kentchr76 yes. It’s real nice. I put a light coat of olive oil on them after each use. They are so smooth.
Jess Cupp Okay thank you. It’s good to know. I have read and watched so much now about cast iron now - but I DON’T think I can say that I am LESS confused now compared to when I started :) . There’s so much contradictory information about cast iron out there. But there’s one very important thing I have learned though, and that is that if you don’t actually grind/cut a cast iron skillet in half you can always go back and start from scratch again if something goes wrong.
Frank the helper Ok - thank you :) .
I just bought my first cast iron skillet and it was pre-seasoned and rough. Before watching this video I did season it the same method as him, but I didn’t sand it down. It’s fairly non-stick but now I want to go ahead and sand it down and restart from scratch.
Love the videos kent!
Thank you for the great technique Kent! I've been aggravated at my new skillets because they never looked like my grandparents cast iron skillets. I knew that gritting feeling was NOT right. Keep putting out the content because it is appreciated!
Your grandparents probably cooked using the same cast iron for decades before you got to see it lol.
I have a 3 week old 10.5 lodge thai I didn't sand. Seasoned it 3 times w canola at 450° for a hour and nothing sticks. Eggs slide like they're on ice scrambled included. Use it atleast twice a day and it already is smoother than when new. I love the thing. I'm going to get another one and give it the Cowboy Kent treatment just for fun ecause they sure are pretty when they're smooth and although the one I have now cooks perfectly I dont want to wait for it to get slick and pretty.
Another great vid from the cowboy!
I have been cooking with cast-iron for over 30 years. I have some old pans and newer pan. We took your advice and sanded the finish off of our pans than re-season them. We cannot believe how great they work now. Thank you very much for the information. By the way lodge pans
Best thing to cook with, good iron
Saw that video few months ago and dug out my cast iron skillets...perfection..can't use anything else...from fried eggs to grilled cheese it is absolute perfection
after watching maybe a dozen videos about people taking a wire wheel to their new pans and stripping them with lye and nonsense like that I just figured I'd take some rough sandpaper to my skillets with just a foam sanding block since they had some high spots and rust on them(they'd been sittin a while, never used)... just about got em re-seasoned now and they're 1000x better, feels pretty darn smooth to me.
I've been using the method you taught about cleaning cast iron ever since I purchased my new lodge stuff couple years ago but it's never been really good. Should've subscribed then. This was excellent information.
Happy to see you using flaxseed oil. I"ve been using it as you have, for initial seasoning and it works extremely well. I use a very thin coat and do it six times. One hour at 500 then two hour to cool down. Then I warm it before applying the next coat, put it in and raise the tempt to 500 and leave it.
It's been 40 yrs since I learned about iro skittle use ect. My grandpa taught me the ways of the cast iron. And of course I've forgotten most of it. But came across your channel and relearned something's. Hope to watch more of your videos. Thank you sir
Ok, so I just received my first Lodge skillet, I ordered the 3.5 inch one, as I hate buying things that I won't eventually use. Surface was so rough, to small for my sander to get in there so I had to hand sand it, it smoother tna it was but not perfect. Seasoned it only twice. Cooked a couple of eggs in there this morning, perfect! It's going to be great for an English muffin egg and bacon sandwich, yum yum.
Swahili SpicE years ago I found a small skillet in a thrift store. I seasoned it a few times and it shined. Eggs still stuck. Did it again and they still stuck.
Love you Kent Rollins. You're one of my favorite personalities on the interwebs, and I always learn something.
Thanks so much
Perfect. This is the way. No need to spend hours getting a mirror finish. Smooth it out a little and good to go. Nice video.
Thabk you for making this video.
My wife and I had pretty much given up on the cast iron skillets we bought when we were still dating after a quite a few attempts to reseason.
I decided last week to give this a try and it's worked extremely well so far. Definitely noticing that the black color comes back more when I cook in the pan than when I was oiling and baking it, and that there's some give and take with cleaning/reseasoning after cooking that's making the finish more consistent. Just in case anyone is worried about splotchiness at the start like I got, it does vanish over about 10 uses.
I did this to a 12" lodge skillet I had for a while. Never had a good seasoning, food always sicked, and it recently got a little bit of minor surface rust. I did Kent's trick here, cleaned it with vinegar, re-seasoned, and wow that pan is truly awesome now. I steam clean and re-season after every use just like Kent says.
