Virtually Non stick cast iron cookware

[hoffie]

Being a lifelong believer in cast iron cookware i thought I could tell what I learned over the years..
Back when in 1970s Colorado 2 older fellows that had cooked all their lives for other people
decided to open their own little 9 table diner. They swore by cast iron to cook with. When I went
in I usually set at the counter where I could chat with them and watch them cook.
The tip I learned from them is as follows. When they were finished cooking they cleaned with a mixture
of coarse salt and baking soda about 50-50 they kept in a container above the sink. They scrubbed this
mixture around and ONLY used water to rinse. They kept an old heavy cotton sock with this same
mixture in it tied at the top. This was used to clean up the pan and sort of preserve the finish.
i imagine today or even then it wouldn't pass muster with most inspectors but they cooked the best
food I ever ate on that iron ware. I still use the process today but still can't cook like them. lol
I had wondered about polishing some of my cast iron today especially the more modern stuff.
So Thanks for the posts and helpful reply's.

As an after thought ever wonder why so many people take vitamins or iron supplements but our
ancestors didn't... maybe the cast iron cookware.
Makes one wonder what we are getting from aluminum cookware, something to think about.

[blkadder]

I have always used raw linseed oil on the stock of my M1 Garand. It does have a peculiar smell to it, but I have learned to love it.

[NortonDommi]

I hope you warm your stock by a fire before and after oiling. Takes a long time to dry but sure preserves the wood and easy to repair a ding.
Can't tast anything when used on cast iron except good food.

[Frank S]

I made a mistake once trying to season a 2 qt cast iron pan I did my polishing on the inside then started slowly heating it until it was just beginning to show some colorization to teh polished surface I added in regular vegetable oil not noting that it was of the non fat variety. The oil just got hotter and hotter until it finally flashed over after it was finished and I had cleaned up the pan with salt once it had cooled I noticed that it hadn't glazed like other pans and skillets had done. It was then that I realized it was the fats in which ever oil you use that has to caramelize into the open pores of the metal once they cool and close it is the trapped crystalline particles left from the fats that actually serve to prevent foods from sticking.
Just like was mentioned about the ferrous magnetite once it is polished off to become smooth then sealed with the fats from the oils
I've never used flax seed for anything and have only used linseed for treating wood so I cannot comment on its use
But I do know that pure old rendered hog lard was the preference back in the day. But you know your skillet is well seasoned when you can cut up a batch of potato wedges skin on and fry them to golden brown in just a table spoon of fresh churned butter without having to scrape them out of the bottom you have done your job.

[NortonDommi]

For the record Flax seed oil IS Linseed oil. As long as it is raw you can season cast iron with it or any other vegetable oil or animal fat of your choice. Pork fat or lard was used if you had pigs, tallow if you had cattle or sheep. As far as I have been able to find out the move to vegetable oils or fats was due to some having very high smoke points and as mentioned by someone else when polymerized seal the pores and remain unaffected by normal cooking temperatures.
Mid Winter here and pouring rain so not going to head out and attack the barbeque anytime soon but here's something related to looking after metal. I've found that Grape Seed oil oxidizes quite quickly out of a sealed container and painted on equipment I don't use that often or which is exposed like the bit of lathe bed under the chuck that the saddle does not contact but gets splashed if a soluble oil is used dries to give a reasonably waterproof coating,(indoor use only). Oil any mating/sliding surfaces with mineral oil first so nothing gets gummed up and only paint on bits easy to get to. I don't mind a brown colored covering as long as it isn't rust.

[blkadder]

My wife has her Aunts cast iron cookware, most of it is Le Creuset enameled cast iron, and it is pretty awesome stuff. We also got a couple of cast iron pans that needed some love. I followed the tutorial here, and the pans are as non stick as our old aluminum pans. We have passed the aluminum pans to our youngest daughter, and now we use pretty much cast iron for all of our stuff. We would like to find an old griddle, and add it to our collection. I do make sure that the Linseed oils are kept in different places, so we don't confuse the boiled and the raw. I have to say that the Garand stock likes the boiled Linseed oil better than the raw. Semper Fi.

[NortonDommi]

I have to say that the Garand stock likes the boiled Linseed oil better than the raw. Semper Fi.
I agree, wood generally likes its oil cooked.

[Frank S]

The wife told me she was tired of my complaining about our sauce pans we have several 2 & 3 qt size SS and 1 non coated mystery metal 2 qt. too heavy to be aluminum too light to be cast iron dull finish inside and out but it cooks well. it is just that it is the only one that has the proper side height in relation to the diameter The SS pans are fine but low sides. SO she said the next time we have to drive to the city she doesn't care if it takes us all day to locate them we are going to buy several old and rusty or new cast iron pans of every size we can find I said great as long as we buy a medium and a large dutch ovens and lids for all of them SO hopefully I will have some more curing to do soon.

[NortonDommi]

Sounds like a few new tools might be needed to if there was a perceived need to modify any pans to the 'right' height? One thing I have always wondered about is why there are no cast iron omelette pans.

[Frank S]

This is what I always use to make my omelets, fried eggs, pan cakes, sausage patties, bacon, or hamburgers in