Seasoning (cookware) Puns

I apologize if this isn’t an appropriate post for this sub—I’m no chemist, just trying to understand the everyday chemistry of my life a little better.

Over on the cast iron and carbon steel subreddits, there’s plenty of knowledge of how to season pans well, but I don’t see consistent/reliable info onwhy those methods work best (people debate which fats are best, whether you need a low or high smoke point, etc.)

So I’m just trying to learn a little more about the process, hopefully from folks knowledgeable in chemistry.

A couple questions:

1. As I understand it (i.e., as Wikipedia told me) cookware seasoning involves the polymerization of fats into bioplastics—do these bioplastics pose health concerns like other plastics do when heated (as I understand it, this is why plastic travel mugs fell out of fashion, for example)
2. All the seasoning instructions say to use a thin layer of oil, and to wipe of any excess. Does the oil need to be exposed to air for the reactions to occur? (For oxidation, for example)
3. Is heat necessary if using a drying oil? The Wikipedia page on drying oils indicates that drying oils “dry” because polymerization occurs at room temperature)
4. I’ve seen people talk about “carbonization”—like creating a carbon matrix as part of the seasoning (which is the explanation I’ve seen for why pans become blacker with use—more carbon accumulates in the seasoning.)

Hey all, wanted to ask a quick question about what to use on the outside of some off my CI items that aren't cooked with.

I got a mortar and pestle along with a kettle but don't the traditional season with oils is what I need for the exterior of these

I've seen some kettle restorations using a special paint, would that be better suited for these?

Basically, question is, "Can I apply cold water to the non-seasoned side of the pan to rapid fire lay down multiple layers of seasoning or is it better to let it passively cool to room temp?"

Thanks!

Years ago I had a boyfriend who insisted I do not wash his stainless pans after use, and that allowing the oil to remain browned in the bottom was the best way to use them. He wanted only to rinse and wipe them out. I disputed this with him, and said it ruins the pans and their effectiveness, having the oil residue. I've always thought cast iron is really what you should season, and treat unwashed, not stainless. With stainless, it forms a sticky residue and seems almost to turn to resin.

Is this a thing? Leaving cooking oil to build up a honey-colored residue in stainless pans? I'm perfectly fine being wrong, but I'd never heard of doing this before or since.

Google is kind of coming up empty on this question, and though I tried to read about metallurgy etc...I found myself still a bit confused.

I have a general question - is it wise to 'temper' any carbon steel pan or even black steel...to 550F and get it to a bluish metallic stage before seasoning?

I know with carbon steel woks, they recommend this...but it seems some people are unaware of this tempering phenomena with de buyer or matfer carbon steels..

Most just start seasoning the pans right away..NO tempering.

From what I read...tempering to a certain point forms "magnetite" which is passivized iron....and this confuses me...makes the steel less brittle...but some people say it can lower hardness? Which to me...means more brittle...ugh.

Is tempering a good thing no matter the material if you dont know the carbon % of the pan? Does it make a stronger metal even if its hardness 'softens'??? Is there truth to doing this being worth it for rust prevention etc of a metal? SHOULD I be aiming to temper all carbon steels to create that magnetite oxidized layer?

Thank you!

http://www.seriouseats.com/2016/09/how-to-season-cast-iron-pans-skillets-cookware.html

I'm unsure of how soaping the pan would not get rid of all of the seasoning and why you don't have to go back and season the pan 3-4 more times because of it

Hi all,

I'm getting my first soapstone pot soon, and there's a lot less e-knowledge around about seasoning soapstone vs. other seasoning processes like cast iron.

Anglophone sources seem to suggest coating in oil once or twice, while the Indian DIY videos I've found show many coatings of castor oil (which I definitely won't be using), tumeric and rice starch over a period of days. Two example sources are provided, below.

Has anyone seasoned soapstone cookware, before? If so, what were the results?

Thanks!

