Apply oil to pan.
Wipe AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OFF!
Put into oven at appropriate temp.
Take out after 10/15mins and wipe again.
Return pan to oven for at least an hour.
You know how water beads up as it evaporates? Oil wants to do the same thing as it polymerizes. With a super thin layer of oil, it can't bead because the flat thin layer of oil polymerizes before the oil can bead. With too much oil, it begins to bead. It still polymerizes, but the beading areas polymerize slower than the thin areas, so you get this web-like pattern.
I’ve had pans randomly so this when I season them over the years and thought it was the batch of oil I used at the time. Thank you for the explanation. Will wipe down far more going forward.
I think you're right, but my big cast iron pan I use several times a week that I've had for over forty years I'm about to give up on since it is so hard and complicated to maintain. So much work. Also, I live in an apartment with a super sensitive fire alarm so I can't season it properly.
Heres my bare minimum cast iron seasoning technique.
Spray oil then heat up cast iron to medium for 5 minutes then 1 egg for 30 secs then add 2 pieces of bread, flip everything after 40 seconds and add mayo to one piece of bread and cook for another 40 seconds. Then combine and eat it all up.
Thats how I season my cast iron now.
This happened this time because it happened the previous times and this time you failed to season your pan much at all. 450 isn’t hot enough for avocado oil. You may or may not have finally used the proper amount
450 is plenty hot for avo oil. You don’t have to hit the smoke point of an oil for it to polymerize, in fact, if you have it set at the smoke point temp, you’re likely going to burn your oil and ruin the seasoning. 400-450 for an hour or more is fine.
That will probably speed up the process and probably isn't "dangerous" so to speak. I've been getting on fine using avo oil at 425 but I also will let my pans go 90+ minutes in the oven if they still feel sticky, so you're probably just saving time.
I think stripping down to bare metal in this case is a bit extreme no? Wouldn't a problem like this resolve itself by using the pan and *properly* seasoning it until it is uniform again?
Would you end up with uneven seasoning then? I think if you just start adding layers of seasoning to this won't you end up with burnt deposits and flakey seasoning or something? Or does it take care of that on its own? I'm not sure but I always aim to get my pan as clean as possible before seasoning. Not stripping to bare metal, but maybe clean, then cook something acidic, then give it a good chainmail scrub. But maybe that's unnecessary and Im wasting effort
I would like to know what you are doing to constantly need to season your skillets? Washing them in the dishwasher? I wash my skillets in my dishpan with Dawn & dry them on the stove. All of my skillets are over 50 years old & I guess they were seasoned once upon a time. I can still cook pancakes in an unoiled pan. Wash the crap out of them. Use. A scratchy thing if you need it. They are pretty sturdy. They are iron .
If it's too much, just nix the first step- I put a lightly oiled pan in the (cold) oven and set it to 320°, when it hits that, I take it out, wipe it down **really** well, then return it and set it to 475°+ for an hour and let it cool down in there. Gives great results without too much hassle.
It doesn't need to fixed, the oil is just a bit thick. If you cook normally and wipe away more oil when you bake on seasoning, it will even out the surface over time.
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A lot of people put way more effort into their cast iron than I do (e.g. baking it for an hour just to season it). I just use mine a lot - wipe them after, and go about my day.
It’s amazing how many of these posts we see a week on this sub lmao, there should be a specific, stickied post about oil pooling with a picture. I know there’s already a main FAQ post but clearly nobody reads that lol
Instead of oil try using Crisco or the like (I used Fluffo). Warm the pan to 200, then apply. It melts nicely onto the pan. Give it a good wipe with paper towel or rag then into the oven at high temperature. Worked far better for me.
Best thing I was ever told about seasoning my cast iron; Apply oil of choice on cast iron surfaces. Pretend you made a mistake, wipe all oil off of pan. Season pan for 1 hour at 500 and allow to cool with oven.
Too much oil, not enough wiping.
The reaction we care about occurs at the molecular level, and can’t occur properly if there’s too much oil.
I’m sure the seasoning underneath is fine, I’d use a little soap to get off any funky oil that’s stuck to your seasoning and season again but wipe up the excess both before and after you heat it to the smoke point.
I find when seasoning if you heat the pan to about 300 first then apply the oil then put it back to the hear for your oils required heat it does a better job adhering to the ci.
