So how do I perfectly season a cast iron pan? What oil is the best for seasoning? You guys are way more autist about it then Google is.
>>7466744
it doesnt matter
just oil it and use it
>>7466744
http://www.thekitchn.com/i-seasoned-my-cast-iron-pan-with-flaxseed-oil-and-heres-what-happened-224612
>>7466744
*than
>>7466749
This. Any food-safe oil works. Canola, corn, peanut, lard, etc. etc.
Don't bother. The people who sperg over this have unlimited free time and zero money, so they try to make their cast iron do everything poorly, instead of having different tools for different jobs.
Used correctly, it doesn't matter if your cast iron pan is spergtastically seasoned.
Because a cast iron pan is not a nonstick pan, and anyone who tells you otherwise isn't using his pan correctly.
just salt and pepper is probably fine
>>7466778
Sounds like you don't know how to care for your pan, bro. If you know what you're doing it doesn't take any appreciable effort at all to keep it nonstick. Sperg level effort is not required to care for a CI pan, nor is it required to keep the pan nonstick.
>>7466813
>first we brush it gently with the boar brush
>then we sprinkle pink himalayan salt while chanting prayers to the pagan gods
>then we brush lukewarm deionized water on it and tilt it towards the four winds
>then we gently rinse it off using deionized water
>then we use a silk rag to brush extra virgin borage seed oil
>then we heat it on a charcoal fire for ten minutes and then cool, repeat this cycle five hundred times
>you may now use your cast iron pan unless acidic foods or anything with spices
Sperg more, neckbeard.
The correct way to take care of a cast iron pan is to wash it with hot water and detergent, you unsanitary slob.
Use them a lot. The more you use them the better your seasoning will become. I think they're very easy to maintain too, much simpler than their reputation may have you believe.
>>7466831
>The correct way to take care of a cast iron pan is to wash it with hot water and detergent, you unsanitary slob.
I agree 100%. That's exactly what I meant by "sperg level effort is not required".
Is it feasible to use iron skillets exclusively in a home kitchen? For minimalist purposes?
>>7467647
More or less, but they aren't really feasible for doing stuff like boiling a bunch of water to make pasta, or making decent size batches of soup or stock.
Still probably better off just having a collection of different cookware for different purposes. You can still be "minimalist" and just have the essential cookware that you need regularly.
>>7466744
people who don't know the difference between than and then are worse than hitler tbph
>>7467659
Maybe I'd be better off with one iron skillet one regular pan then pots and the rest of the essentials in aluminum or something simple
>>7466849
>>7466831
>washing a well-seasoned pan with detergent
sure, if you want to spend hours rebuilding the season on everytime you wash it.
I don't understand the mythology behind naysayers
it's quite simple. Iron is a porous material. The layer of oils and fats helps alleviate this.
Cast iron isn't hard to take care of. I personally never use water at all, let alone detergent.
Someday I'll make a megathread about cast iron in order to dispel a lot of these rumors and myths.
t. someone who cooks solely with cast iron for the most part
>>7467678
Pretty much. I would say get a CI skillet and dutch oven, a fairly large pot for making soups/stocks/boiling water, smaller saucepan or two, maybe a non stick pan specifically for making eggs/omelets etc.
That's pretty much what I have in my collection. A mix of cast iron, stainless, anodized aluminum and a couple non stick pans.
>>7467680
Can you chime in on this?
I'm moving into my own apartment soon and have been using my roommates stuff who used to own a house so bad a whole bunch of crap I never needed to buy my own stuff I am trying to keep my kitchen is clean and minimal as possible.
Pick related I'm making a magnetic knife block if that helps you sense my inspiration
>>7467678
>>7467647
>>7467680
>using soap on cast iron destroys the seasoning!
I'm so tired of this meme.
If all your seasoning comes off every time you use some soap in your cast iron, it was never seasoned properly to begin with.
