I bought a used Lodge cast iron chicken fryer which was rusty. I scrubbed it with sandpaper smoothing it somewhat and then seasoned it with canola oil in an oven for one hour at 300 degrees. I tried to fry an egg in it and it sticks. Any ideas?

-- bobby achord (bobbyachord@aol.com), November 08, 1999

Answers

Hi bobby, Seasoning cast Iron takes a while. It sounds like your off to a good start. The first application of oil to any pice of iron cook ware is important, but to get a good non-stick surface requires some maintenance. First do not use soap or any other de-greaser on your Iron until it's realy seasoned good. Avoid cooking high acid foods in newly seaoned cook ware, especially tomatoes. If you do cook these foods wash out pan with hot water and a metal scrub pad, dry with an old rag and lightly rub down your pan with oil. We have about 38 pices of cast iron cook ware. It is all we use. I have learned a few tricks over the years. Don't give up on Iron it is the best. If you clean your chicken fryer as above in a month it will be black as coal. A chicken fryer is a good pice to have. You can use it like a skillet or sauce pan or a duch oven. If I could have only one pice of iron that is what it would be. If you have a lid for it, try cooking pop corn in it. That is a fast way to get good seasoning results. If you do not have a lid, one should be easy to find. Most chicken fryers are #7's or #8's and there are a lot that sized lid out there. My wife and I are working on a cast iron news letter. Please E-mail us if you have any ideas or want to see it when it's out.

-- Lawson Moore (marmerduke@aol.com), November 08, 1999.

G'ma used to use salt on the cast iron. Was it for scouring or drawing the water out of the pore spaces so they could be filled with oil? I think she put the pans in the oven with the salt in them?

-- Kendy Sawyer (sweetfire@grove.net), November 08, 1999.

I've fownd that animal fat such as bacon grease works better than vegatable oil, try the same procces with bacon grease... good luck

-- doris richards (dorisquilts@webtv.net), November 08, 1999.

Eggs are a tough test! Our policy has always been that when we have newly seasoned cast iron we restrict it's use to cooking food with plenty of grease the first few times. Things like browning meat and bacon. After a few uses with fatty foods eggs should be a charm. Good luck, cast iron is worth the initial hassles!!!! Don't give up. Kim

-- Kim (fleece@eritter.net), November 09, 1999.

I like to season my own cast iron with shortening. Oil sometimes makes it gummy, after a couple applications. Just keep on using your pan and it will get better. The fact that people give up so easy on cast iron is how I got most of my own. You sound like you have the right idea, good luck!!

-- Jenny Pipes (auntjenny6@aol.com), November 09, 1999.

Iron is the best, I have maybe 120 pieces. Another good thing to do after a piece has been used, wash it quickly in very hot soapy water, rinse in very hot water, dry and put back on the stove over heat for 3 or 4 minutes, cut off the heat and be careful to not let it it get wet.

-- Phyllis Nancy Daniels (phancydans@aol.com), November 10, 1999.

If you buy a rusty cast iron pan or pot the best thing to start the cleaning process is to put it in your fireplace and build a good fire. Let it remain in the firebox until the fire burns out(or it can stay in for days). When you remove the pan it will be as clean as when it was new. All you have to do then is re-season the pan with oil or grease of some sort and you are set.You can do this outside in a fire as well. The pan will get redhot but will not melt.This will also work on your pots and pans that get a build-up over time.

-- Sylvia Bollinger (crackergal1@yahoo.com), November 10, 1999.

wash out your frying pan with hot water only, scrub off visible rust, and leave dry over heat until no water is left. Rub your pan with oil of any kind, inside and out and leave over low heat for about 1 hour. The important thing is to not use soap to wash your pan in future uses.To fry eggs, it just takes a seasoned pan to do the job. Use a nonstick pan until your cast iron pan is fully seasoned. This may take a while, so make a roast or two in the cast iron pan until it is ready.After every use, wipe your pan with oil and let dry. Within a week or so your pan should be seasoned enough for a fried egg!

-- cara lewis (cnllewis@email.com), December 14, 1999.

cook a couple of pounds of bacon and you'll be all set

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), January 05, 2000.

this is rather a question then an answer. can you clean up an old cast iron pot by putting it in your self cleaning oven????????????

-- sally stanton (mallardhen67@hotmail.com), February 17, 2000.