Yesterday I bought the Lodge 10 inch and it was completely smooth on the bottom and internally. I used it on my Cusimax infrared counter top stovetop and it heated up fast and nothing stuck to it. I oiled after I washed and dried it and placed it in a bag all night and it just sucked up that oil. I know, no more soap from hereon. It is darker today than when I brought it home. That pre-seasoning is beautiful then you build it and build it. I am so happy with my Lodge, I really hesitated. The 12 inch was only $20.00. How can that be? IT was at Meijer and Walmart--same prices. Actually, I think Meijer was a dollar higher--that's where I bought mine. Since the sides are straight, I thought the 10 inch was sufficient. I really wanted that 12 inch but it was too heavy for me. It was awesome looking, beautiful piece of art.
I just got 2, second hand that sadly were rusted. But by the feel of the iron, somebody loved these guys and they are in a new loving home once again. Thanks for this video. Renewing is something I have never had to do, this helps. God bless!
Dawn Ruhl
you know he has the rest removal video
+emzirek- I don't have any power tools but a circular saw and a scroll saw. I need a more "elbow grease" way. For decades I used salt, but never had rust like this before. Granny always used salt and crisco. I wasn't sure it would be enough.
Salt and oil do a pretty good job on rust, if it is real bad use some being soda and vinegar
+Cowboy Kent Rollins Thank you, kind sir. The vinegar and baking soda is something I use all the time for other things. I'm glad to know I can use it for my cast iron.
Cowboy Kent Rollins where can I pick up some of that being soda? 😉
The part where your beagle is searching the table for scraps in the background, that’s some genuine natural comedy. SUBSCRIBE.
Thanks for joining us
I did this last night to reseason my skillet and its better than any of my other skillets now! The cowboy knows what he's talking about
I just restored my first skillet I found in an antique fair. It was all rust brought ‘er back to life thank you Mr. Rollins
You videos are fantastic!
Thanks for watching
Thank you Rollins family for the videos on cast iron skillets . I have invested in some lodge cast iron in the past and haven't given them all the love they deserved,; I was unaware the, " bed liner feel" , wasn't just rough casting.
I've found that sugar blasting the surface after sanding gives your polymerized oils a really good grip.
My cast iron never flakes.
I have had really good luck with using an cheap knife sharpening stone. I rub down the base till smooth, and running it into the corners will wear the stone to the shape of the curve. I got my stone at the dollar store, and while I would not use it on a knife, it makes fairly quick, and very good work of smoothing the surface of Lodge!
I found griddle stones, basically 4X4X10
piece of pumice. They were just fine, until
I found a $40 Skil random orbital sander.
There is a "restaurant supply" store nearby.
Those griddle stones are a dollar. Yes, they
do wear out. Spend $4 or so.
steve
Good tip for those who don't have a mouse or electric sanding machine. Good tip mate
But I dont have an oven that is my only problem ..How am I gonna do the proccess of seasoning
IMur KING get a Weber kettle grill if Craigslist, a bag of charcoal, and pretend it’s an outdoor oven.
How come you didn’t put the pan upside down
Thanks Ken, I live in the UK and got a cast iron skillet. I seasoned it properly and couldn't work out why it wasn't shiny like the ones in the videos. Now I understand, it's rough and needs sanding first! Thank you sir
Just bought a new lodge skillet. Kent is right. I did 10 minutes (8 to 9 is enough) with a sander and 60 grit paper. Seasoned with canola oil 4 cycles. It’s now smooth, non stick and cooks amazingly.
Thanks for watching
Interestingly, over here (in Australia) that type of sander is called a "cat"
Cat and Mouse?
@@dgmclar Because Australia is on the other side of the world... cat and mouse.
@@dgmclar lol. That was funny.
Lol
Ive worked in the trades for 20 years in America. Ive heard all kinds of colloquilisms and euphimsims and the most creative cursing. Not once have i ever heard anyone refer to an orbital sander as a mouse
I love the beagle looking for food on the table. I had three at one time. They are the worst - and the best at the same time. Good video. Will be seasoning my lodge pans properly. I have been disappointed that at US made product is so subpar compared to the French stuff.
This guy is friggin’ awesome. I love cooking. Kents kind of cooking is the next haute cusine.