I've been cooking with cast iron cookware for over 25 years, washing using dish detergent, and it has never stripped off the seasoning, ever.
>>7467680
>Seasoning is actually not a thin layer of oil, it's a thin layer of polymerized oil, a key distinction. In a properly seasoned cast iron pan, one that has been rubbed with oil and heated repeatedly, the oil has already broken down into a plastic-like substance that has bonded to the surface of the metal. This is what gives well-seasoned cast iron its non-stick properties, and as the material is no longer actually an oil, the surfactants in dish soap should not affect it. Go ahead and soap it up and scrub it out.
>The one thing you shouldn't do? Let it soak in the sink. Try to minimize the time it takes from when you start cleaning to when you dry and re-season your pan. If that means letting it sit on the stovetop until dinner is done, so be it.
>>7467691
I like your style anon. I'm trying to stay away from going to hey department store in buying a $99 set because I'll end up with three sizes of every kind of pan you can imagine and still having to add a few of my own pieces such as cast iron skillet's and I'll end up with a cabinet full of debauchery which I hate.
For example I'm ordering some knives soon and I'm sticking with two for now to see how it feels well I'm going to add a bread knife of course but I can get those cheap since a sharp bread knife this sort of irrelevant.
http://korin.com/Togiharu-Hammered-Texture-Damascus-2pcs-Set-Santoku-Petty?sc=27&category=280117
I feel I will be able to do most anything with these two knives and a bread knife the only reason I have a half dozen different Neises if I was a professional chef or really cooked and prepared complex roasts and raw meat often which I don't
>>7467710
Exactly.
I got a knife block set for Christmas many years ago from my Dad. The only knives out of it I ever use are the chef's, boning, paring and bread knives. Those are really the only ones I would say are baseline essential since they can perform the vast majority of the tasks you would ever need to do in a home kitchen.
>>7467647
I have a 1 CI pan and 1 CI dutch oven for soups, stews, casseroles, breads, etc.
>>7467731
Yeah I'm pretty sure I can do everything with a santoku and a slightly smaller petty or utility knife the only reason I will add a bread knife is so I don't damage the fine edge running the knife through bread into a pan or tinfoil. Check out this article in the end the chef proclaims that he basically can do anything with the one quality knife as opposed to 8 specialized ones.
https://ismailthechef.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/if-my-knives-could-talk-a-chefs-journey/
Like I said I'm trying to building minimalist functional efficient kitchen.
> pick related
I opt for the santoku instead of the chefs knife because I like to slice and shop as opposed to rock the blade back-and-forth like you do with a Western chefs knife.
![OXO-Good-Grips-Flexible-Silicone-Pancake-Turner_IN_500px[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/u0JlJt9.jpg "OXO-Good-Grips-Flexible-Silicone-Pancake-Turner_IN_500px[1].jpg")
>>7467693
>All those knives point up
reeeeeee
>>7467710
Not a fan of patterned steel or santoku knives but that's more personal preference. A chef's knife, paring knife, and serrated is all you'll need.
One medium large pan for sauteeing pan frying, a small-medium saucepan, and a large pot for boiling, stews, etc. should cover most of your basics. You can always buy more shit as you need it.
Get a big silicone spatula as well they're fucking great.
>>7467748
I could go for a set up like that just have one or two iron skillet's and one or two Dutch ovens and almost be set. Might had one or two other aluminum pieces to that but I could keep my set under five or six pieces making it very efficient.
>>7467755
yeah I like the santokus. Just the way I like to slicing shop and then I can add the putty knife that you see in my above post to have the drop point style blade and then just get a cheaper serrated knife.
And I think all those things you listed with leave me pretty complete. I'll be right over.
And I love pattern steel
> pic related the set I want
>>7467693
Just get a 10 incher cast iron and see if you like it.
It's like 20 bucks. Some people hunt around for vintage brands with that satin-y finish but that's hipster talk.
