The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd start
from scratch.

Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
clean out the seasoning in there....
--
It's Tis Herself

In article >,
(Elana Kehoe) wrote:

> The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd start
> from scratch.
>
> Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
> hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
> There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
> clean out the seasoning in there....

Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
That info. would help luv.

Sandblasting might help if you REALLY need to totally strip it, but wait.

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

Katra > wrote:

> Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
> That info. would help luv.

I'm trying to remember...I think Hubby, before he realized what he was
doing, started scrubbing it. And I made some cornbread in it, brought
it all over to a relative's house. When I wasn't looking, she put water
and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!

> Sandblasting might help if you REALLY need to totally strip it, but wait.

There are some patches that obviously don't have as much seasoning as
the other parts. It is not acting non-stick, tho we clean it properly
and oil it after every use. And all the sausages and bacon we cook in
it should be helping, but don't seem to be.

I can post a pic, if need be :-)
--
It's Tis Herself

I put mine in my oven and used the self cleaning cycle. It came out in good
shape and I re-seasoned it with good success.

Sid

"Elana Kehoe" > wrote in message
...
> The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd start
> from scratch.
>
> Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
> hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
> There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
> clean out the seasoning in there....
> --
> It's Tis Herself

On 01/02/2004 12:59 AM, in article ,
"Elana Kehoe" > opined:

> The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd start
> from scratch.
>
> Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
> hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
> There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
> clean out the seasoning in there....

Just reseason it and it will fill in the cracks.

Rub it down with vegetable oil and stick it in a 350 degree oven for an
hour.

We are not trying to land Neil and Buzz at Tranquility Base, ok?
--
================================================== =========================
"The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he
shall be able and willing to pull his weight. That he shall not be a mere
passenger," Theodore Roosevelt.
================================================== =========================

Elana Kehoe wrote:
> Katra > wrote:
>
>> Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)

she put
> water and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!
>
> I can post a pic, if need be :-)

No pics on this non-binary newsgroup, please!

If the pan isn't rusted, and I don't think a little scrubbing even with soap
and water would have accomplished that unless done over and over again, you
should be able to just re-season the pan. You mention cooking lots of bacon
and sausage in it. So, rather than re-seasoning it with vegetable oil, you
might try seasoning it again by cranking the oven up on high and putting a
good bit of bacon fat in the pan. Good luck!

Jill

"Elana Kehoe" > wrote in message
...
: The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd
start
: from scratch.
:
: Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing
for a half
: hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all
off?
: There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down
into it to
: clean out the seasoning in there....
: --
: It's Tis Herself
==========

Just stick it in a fire for a while. It'll burn off the old
seasoning and you can start over.

Cyndi

"Sidney" > wrote in message
news:FNfJb.99136$pY.21508@fed1read04...
> I put mine in my oven and used the self cleaning cycle. It came out in
good
> shape and I re-seasoned it with good success.
>
> Sid

Bingo! Or put some wood in the fireplace put the pan/oven on top light a
fire and go to bed.

Dimitri

In rec.food.cooking, Elana Kehoe > wrote:

> Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
> hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
> There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
> clean out the seasoning in there....

There is no reason whatever to remve anything.

--
....I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

I don't have a fireplace :-(

My mom does though so, I'll keep that in mind since her oven doesn't have a
self clean cycle and we occasionally need to "retune" the cast iron after
family get togethers :-)

Sid

"Dimiri" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Sidney" > wrote in message
> news:FNfJb.99136$pY.21508@fed1read04...
> > I put mine in my oven and used the self cleaning cycle. It came out in
> good
> > shape and I re-seasoned it with good success.
> >
> > Sid
>
> Bingo! Or put some wood in the fireplace put the pan/oven on top light a
> fire and go to bed.
>
> Dimitri
>
>

On Fri, 2 Jan 2004 08:04:20 -0700, "Sidney"
> wrote:

> I put mine in my oven and used the self cleaning cycle. It came out in good
> shape and I re-seasoned it with good success.
>
The only time I do that is if I want to get all the build up
off the outside of my pan!

Otherwise, I just put a small amount of oil in the hot pan,
bring it up to the smoke point and wipe it out with lots of
paper towels (off the heat).


Practice safe eating - always use condiments

In article >,
(Elana Kehoe) wrote:

> Katra > wrote:
>
> > Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
> > That info. would help luv.
>
> I'm trying to remember...I think Hubby, before he realized what he was
> doing, started scrubbing it. And I made some cornbread in it, brought
> it all over to a relative's house. When I wasn't looking, she put water
> and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!
>
> > Sandblasting might help if you REALLY need to totally strip it, but wait.
>
> There are some patches that obviously don't have as much seasoning as
> the other parts. It is not acting non-stick, tho we clean it properly
> and oil it after every use. And all the sausages and bacon we cook in
> it should be helping, but don't seem to be.
>
> I can post a pic, if need be :-)

Well, rather than un-seasoning it, you can probably just give it some
time and let it re-season naturally.

A nice big batch of bacon helps, or you could just re-oil the whole
thing well and heat it in the oven while roasting dinner in another pan?

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

jmcquown > wrote:

> Elana Kehoe wrote:
> > Katra > wrote:
> >
> >> Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
>
> she put
> > water and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!
> >
> > I can post a pic, if need be :-)
>
> No pics on this non-binary newsgroup, please!

