Epically helpful video, Jed! I just purchased and seasoned my first carbon steel pan last night, a Matfer Bourgeat, and was already starting to obsess about the perfection or lack thereof of my seasoning so your words here today could NOT be more timely and appreciated. Thanks for ALL your great insights on this channel, keep rocking!
Great talk, Jed. I've been using Cast Iron and Carbon steel for decades. After a "base seasoning", I've found the best thing for a pan is to use it. Clean, dry, mini-seasoning, and store safely. But above all, use, use, use the pan. Yes, many of my pans look blotchy and have patches of carbon build up. Sometimes I look at one and think "this seasoning is crap," but then find it works beautifully anyway. (Made a complex Frittata last night in a DeBuyer that many people might look at and want to throw away. It performed perfectly, probably better than any commercial 'non-stick' could ever do.) My best advice for cast & carbon is: Use it! An aside: in addition to chainmail, I've become a big fan of cleaning my pans with Japanese palm-fiber Tawashis. Give one a try, if you haven't already!
If I may knit pick, the word you are looking for is oxidation, not "oxidization." Oxidation is a chemical reaction where an electron is stripped from one compound in a redux reaction, which is an abbreviation for "reduction-oxidation". The molecule that gains an electron is reduced. The word sounds like "oxygen" because oxygen is usually the element stripping the electron.k
Your videos are great! I've learned a lot from you! Thank you! Quick question: how often should I perform a post seasoning? I keep my pans in pretty good shape. I don't post season after every cook. I have a full set of the new strata pans and some old mauviel pans. I'm happy with all of them. I have noticed, however, when I make omelettes in either the small strata or the small mauviel in my anova steam oven that I get some grayish (iron, I'm assuming) color that comes along with the bottom of the omelette. 🤷🏻 Any ideas? Otherwise, the seasoning seems just fine! Thanks!
My rule of thumb is not to re-season pans ever if any flaking or any uncertainty are seen. Just scrub hard first with detergent and then you quite sure need to re-season ro avoid rusting.
I know Will, one of the creators of the Strata pan, though marriage. I was at a family Christmas party and I had a chance to chat with Will and his partner Katie about the pans, and what they told me is that post-cooking seasoning is something they do when they have to clean the pan with soap and water. If they've cooked something that only requires a wipe down, they don't bother. So that is how I've been dealing with mine and it's working great for me. I can definitely tell which pan gets used the most (the 12"), but both of them perform beautifully.
What a great video!!!! I have been wondering if my pans need to be stripped down but I do not believe they do. I also know better what to watch out for a bit better
Great points here, Jed! Still wanting to add the 8 1/2" Strata pan to my cookware. Question: Can you cook a 2 egg omelet in the 8 1/2" Strat pan, or is it too small? Just curious.
As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving. For the first couple of years of my carbon steel journey my pans looked somewhat blotchy. With regular use they *should* have become more uniformly dark but - I was learning. So they got some abuse...er...”use” that wasn’t necessarily seasoning-friendly. As I figured out what I was doing right and wrong (thanks to you and Uncle Scott’s Kitchen!) my pans naturally darkened. I’ll admit a while back I had a weekend with relatively few things to do so I did several rounds of intentional seasoning on my pans - “Hollywood Seasoning” as I call it - just to get them uniformly dark. Totally unnecessary, really only done so I could send nicer pictures of some of my cooking to a friend/chef and they’d look better. ;-) One caution to other ah “enthusiasts” who might want to Hollywood Season their pans. Don’t try to force it in just 2 or 3 coats. If you put enough heat into it to darken just a few layers it is apparently too much heat. You are just carbonizing the seasoning you have. A couple of uses later it will flake off. I learned this the hard way just before Christmas with a brand new DeBuyer omelette pan. It looked spectacular, for a few days. Now I’m letting it work in naturally. Ah well, it’s a journey...
My enamel coated seasoned cast iron pan looks white. I season it with your seasoning wax formula and use it for cooking eggs. It's a perfect non-stick pan.
My Carbon steel pan is black in the middle and amber on the edges. Not very symetrical. But it works. And if it becomes sticky i just rub it down with steel wool and start over.
Yeah. Seasoning a pan for the first time is start to the seasoning, and seasoning itself is what develops when the pan experiences seasons from using it. A seasoned veteran didn’t become seasoned the first day of boot camp, just like the pans😂
Some of the most revered and beautiful things in the world are imperfect. It's the small imperfections that makes them what they are and nothing absolutely perfect will be remembered as such.
