I bought a large logo (I think) Griswold #8 about ten years ago off eBay. It was NASTY! About 3/4” of bubbly, crusty gunk built up on the walls. I used the Easy Off method b/c I don’t have a self-cleaning oven or room for any kind of bath (I live on a boat). Once it was bare, I used flax seed oil religiously for seasoning and, over the years, it’s built up nicely, though the surface isn’t perfectly smooth anymore. I wouldn't say it's *bad*, just not perfectly smooth.
This came up recently when I rediscovered an old Lodge I’d bought *before* I found the Griswold. The surface was typically pebbly, not smooth like the Griswold, which is why I went searching for a different pan in the first place. I found a YouTube video that showed how to grind that pebbly surface smooth, and by jove it worked!
So now I have two 'smooth surface' cast iron skillets stored in my oven (any time I bake, I add more oil to the surface to build up the seasoning) with two different textures. I am wondering if my old Griswold needs to be stripped. Over the years, I’ve probably not been able to scrape off every speck of food, and using regular paper towels sometimes leaves lint behind, which has all added up to some ‘texture’ on the walls and cooking surface. (see pics)
I hate the idea of starting from square 1 with the Griswold, but the freshly seasoned Lodge is so smooth! Am I nuts?
Bonus question: Crisco or flax seed oil?
http://imgur.com/a/X92ZP (two pix)
This came up recently when I rediscovered an old Lodge I’d bought *before* I found the Griswold. The surface was typically pebbly, not smooth like the Griswold, which is why I went searching for a different pan in the first place. I found a YouTube video that showed how to grind that pebbly surface smooth, and by jove it worked!
So now I have two 'smooth surface' cast iron skillets stored in my oven (any time I bake, I add more oil to the surface to build up the seasoning) with two different textures. I am wondering if my old Griswold needs to be stripped. Over the years, I’ve probably not been able to scrape off every speck of food, and using regular paper towels sometimes leaves lint behind, which has all added up to some ‘texture’ on the walls and cooking surface. (see pics)
I hate the idea of starting from square 1 with the Griswold, but the freshly seasoned Lodge is so smooth! Am I nuts?
Bonus question: Crisco or flax seed oil?
http://imgur.com/a/X92ZP (two pix)
