Post-reseasoning doubt...did I do this right?

[L Rose]

So I just got done cleaning and reseasoning my first cast iron pan. I followed the directions on CI Collector for the reseasoning process. I know it will take some time for the pan to get back to that jet black color but mine still looks downright grey! In the videos and pics I've seen of others doing there seasoning process on the internet it looks like theirs immediately go back to black after the process is done. Am I overthinking this or did I do something wrong?

I am linking to a photo album with pictures of the pan with some garlic in it and I've put it next to the lodge I bought brand new last summer for comparison. The other photos are from a previous post that Doug has helped me with (he's pretty awesome btw...like a fountain of cast iron knowledge...I'd buy him coffee if I could). Anyway, here we go

https://picasaweb.google.com/109535...authkey=Gv1sRgCNCQg-TW4oiU0gE&feat=directlink

Thank ya

 

[Doug D.]

Many pans initially seasoned with Crisco will tend to look kind of brownish until they've been cooked in a few times and additional layers of seasoning are added. Two things will help accelerate darkening a piece. One is heating it up to about 450 for 15-20 minutes before applying the first seasoning coat. Another is to heat the initial seasoning coat past its smoke point for about the same amount of time. Even if you do neither, however, just cooking will darken the piece over time.

The pan in this photo looked kind of bronze-y after restoration, and you can see the handle still does somewhat. But the cooking surface and interior is black, just from cooking. No artificial darkening measures were applied.

 

[L Rose]

Okay thanks, just needed some reassurance. I don't care as much how it looks as I do that I seasons properly. I was concerned that I did not season well enough and that it might be rusting somehow. I definitely followed the seasoning instructions you have on the website including heating it slowly in increments of 70-80 degrees....then finally letting it cook at 500 for 15min before turning oven off.

But in fact after I cooked on it...which it performed spectacularly at I noticed that the inside of the pan was already a bit darker grey. Sorry about all the newb questions and thanks for your help!