Thank you for another great discussion and illustrations related to the process of “seasoning” high and low carbon steel. Your discussion touches on a long-held curiosity of mine concerning seasoning. Most articles/ videos I have seen on the topic begin by discussing how laying down a layer of polymerized oil on the bare metal is required to prevent it from oxidation. And they always end with some version of the statement “…. The quality of the seasoning will improve over time with repeated cooking” However, none ever then go on to discuss what takes place during that repeated cooking that is sure to improve the seasoning. If true, my suspicion is that there has to be more going on than simply laying down more layers of polymerized oil. One article from “The Science of Cooking” does seem to provide a bit more insight into the subject. In the article they point out that: “The development of a seasoned cast iron pan is actually a two part process: polymerization and carbonization. The first part involves developing a thin layer of polymerized oil on the cast iron. Once the polymerization process is complete the layer of oil cannot be easily removed.” (as you pointed out in a previous video, while heat speeds up the process the oil doesn’t need to be heated to or beyond its smoking point for this polymerization to occur) “To complete the seasoning, which involves laying down a carbon matrix on to the cast iron surface, heat must be applied slightly above the smoke point of the oil. If you do not heat above the smoke point only the polymerized oil coat will be present instead of having an added rich black carbon matrix. “When an unsaturated fat is heated to high temperatures, especially in the presence of a good catalyst like iron, it is broken down and oxidized, after which it polymerizes -joins into larger mega molecules the same way plastics do - and mixes with bits of carbon and other impurities. This tough, impermeable surface adheres to the pores and crevices in the cast iron as it is forming. The surface is nonstick because it is hydrophobic - it hates water. A well seasoned cast iron pan will have a slick and glassy coating.” Repeated cooking will certainly involve many different types of oils, operating at various heat levels in carbon rich environment. It would be interesting to understand the chemistry behind the interactions that positively contribute to improving the seasoning and those that erode the cooking effectiveness of the surface.
Thank you. Excellent summery and question. If you look back you will find a video where I spoke with a polymer scientist. He explains scientifically the process of building the base seasoning and is clear that carbon is a correlation and not a causation of a good seasoning. As I'm sure you know, too much carbon will create problems. So, using chain mail, or the like, to remove carbon and building the polymerization is the key to long term success.
@@Cook-Culture Hi Jed, I recall that video and enjoyed the content very much. Between that video and this one I think it becomes clear that one major source of confusion about the seasoning process comes from equating "seasoning" with the appearance of a lovely black patina.. Whereas in fact, as you point out, what may look like bare metal may actually be well protected by a layer of polymerized oil. Next question: Is there also a need to understand the difference between carbon buildup associated with oxidation of proteins and sugars in food during the process of cooking food and the carbon matrix associated with creating the polymerized oil layer? Remaining question: What is it that prompts people to insist (or observe) that the quality and durability of the "seasoning" gets better with repeated cooking? Is there chemistry happening in repeated cooking that can't be duplicated with repeated oven seasoning? Perhaps a good question for a Polymer Scientist. Related Question: Using your seasoning wax during oven and stove top seasoning seems to produce excellent results. I can see how the wax could play a important role in ensuring that the right amount of oil is applied and the uniformity of its application. What role does the wax play in the actual seasoning process. My assumption is that since the temperatures used in the seasoning process is well above the flash point of the wax, the wax will fully combust into water vapour and CO2.
Hi, while I realize that that your video was about carbon steel fry pans and their seasoning. I personally would not ever use any of the pans that were displayed - to my eyes not one of those pans really seem clean. I guess that I am in the stainless steel and the enameled cast iron camp. In any case, the explanation of the "state of seasoning" was interesting. Mike
In my 30 years of selling cookware, I've found that there are 2 camps. People that like cast/carbon and people that like clean looking cookware. Both work! Glad you liked the video!
Keep an eye out for any purple coloring in your stainless. When stainless gets too hot the chromium will detach and start to leach into food (which is highly toxic) and it will look purple
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Protection, then performance, & then appearance.
Well put!
This was extremely helpful, thank you! Loved to see so many examples!
I'm glad it was helpful!
Epically helpful video, Jed! I just purchased and seasoned my first carbon steel pan last night, a Matfer Bourgeat, and was already starting to obsess about the perfection or lack thereof of my seasoning so your words here today could NOT be more timely and appreciated. Thanks for ALL your great insights on this channel, keep rocking!
You’re welcome! The Matfer is a great choice, you'll love it!
Great talk, Jed.
I've been using Cast Iron and Carbon steel for decades. After a "base seasoning", I've found the best thing for a pan is to use it. Clean, dry, mini-seasoning, and store safely. But above all, use, use, use the pan.
Yes, many of my pans look blotchy and have patches of carbon build up. Sometimes I look at one and think "this seasoning is crap," but then find it works beautifully anyway. (Made a complex Frittata last night in a DeBuyer that many people might look at and want to throw away. It performed perfectly, probably better than any commercial 'non-stick' could ever do.)
