"New" Old Iron

C

CJMunnich

Member
One thing I have noticed is that whenever I have seasoned an old piece that has never been used or seasoned before, it ends up a lighter, golden brown instead of dark brown/black.

I prep them the same as crusty pieces. Soak in a lye bath, scrub, electro if necessary, then season as described here.

Anyone have an idea why this is? Its no big deal. I know they will darken over time, just curious.
 
It's just that the iron is extremely clean to begin with, and the oil or fat baked on as a manual seasoning has just "browned" rather than "burned". And that's not to say that you need to burn it. The deep, black color of a well-seasoned pan is not only the result of many layers but also of the carbon held within it, which comes not only from the fat and oil, but also a carbonized residual of the food cooked in it.
 
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