I took your advice here on 3 Lodge pans. Sanded them beyond what you suggested to the point it was all silver with some small specks of the old seasoning and the iron felt nice and smooth. I opted for Safflower oil to season at 500 degrees 3 times since it has a smoke point of 475. Completely nonstick, eggs slide around. Only thing is the color can be improved it looks a bit two toned compared to the sides. Maybe just need to season the bottom a couple more times. But I'm extremely happy with the result. Cooking with them regularly, and can't wait to take them camping. Thanks Kent!
Oh yeah same! At first i was in that "seasoning will solve all camp!" but 2 years of seasoning later, stuff still stuck to the pan even if it was glossy smooth and black like a cannonball.
Our second pan, sanded, started off a 8$ ozark, hated the HELL out of it's sandy surface right off the box! XD. but after some sanding with a (literal home depo brick, lol, for the speed/rough layer), and a stainless steel scourer (speedy smooth layer) after trying some sandpaper and knife sharpening stones, it's super slick.
I think it sounds just like yours, while the other is pitch black, seasoned glassy, food still seems to stick to it slightly. Brown crusts, cookie sized patches. Still much more wonderful than the shitty rough sandy surface it started with.
But our sanded pans have a little coppery crust, but stuff slides right off it like unoiled teflon with a push. It's not quite as good as oiled teflon, but it's defintely great enough that food pushes right off with a push, and it has a coppery tinge the first 1-2 coats that turns away to black later on. That's completely normal i think, it's just the color the first layers of thin seasoning are and it'll blacken with time.
Just wanted to thank you I'm an older lady selling my house and I packed away all my cookware after a little bit I couldn't live without my cast iron pan! I went and bought a Mainstay brand large cast iron from Walmart and it has the same rough pebbled finish. I followed your instructions, I sanded it down with my mouse, seasoned it three or four times and I just fried an over easy egg without sticking! Thank you so much!
I got lucky and found a skillet that was pretty well-seasoned when I bought it, but I still gave it a few more coatings for a black patina. Then I just used it and used it and it's super slick at the 2-month mark
I must be the luckiest man in the world. My lodge skillet worked right of the box. Just a quick wash with soap and water, dried with a cloth . Popped in some lard after warming it for 10 minutes on medium heat my spuds, sausages and eggs cooked up just fine with no sticking. Been working fine since then
John Slocum no one said it wouldn’t work out of the box. All anyone has said is that it works better when it’s smooth and out and re-seasoned.
I have used out-of-the-box skillets and I have used skillets that I have smoothed along with naturally smooth Wagner‘s and Griswolds. This smooth ones always work better hands-down. But you can do whatever you’d like.
Mine too was pretty fine but I wasn't happy so I sanded it.
Thanks! you have a great youtube presence keeping the video interesting and to the point!
I have stayed away from the new Lodge pans and have stuck with my 6 or so 40+ yr old pans. A couple weeks ago I spent 4 hours walking thru an antique mall looking at pans and I came to several conclusions after looking at really old cast iron pans.
1. Pans from 60+ years ago were much thinner and therefore lighter than today's clunkers.
2. The cooking surfaces were always ground after casting producing a flat smooth metal surface.
3. The seasoning on the pans where it had not been redone was very smooth and dry.
This led me to thinking. When I worked as a cook at a restaurant we has a huge cast iron grill that was on all the time. We used a chunk of pumice the size of a block of butter to scrape off excess seasoning that built up. We pretty well took it down to bare metal to remove the rubbery stuff (polymerized oil).
I used to only cook eggs or steak or pancakes on my pans for fear of messing up the seasoning. Now I cook fish and vegetables and with sauces and throw the pan in the oven to bake ribs. What I do to clean my pans is I heat them on medium heat until they are just about to smoke (where you would cook a steak) then I take them to the sink with all the gunk brown and bubbling and I run them under hot water and give them a light brushing with a bristle brush. The water hitting the pan creates a layer of steam that lifts everything off. Then before the pan can cool I put it back on the burner to dry. Any little bits that were missed along the edges can be gotten with a second steam cleaning. This process produces a hard smooth carbon layer that is bonded to the pan and will absorb a few drops of oil before you cook your pancakes. No more sticky oil on you pans in the cupboard and no fear about destroying your precious seasoning.
Try it. It is very simple to do....but first you have to get rid of that gunk and don't worry about smoothing the cooking surface during sanding ... cast Iron is 3% carbon so it has pores (it actually looks like swiss cheese) that will help the seasoning stick.
