Crisco beading on hot cast iron - acting oleophobic

[RustyP]

Have you guys ever seen anything like this?

https://youtu.be/Q7SPmwIM3ZA

The melted crisco is beading away from the surface of the pan. It almost looks like I'm spreading water instead of oil, but that's definitely Crisco. You can see a patch where it's sticking like normal...
'
This is just after a bake at 450 degree for 1 hour (with another layer of Crisco). The other two pans in the oven are acting normal, as are the insides and sidewalls of the pan. This is the bottom of the pan, which was baked upside down in the oven.

edit- Please let me know if the video is choppy. I heard that it does that when it's newly uploaded, but so far it still looks bad.
Here's a photo for now. That's not water. That's CRISCO!

 

[JenniferM]

I am NO expert on this stuff, but is it because the pan is still warm with a layer of crisco already on it, so it's beading up on that slick surface vs being absorbed? If it were cooled completely, I would think it would absorb vs bead up.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

The video is not working.

First thought is that your skillet surface is not clean enough.

What are you using to apply the oil with, is it clean?

What type of gloves are you using, are they breaking down from the heat, or they dirty?

It is hard not knowing your process.

Clean, Clean Clean, every step of the process.

Hint?? After I put on the first coat of oil, I get a new rag. Heck that is just me.

 

[RustyP]

I am NO expert on this stuff, but is it because the pan is still warm with a layer of crisco already on it, so it's beading up on that slick surface vs being absorbed? If it were cooled completely, I would think it would absorb vs bead up.

Previous layer of crisco already baked dry. I did let the pan did cool completely (below the melting point of Crisco), and it smeared on as would be expected, but I could still see it trying to let go of the pan more easily. Very strange issue.

The video is not working.

First thought is that your skillet surface is not clean enough.

What are you using to apply the oil with, is it clean?

What type of gloves are you using, are they breaking down from the heat, or they dirty?

It is hard not knowing your process.

Clean, Clean Clean, every step of the process.

Hint?? After I put on the first coat of oil, I get a new rag. Heck that is just me.

Maybe this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7SPmwIM3ZA

Could be possible that the skillet was dirty, but... The only thing on it is the previous layer of seasoning. That said, somehow the inside of the skillet rusted a little bit THROUGH that layer of seasoning! Perhaps it was dirty underneath, but I was pretty thorough with scrubbing (without soap) and drying.

I'm using nitrile gloves. The pan is definitely not hot enough to break them down (otherwise my fingers would probably break down too!). The other two pans in the oven didn't have this issue at all, and they were done the same way. I use a fresh clean glove and new Wypalls (commercial paper towels) every time.

-------------------------------

I've seen this issue once before during one of my very first seasoning attempts, but it was only on a small spot on that one pan.

I have baked the pans again (500F for 30 minutes), and the pan is now acting like a normal pan, except for a few small streaks that still seem to be slightly oleophobic.

I'm doing another coat of seasoning just to see what happens. Interestingly, I saw a little bit of oleophobic action on the handle of another pan that is also in the oven, but it was weaker than what I talked about in the OP.

I suspect the problem will be resolved if I do one more coat after this bake.

I wish I had tested a different oil.. totally forgot.

btw, the base layer of seasoning on that first pan is beeswax. It looks good, but it did NOT hold up against my cheese-crust deep dish pizza. Beeswax looks nicer, but I don't think it's the winner by itself. Maybe they're onto something with that Crisbees stuff.

 

[Craig B]

I have a skillet that does that. I've seasoned it 4 times with Crisco and the last two times in the oven I noticed the oil bead up the same as yours. The only difference between this one and my others is I wire brushed it with a cup brush in a power drill after cleaning in lye and vinegar baths. It was one of my first attempts at restoring and I don't do it anymore. The wire brushing turned the patina really shiny silver. I've suspected that I changed the texture or pores of the cast iron in some way that inhibits more than one or two layers of oil to soak in.

 

[Doug D.]

For the bottom of a cast iron pan, it's awfully smooth and shiny. Is it actually bare cast iron?

 

[Stan D]

I'd agree, Doug. It looks like stainless to me.