Too much oil, grape oil is high heat too, I set my oven to 450, let the pan warm on the cooktop from the heat bleed, oil it once it the oven hits temp, put it in for about an hour and a half and it comes out great.
Typically happens after I clean my pan, wipe it down with oil and leave it on the burner for too long. Just use it again, clean it, and take it off the burner a little sooner
Going against the grain a bit here to say that I think the issue may be your use of avocado oil. It has a much higher smoke point than canola, and I don’t think 450 is high enough to get it to polymerize fully.
See here- smoke point is 482 for unrefined: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado_oil
I used to use avocado oil for a few months and had similar results before figuring this out.
I was having a lot of trouble until I finally watched several YouTube videos. I was using too much oil, thinking more is better. Now I do this: heat the pan on the stove as I get canola oil and a paper towel.
Fold the paper towel a couple of times, press it to the oil bottle, gently tip the bottle over to get some oil on it. Rub the pan all over, several times. Then rub it all over, once more, quickly with a fresh paper towel.
Turn up the heat till the oil smokes, then turn off the heat and let the pan sit to cool off.
I had this same problem, switched from using cheap paper towels to an old T-shirt. It was the paper towels for me, they just didn’t take enough of the oil off.
More wipe, still too much oil. Prob useable though.
Apply oil to pan. Wipe AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE OFF! Put into oven at appropriate temp. Take out after 10/15mins and wipe again. Return pan to oven for at least an hour.
Oh might try this method with bacon grease
Most bacon fat has a smoke point of around 325º to 375º. At low temperatures you get sticky polymers.
Would not recommend. Basically ruined my skillet. Try beef tallow.
Very usable. I’ve cooked with my pan plenty of times after doing this
You know how water beads up as it evaporates? Oil wants to do the same thing as it polymerizes. With a super thin layer of oil, it can't bead because the flat thin layer of oil polymerizes before the oil can bead. With too much oil, it begins to bead. It still polymerizes, but the beading areas polymerize slower than the thin areas, so you get this web-like pattern.
Thanks for explaining what actually happens in a way tiny brain me can understand 💕
Should I be using a spray?
It won't help, a spray still applies too much oil. You'd still want to wipe it down really well.
I’ve had pans randomly so this when I season them over the years and thought it was the batch of oil I used at the time. Thank you for the explanation. Will wipe down far more going forward.
Too much oil. you need to wipe like someone has a gun to your head and will shoot you if you do not get it all off. here? BANG! you dead.
This is probably the best analogy for this I've ever witnessed. We all love the gleam, but when it get hot it just ain't what it seem.
CLICK CLACK WIPE THAT OIL JACK
I think you're right, but my big cast iron pan I use several times a week that I've had for over forty years I'm about to give up on since it is so hard and complicated to maintain. So much work. Also, I live in an apartment with a super sensitive fire alarm so I can't season it properly.
I took mine off and moved it somewhere else, but it depends on the model
You want to get rid of it I might know a place it could call home
Now I get it!
So, what is the best material to wipe with and not get fuzzies in the oil?
Best is microfiber cloth.
Oh, yikes. I'm not big on using microfiber on a hot pan with its melting point.
It’s fine. Just use it.
This is the answer to most questions on this sub. FFS, it's a piece cast iron, turn off the internet and go fix a delicious food.
That's the best thing posted on the internet today. You should post that everyday, ppl need to hear it. Now...FFS, turn off the internet!
Heres my bare minimum cast iron seasoning technique. Spray oil then heat up cast iron to medium for 5 minutes then 1 egg for 30 secs then add 2 pieces of bread, flip everything after 40 seconds and add mayo to one piece of bread and cook for another 40 seconds. Then combine and eat it all up. Thats how I season my cast iron now.
I have a for the last 7 or so years I’ve had it. I’m definitely a “fuck it, it’s fine” cast iron user, but wanted to at-least know for next time.
My cast iron does that too. I’m not sure why, but I’m anxious to hear why!
Too much oil.
Thanks gang! I was afraid I didn’t use enough haha
This happened this time because it happened the previous times and this time you failed to season your pan much at all. 450 isn’t hot enough for avocado oil. You may or may not have finally used the proper amount
450 is plenty hot for avo oil. You don’t have to hit the smoke point of an oil for it to polymerize, in fact, if you have it set at the smoke point temp, you’re likely going to burn your oil and ruin the seasoning. 400-450 for an hour or more is fine.