Cracked my Lodge grill pan using this method. Now I keep the pan on the stove and pour in some water.
@@monstermcboo7282 something went wrong... did you heat it on high and put in cold water. He says to let it cool in the oven. Cast iton will crack and stainless steel will warp if you change the temperature too quickly. It is possible you have a defective grill... the casting process is not perfect and hot shortness or residual stresses can cause cracking.
Putting my hot grill pan under the tap the way you suggested cracked my pan. Not blaming you; this happened over a year ago and I had followed someone else’s advice to do the same. As I said, I now only use water to loosen crust on a hot pan still on the burner. No issues. Also, the Lodge grill pan is truly an inferior, clunky, poorly made product and I know that since I’ve switched to using another brand of grill pan that is smoother, lighter, well-finished, and has much less sharp grill ridges. Sadly, Lodge just purely does not care about the quality of what they undoubtedly consider their “novelty” pieces. Also, their enamelware is total garbage. It’ll chip and stain right out of the box. Possibly if you look at it sideways. Very sad.
@@monstermcboo7282 Thank you for bringing this up. I have done my cleaning method on my 10 or more pans for 10+ years BUT you are correct if there are design or casting flaws it can crack... The likelihood of cracking increases with differential temperatures in the pan and the colder the water. To be clear I heat my pan up slowly on 6 on a 10 scale. the sides take a lot longer to heat up especially if you are using electric so be patient. If there is oil in the pan it will start smoking at about 400F (depends on the oil) that is when I put it under a spray of HOT water (preferably not a flood or water and definitely not plunging in a basin). I also hold it at an angle so the water does not pool in the pan.... it does not take at lot of water... the idea is to create a layer of steam over the surface that will lift the grime. This takes a bit of practice. ALSO the steam can be very hot so protect yourself (I use a silicon oven glove). I used to do it your way where you dump water in the pan to deglaze it. This works to a degree and if you are not comfortable with the steam clean method I describe I would suggest you stick with what works for you. I have had limited success with glazed cast iron and only use them when I am baking acid foods like tomatoes.
take care
Greg
A couple years ago I purchased a Lodge pizza "stone" for my wife. The rough finish was fine for that application and it has been great. So last week I decided to buy a cast skillet. I watched a review from 4 years ago I picked the stargazer. At the time it was $88. It's now well over $100. The lodge in the review was $20, todat it's $20. Definitely worth a small amount of work. Thanks for the instructive content.
I used 150 grit with a sander and some hand sanding. Seasoned it with alternating layers of Crisco and olive oil (because I wanted to). Now I have to chase fried eggs around the skillet just to flip them. I am amazed at how well it worked. Thank you.
Glad you are enjoying, it is the best thing to cook with
Absolute legend for sharing that with us! My new pan had no seasoning and was like sandpaper due to the sand casting method. Tried this and it works just as stated. Awesome!!
Thank you for watching
Lodge could solve a lot of arguing between its customers, by making a smooth version and a porous version for people to buy what they want
@Donald Kasper People would pay more for smooth if they offered it.
You could buy a real skillet, from Butter Pat, or Finex too. That’s always an option.
There is Lodge Blacklock that's smooth.
I have a couple of 40 year old Lodge skillets that were much smoother new than what you get now. I believe they used a finer grit of sand in the moldings back then but don't know that for a fact. That said, I'll still buy Lodge today if I really needed a new piece of iron and treat it just like this video says. Then I would go out and find a new place to live after my wife found out I'd purchased it...
I've already passed some of my pieces down to the children and still have some I haven't used in several years.
I can make them so smooth like a mirror, but they still weigh a TON!!!! I'll stick with my #10 Wagner, circa 1920.
Thank you for the great video! I've got a 20 year old lodge pan that has always been a pain in the behind. Everything sticks to it. I've stripped it and re-seasoned it multiple times. Nothing has helped. I just got done hitting it with my orbital sander - 2x 60 grit disks, 1x 100 grit, 1x 150 grit. Not quite perfectly smooth, but much, much smoother. It's getting its first coat of seasoning now! Fingers crossed! We need to replace our nonstick and I really hope this makes the cast iron usable!