My best advice for cast & carbon is: Use it!
An aside: in addition to chainmail, I've become a big fan of cleaning my pans with Japanese palm-fiber Tawashis. Give one a try, if you haven't already!
Love it all! Thanks for the tip!!
Great video, Jed! We like the lighting that shows the various surfaces.
Thank you. I tried to make the lighting as bright as possible to help viewers see the details of the 'seasoning'.
If I may knit pick, the word you are looking for is oxidation, not "oxidization." Oxidation is a chemical reaction where an electron is stripped from one compound in a redux reaction, which is an abbreviation for "reduction-oxidation". The molecule that gains an electron is reduced. The word sounds like "oxygen" because oxygen is usually the element stripping the electron.k
Thanks!
Your videos are great! I've learned a lot from you! Thank you! Quick question: how often should I perform a post seasoning? I keep my pans in pretty good shape. I don't post season after every cook. I have a full set of the new strata pans and some old mauviel pans. I'm happy with all of them. I have noticed, however, when I make omelettes in either the small strata or the small mauviel in my anova steam oven that I get some grayish (iron, I'm assuming) color that comes along with the bottom of the omelette. 🤷🏻 Any ideas? Otherwise, the seasoning seems just fine! Thanks!
My rule of thumb is not to re-season pans ever if any flaking or any uncertainty are seen. Just scrub hard first with detergent and then you quite sure need to re-season ro avoid rusting.
I know Will, one of the creators of the Strata pan, though marriage. I was at a family Christmas party and I had a chance to chat with Will and his partner Katie about the pans, and what they told me is that post-cooking seasoning is something they do when they have to clean the pan with soap and water. If they've cooked something that only requires a wipe down, they don't bother. So that is how I've been dealing with mine and it's working great for me. I can definitely tell which pan gets used the most (the 12"), but both of them perform beautifully.
@susanterry4276 great info! Thank you💯
Howdy, that's tough to say without seeing it. Send me an email with some pictures. Thanks!
What a great video!!!! I have been wondering if my pans need to be stripped down but I do not believe they do. I also know better what to watch out for a bit better
Glad it was helpful! Thanks
Great points here, Jed! Still wanting to add the 8 1/2" Strata pan to my cookware. Question: Can you cook a 2 egg omelet in the 8 1/2" Strat pan, or is it too small? Just curious.
Howdy Geoff, the 8.5" is great for 2 and can do 3, but I do 2 all the time!
As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving. For the first couple of years of my carbon steel journey my pans looked somewhat blotchy. With regular use they *should* have become more uniformly dark but - I was learning. So they got some abuse...er...”use” that wasn’t necessarily seasoning-friendly.
As I figured out what I was doing right and wrong (thanks to you and Uncle Scott’s Kitchen!) my pans naturally darkened. I’ll admit a while back I had a weekend with relatively few things to do so I did several rounds of intentional seasoning on my pans - “Hollywood Seasoning” as I call it - just to get them uniformly dark. Totally unnecessary, really only done so I could send nicer pictures of some of my cooking to a friend/chef and they’d look better. ;-)
One caution to other ah “enthusiasts” who might want to Hollywood Season their pans. Don’t try to force it in just 2 or 3 coats. If you put enough heat into it to darken just a few layers it is apparently too much heat. You are just carbonizing the seasoning you have. A couple of uses later it will flake off. I learned this the hard way just before Christmas with a brand new DeBuyer omelette pan. It looked spectacular, for a few days. Now I’m letting it work in naturally. Ah well, it’s a journey...
That' GREAT advice about rushing the process, and something we are all guilty of. Thanks for sharing.
The thing I obsess over is no matter how much I scrub, there's still a thin layer of carbon that comes off on the drying towel.
It's just a bit of carbon. If it cooks fine, don't worry about it!
You're a carbon based life form, a wee bit more carbon isn't going to hurt ya.
My enamel coated seasoned cast iron pan looks white. I season it with your seasoning wax formula and use it for cooking eggs. It's a perfect non-stick pan.
Sounds like you've got a great pan going!
My Carbon steel pan is black in the middle and amber on the edges. Not very symetrical. But it works.
And if it becomes sticky i just rub it down with steel wool and start over.
Perfect. Over time it may become more even, or not, it doesn't matter if it works!!
Yeah. Seasoning a pan for the first time is start to the seasoning, and seasoning itself is what develops when the pan experiences seasons from using it.
A seasoned veteran didn’t become seasoned the first day of boot camp, just like the pans😂
haha. Good point!
