Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Food, Cooking, and Game Preparation Cleaning up cast iron

Had an old “corn cob” cornbread pan someone gave me.

Knowing the person, it likely came from the dump.

Harder to clean because of the “kernel” grooves.

Put it in a hot campfire. Cleaned up nicely.

Too much heat can warp or crack a pan.

Flax seed oil has been the darling if seasoning oils for a while. Grapeseed oil is coming on strong.

I’ve only used vegetable oil, canola oil, crisco, or lard though because that’s what was on hand.

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I got some flax oil and have used it, but convenience is king.

Bill Poole:



Is he still alive?

Been using flax seed oil for a few years, not sure its better than others

I bought one of those Lodge skillets that had the real ruff "Non stick coatings" on it. I took a sander and some 180 grit sandpaper and in about 5 or 10 minutes had the skillet as smooth as a babies bottom. I then seasoned it and proceeded to cook some taters and bacon in it. The skillet was just about like any other well seasoned cast iron I have. After a couple more cooks in it, you can't tell it from an old skillet.
I did not like that ruff finish that Lodge used and was not crazy about whatever coating they had added to it.

I wash mine with hot water wipe it out. Put it on the stove and heat it up. pour some oil in it and wipe all around with a paper towel to coat then put away. Been using cast iron for years and mine is all slick.

That is how I do mine as well after cooking

I wash mine with hot water wipe it out. Put it on the stove and heat it up. pour some oil in it and wipe all around with a paper towel to coat then put away. Been using cast iron for years and mine is all slick.

I use bacon grease or olive oil after cooking and cleaning the pan. As stated, oil, heat until it smokes then turn off the heat.

I will not buy any more new Lodge cast iron. Their rough coating on the interior cook surface is schit. I've tried 3 in the last couple years. No thanks. I'll stick with old Griswolds.

I'd sand it.

you must do this outside away from your home its a mess to do > to clean a cast iron skillet soak them in red vinegar over night completely covered in vinegar use a plastic wash tube, then dry them and with a cordless drill use a adaptor with a heavy metal brush spin and grid down to bare metal . but it will take a few days of soaking and gridding tell its down to bare metal., once you are down to bare metal in all of pan inside and out now its time to season. 1st wrap aluminum foil on grates of oven real good ,now take bacon grease or pork lard wipe a thin layer on all of the skillet inside and outside ,turn upside down in oven above the aluminum foil ,turn oven on to 400 degrees and bake for for 2 1/2hrs. let skillet cool down in oven then repeat with another thin layer of bacon grease on all of skillet ,repeat back in oven for 2 1/2 hrs. 400 degrees do this 4 - 6 times and your finished , 6 times is the best for a great seasoned finished.there are no short cuts, i feel bacon grease or pork lard works better than vegetable oil that`s what old timers used bacon grease always. fry an egg in a little vegetable oil and egg will still stick some ,fry an egg in bacon grease and it never sticks ,believe me bacon greased season is by far better for a tasty steak with no sticking fried in butter.

This griddle was cracked, I brazed it on the back side.

I figured that as magical as they are, they would clean themselves.