Generally I use cast iron whenever I'm searing meat, frying eggs, bacon, sauteing, etc. It has arguably a more viable place in a household with electric burners because the even heat distribution really helps mitigate hotspots.
You don't need a huge skillet because they're so fucking heavy
Maybe get a small plate one for searing individual steaks and warming tortillas and what not, and one with ~2 inch edges for sauteing. That's all you really want desu. Dutch ovens sound like a nightmare.
>>7467776
Yeah maybe I can do just about everything with that and then get a few aluminum pots.
>>7467776
My Mexican as fuck girlfriend cooking right now and I'm talking over the efficient kitchen ideas with her as we speak
>>7467794
>my post is being read by a Chad and Stacey a thousand miles away
a-alright
>>7467783
I personally fucking hate aluminum cookware, but it is the way to go if you need a big, cheap pot.
>>7466751
kill yourself, redditor
>>7467815
Yeah chief would fit the description of what I'm looking for kek.
I sharpened my roomates carving knife and use it for everything.
>>7467831
cheap* fucking dictation
>>7467783
why is the cooktop on? looks dangerous
if it true you can't use tomato sauce in these pans?
they seem like they take such an autistic level of care, I'd rather just get cookware that doesnt have rules
>>7468113
Do you let your tomato sauce sit in the pan for a week? If that's not the case, you shouldn't have a problem.
>>7468113
Every kind of cookware has rules. Stainless, teflon, enamel, everything. If you buy quality stuff and treat it well, it will last practically forever.
>>7466744
Flaxseed oil.
Here's the lowdown:
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
>>7468138
Yeah, but the rules for stainless are things like "don't throw at a brick wall" and "don't use for cooking concrete."
The rules for cast iron are more along the lines of "don't cook sardines on the third night after the new moon in Autumn."
>>7468204
There exists no such rule for cast iron. What the fuck are you even talking about?
Stop listening to idiotic shitposters.
>>7468251
Wow. Are you like the autist king?
>>7468255
Not at all. Just pointing out that there are no autistic rules when it comes to using cast iron.
>>7466744
Start with frying bacon in it, no oil in the pan, cold pan, plop bacon in it fatty end down, fire up on low heat and let the glorious fat render onto the pan nice and slow. This will help get the pan off to a good start. It takes time, but after each use wipe it clean with a paper towel, then lightly coat with oil. Wanna make non stick eggs? Warm up the pan on medium high, use a good butter, none of them light lower fat shit tier super market butters, try Kerry grass fed, won't burn easy and when you crack eggs onto the pan they shouldn't stick if the pan and butter are hot enough. There's some thinking that butter and oil don't mix easily, so wiping down the pan clean after each use with a light layer of any food cooking oil and then using a tad bit of butter to cook with will make even an unseasoned pan nonstick.>>7466744
>>7468204
The rules are:
- Don't cook anything acidic in it
- Don't use soap when cleaning it
- Don't leave water in it for a long time
Is that too hard for you to understand?
>>7466744
seriously anon?
cast iron is a meme cooking tool. they're not that good.
>>7468281
You forgot:
- Keep oiled when not in use
- Don't use metal
- Season. Please see subsection 3 for the 3000 rules pertaining to seasoning.
>>7468310
You can use metal, and seasoning is something you do only once. It's not a usage limitation.
The point about keeping it oiled is true, though.
>>7468310
>- Keep oiled when not in use
Not necessary
>- Don't use metal
What. One of the benefits of cast iron is that you can use metal utensils.
Seasoning only has to be done once and only takes a few hours, during 99% of which you don't even have to be in the kitchen.
>>7466778
>Because a cast iron pan is not a nonstick pan, and anyone who tells you otherwise isn't using his pan correctly.
You know, I agree with this
Cast iron has no substitutes in heat retention. It's for FORGED IN THE FIRES OF MOUNT DOOM
Feels weird to cook delicate low-heat food in it just because it's non-stick. Just use a teflon pan, it weighs less, doesn't react to acidic shit like tomatoes, and you can use soap.
