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Vintage cast iron

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Kingcreek:
The good thing is, if you totally ruin a proper seasoning you can start over.
I put the scabby old rust and crud ones upside down on the propane grill on high for an hour (about 550f) then just turned off the heat and let them cool down on their own. I used abrasives where needed then course salt and vinegar scour before rinsing drying with heat and then seasoning in several stages.
I find myself using one more and more on the grill, like for sautéed onions or a side veggie.
Started with a stack, junked 2 and only ended up with a surplus of 1, maybe. I have to decide which to keep between an 8" and a 7.5". Handy size. Maybe I'll keep em all. I'll never need to buy another... Oooh unless I come across a nice griddle...

T.O.M.:
When I was still involved with the Boy Scout Troop (both my sons are aged out), I found an old dutch oven and a couple of large skillets.  They had been neglected, rusty, and just sad.  Took them to the next camping trip with some fine sandpaper, some steel wool, some Scotch sponges (the green abrasive ones), Dawn, and some real lard obtained by a Troop dad who owned a restaurant.  Sanded it all, scrubbed with steel wool.  Washed with Dawn and Scotch pad.  Let it dry to make sure we got all the rust.  Built a nice fire a stuck the cast iron in.  When it was good and hot, brushed lard on it all, then back in the fire.  Put on a few coats of oil.  Old times were impressed a young guy like me (I was 44 at the time) knew how to take care of the good stuff.

K Frame:
The only problem with bacon grease is that it has salt in it. If you don't get the oil totally burned off the salt can stay under what remains and cause rusting. If you get that nice glassy finish of a good carbon seasoning, though, the salt will rinse right out.

I've had my best seasoning successes with olive oil.

charby:

--- Quote from: Mike Irwin on June 24, 2020, 07:19:13 AM ---The only problem with bacon grease is that it has salt in it. If you don't get the oil totally burned off the salt can stay under what remains and cause rusting. If you get that nice glassy finish of a good carbon seasoning, though, the salt will rinse right out.

I've had my best seasoning successes with olive oil.

--- End quote ---

Probably because of the lower smoke point. I think that is why look lard works well, smoke point  of 375 F.

K Frame:
That's an interesting though regarding smoke point.

I've always seasoned my cast iron in the oven at about 350 deg. F. Depending on how much surface oil I have on it, it will take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to burn off completely. I've never tried any of the higher smoke point oils.

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