What’s special about seasoning cast iron? Why not season every type of metal pan? Wouldn’t it confer the same non-stick qualities?
Can’t I season my Revereware aluminum pan?
You season carbon steel, too. Don’t know about the physics of why that and not aluminum. Something to do with metal “pores” perhaps? Though looking online, apparently you can season aluminum.
You can season stainless steel, plain steel, and aluminum pans. Same way as with cast iron. Maybe you can season a copper pan too, never thought about it. Some people like to keep their aluminum and stainless steel pans shiny so they never allow a seasoning layer to build up.
The basic reason is to prevent it from rusting. Not an issue with stainless, aluminum, copper, etc. Sure you might get an oxide layer but it’s not the same.
I think the processes involved in making stainless steel and aluminum impart wonderful flavors. Cast iron is rather bland on it’s own.
Because it needs it to make the cast iron pan usable and practical. It is basically the easiest way to maintain cast iron apart from shear neglect. This is not true for other pans which offers more non-stick ability naturally along with being scrubbable with soap which makes it easier to clean and can be put in the dishwasher. Rusting is also an issue with cast iron where a layer of oil is needed, so that itself lends to seasoning.
I’m sure the porosity plays into the reasons for the above, but I assume it’s just the best way to use and maintain each type of pan.
Agreed - it’s also more or less an inevitable outcome of just using a cast iron pan - if you fry things in it on a daily basis, you will season the pan, unless you go to great effort to scour it clean after each use. I have a cast iron skillet that I just use. I’ve never gone to any specific trouble to deliberately season it, and I ignore a lot of the concerned advice about never using detergent or scrubbing with a brush or whatever. I just wash it along with the dishes, in the same way as everything else. After 25 years of use, it’s wonderfully seasoned, and people keep asking me how I did it. I didn’t do anything.
Seasoning is basically building up a strong layer of polymerised oil. Done right and you have a resilient non-stick surface better than any Teflon pan. But it does take time and care. If you want it in a hurry it’s is something of a fiddle and even then still improves over time.
But it is black, a bit icky, and not much use for roles where non-stick is not needed.
I’ve never thought about trying it on SS or aluminium. It is possible it may not bond so well. Cast iron, and wrought iron work well.
I season all of my stainless steel and cast iron. It provides a wonderful non-stick surface without seasoning these pants would be a nightmare to cook with. One simple trick with cast iron you just simply put it in the oven on self cleaning mode clean it up good when it comes out and reseason would like coats of oil it only takes a few minutes not a big deal
With regards to aluminum, does anyone have seasoned aluminum sheet pans and can speak to their benefits? I have a few aluminum pans I use for roasting vegetables, and the oil I add to the vegetables is very hard to get off. I swear oil sticks stronger to aluminum pans than steel. I’ve often thought about just not endlessly scrubbing the blackened oil from the aluminum pans and leaving it as a seasoned pan.
These pants are made for woking, that’s just what they do. One of these days these pants will wok all over you.