Absolutely nothing gives a better sear crust then a cast iron skillet, love mine! Thank you for posting
Bought a cast iron wok and followed your instructions! I did 6 coats over a weekend and this sucker is now virtually non stick. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video Ken. I live in the UK and been using LeCreseut cast iron which is enamel coated. Recently moved to raw cast iron as the enameled stuff isn't great after a few years. Just purchased 2 Lodge skillets, thanks to Amazon actually reasonably priced in the UK. tried your sanding method today and completed 2 coats of seasoning. So far so good.
Hope you enjoy
Love the beagle!.... he’s snooping around while Daddy making a video😀.... love it!
I've got a Wagner Ware pan that I bought new in 1975, that was polished shiny at the factory, and took a kind of long process to get fully seasoned, but eventually became a spectacular pan. I've got two Lodge pans that I polished really smooth myself with an angle grinder and a stripping wheel, and they also took a while to get well seasoned, but now perform beautifully. And I've got a few Lodge pans that I simply added a couple more layers of additional seasoning to before first use, and they also perform beautifully, and get better with each use.
Cast iron is very forgiving of trial and error. You almost can't go wrong with it.
Just watched a lodge how it's made video.. they found a new customer for life and this is the icing on that cake..
I had a lodge skillet a roommate left behind when they moved out. The thing was horrible to cook out of. I don’t think it was even cared for properly. I followed these instructions exactly to start over and now it’s amazing! It’s on bacon frying and vegetable sautéing duty until it builds of a good seasoning. I’ve only used it a handful of times and it’s already starting to get a nice black finish. Thanks!
I bake mine over a 3 day period, full of oil in the oven, obviously, you have to be very careful not to set it on fire with too high a heat for too long, I start a the lowest temp possible, and about every 3 hours, I turn it up another 50 degrees, until I reach about 350 or it starts to smoke a bit, then I slowly reverse the process until it gets to the lowest temp again, which takes about a day. I do this 3 times. My cast iron pans, nothing sticks, when washing I use very very little soap and never let it soak. Yes it is a bit expensive for the oil to do it this way, but I've been doing it for over 30 years, nothing sticks ever, even without sanding the bottom... of course the real secret to using cast iron pans, is pre-heating before use.... I have NEVER had to re-season a pan, even after my son has used it :)
instead of wasting all the heat just deep fry in it a few times, then it's ready without wasting propane
When my grandma needed to have her cast iron refinished/ re-seasoned, she would give it to the grandkids for the sandbox. She had two or three pans of each size, so a couple months in the sand was no problem. When it was time to re do the ones she was using, she would trade with the boys in the sandbox and get on with the seasoning. Worked great.
Kent that’s the way I did mine after watching and listening to young. Thanks. God Bless you and Shannon. Until the next one my friend.
Thanks Terry for watching
I got a 14" cast iron griddle/pizza pan on sale a few weeks ago. Finish was way rougher than even my Lodge Chef's collection skillet. I want to eventually smooth out the skillet, so i figured that the griddle would be a good practice piece. Smoothed the sides with sandpaper and sanding sponges, didn't go crazy. Smoothed out the bottom with an oscillating sander and some 60 grit. then roughed it back up with the 60 grit by hand.
I'd read a few threads about the seasoning not sticking to a perfectly smooth pan, so that's why i roughed it back up slightly.
I simmered some water in it for about an hour to develop a light oxide to it (for better adhesion). Rinsed it out good, then dried it in the oven, then thoroughly wiped off the loose rust with a towel. So the pan had a slightly dark finish already when i started.
I proceeded to do 4 coats of grapeseed oil, baking each for an hour at 350, then after the 4th bake, i brought it up to 450 for an hour then let it cool in the oven.
It came out beautiful! Gorgeous smooth glassy finish, nice blackish color.
So the next day i heated her up on the stove, splashed a little of that grapeseed oil in, then cracked an egg into it........
I now have an egg shaped stain in my pan. Stuck like nothing i've ever seen stick before. So i burnt the egg remnants and scrubbed them out and re oiled the pan and put it away. Guess i gotta cook some other stuff in it before i go trying over easy eggs again.
I just got a new Smithey cast iron skillet. It is a work of art in my opinion. They machine the inside to a smooth finish and season it 3 times with Grapeseed oil. I will season it 3 more times before using. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
It is quality iron
Thank you Kent. I recently lost my older brother and he left behind some cast iron that I took. I am looking forward to using it after I get it seasoned properly.