Meant on a webpage :-)

> If the pan isn't rusted, and I don't think a little scrubbing even with soap
> and water would have accomplished that unless done over and over again, you
> should be able to just re-season the pan. You mention cooking lots of bacon
> and sausage in it. So, rather than re-seasoning it with vegetable oil, you
> might try seasoning it again by cranking the oven up on high and putting a
> good bit of bacon fat in the pan. Good luck!

No, it's not rusted, but the problem is that we've been cooking in it
for a while (and more than a few batches of bacon and sausage), and it's
still not non-stick. It's aggravating, really.
--
It's Tis Herself

Katra > wrote:

> Well, rather than un-seasoning it, you can probably just give it some
> time and let it re-season naturally.
>
> A nice big batch of bacon helps, or you could just re-oil the whole
> thing well and heat it in the oven while roasting dinner in another pan?

We've tried that...it's still not non-stick.
--
It's Tis Herself

The Wolf > wrote:

> Just reseason it and it will fill in the cracks.

The thing is...it hasn't. We've tried re-seasoning it a few times, and
it just...everything sticks. It's not what we thought a cast iron
skillet would act like.

> Rub it down with vegetable oil and stick it in a 350 degree oven for an
> hour.
>
> We are not trying to land Neil and Buzz at Tranquility Base, ok?

hehehe...I know. I just want it to work. We've already invested some
time to season it a few times, and it's not like the other pans I've
seen that are seasoned nicely.

--
It's Tis Herself

In article >,
(Elana Kehoe) wrote:

> Katra > wrote:
>
> > Well, rather than un-seasoning it, you can probably just give it some
> > time and let it re-season naturally.
> >
> > A nice big batch of bacon helps, or you could just re-oil the whole
> > thing well and heat it in the oven while roasting dinner in another pan?
>
> We've tried that...it's still not non-stick.

Just out of curiosity, what brand is it?
How is the internal surface? Rough or smooth?

K.

--
>,,<Cat's Haven Hobby >,,<
http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...user id=katra

This might help:
http://papadutch.home.comcast.net/dutch-oven-care.htm

They talk about seasoning from "scratch" but by doing very similar it should
re-season you pan.

Good luck,
www.wwiivehicles.com


"Elana Kehoe" > wrote in message
...
> The seasoning on the skillet got screwed up, so we thought we'd start
> from scratch.
>
> Damn it's hard to get off the old seasoning. I was scrubbing for a half
> hour, and barely got anywhere. Do we really have to get it all off?
> There are pits where I don't know how I'm going to get down into it to
> clean out the seasoning in there....
> --
> It's Tis Herself

In rec.food.cooking, Ken Davey > wrote:
> >
> What you are describing sounds like there is burnt-on residue (varnish from
> polymerized oil). This must be removed.

But varnish from polymerized oil is precisely what seasoning is composed
of, isn't it? If not, then what is it?


--
....I'm an air-conditioned gypsy...

- The Who

On Sat, 03 Jan 2004 09:58:08 +0000, Elana Kehoe wrote:

> jmcquown > wrote:
>
>> Elana Kehoe wrote:
>> > Katra > wrote:
>> >
>> >> Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
>>
>> she put
>> > water and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!
>> >
>> > I can post a pic, if need be :-)
>>
>> No pics on this non-binary newsgroup, please!
>
> Meant on a webpage :-)

Think the best thing would just be to give it time.
rome twas not built in a day.

When I have had problems with "crud" on the surface, I have heated the
griddle on high heat, which loosens any residue, then brushed with some
kitchen paper dipped in a little veg oil (not olive, too low smoke point)
>
Pete.

Katra wrote:
> In article >,
> (Elana Kehoe) wrote:
>
>> Katra > wrote:
>>
>>> Ok, and what did you do to it to mess it up??? =-)
>>> That info. would help luv.
>>
>> I'm trying to remember...I think Hubby, before he realized what he
>> was doing, started scrubbing it. And I made some cornbread in it,
>> brought it all over to a relative's house. When I wasn't looking,
>> she put water and soap in it, and started scrubbing. Eep!
>>
>>> Sandblasting might help if you REALLY need to totally strip it, but
>>> wait.
>>
>> There are some patches that obviously don't have as much seasoning as
>> the other parts. It is not acting non-stick, tho we clean it
>> properly and oil it after every use. And all the sausages and bacon
>> we cook in it should be helping, but don't seem to be.
>>
>> I can post a pic, if need be :-)
>
What you are describing sounds like there is burnt-on residue (varnish from
polymerized oil). This must be removed.
One way is to place an inch of water in the pan. Add a couple of tablespoons
of baking soda and boil for a few minutes.
Rinse and scrub (plastic scrubber is good) under a trickle of cold tap water
while the pan is still warm.
Repeat if necessary until the pan has a uniform apearance. Then re-season -
just heat some good oil to the smoking point and let cool.
Mt experience is that bacon ruins the non-stick properties unless it is
par-boiled first.

Hope this helps.
Ken.

On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:58:08 +0000, (Elana Kehoe) wrote:

>No, it's not rusted, but the problem is that we've been cooking in it
>for a while (and more than a few batches of bacon and sausage), and it's
>still not non-stick. It's aggravating, really.

I feel your pain. My husband thoughtfully did the dishes for me about
a month ago and put my favorite, inherited from my granny, perfectly
seasoned for years and years cast-iron skillet in the dishwasher. I
have doubts it will ever be the same.

Regards,
Tracy R.