Seasoning CI.

[SmokyMose]

I should have delivered any day now a Kudu Grill which comes with a 15" CI pan. A video I watched from the manufacturer said to use Linseed Oil to season. I've always used plain old vegetable oil.
Any merit to this?

 

[civilsmoker]

Plain old veg oil will work. I prefer to use grape seed, flaxseed, or when camping canola (from the air pressurized lodge brand seasoning spray bottle, ie no mess in the camp box) Oils with a higher burn temp tend to season better per my experience......

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/lodge-seasoning-spray-oil?sku=A-SPRAY

 

[SmokyMose]

Plain old veg oil will work. I prefer to use grape seed, flaxseed, or when camping canola (from the air pressurized lodge brand seasoning spray bottle, ie no mess in the camp box) Oils with a higher burn temp tend to season better per my experience......

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/lodge-seasoning-spray-oil?sku=A-SPRAY

Thanks. We use Canola now instead of vegetable and have plenty of it.

 

[PolishDeli]

Really, any unsaturated fat will work (Unsaturated because they form larger polymer chains).

Its best to use an oil with a low smoke point (low polymerization temperature), because it's easier to polymerize it in the first place.

Flaxseed oil (same as linseed oil) is one of the best (225F smoke point). Just don't use the one from Home Depot. It also makes a harder polymer than soybean oil (vegetable oil). Can't find data comparing hardness values to other oils though:

https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/download/24870/PDF

Unrefined canola oil would be better than refined: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Smoke_point_of_cooking_oils

...But again, any unsaturated fat will work fine.

Much more important is this:
Lots of thin layers is good.
One thick layer is bad.

 

[SmokyMose]

Really, any unsaturated fat will work (Unsaturated because they form larger polymer chains).

Its best to use an oil with a low smoke point (low polymerization temperature), because it's easier to polymerize it in the first place.

Flaxseed oil (same as linseed oil) is one of the best (225F smoke point). Just don't use the one from Home Depot. It also makes a harder polymer than soybean oil (vegetable oil). Can't find data comparing hardness values to other oils though:

https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/download/24870/PDF

Unrefined canola oil would be better than refined: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Smoke_point_of_cooking_oils

...But again, any unsaturated fat will work fine.

Much more important is this:
Lots of thin layers is good.
One thick layer is bad.

Copy the thin layers good thick layers bad. I'll do a couple of thin layers with heat. It's supposed to be "lightly seasoned" out of the box.....

 

[civilsmoker]

Copy the thin layers good thick layers bad. I'll do a couple of thin layers with heat. It's supposed to be "lightly seasoned" out of the box.....

This is just me, but I season it once (or if pre-seasoned) and then just start using it. After each use, I wash with hot water and if needed a smooth SS round mesh "rag" (you don't want ANY residual food left) then I dry it and put a pea size drop in and coat the cooking surface (If I get too big a drop of oil, I wipe it out as dry as I can with paper towel), then I put it over the burner till I see it start to smoke....I let it go like 15 -30 seconds then let it cool on the stove top.....bingo always non-stick....If you look closely when it starts to smoke you can actually see the oil "harden" and "dry"....I find it fascinating to watch it happen....When its cool it should be smooth with no oil or sticky residue left. Uncured oil goes nasty pretty quickly.

 

[Fueling Around]

I just bought a Blackstone griddle. They recommend their seasoning butter, but I haven't had the chance to finish the process.

I should have delivered any day now a Kudu Grill which comes with a 15" CI pan. A video I watched from the manufacturer said to use Linseed Oil to season. I've always used plain old vegetable oil.
Any merit to this?

If you go that route, make sure to use food grade linseed (flaxseed) oil.

 

[SmokyMose]

I just bought a Blackstone griddle. They recommend their seasoning butter, but I haven't had the chance to finish the process.
If you go that route, make sure to use food grade linseed (flaxseed) oil.

Thanks. Linseed Oil is used as a thinning medium in oil painting and that's what threw me. I didn't know there was a food grade.
Next grocery run I'll check it out, but I'll probably just use Canola.

 

[chopsaw]

Dan , I've used both . Pretty much use canola oil now that they are seasoned . Do the same as civil post cook . Hot water scrub then wipe some oil in and cool over the burner .
I'll mention again , to use lite coats . If you use the oven to season put them upside down . Drip pan underneath .

 

[SmokyMose]

Dan , I've used both . Pretty much use canola oil now that they are seasoned . Do the same as civil post cook . Hot water scrub then wipe some oil in and cool over the burner .
I'll mention again , to use lite coats . If you use the oven to season put them upside down . Drip pan underneath .

Thank you. I'll probably use the oven. I have to be careful. We have a VERY sensitive smoke alarm....

 

[chopsaw]

Thank you. I'll probably use the oven. I have to be careful. We have a VERY sensitive smoke alarm....

If you look up Kent Rollins , he has a method for cast iron that worked for me . He uses 350 for the temp . Best thing that worked for me was use .

 

[civilsmoker]

As an FYI, I use my pellet stove outside. NO alarm there and keeps the house smelling good.

I'll second chop again...dry it a couple of times with dry paper towel after you have coated it.....Don't worry its enough oil...yes drip pan!!! Be careful putting foil on the bottom of the inside oven, that has been know to cause cracks on the oven surface....put it on the lowest rack elevated from the bottom.