Kent Rollins restores some of the cast iron cookware that survived the fire that took his and Shan’s house.
I cook our Castiron in a BBQ grill as hot as I can get it. To strip them to bare metal. Then start the re seasoning process.
Burn them for an hour in hot fire, toss them in boiling water to prevent flash rust, scrub them in the same water when it cools down enough in the oven. Then spray them down with flaxseed oil. Wipe off and bake for an hour, let cool down then another coat of flaxseed oil and bake again an hour. Six times and they are ready for mommas cooking!
House Fire cannot hurt Castiron!
Burn them for an hour in hot fire, toss them in boiling water to prevent flash rust, scrub them in the same water when it cools down enough in the oven. Then spray them down with flaxseed oil. Wipe off and bake for an hour, let cool down then another coat of flaxseed oil and bake again an hour. Six times and they are ready for mommas cooking!
House Fire cannot hurt Castiron!
Last edited:
I have been part of a cast iron group for several years and even a camp fire can hurt cast iron. If it gets a reddish look to it, it will not hold seasoning as well. This comes from to hot a fire.
"If the fire burns too hot, however, the molecular structure of the iron can be irreparably changed. Iron so-damaged will have an often scaly, patchy, dull red appearance, different from regular rust's orange/brown. Re-seasoning over such damage is usually not possible. A fire-damaged pan:"
"If the fire burns too hot, however, the molecular structure of the iron can be irreparably changed. Iron so-damaged will have an often scaly, patchy, dull red appearance, different from regular rust's orange/brown. Re-seasoning over such damage is usually not possible. A fire-damaged pan:"
I bake em as hot as a Propane BBQ grill can get em. Several over the years I cook em in a fire pit when we sit around the fire. When the wife wants them reseasoned, I toss em in the fire!
As long as you do not get them hot enough to get that red scale or to warp them, you are okay. You also seem to have good luck with flax seed oil which most people will not use since it can flake easily. I use Crisco or lard. Whichever I can get at the time. So far I have not had to reseason but one and that was because someone, who shall not be named, cut brownies in it and cut hard enough to really scrape up the seasoning.
To be honest, most of the real collectors and experts say Cowboy is a great cook, not so great cast iron caretaker. Personally I have never watched his videos as I prefer to experiment on my own.
I use Crisco lard for seasoning. It does leave it slightly sticky. May have to try the flaxseed oil. Started using avocado oil on the Blackstone since it has a higher smoke point than olive oil. So, it holds up better.
I’ve also heard and think Ken does it, take a sander before seasoning to smooth out the surface.
I’ve also heard and think Ken does it, take a sander before seasoning to smooth out the surface.
Avocado is excellent on a Blackstone! It is 525 and flaxseed is 225. I like using avocado on our Blackstone as she cooks at such differing heat temps on the grill when she cooks.
And yes on sanding smooth. I have had great success in bringing back some awful looking skillets. We have a good selection of old Wagner Wares that we found in terrible shape.
Hydrogenated Lard is great! But if you use non hydrogenated lard and don’t you use your pans daily or at least every few days, they will go rancid quick if not used. Flaxseed does not go rancid, she has pans that go months and well over a year without use, she would never do that with the lard seasoned ones. My wife was taught as a kid to cook with cast iron and has never used anything but cast iron.
Last edited:
I have not used it with cast iron but can confirm avocado oil has a pretty high smoke point.
One Internet article I read claimed that sanding cast iron smooth isn't needed, but 2 or 3 people that use cast iron a lot have told me 'Sand it smooth!'
Cornbread cooked in cast iron...
One Internet article I read claimed that sanding cast iron smooth isn't needed, but 2 or 3 people that use cast iron a lot have told me 'Sand it smooth!'
Cornbread cooked in cast iron...
I have my mom's cast iron skillet. She got it as a wedding gift so It has to be 80 years old at least.
Never have had to re-season it. It's carrying the seasoning that she put on it when new.
The 22" blackstone that gets used almost daily gets canola oil for a seasoning.
Make it smoking hot, spread the oil and let it heat until it quits smoking. Repeat for about 5 layers.
It's been good for years now.
Never have had to re-season it. It's carrying the seasoning that she put on it when new.
The 22" blackstone that gets used almost daily gets canola oil for a seasoning.
Make it smoking hot, spread the oil and let it heat until it quits smoking. Repeat for about 5 layers.
It's been good for years now.