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Some of those gloves have a powder on them.

Please, wash with soap.
Hot or cold water will not get the grease off, soap will.

 

[RustyP]

The pan in question is my AB&I machined-bottom #15.
https://picasaweb.google.com/101917176603297073384/ABI15SkilletSmoothBottom

I did another layer of seasoning, the AB&I is totally back to normal now. But the handle on my #7 seems a little bit worse. Luckily the #7 is already very well seasoned so it's no big deal.

There must have been some kind of contamination. I just wish I knew what it was. Maybe I've discovered a new oleophobic compound that'll make me rich!

I've discarded EVERYTHING (except the Crisco) from the last seasoning. Will let you know how the next layer goes.

 

[EdgarLopez]

That pice looks like plated, or stainless steel

 

[RustyP]

Craig - That's an interesting point. I didn't wire brush this thing, but I have wirebrushed a lodge that I'm giving away. Luckily I didn't get any silver left behind. I got more layers to stick by rebaking at 500F for another hour. Did that work for you?

This pan CI alright. Here's how it looked when I got it.

After seasoning:

This thing is my deep dish pizza pan:

Except my crispy caramelized cheesecrust™ keeps ripping off my seasoning... and this pan just seems to love rusting even if I immediately oil it or add another layer of seasoning after use.

I just stripped and reaseasoned the pan from scratch, and it's still giving me trouble after every use (there are also several casting flaws like the pits seen here):

 

[Jeffrey R.]

Could be possible that the skillet was dirty, but... The only thing on it is the previous layer of seasoning. That said, somehow the inside of the skillet rusted a little bit THROUGH that layer of seasoning! Perhaps it was dirty underneath, but I was pretty thorough with scrubbing (without soap) and drying.

I'm using nitrile gloves. The pan is definitely not hot enough to break them down (otherwise my fingers would probably break down too!). The other two pans in the oven didn't have this issue at all, and they were done the same way. I use a fresh clean glove and new Wypalls (commercial paper towels) every time.

-------------------------------

I've seen this issue once before during one of my very first seasoning attempts, but it was only on a small spot on that one pan.

I have baked the pans again (500F for 30 minutes), and the pan is now acting like a normal pan, except for a few small streaks that still seem to be slightly oleophobic.

I'm doing another coat of seasoning just to see what happens. Interestingly, I saw a little bit of oleophobic action on the handle of another pan that is also in the oven, but it was weaker than what I talked about in the OP.

I suspect the problem will be resolved if I do one more coat after this bake.

I wish I had tested a different oil.. totally forgot.

btw, the base layer of seasoning on that first pan is beeswax. It looks good, but it did NOT hold up against my cheese-crust deep dish pizza. Beeswax looks nicer, but I don't think it's the winner by itself. Maybe they're onto something with that Crisbees stuff.

I myself see to many issues with your statements. It might be best that you tell us your every step to seasoning your pan. Everyone has there little twist, what is yours. Only way we can really help is by knowing what you are doing wrong.

Start with how do you clean a dirty piece (strip)
How are you washing it wash. Etc.

 

[Craig B]

Craig - That's an interesting point. I didn't wire brush this thing, but I have wirebrushed a lodge that I'm giving away. Luckily I didn't get any silver left behind. I got more layers to stick by rebaking at 500F for another hour. Did that work for you?

Rusty, I haven't tried a different seasoning temperature although it might be something to try. I've seasoned it 4 times with Crisco at 400F X 2 hours each time. The seasoning is decent, so now I'm just cooking with it.

 

[RustyP]

I found a spot of something on the oven grates that is causing this. Whatever it is, it doesn't burn even at 550F - or at least it doesn't solidify. It's almost like watery molasses. No idea who cooked what, but I think I've found the culprit. The stuff seems to outgas at high heat and those gases hitting the pan cause the next coat of oil not to stick.

Might have to send this to the lab and see if I can develop a new oleophobic coating...

 

[Jeffrey R.]

A quick way to clean oven grates, send them swimming in the lye tank.

I keep everything clean, that is just me.:icon_thumbsup: