questions for the CI crowd about flax seed oil

[Jailer]

So how often do you have to season CI? Do you oil it every time you use it?

Is the lodge brand stuff any good? This interest me a bit but of course I know nothing about CI cookware.

[SMOKE FREAK]

The Lodge brand is readily available and affordable...The old stuff is a better grade of iron I think but Lodge works for me...

And yes I oil them each time I use it...Gets a little better each time...

[Jailer]

So a coating of oil after use, got it. But seasoning is something you only have to do new stuff or if the finish gets damaged? Once it's seasoned it doesn't need re seasoning?

[Conumdrum]

Nope, good to go once seasoned or it gets messed up..

[eDJ]

Just how high of temp are we talking about ?

I've been using the Flax Seed oil on both my CI & Woks and having good results.

[Snarlingiron]

So... Gracoman where does one go about getting a set of those?. I have searched the interwebs without much success.

[SMOKE FREAK]

So... Gracoman where does one go about getting a set of those?. I have searched the interwebs without much success.

The Lodge website has some...May or may not be as good quality as what he showed us...

[HawgHeaven]

So... Gracoman where does one go about getting a set of those?. I have searched the interwebs without much success.

Amazon has them... not cheap, butt you get what you pay for.

[gracoman]

I'm afraid your not going to like this. I bought my deBuyer Mineral pans at the now defunct Chef's Catalog. I know several folks who were able to pick them up there for a song during the liquidation sale. They were very reasonable at Chef's Catalog even before the fire sale.

I bought my 8", 10", and 12" deBuyer carbon steel skillets there as a set for $89.00. My 14" was, I think $70, and my large and small saute pans (also called country fry pans) were $99.00 for the set.

My 12" skillet never leaves my stove top. All of these carbon steel pans, after even the very first seasoning, are non stick. Eggs just slide around on the surface. Omelets and crepes... same story.

As far as I know, Chef's Catalog was the only place dealing with the Mineral line. The Mineral line has been replaced by Mineral B. The Mineral B's come coated in Bees Wax, hence the B. Mineral B can be found just about everywhere. But guess what. They are more expensive.

deBuyer handles are coated with an epoxy like finish. Most other carbon steel pans are not. deBuyer pans are finished to a highly polished cooking surace and are smoother than the Lodge Line of carbon steel but they are more spendy. The larger deBuyer pans also come with a helper handle which is important cause these things are heavy.

Restaurant supply houses all carry carbon steel pans and for significantly less money. I don't know anything about these inexpensive lines but I do know carbon steel is not just carbon steel. deBuyer carbon steel is 99% iron which still qualifies it as steel and I think that is why they are induction ready where less expensive pans are not.

Matfer carbon steel pans have a good rep and I've heard good things about the Lodge line despite the slightly rougher cooking surface. Vollrath carbon steel is also less expensive and may be worth checking.

[BBQ Engineer]

So I decided to strip and re-season my Cast iron skillet. I have not had good luck with this being nonstick even though I have really tried to get it there.

I used some oven cleaner to strip it down. I stopped when it wasn't lifting any more residue when I agitated the oven cleaner with a stiff nylon brush. I sprayed it with flax seed oil and wiped it out. Into the oven and baked that stuff on.

I tried to do multiple cycles, but after the first one, the oil would just bead up like water on a good car wax job, so I thought I had better quit or I would make little baked on beads of flax seed oil adding texture to the pan's finish.

So I tried this out this morning for breakfast. I have never had non stick eggs in a cast iron skillet...until this morning. One small pat of butter and 4 eggs later not a speck of egg on the bottom of the pan.

HOLY CRAP THIS REALLY WORKED!

Thanks guys, I now have a really nice skillet that I will actually use.

[SMOKE FREAK]

I couldn't get myself to strip all my pans to bare metal...Actually finally getting them near what I want...So I been going more with what Squibb showed in his video...Every time I use it I oil it and bring it to smoking hot till smoke is done...Getting better each time...

[Jailer]

Almost bought a lodge skillet tonight while at wallyworld. Been doing lots of research the past week or so and not sure if I want to go with a lodge or spend the extra to get something nicer.

Thoughts?

[Mark R]

Almost bought a lodge skillet tonight while at wallyworld. Been doing lots of research the past week or so and not sure if I want to go with a lodge or spend the extra to get something nicer.

Thoughts?

Get a vintage Griswold or Wagner, they are much smoother and the metal is better.
If you are going to buy new iron, lodge is the way to go, at least it is still made in the USA! The only one!

[HawgHeaven]

Get a vintage Griswold or Wagner, they are much smoother and the metal is better.
If you are going to buy new iron, lodge is the way to go, at least it is still made in the USA! The only one!

That's all I have are Griswold and Wagner. Got them in different antique stores and flea markets. Great CI, and smooth as a baby's behind! I don't own any Lodge products, so I'm of no help there... butt yes... still made in the US!

[gracoman]

Knowing what I know now, I would opt for a quality carbon steel skillet. They are every bit as heavy duty as cast iron, function identically or better, should last several lifetimes, and have a cooking surface smooth as glass. A new Lodge CI skillet cannot hold a candle to one of these. I especially dislike the small handles. And yes, I am partial to deBuyer.

Trying to convince folks who have no experience with these pans is similar to trying to convince folks who have no experience with sous vide that it is a viable option

Picking up a vintage Griswold or Wagner is always a way to go but the reality is you won't find them on every street corner.