Have you ever looked into the heath concerns of seed oils? I have heard various things about it
Yes. I have videos on my channel that address seed oils.
@@Cook-Culture thanks! I’ll check them out
It's "don't let the imperfect be the enemy of the good." And I straight up fail at that concept every day.
Fair, but that doesn't fit my narrative. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good
Some of the most revered and beautiful things in the world are imperfect. It's the small imperfections that makes them what they are and nothing absolutely perfect will be remembered as such.
@@mrdonetx Love it! Very well put!
Functional seasoning (or just seasoning, ugly or not), deep seasoning (or pretty seasoning), and damaged seasoning. Easy.
Thank you for another great discussion and illustrations related to the process of “seasoning” high and low carbon steel.
Your discussion touches on a long-held curiosity of mine concerning seasoning. Most articles/ videos I have seen on the topic begin by discussing how laying down a layer of polymerized oil on the bare metal is required to prevent it from oxidation. And they always end with some version of the statement “…. The quality of the seasoning will improve over time with repeated cooking”
However, none ever then go on to discuss what takes place during that repeated cooking that is sure to improve the seasoning. If true, my suspicion is that there has to be more going on than simply laying down more layers of polymerized oil.
One article from “The Science of Cooking” does seem to provide a bit more insight into the subject. In the article they point out that:
“The development of a seasoned cast iron pan is actually a two part process: polymerization and carbonization. The first part involves developing a thin layer of polymerized oil on the cast iron. Once the polymerization process is complete the layer of oil cannot be easily removed.”
(as you pointed out in a previous video, while heat speeds up the process the oil doesn’t need to be heated to or beyond its smoking point for this polymerization to occur)
“To complete the seasoning, which involves laying down a carbon matrix on to the cast iron surface, heat must be applied slightly above the smoke point of the oil. If you do not heat above the smoke point only the polymerized oil coat will be present instead of having an added rich black carbon matrix.
“When an unsaturated fat is heated to high temperatures, especially in the presence of a good catalyst like iron, it is broken down and oxidized, after which it polymerizes -joins into larger mega molecules the same way plastics do - and mixes with bits of carbon and other impurities. This tough, impermeable surface adheres to the pores and crevices in the cast iron as it is forming. The surface is nonstick because it is hydrophobic - it hates water. A well seasoned cast iron pan will have a slick and glassy coating.”
Repeated cooking will certainly involve many different types of oils, operating at various heat levels in carbon rich environment. It would be interesting to understand the chemistry behind the interactions that positively contribute to improving the seasoning and those that erode the cooking effectiveness of the surface.
Thank you. Excellent summery and question. If you look back you will find a video where I spoke with a polymer scientist. He explains scientifically the process of building the base seasoning and is clear that carbon is a correlation and not a causation of a good seasoning. As I'm sure you know, too much carbon will create problems. So, using chain mail, or the like, to remove carbon and building the polymerization is the key to long term success.
@@Cook-Culture Hi Jed,
I recall that video and enjoyed the content very much. Between that video and this one I think it becomes clear that one major source of confusion about the seasoning process comes from equating "seasoning" with the appearance of a lovely black patina.. Whereas in fact, as you point out,
what may look like bare metal may actually be well protected by a layer of polymerized oil.
Next question: Is there also a need to understand the difference between carbon buildup associated with oxidation of proteins and sugars in food during the process of cooking food and the carbon matrix associated with creating the polymerized oil layer?
Remaining question: What is it that prompts people to insist (or observe) that the quality and durability of the "seasoning" gets better with repeated cooking? Is there chemistry happening in repeated cooking that can't be duplicated with repeated oven seasoning? Perhaps a good question for a Polymer Scientist.
Related Question: Using your seasoning wax during oven and stove top seasoning seems to produce excellent results. I can see how the wax could play a important role in ensuring that the right amount of oil is applied and the uniformity of its application. What role does the wax play in the actual seasoning process. My assumption is that since the temperatures used in the seasoning process is well above the flash point of the wax, the wax will fully combust into water vapour and CO2.
Hi, while I realize that that your video was about carbon steel fry pans and their seasoning. I personally would not ever use any of the pans that were displayed - to my eyes not one of those pans really seem clean. I guess that I am in the stainless steel and the enameled cast iron camp. In any case, the explanation of the "state of seasoning" was interesting. Mike
In my 30 years of selling cookware, I've found that there are 2 camps. People that like cast/carbon and people that like clean looking cookware. Both work! Glad you liked the video!
Keep an eye out for any purple coloring in your stainless. When stainless gets too hot the chromium will detach and start to leach into food (which is highly toxic) and it will look purple
@@servnava6601 Hi, thanks for the information.
You are a pan doctor!
Haha!