Help with a Dutch oven.

[Egon]

Seasoning cast iron cookware is surely an individual process with each of us having the best method. ( Folklore abounds )

I'd suggest getting it nice & clean, then heating and apply butter to the surfaces. Heat to just below the smoking point. Do this for an hour or two and call it good.

In the OP 's case just heat it up till it smokes and keep it there for a bit. The retained remanents should burn off. Then just use as normal and seasoning will happen properly in due course.

 

[thatguy]

I know that some ppl do not recommend using 'animal fats' since it can go rancid. Personally I have always used crisco or a high heat cooking oil.

One big issues seems to be that some cast iron has a pretty rough finish that makes it harder to season..

They way i season was to clean it well - you can spray with oven cleaner and place in garbage bag in the sun to get the old seasoning off. I then put it on a grill outside (tried it in the oven once and that smoked up my place badly).. after its heated up carefully spread the crisco all over it and then reheated it.. .. sometimes i would do this several times over a few days letting it cool between times.

brian

 

[gsganzer]

Try flax seed oil. If it needs refinished, then start by putting it in your oven and running the oven cleaning cycle. Let it cool, wipe it out with a dry rag then apply flax seed oil on both the inside and outside of the pan and lid. Put them in the oven with the pan upside down so the oil doesn't pool in the bottom and run the oven on 450 for 2 hours. You should have a hard dry finish.

 

[TomSeller]

Second the flaxseed oil as a base coat. From a clean dry pan wipe on some flaxseed oil, then WIPE ALL OF IT OFF (as much as you can). Serious about getting as much off as you can or it will pool up. Then put in oven at 500 deg for an hour and cool. Repeat process one more time, maybe twice. THEN season with normal fats. Pork is real good. Google the process for flaxseed oil cast iron. Excellent base coat. I have probably 30 or 40 cast iron pieces and this is the best way to put a base coat on that I know.

For cleaning use the electrolysis process with laundry soda and a battery charger. Google that as well. Do that in a highly ventilated area.

 

[Egon]

Sandblaster or needle gun also work for cleaning.

 

[RobertN]

So, one of our Cubmasters asked to use one of our Scout Troop DO's for a Webelo event. I have never heard of a camp DO getting burnt up so bad. He is a metal shop instructor; he finally bead blasted it clean...

Sandblaster or needle gun also work for cleaning.

 

[RobertN]

Back when my son and I were involved in Scouting, he was Quartermaster a couple times. We had to reseason a few camp DO's over the years. Most of the time, it was because the DO's got scrubbed to hard trying to get burnt stuff out. Sometimes they got a little light rust after not getting oiled well, and sitting for a few months.

I found that we could usually just clean them up. Then, give them a liberal coating of oil(olive oil or Crisco), and stick them in a 350F oven. Let them get hot, and then shut the oven off and let it cool slowly.

Really not much different from doing an initial seasoning.

This is one of the better references I have found:
The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

 

[tcreeley]

We've used cast iron for everything since I was a kid. Olive oil works great and frequent use. Don't let it soak or run it through the dishwasher. Once on the finish lasts. I bake bread in a dutch oven and after I seasoned it with olive oil- I occasionally add some swipes with a stick of butter before it is preheating for bread.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I think i used oil and baked it in the oven. Smells some first time.

Cooking in it is best way to season, then clean as others said, hot water, wipe dry, and then rub down with oil.

 

[TomSeller]

This is one of the better references I have found:
The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

That link has the electrolysis process, it is truly the best way to clean cast iron at the molecular level.

And thank you for the link. I don't believe that I have seen that one before.