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Re: Cast iron help
[Re: Wolfdog91]
#7371833
10/05/21 09:44 AM
10/05/21 09:44 AM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,497 Southern NJ
maintenanceguy
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,497
Southern NJ
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I own several dutch overs and cook in them a lot. I'm the cook for big group camping trips. Here's what I do: - Strip the factory seasoning down to the bare cast iron. I don't care who makes it. None are smooth enough to keep food from sticking any more. I use a flap wheel on a grinder and polish the inside of the dutch oven and the lid (I use the lids as skillets). Polish until it's really smooth.
- Brush the inside lightly with soybean oil. Really lightly. It's going to drip off anyway so the thinner the layer, the less mess you'll make. You need an oil with a really high smoke point. You want the oil to polymerize into a layer of hard plastic without burning. There are other oils with high smoke points but soybean is easy to get in the grocery store.
- Turn the dutch oven upside down and put it in your regular oven at 450º for an hour. It will drip so put aluminum foil under it or you'll make a mess. Open the windows because it's going to get a little smokey.
- Do this 5 more times for 6 layers. At first it will look reddish and you'll see right through the thin layer of seasoning. By the 6th layer it looks black, is shiny like glass, and non stick.
Takes a whole Saturday to get one done.
Last edited by maintenanceguy; 10/05/21 09:45 AM.
-Ryan
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Re: Cast iron help
[Re: Wolfdog91]
#7371897
10/05/21 11:19 AM
10/05/21 11:19 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,801 Beaman Iowa 55
Mike Cope
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,801
Beaman Iowa 55
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I do my stuff like Maintenance guy with one exception:
I use Grape seed oil.
More layers is better for "raw" cast. Too thick of coating of oil will screw stuff up. Thin coats of oil and repeat.
You can season over a burner also, Best done outside if you are married or otherwise cohabiting.
All of the above steps and put it on the burner on high until it stops smoking then wipe another coat of oil on and wait again...at least 5 layers and more is better. turn the burner off when you get too bored or drunk. let it cool naturally. Last but probably most important thing is : Treat it like your Wife or Girlfriend....... DO NOT LET ANYONE "take care of your pan. IT IS YOURS , Be possessive of it and take care of it. You can leave it over night but do not let someone else clean it or help you with it..
Wipe it out, rinse with water, heat it back up on the stove, wipe out again with a wet/more damp rag, let dry on the heat, Then a fresh thin coat of oil(just enough to make it shiny, buff it in well) and store in a dry place, We use the oven.
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Re: Cast iron help
[Re: maintenanceguy]
#7371910
10/05/21 11:37 AM
10/05/21 11:37 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932 SEPA
Lugnut
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 19,932
SEPA
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I own several dutch overs and cook in them a lot. I'm the cook for big group camping trips. Here's what I do:
[list] [*]Strip the factory seasoning down to the bare cast iron. I don't care who makes it. None are smooth enough to keep food from sticking any more. I use a flap wheel on a grinder and polish the inside of the dutch oven and the lid (I use the lids as skillets). Polish until it's really smooth. I do this too. I've done it to my lodge griddle and some cheap cast iron pans at camp. It takes a good deal of work but they are now as smooth inside as my Griswold, Erie and Wagner collection at home. I start with a 40g flap disk on an angle grinder then an 80g. Then I switch to an 80g sanding disk on my orbital sander, then 120g then finally 180g.
Eh...wot?
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Re: Cast iron help
[Re: danny clifton]
#7372470
10/05/21 11:39 PM
10/05/21 11:39 PM
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Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,497 Southern NJ
maintenanceguy
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 1,497
Southern NJ
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I think I was cooking Gumbo when I took this. Sure can make some good food in one. I've never used mine over a fire. not sure I could control the temperature. Always used them on charcoal with more charcoal on the lid. There are instructions on how many coals to put under and on top to get the temperature you want. Those rules never worked for me. Seems like you need a lot of coals in the beginning to get everything hot, take a few away for a while to keep the temp you want, have a few on the side that you start later so they're ready when the first batch starts to cool off. Always moving coals around and rotating the dutch oven to keep it cooking evenly and at the temp you want. Takes practice to get it right. I like the ones with the legs on the lid. It lets you flip the lid over to use it as a skillet.
-Ryan
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