Anglo method: https://www.vivaterra.com/blog/the-benefits-of-soapstone-cookware/

Indian method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H3V_j0FR3k

I had never heard of this before - the notion that foodies, chefs, culinary enthusiasts and collectors would actually want the cookware of famous chefs. Is there really a market or subculture for this? But someone was telling me that the cast ironware of famous chefs is sought for the flavor still held within the iron.

And does Cast Iron actually impart flavor?

I would guess that an old cast iron pot or pan owned by say, Julia Child, Jacques Pépin or James Beard, while totally still useful, would not impart any actual flavors given that it has been cleaned and re-seasoned so many time.

Has anyone ever heard of market or subculture around this?

If you've followed my blog you know how I love my cast iron cookware. I've got quite the collection: 8", 9", 12", 15", a dutch oven, a griddle and even a square egg pan! Cast iron is non stick if the pan is well maintained but sometimes they can fall into disrepair.

In this two part video tutorial I show you how to take an old, rusted, crusty cast iron pan and bring it back to life. I picked up an old, rusted pan from a garage sale for $2 and stripped it in the first guide. Then in the second I re-seasoned it with some Flax Oil and brought it back to life!

Part 1: Cast Iron Rust Removal / Stripping

Part 2: Re-seasoning Cast Iron

Is there a “carnivore” oil I can use for my new cast iron cookware?

Edit: I don’t eat pork, is there a carnivore, pork free option?

I have a 10" skillet and a 5qt dutch oven that seems like they need to be seasoned often (especially the dutch oven). I've only had them a few months and have used exclusively canola oil. The problem is that the seasoning flakes off after about 6 uses. So cookit, any suggestions on the types of oil or fat I should be using? A thick or thin coat?

Im talking chicken, steak, fish, stir fry, whatever you can think of, I need it done in this one piece. What do you recommend?

Edit: Links to specific pieces are much appreciated.

Edit 2: Ok seeing a lot of mentions about “cast irons” & “carbon steel” stuff. I should have mentioned Im lazy & cant really deal with seasoning the cookware & all that. Never done it before & it seems like a hassle after every single meal. Like I want to make a quick omelette & now I have to re-season or recoat the thing in oil instead of simply washing it like everything else.

Seems like a Non-stick Wok is the way to go cuz it will cook basically everything & easy to clean/ maintain.

They say they're pre seasoned, but I tried to fry an egg in some butter in one and it didn't turn out very well. Should I re season them?

I am upgrading my families culinary experience. I have a cast iron that I use from time to time. Usually for meat or hash browns. I am ordering a new induction range and because none of my calphalon non stick cookware is magnetic, it is all being rehomed. Moving forward I’ll be using exclusively stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel.

Because 99% of my cooking has been done on non stick cookware my technique is crap and I lack the knowledge of what should be cooked in which vessel.

What I’m expecting from what I’ve read on this sub:

It seems that most of you describe stainless steel as good “all purpose” cookware. Because of this I purchased a reasonably priced cuisinart set for general purposes. I know I’ll need to do tomato based dishes here. But I’ll be honest I’m not too familiar with stainless. I know it CAN do meat. But be prepared to handle the stick. So I’m not sure what other types of dishes would do well in stainless

As for cast iron I know that it does a great job crisping and browning. Therefore I’ve used it mostly for it for meat and potatoes. But moving forward (after I season it better) cast iron will have to be taking over as my non stick. I see a lot of fried egg videos of people flexing their non stick but how does cast iron seasoning hold up to scrambled eggs?

As for carbon steel I’ve never used one, but look forward to seeing how it interacts. I’m imagining that carbon steel would be good for a dish that I want in the cast iron without the hassle of cleaning out the cast iron. ie: Hamburger helper. (Carbon steel appears easier to clean out post meal, or am I wrong?)

How off is my perception of these changes and what advice might you have for a novice in my position?

Super weird question I know, but hear me out.

I want to brew traditional Turkish coffee with sand, while camping.

