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De-seasoning a cast iron pan

(36 posts)

Started 2 months ago by Nutmeg
Latest reply from Nutmeg

Nutmeg

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I'd like to de-season a cast-iron pan. The usual ways with oven cleaner or lye products scare me a bit. Does anyone know another method? Any hobby sandblasters on the forum?

Thanks.

Posted 2 months ago #
Compass Rose

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I'm curious ... why would you want to de-season a cast iron pan?

Posted 2 months ago #
gracie

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CR I was thinking the exact same thing. Because people usually want to get a good season going on their cast iron.

Posted 2 months ago #
Chef Wahoo

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I don't know about commercially pre-seasoned pans, but if it had been seasoned the traditional way, I'd THINK you could use heat. Don't quote me, but I'd expect that prolonged, high heat in your oven range or gas grill might work. Kind of the way cast iron is seasoned to start with, but don't add the shortening. But the grill would be safest, as all that smoke indoors could get into clothing and upholstery, and might be unpleasant for humans and pets to breathe.

If the pan came pre-seasoned as new, I'd do some research first. Good luck!

Posted 2 months ago #
Compass Rose

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Exactly, Gracie. That's why I wondered. Maybe it's a used pan ... ?

Posted 2 months ago #
Cheese

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Wow, my wife just ran across this other day in one of her home farm books. The solution:

Throw the pan in a bonfire.

The bonfire might be a problem here in suburbia. You would deseason the pan if it is in bad shape from neglect or other bad things.

Other than a bonfire, I would use a very thorough steel wool scrubbing and then season it right away.

Posted 2 months ago #
Apple

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I have bought a bunch of cast iron at the Goodwill. Always need to take off whatever grossness is on it and re-season right after I buy. My involved process. Fill five gallong bucket with three gallons of white vinegar. Top off with water to cover cast iron. Let it sit for 24-48 hours. Scrape with putty knife. Rub with steel wool. Use a wire brush attached to a drill. Make sure everything is off. Rinse with water. Dry. Re-season with a thin coat of crisco in oven or on barbecue at 350 for an hour. Wife thinks I am crazy and should just buy new non-stick.

Posted 2 months ago #
Ernie

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If you have an electric stove it might work to stick it in the oven on the cleaning cycle (600 deg?)? Kind of like a bonfire.

Posted 2 months ago #
allisonw

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I had to do it to mine once after the seasoning got all kerfuffled. I just recall it involved a lot of steel wool and profanity.

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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I want to de-season it to try this process:

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

I do have a self-cleaning oven. I've heard that it goes to about 900 degrees, and that you can warp a cast-iron pan at that heat.

Posted 2 months ago #
Ernie

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Well, a bonfire would be out of the question as well then. Much hotter than 900 degrees.

Posted 2 months ago #
allisonw

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I got an idea from this conversation which led to a quick Google search. Oven cleaner should work great.

http://www.panman.com/cleaning.html

Posted 2 months ago #
iPlod

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If you want it sandblasted, I can do that for you. Polishing it down afterwards would take some time though.

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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iPlod, are you serious? This is something you can do? Is polishing necessary?

Posted 2 months ago #
racerX

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Nutmeg, are you new here? :/

Posted 2 months ago #
shelley

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Nutmeg, my husband did the Cheryl Canter process to all of our cast iron pans. He used the Easy-Off lye based cleaner. The other kind of oven cleaner (low fume) scared him because no telling what was in the can. At least with the lye it was NaOH. He suited up, goggles, face mask, gloves, cheapo painter coveralls and had at it in the back yard. He did try putting our 3 qt dutch oven on the grill and heating to 650. Lots of stuff didn't quite come off.

He printed out the article you had plus this one: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/perfect-popovers-and-how-to-clean-reseason-cast-iron/ and put them both in big zip-lock bags. BTW, the popovers are to die for.

At first I was really skeptical, but the finish produced by the process is really hard and durable, and in 2+ years, I see no degradation or flaking. You want to use pure flaxseed oil (nothing else in it, no vitamins, not anything).

Posted 2 months ago #
Corvus

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I found and old antique cast iron pan which I wanted to rehabilitate. It had rust scale and presumably cooked on crud from many years ago. I used the barbecue as suggested earlier which will reach 500+ degrees. Pretty much everything flaked off and what didn't I scrubbed off dry with coarse sea salt. I didn't get to scientific about the oil as in your link but I did have some coconut oil and that seemed to work just fine. It is a beautiful pan now and has been in daily use for about two years now.

Posted 2 months ago #
marigold

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Make homemade marinara sauce in your cast iron and then let it sit and sit. I found out the hard way that the acids in tomatoes will strip cast iron if you *ahem* don't clean it for a few days. My twenties were very educational in so many ways!

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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RacerX -- No, I'm not new; why do you ask? I've been a member for four years and have been reading the forum for longer than that.

Posted 2 months ago #
saffythepook

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A brillo pad, playtex gloves, and elbow grease.

Posted 2 months ago #
lifeisamazing

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allison you cracked me up

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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Allison, I've already done searches and I know about oven cleaner. I know it's effective. I also know that it comes with a long list of warnings about how dangerous and toxic it is, so I was wondering if anyone had other ideas.

Posted 2 months ago #
Cate

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If it is just the inside you are worried about, I have unseasoned some of mine by boiling a vinegar/water solution in it followed by a good scrubbing.
Edited to add that you may have to repeat it twice and follow it with a baking soda/water wash to neutralize the vinegar.

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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One of the pans is a comal which doesn't have sides, so it won't hold liquid. Thanks for the suggestion.

Posted 2 months ago #
boatgeek

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Lye (NaOH) is bad stuff. Definitely don't eat it, and definitely suit up properly before using it. But it's also relatively easy and predictable to neutralize with weak acids, and the byproducts of neutralizing it will wash off with water. Definitely better IMHO than an oven cleaner where they won't tell you what's in it.

Posted 2 months ago #
iPlod

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I can sandblast your pan Nutmeg. It's no big deal for me & would only take a few minutes of my time if that's all you want.

Polishing? Well, that's different, how smooth do you want the surface? Sandblasting leaves it kind of rough & polishing takes time. On the other hand, I've never cooked anything in a sandblasted pan.

Maybe the rough (relatively) surface would hold more oil more firmly in place & make for more better cookering. Who knows. Now I'm curious.

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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I'm interested, iPlod. Can we talk off-line?

Posted 2 months ago #
ynh98107

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A bon fire will do the trick.

Posted 2 months ago #
allisonw

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Plod, I have a steel dresser that I am going to get powdercoated. Should I have you sandblast it first?

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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Who knew there was such a demand for sandblasting?

Posted 2 months ago #
racerX

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RacerX -- No, I'm not new; why do you ask? I've been a member for four years and have been reading the forum for longer than that.

@Nutmeg.

Well, you did ask if iPlod was being serious. ;)

Posted 2 months ago #
neudl

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Run it through the oven on cleaning cycle. Works like a charm. Then re-season

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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iPlod? Ya there?

Posted 2 months ago #
iPlod

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pfff hmmph snorrrt wwhhaa?

No allisonw those powder coaters should include prepping in their quote.

Nutmeg, kgconnexion at the ht ml.

Posted 2 months ago #
Cate

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Maybe this a reflection on the current state of my life, but this has been a fascinating thread - who knew there was so much to know about seasoning a pan.

Posted 2 months ago #
Nutmeg

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And it's not even over. I have a rendez-vous planned . . .

Posted 2 months ago #