# Cast iron skillet newbie here - your wisdom solicited! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175 "2015-12-23T14:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/21 "2015-12-23T22:41:28Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > There’s a guy I worked with who restored cast iron cookware, and resold it. He told me something that sounds like conspiracy theory stuff, that I have no idea if true or not, that I’ll share here to help spread the paranoia. He said that there is only one American company left (I have no idea the name) that makes quality cast iron cookware. By this he means that it is not dangerously radioactive. He warns you to beware of cookware made with Chernobyl metal, which is pretty much all of the other stuff. > Hope this helps. I don’t think anyone in the Soviet Union, Russia, or Ukraine was too worried about recovering iron from Chernobyl. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/22 "2015-12-24T02:45:12Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > If you want to go hard core this [method](http://www.thekitchn.com/i-seasoned-my-cast-iron-pan-with-flaxseed-oil-and-heres-what-happened-224612) seems to have universal acclaim. I know it worked well for me. > > On edit, I see the link I provided is the same method as linked to in post 5. Great link! I’ll have to give it a try. On using flax seed oil: it works well because it’s what’s called a “drying oil”- it readily oxidizes into a hard polymer. How good an oil is for that purpose is measured by what’s called the [iodine value](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iodine_value). Flax/Linseed oil scores high on that list but fairly good substitutes are walnut oil and sunflower oil, which are easier to find and not as expensive; do make sure they’re 100% without additives though. I’ve used walnut oil for naturally finishing wood for that reason, but the cast-iron seasoning didn’t occur to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/23 "2015-12-26T15:11:11Z")
Can you use a cast iron skillet on a glass top stove? (carefully, of course, and I figure without moving or sliding it, if at all) ---
**Author:** ![Me\_Billy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Me\_Billy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Me_Billy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/24 "2015-12-26T15:50:38Z")
Here are my modified prime rib cooking directions… Prime Rib Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Sear prime rib on hot oiled pan. Melt 1 stick butter and pour/rub into roast. Season Use wired meat thermometer. Set alarm to 110 degrees. Cook in 500 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. When internal temperature reaches 110 degrees, remove from oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let sit approximately 15 to 20 minutes. NOTE: Cutting into the meat too early will cause a significant loss of juice. Do not skip the resting stage. Residual Heat or Carry-Over Cooking: The rib roast will continue to cook as it sets. The temperature will rise to 120 degrees internal temperature (rare) in 15 to 20 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/25 "2015-12-26T16:35:59Z")
I will often buy very dirty old cast iron pans and pots at garage sales. I sometimes use a bon fire and just set my pans over the top for an hour or two and let them just burn everything off. They come out like brand new. I usually season by rubbing on thin successive layers of crisco and smoking it off. Selsom more than 3 layers to get the pan off to a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/26 "2015-12-26T18:13:13Z")
I’m still having a bit of trouble: after baking, most of the oil on the pan has gathered into little freckle-like dots of coating. I’ve done my smooth pan four times now and it almost looks like it’s pebbled- and STILL has spots without any seasoning. What the heck? ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/27 "2015-12-26T18:21:42Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I’m still having a bit of trouble: after baking, most of the oil on the pan has gathered into little freckle-like dots of coating. I’ve done my smooth pan four times now and it almost looks like it’s pebbled- and STILL has spots without any seasoning. What the heck? That’s going to happen with new seasoning. The iron has tiny hills and valleys and it will take a lot of use to even that stuff out. The spots are places where the seasoning has polymerized correctly. Cook with it. Use metal utensils in it, scrub it with kosher salt and it will even out more quickly. Mostly just cook with it. How long have you had the pan? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2015, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/28 "2015-12-26T18:43:15Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > I agree with the above posts. [Here’s](http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/) a blog article that I recommend for detailed info. > > A tip I’ve found helpful: heat up a pan before adding oil. Apparently the surface can absorb a touch of moisture from the air, and heating it first gets rid of that and allows the oil to work better to prevent sticking. I agree with that blog article. That’s what finally got me a good seasoning base on a pretty cheap-o Target cast iron pan. Once you get a good base, it’s pretty hard to screw it up too much and you can cook acidic stuff in it, wash it with soap, etc. I still try not to use soap too often, but I have no issue with using it when I need to. The main thing for me is just to keep it dry with a very light coat of oil between uses. I will say this, though, if you go the flaxseed oil route, be aware that it generates a kind of fishy smell when cooking, so you might want to make sure your hood is running. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2015, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175/29 "2015-12-27T20:05:42Z")
This is probably better suited to Cafe Society. I’ll relocate it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cast-iron-skillet-newbie-here-your-wisdom-solicited/741175.md?page=1)