Cast iron question

[JMacs]

I have a question for all of the cast iron gurus out there. I bought a stove with a center burner and it came with a cast iron flat plate to go over the center burner. It says it was pre-seasoned. No, I don't believe it is as good as it should be. But one of the first meals I tried to cook on it was Reubens. You would think buttered bread would not be an issue. You would think.

I seasoned it according to a couple of different recommendations. Still had issues. I sanded it smooth and re-seasoned it. Better. But this morning, I tried to cook pancakes on it. First batch worked pretty well. Second batch started sticking again.

What am I missing? What am I doing wrong?

 

[FAW3]

I always do a light shot of PAM spray oil between pancake sets. Also watch your temperatures…easy to be too hot.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

To properly season, it must be done multiple times. And I always start with a little butter in the pan. A healthy alternative is avocado oil

 

[Correus]

To properly season, it must be done multiple times. And I always start with a little butter in the pan. A healthy alternative if avocado oil

That's what I use, butter, especially with eggs. Using enough butter to make the food 'float'.

Need to make sure the pan is nice and hot before adding the butter though. At least that's what I've been told and do.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Often with pancakes the heat must be very low. My first couple come out perfect and if I dont remove the pan from the heat for the next round, they get overdone on the outside while still gooey

 

[ThundahBeagle]

Season with VERY light coatings of, say, canola oil or something. Cook at like 500 for half and hour. Let cool. Repeat 4 or 5 times

 

[Sparse Gray Hackle]

I’m a believer in multiple coatings of Avocado Oil or Grape Seed Oil. Very light coatings, if it comes out gummy, you used to much. Start over.

After using, a light cleaning using a sponge for easy stuff. If you have bigger bits stuck, use a stainless steel chainmail scrubber to break it loose. Dry thoroughly, give it a little heat and reapply a very thin layer of protection before storing. I like Buzzy Waxx. Buzzy is also good for carbon steel. Amazon typically has the best prices, but I’m not too fond of Bezos these days.

 

[JMacs]

Thanks for all the replies. I'll just have to keep trying. Learning the tricks.

I grew up with non-stick. That I can spray once before starting with the pancakes. Guess that is not the case with cast iron.

 

[ThundahBeagle]

It's an art. And a science. Lady Beagle hates cooking with my cast iron, too heavy. Sometimes little flecks (over seasoned). I tell her, these flecks are less damaging to your health than the cancer-causing teflon flecks from chipping non-stick

 

[AbleGuy]

Last year we went back to quality stainless pans and pots. No carcinogenic coatings, surprisingly lightweight and also surprisingly easy to clean.

There is a simple trick to using them and avoiding burnt on messes tho…

 

[TwinStick]

Yes, everything has its pro's and cons. The beauty of cast iron is its longevity. Yes it is an art and at 61, I am still learning as well. But I too, am a member of the multiple thin coats and once you get it where you want it, they are fairly easy to keep it that way.

Only enemies of cast iron cookware that I know of is: rust, rocks and excessive heat....like in a house fire.

Excessive heat can make them very brittle. But I have also seen 1 break from dropping a big heavy pan from pickup bed height and it hit a rock just right. First and only time I saw that.

The bonus is, most people give up on cast iron long before they figure it out, so you can find them sometimes for free or next to nothing at yard sales.

My favorite one so far is the Lodge 17" dual side handle skillet. You can make a bunch of food in 1 pan, and it just fits in our oven at home too. So I bring it when vehicle camping, at home in the oven, outside on the gas grill and it works perfectly with our Made in America store All American stainless grill, and on our Camp Chef Pro 90x .

 

[ThundahBeagle]

I have a Lodge 10 inch, and two smaller ones (one with a wolf in bas relief of the bottom), and also a grill/griddle combo. I have given the Dutch oves (deep pan/shallow pan as lid) combine as a gift and would like one myself. Am now passively looking for an old Griswold, Wagnet or Erie. Those things are smooth as glass while the Lodges have a slightly grainy finish. I sanded it out on one of them.

 

[dstefan]

There is a simple trick to using them and avoiding burnt on messes tho…

…and that simple trick is?

I love my All Clad SS skillet, but I never use it for things like eggs cause I get the stuck on mess

 

[chet6.7]

I haven't tried eggs, but this method does help with sticking.

 

[AbleGuy]

…and that simple trick is?

I love my All Clad SS skillet, but I never use it for things like eggs cause I get the stuck on mess

Heat up the pan first, slowly, before putting food on it. This only takes a minute.

If you put cold food on cold stainless, it’ll stick.

To test the pan, we use an eye dropper and simply drip a small drop of water on the heated pan…if it beads up immediately, you’re good to go!

This might sound like a hassle but you’ll quickly get used to doing this and then your pans will never be hard to clean.