A solid instructional video, Kent. Thank you. The one thing I would have added is a cautionary note about cooking foods with a high degree of acidity (tomato sauces, dishes with lemon or lime juice added, vinegars, etc.). Acidic dishes will take a bit of the seasoning layer off the bottom of your lovingly maintained cast iron pan. This is not a bad thing, and will not hurt the pan in any way, but you might want to oven season it a time or two before cooking with it again to restore that 'smooth as a baby's butt' finish you worked hard to create and maintain. Best wishes and keep the good work a-comin!
You might consider using vinegar to blacken/oxidize the exposed iron before re-seasoning. Great Video!
jw golding the vinegar will also etch the surface and help the seasoning stick.
I am new to cast-iron and bought a lodge skillet because it was only like 20 bucks. It’s amazing! Nothing sticks it and it cooks great. The best skillet I’ve ever owned. No need to sand anything down! I’m sure there are better cast-iron options out there but if you’re new to cast-iron get yourself a lodge and bask in its magnificent glory.
I thought I had just bought a bad pan. Bought it a few years ago and I didn’t enjoy cooking with it, hard to cook, hard to clean, everything stuck to it so I put it in the back of the shelf. But recently I’ve been working with it again and your videos have been so helpful!
I did as you recommended to my pan, It really makes a big difference. Thank you
Thanks Kent and Shannon, I will give this a shot on my lodge grill pan. I had no idea that's why it was rough like that.
Kent I did this with with one of my lodge skillets. I’ve got some old Wagner and griswald. After sanding the lodge it’s my go to skillet.
It works well
This is the most sensible way smooth out that rough surface. Those shinny points are the bare metal of all the rough metal that was sticking up and making it rough. It leaves the pre-seasoning in the pores intact if it's not taken too far. That is a good thing. That's why I don't like the wire brushing method. I did this by hand for only a few minutes and it still worked great.
I love this guy and the video. He is a genuine person ( not a celebrity chef), great tips, but my favourite part was; his reaction to make up, at the end.
When I season my cast iron I always put the article in the oven upside down. Too many times the coating wouldn't be uniform due to the surface being unlevel and it would be thick in spots. By doing it upside down it doesn't puddle or pool. You've got to put aluminum foil or a baking pan under it unless you want your oven and house to fill with smoke.
If after a round of seasoning a pan the oil is pooling at a low spot on the pan or your coat of seasoning is uneven, then you used too much oil. You should be applying the oil to the entire pan, then use a different towel to completely wipe the pan dry of the oil you just applied. This will leave only the oil you need for seasoning soaked up in to the cast iron pan in a thin shiny layer. That's all the oil you need. Any more and you'll end up with a sticky residue, uneven spots, and a layer of seasoning that will be prone to chipping off in flakes. You want the oil to be thin so that it goes through a polymerization reaction with the pan and the two become one brand new surface greater than the sum of their parts. A layer of oil too thick won't undergo this reaction, instead leaving a thick, sticky layer of goop similar to what you might find on the bottom of your oven.
The rough on Lodge is from the texture of the iron from the sand used as the casting form. Sanding the rough off is far more than removing the 'seasoning' that is factory applied, it is removing the tips of the bumpy iron itself. Some brands are smoother because they either grind or machine the inner surfaces after casting, or in some cases, the pans are cast in a smoother medium than sand. I like to remove the bumpy texture from any cast iron cookware cooking surface. Collectors hate that, .. they want 'as made', but then they are rarely using their iron as cooking tools.
Same here! I love my Fields, but have used a sander on some Lodge and got them just as smooth (not as light)
Nice. Flax seed oil is perfect for this because of it's tendency to polymerize. That's why its non-food variant "linseed oil" is used in paint.
Edmond Dantez linseed oil is safe to use in food. Boiled linseed oil is not safe due to its additives. Flax seed oil is linseed oil
Thanks Kent.
I just bought a Le Creuset coated-cast iron skillet, at the same time I bought a Lodge number 10 Dutch Oven (first venture into cast iron cookware). I didn't understand why the skillet was so smooth and shiny compared to the rough and shiny Lodge.
I did some research and found your vid, among many others. I decided to try your method, I went out and bought a cheap, small, orbital sander and took the surface down to remove the rough texture.
I then used your seasoning technique, I did it seven times, and tonight I am currently cooking a Venison stew (first meal after). Looking forward to the result.
