How to restore / season cast iron cookware.

in #cooking7 years ago (edited)

I posted a blog here on Steem Yesterday about how to identify collectable cast iron cook ware. It generated a little interest! I'm hoping it helped some people get away from those nasty "Non Stick" Teflon skillets, and pots. I am really glad, that a few folks read it, because my goal here on Steemit is to be informative, and maybe help someone.

Anyhow, there were a lot of comments about how you shouldn't cook with aluminum either, and I think that's a very very wise thing to keep in mind. We're all a bit poisoned with aluminum, and it starts when we're babies, and they give us those first Mercury, and Aluminum laden "Vaccinations"!!! Someone mentioned in a comment (I can't remember the exact wording) that they thought you had to "Put a coat of oil" on cast iron cookware. So, I promised them in a reply, that I would make this posting Today.

You see.... Cast Iron is a very porous metal. Anything you burn in a raw Cast Iron vessel will stick to it like glue!!! The little burned food particles get into the pores in the metal, and have a place to hold on to. There's a process where you can put that "coating of oil" on it, that's called "Seasoning." It involves heating the metal to open up those pores, and "Bake in" a high temperature oil coating that becomes a non-stick surface. It also makes this almost indestructible cookware salvageable even after years of neglect!!! The process isn't terribly complicated, but it can make something that looks really nasty almost new again!!!!
cast iron before and after.jpg
About three years ago, I posted a fairly short video series on Youtube explaining the process. If you can take 20 minutes to learn it, you will be able to buy cookware for next to nothing because it looks like shit, and turn it into something that will serve you for the rest of your life!!! I hope you enjoy! Be sure to find both parts (1 & 2) to see the whole process. Let me know if this sort of thing interests you in the comments!!! I enjoy cooking (I was once a chef,) woodworking, gardening, homesteading, and self reliant living. Let me know what subjects you would like to see!!! I appreciate your comments, and up-votes. Here's the first video.

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Nice video. Went to You Tube to watch the second part. Resteeming @saved4newlife #thl

I only resteem things that I feel deserve it. I like the quality of your posts! Have a Blessed day!

I have a small stack of cast iron skillets in my garage that have a pretty good coating of rust on them. I got them for free from a yard sale, and have been meaning to clean them up. I'll definitely check out the videos!

go for it!!!

Step 1: Give it to my father
Step 2: Tell him to fix it, because he likes fixing things
Step 3: Admire Dad's handy work on reseasoning the cast iron.

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This is great post. I have some old cast iron that needs further seasoning. I also have same cast iron doorstops and animal statues, they are of course quite heavy😉🐓 BTW welcome to steemit, the homesteaders are a great bunch of folks.

I can't imagine a doorstop!!!! We have a 12 inch skillet, and my Wife can't even lift it lol. @mother2chicks followed you.

I just started cooking with cast iron and love it. You should add the YouTube videos directly to this post.

The bottom picture on the post is actually one of the videos, so you can watch it right here.

I am entrepreneur and we are working towards developing affordable cast iron cookware for the masses here in India. Your tips for seasoning cookware are great.