Lye Resto & Seasoning Question

M

MMRubeo

New member
Hey,

I am completely new to vintage cast iron, and not a collector. I have recently inherited a couple of my grandmothers cast iron pans and want to continue using them as I am an avid cook. I have read up on restoring and have used the lye method to get the 50+ years of grease off. After cleaning I put them in the oven dry for an hour at 450, when they cooled I used a light coat of flax seed oil wiped off the excess and put it in the oven at 500 for an hour. When it came out though it has like these spots on the inside of the pan instead of a solid black surface like i was expecting. I did this with a couple pans with the same results. I know these are old and don't expect them to be prefect but wanted to see if you guys can tell me whats going on.

Mike
 
If the spots are sticky, more bake time will finish polymerizing them. If left and more layers of seasoning are added over them, they will blend in, in time. If you want them gone so you can start fresh, then yes, back in the lye. Won't take very long, though. Probably a half hour.
 
Great thanks for the help. They def are not sticky, i am going more for function anyway so i may just cook with it and let them blend over time.
 
MMRuebo I did the same exact thing when I got my first CI pan.. a beautiful #8 Wapak. When I took it out of oven after an hour I almost started crying!

I stripped it back down to metal and used Jeffrey Rodgers method.
http://theculinaryfanatic.com/cast-...nance/jeff-rogers-cast-iron-seasoning-method/

He also has a youtube video of the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs

Also everything I have read is do not use flax seed oil as it flakes off with use. I use Crisco for pan exterior and Regular Pam spray for interior. All my CI pans are now beautiful with smooth slick cooking surfaces.
 
Re: that method and article.

I find it better to apply seasoning oil with paper towel and then wipe off the excess with a cotton terry towel, not the reverse recommended there. Paper towel, once saturated, just smears the remaining oil it needs to absorb around. A terry towel is far more absorbent and effective for the excess removal step.

There is no harm in simmering or even boiling a little water to soften and loosen stuck on food. If boiling water adversely affected seasoning, then cooking any liquid in CI would do so as well. That has not been found to be the case. It might strip unpolymerized oil from the surface, leaving a flat, dull appearance, but that's about it.
 
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