I bought the "chef collection " from lodge. I like the shape which makes food easier to flip. Its a little more expensive than their cheap line, but still doesn't break the bank. I spent about $100 on three pans 8", 10", 12". I didn't have to sand anything, they work fine. I seasoned them once before first use.
Oh my goodness! So easy! I can't wait to get the sander out and get all my lodge smooth. Thanks so much!
please tell Shannon I'm sorry I always forget 2 thank her I know she is a big part of these videos thank you ma'am
Thanks Jason, she is the best part of me, and the reason we have this
I second that motion!
Kent, thanks for the help. Bought a circular sander with the proper grit pads today. It may just be my oven, but I've been waiting about 2 hours for the pan to get to room temp before the second treatment. I'm furloughed so I've got nothing else to do 🤣
Great video! I've got a handful of lodge cookware and a few days ago, after owning my first lodge 8" skillet for almost 7yrs, I sanded it all the way to smooth beautiful bare cast iron...220 grit. I applied a generous layer of olive oil, baked it at 375 for an hour and repeated again. I wasn't happy with the results at all as the oil formed a bunch of islands all over the surface so I had a polka dot skillet. Yesterday I sanded it down again, this time with 120 grit and I buffed the oil on in very light layers and baked at 450F for 30min, took it out, wiped on another layer, put it back in the oven and repeated 4 times...she's a beaut now! Gorgeous bronze color - for my other lodge gear, I'll probably save a ton of time and use the method here presented.
Hi Kent,
I did this. I sued a wire brush attachment for my drill and also my dewalt sander. I did the three seasonings as you do. I also did what is recommended for carbon steel where you get potato peels, 2/3 cup of salt and 1/3 of a cup of oil and cook this until the potato peels get browned.
I then made home fries with the potatoes. the skillet is really smooth now.
Thanks,
Doug
Thank you for watching Doug.
Dang, I guess I was lucky to find a nice old Wagner cast iron pan at my second hand store for $5. The pan was so smooth, after just a cleaning and seasoning, I gave my Lodge pan to a friend.
Now that is a bargain for sure
As soon as he said my little sweet wife, I immediately subscribed. This guy is like that old neighbor down the road a bit that you go to when even your dad can’t figure something out.
She is pretty sweet. Thank you for subscribing.
Thanks Kent and Shannon, this is very good information. I've got several pieces of Lodge still boxed from Christmas that needs this treatment. Soon as I get off my duff I'll get it taken care of.
Getting old is the pits.
Thanks again for another great video.
Stan
Thanks Stan and hope things are well my friend
I used to collect cast iron cookware I think you've helped me regain the passion
I was recently given a Griswold skillet and a Wagner skillet by my 90 year old Dad. My late Mother used to use them. I remember many great meals being made in these skillets. They were each 100 years old that they had inherited from my Grandmother. They were slick as glass. I guess things were made better back then. But they did need some re seasoning. They had a small amount of rust on them. So I removed the rust with salt and an abrasive pad. Then I coated them with a bit of Crisco and baked them upside down in the oven with a baking sheet to catch any drips. It only took once. Each of them are great non-stick skillets now.
That old iron is the best
We need a before and after close up, before and after sanding. 👍
This is the best method for new cast iron or stuff that you buy used and is rough. Thanks for the vid Kent. Takes care of my Kent video addiction for a couple of days LOL.
as a yankee, i find this man highly informative
Thanks for watching
Good advice overall. I'd use a higher smoke point oil like grape-seed or avocado, and I would place the pan upside down in the oven with a sheet pan under it so any excess oil drips out instead of forming gummy spots in the bottom of the pan. With the higher smoke point oil you'll need to raise your oven temp to 400-450 degrees. Flax seed oil was really popular for carbon steel pan seasoning because you can get some really dark seasoning on bare unseasoned pans really quick, but long term it tends to be brittle and flake off, at least on carbon steel anyways. Cast iron is more porous so it may hold better and be fine, but I'd rather go with something I know will work and last. Good point about not having to take the pan all the way down to bare metal. I've seen posts on Facebook cast iron groups where people spent days taking their pan down to a mirror finish. As you demonstrated, totally not necessary, just get it smooth and start re-seasoning. 👍👍
I am a new user of a cast iron skillet. I am looking for information on Polish, English and American UA-cam. I must say that you are the best. I bought two Lodge 10 and 12 inch pans. I believe they are one of the best on the market. Regards Anna from Poland currently living in Great Britain 😉
Thanks Anna for watching