I will be camping on a beach plenty of sand, and I want to to try to brew my coffee with the hot sand method. (Basically as shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifgQ9RCz2RQ)

I'll have an open cooking fire, so I won't be able to control the heat super well, the coals will be very hot. I'll want to scoop some dry sand into a vessel, and then put that directly on the coals. So my question is, which cookware would be best for this?

My immediate thought was cast iron dutch oven, but is there a risk of it cracking if I heat it up 'dry', without any oil or water?

Thanks for any help!

i was recently gifted a ceramic frying pan. i looked up how to care for it and read on multiple sites i needed to season the pan.

just now, i washed and air dried my pan. i poured a generous tablespoon of canola oil in and put my (gas) burner on halfway. as my floors are slanted, i turned the pan occasionally to counteract a bit of pooling. after nearly an hour, the oil had failed to smoke and the wooden handle was seemingly starting to char where it met the ceramic.

i’ve turned it off and put the pan on another burner to cool. there appear to be a few small burn marks on the surface that look like they’ll wipe away when it’s cool enough to touch.

my question is, what went wrong? the only site that gave close to a time frame for the oil to smoke said 1/2 hour, tops. plus the handle definitely would’ve eventually burned. is it possibly just a poorly made pan?

edit: teaspoon to tablespoon in 2nd paragraph

I’m looking to replace my cookware. I’m a moderate home cook, nothing fancy. Looking for cookware that will last but won’t break the bank.

Is ceramic non-stick worth it? Or is it true you have to replace every 3-5 years?

How difficult is cast iron to maintain?

One edit: I am a vegetarian/pescatarian so I am not cooking meat but do eat fish on occasion. If that’s the case is stainless steel the way to go ?

I'm trying my best but keep burning my pans. I have a bird, so regular nonstick/Teflon is out, and I keep ruining ceramic pans by burning them. I've literally set off the fire alarm multiple times while standing right in front of the stove and spacing out.

I'm looking at cast iron or carbon steel, but my trash brain and bad joints would like something easy to maintain and able to handle foods that stick. I tried carbon steel once, but even after repeated seasoning attempts it kept flash rusting. Now I'm thinking about cast iron, but what are your thoughts? How hard is it to maintain and will it stay nonstick even if I let something burn?

I am wondering what our recent ancestors used to season cookware prior to the availability of vegetable oils. I'm assuming animal oils. Anyone know which ones are best?

Okay I'm going to try and keep this brief. But I have spent the past week desperately researching for a good stainless steel cookware set to buy for me and my partner as we move in together as we are starting from scratch in our kitchen.

I have been up and down the reddit FAQ and browsed hundreds of "Best SS cookware sets of 2021" blog style websites. I come across the same brands more or less every time. Which sounds fine right? Well this is where I run into issues.

I swear to god every single review I check out for these different brands, I find scathing terrible photo's and horror stories of the set I'm looking at. Things like warped pans, or mangled discolouring after one or two uses. It's both hilarious and concerning. Like - look up your favourite cookware recommendation. Does it have ~20% reviews in the 1 to 2 star range? WHY. That is my question. Do that many people not know how to use stainless steel? That is the only conclusion I can come to.

I obviously DO have a budget, and I want to stay below like $600 if I can. Which I think is totally reasonable? I want 3 pans, 3 pots. Usually like a 10 piece set. The only exception I have found to these scathing reviews is on some All-Clad stuff, which I love and looks great but may just be over my budget.

Can anyone tell me what's going on? I feel like I'm being crazy. I've showed my partner what I've found and she's similarly convinced. I'm also thinking Amazon reviews are suffering from customers receiving actual fake products since that can happen on there.

I don't know. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[EDIT] I truly appreciate all of you taking the time to comment! It's put my mind at ease. It sounds like a classic case of "don't trust everything you read on the internet".

I also appreciate the recommendations based on my budget! I'm leaning towards a Calphalon set at the moment at the $400 price range. Definitely a money saver. Going to keep reading your comments and do more research!

[DOUBLE EDIT] For anyone come across this post in the future. I finally pulled the trigger and bought the Costco Kirkland brand!