>>7468316
I don't keep my pan oiled when not in use. I just dry it by putting it in the oven at 250 degrees for an hour.
Never had any rust or other problems doing it that way.
>>7468325
An hour? Seems excessive.
And no matter how thoroughly you dry it, you won't prevent moisture in the air from creating rust on any exposed spots. Oiling after use is supposed to prevent that, and helps repair the seasoning when you do cook with it.
>>7468348
Yeah, an hour in the oven is excessive. After I wash mine I just heat it on a high burner on the stove for a couple minutes until it's dry.
>>7467693
Let's see if I can remember this shit
Chef's knife
Paring knife
Bread knife
Kitchen shears
Two cutting boards, for vegetables and meat each. Meat one should have a juice groove around the perimeter. Wood is best for both. ~1 Inch thick is ideal to prevent warping. Choose size based on what will fit in your sink for washing.
Wet and dry measures, get gadgets as you need them.
A heavy gauge half-size baking sheet and a cooling rack. Go smaller if you have a small sink.
Non-stick bread pan.
Non stick Muffin pan.
12 inch skillet as a workhorse, make this your best pan if you're short on money
12 inch cast iron pan
A non stick pan, teflon is a little better than ceramic if you baby it (please baby it, no metal utensils ever, hand wash), probably only needs to be 10 inches because you use it for single delicate items
3 quart? sauce pan
enameled cast iron dutch/french oven
You should be able to do anything with that and appliances
>>7468377
Wait what the hell do you mean a 12 inch skillet and a 12 inch cast-iron ham and then a nonstick pan one 12 inch cast iron skillet covers all three of those things so I need one maybe two pans for cooking things at once Matthew Potts everything about the skillet nonsense seems good though I can build a nice set up out of that
>>7468399
Cast iron reacts and puts iron into anything acidic you cook
Most of the time you want food to stick to the pan to brown it, stainless steel is best for that. A non stick cast iron pan can do that too, but it'll take higher heat which will be too hot for a lot of cooking
Also it might be hard to find a matching lid for cast iron for brazing
You can use your cast iron for non-stick and forego a teflon pan, just don't put tomatoes in your omelet
I would also say you could alternatively forego cast iron and just use stainless steel and teflon skillets, but cast iron is really good for baking
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/the-truth-about-cast-iron.html
cast iron thread: requires this article
>>7466744
Flax seed is without a doubt a meme.
I recently used crisco and it came out beautiful, and apart from bacon because it is cured with sugar so it always kinda sticks, I never have anything stick in it.
If you wanna get fancy, and have some, use a flax seed layer as a base layer, then use crisco over it. It just werks. Otherwise
>preheat oven really hot
>oil it with an ever so slight layer of Crisco
>pop it in for an hour I believe
>turn oven off and let it cool
>repeat like 2 times
Just that easy. If it already has a little bit of seasoning, just do it once.
>>7469862
I just use safflower oil for seasoning mine. It's cheap and has a high smoke point and isn't a complete autistic meme oil like flax seed oil.
>>7469889
Why are you so afraid of "meme" things?
>>7469928
Why are you so quick to defend "meme" things?
FOR THE LAST GOD DAMNED TIME! You cannot season a cast iron pan to perfection without actually COOKING IN IT! All this shite about oil and temperature is only meant to PREPARE THE PAN FOR SEASONING BUY ACTUALLY COOKING IN IT!
Fuck, /ck/ has become a god damned wasteland of ignorant thought.
>>7469938
I was attacking you, not defending "memes". You seem to be afraid of anything that has been labeled a "meme", even though that term has already lost all meaning on 4chan (just like "autistic").
>>7469938
Because the whole "meme" concept is silly and therefore it makes no sense to use it as judgement criteria.
