# Pre-seasoned cast iron frying pan



## Ack226 (Nov 30, 2009)

I've just acquired a new Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron pan. I've read that the pre-seasoning on these isn't too great and it's best to season them yourself. Is this true? Should I worry about re-seasoning a new pre-seasoned pan or just fry a few batches of bacon in it first thing and then call it good?

If I do re-season it myself do I need to scrub off the existing pre-seasoning first and then re-season, or can I just re-season over the top of the existing seasoning?


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

id wash with water, dry well, coat with lard and bake in the oven for an hour. wipe out excess oil and use it as often as you can. We use our cast iron daily, and the "preseasoning" cant compare with daily use seasoning


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

If you strip and reseason you'll have approximately the same thing. With any newly seasoned pan, frying in it "sets" (deepens) the seasoning. Frying French fries, sausage, bacon, fatback, and chicken are good ways to build your seasoning. It's the same thing that you'd do if you started all over again. Don't cook tomato based products for a while. The acid in the tomatoes tends to remove the seasoning. Don't put water in your pan to soak stuck, burned food. Don't use steel wool or other abrasive to clean your pan.

AFTER you've build up a good seasoning on your pan, you'll be able to do most of these don'ts without causing any problem. It just take time and use, whether it's pre-seasoned from the factory or stripped and re-seasoned at home.

FWIW, I collect castiron cookware. Have both a lye bath and electrolysis system for stripping and reseasoning cast iron. 

Lee

Lee


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## Fae (Mar 9, 2005)

Lee, what would you do about an old Wagner that seems to be well seasoned but has a spot about the size of a dime that sticks when I make cornbread in it. I always just wash my castiron with hot water and a brush.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

If the over all seasoning is still good, you can deepen the seasoning by coating with a very thin film of shortening (Crisco) or canola oil. 

Put your pan in the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 350-400 degrees. CAREFULLY with oven mits, remove the pan from the oven and set it on a DRY heat proof surface. A wooden board is a good choice. Or set it on one of your stove burners if not glass top. Using a wad of paper towels wipe on the shortening or oil. Use another wad of dry towels to wipe off the excess. Return the pan to the oven. Leave it there for at least an hour. 

Turn off the heat and let it cool naturally in the oven. BTW, this is best done outdoors on a gas grill because it will smoke. If you don't have a grill, use your exhaust fan when the smoke starts. 

You may need to repeat a couple of times. However, before repeating, fry up a few French fries. Don't need a big batch. A couple of potatoes is more than enough. It's frying that really sets the seasoning.

To keep your pan in good order for cornbread baking, you may need to fry some more potatoes from time to time. For some reason, if the only use of a pan is to bake cornbread, the seasoning doesn't hold up as well, based on my experience. So, I try to fry something after every 2-3 sessions of cornbread in my 8" and 10" pans.

If the above doesn't solve the sticking problem in one spot, you may have to strip and re-season. But, I wouldn't do that unless it's the only choice. It takes a while to get that non-stick back after stripping and re-doing the pan.

BTW, you have a great pan. Those old Wagner's are nice. I have a couple of them in my collection that surrounds my fireplace. Hang on to it. Not only is it a fine pan for cooking, it's value will only go up as time goes by. Those old pans are getting harder and harder to find. 

Hope this helps.
Lee


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## Marcia in MT (May 11, 2002)

I have a couple of those Lodge pre-seasoned pans, and the seasoning does wear off if you use it over high heat (the wok is especially prone to this). I wash the pans in hot water and a scrubbie, then dry on the stove. When the pan is dry, I rub it with a *small* amount of oil, spreading it well. I turn the heat down to about as low as it will go, and leave the pan to sit for up to half an hour or so. I check once in a while as the center usually needs to have the oily towel run over it again. When cool, the surface is hard and not oily.

Treated like this, the seasoning stays intact, they don't rust, and they are nicely non-stick.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

Ack226 said:


> I've just acquired a new Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron pan.


Lee, I don't think this is in the "collector" category. These are made today, and it's not a Wagner.

What is your most unusual cast iron in your collection?


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

The collector comment was about Wagner CI. Currently they are just behind Griswold in terms of being prized by collectors.

My pride and joy is my father's 20" double handle CI skillet. Haven't been able to identify the manufacturer. 

I have some Griswold and Wagner skillets. Also have 3 gatemarked spiders. (Frying pans on legs that were used for fireplace cooking.) Most gatemarked pieces were made prior to 1900. Have a few other gatemarked pieces.

Oh, have a Stover waffle iron that was made for a wood cookstove. The base sits on the stove. Batter is put into the iron. The iron is rotated in the base when it's time to turn it.

Trying to think........ A Griswold 2 burner gas stove. A couple of wedge cornbread pans and a corn stick pan. Castiron flat irons for clothing. And a CI washpot.

None of these are really unusual. 

Lodge made before the mid 1960's is becoming highly collectible. Lodge changed their casting/finishing operations then. The older pieces are of better quality than what's being cast today. That said, Lodge is still far superior to the imports labeled made in China. 

Lee


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