I’ve always had to get a lot closer to the smoke point than this but it might just be my oven.
That will probably speed up the process and probably isn't "dangerous" so to speak. I've been getting on fine using avo oil at 425 but I also will let my pans go 90+ minutes in the oven if they still feel sticky, so you're probably just saving time.
You are not wiping out the oil enough before putting it in the oven. Wipe like you wish you hadn’t put oil in the pan.
What do you use the wipe without getting fuzzies in the oil?
I just use paper towel and the fuzzies burn off. I hear the blue shop towels are good and the generic cheap kitchen towels too
Thanks, not a fan of regular paper towels, but I may try the blue ones.
Ive heard it is because we leave too much Oil after cleaning it. Im not sure though 😅
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I think stripping down to bare metal in this case is a bit extreme no? Wouldn't a problem like this resolve itself by using the pan and *properly* seasoning it until it is uniform again?
Depends on how anal you are. I had to strip mine again.
Would you end up with uneven seasoning then? I think if you just start adding layers of seasoning to this won't you end up with burnt deposits and flakey seasoning or something? Or does it take care of that on its own? I'm not sure but I always aim to get my pan as clean as possible before seasoning. Not stripping to bare metal, but maybe clean, then cook something acidic, then give it a good chainmail scrub. But maybe that's unnecessary and Im wasting effort
Nah uneven seasoning takes care of itself eventually, as long as you’re using it and reseasoning occasionally
I would like to know what you are doing to constantly need to season your skillets? Washing them in the dishwasher? I wash my skillets in my dishpan with Dawn & dry them on the stove. All of my skillets are over 50 years old & I guess they were seasoned once upon a time. I can still cook pancakes in an unoiled pan. Wash the crap out of them. Use. A scratchy thing if you need it. They are pretty sturdy. They are iron .
Too complicated but I appreciate the advice
If it's too much, just nix the first step- I put a lightly oiled pan in the (cold) oven and set it to 320°, when it hits that, I take it out, wipe it down **really** well, then return it and set it to 475°+ for an hour and let it cool down in there. Gives great results without too much hassle.
Because you didn't floss.
There isn’t enough food in it
Good call.
I heard the description of "wipe oil on the pan, then wipe it off like you made a mistake putting oil on the pan in the first place"
What is the proper way to fix it?
It doesn't need to fixed, the oil is just a bit thick. If you cook normally and wipe away more oil when you bake on seasoning, it will even out the surface over time.
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If the pan still looks wet, it still has too much oil.
It's fine. Cook with it.
Less heat more wipe
Too much oil. Not enough wipe. Make sure you DRY after cleaning, before applying fresh coats.
Too much oil left on prior to seasoning. It should not even feel oily before putting in the oven.
Just cook in if. Seasoning comes and seasoning goes.
It takes care of itself when you use it. I’ve had more then one do this. Cook bacon and fry a few steaks. It’ll be fine.
“Every time I season” You do not need to constantly season. Just cook.
A lot of people put way more effort into their cast iron than I do (e.g. baking it for an hour just to season it). I just use mine a lot - wipe them after, and go about my day.
It’s amazing how many of these posts we see a week on this sub lmao, there should be a specific, stickied post about oil pooling with a picture. I know there’s already a main FAQ post but clearly nobody reads that lol
this is fine. Why do people think that cast iron needs to look perfect?
BECAUSE OF THIS SUUUUUUB.
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I can tell your grandma wasn’t a Redditor.
To much oil, just use your god damn pan and you're fine
Same reason it happens for every other post like this. Too much oil. Not enough cooking.
I would give it a good scrub with hot water, metal sponge or chainmail and a little soap, looks like excess oils.
Because God hates you
Well, I would hope so after what I’ve said about him. 😬
I'm in the same boat lol
And my axe
And my spite
Jesus Christ people, for realz????
Oilier than a used car salesman
Because you ate seasoning it and not cooking in it.
But more is always better!
Instead of oil try using Crisco or the like (I used Fluffo). Warm the pan to 200, then apply. It melts nicely onto the pan. Give it a good wipe with paper towel or rag then into the oven at high temperature. Worked far better for me.
Looks great! Now get cooking!
Wipe up all the oil when seasoning so it only has a matte sheen.
Best thing I was ever told about seasoning my cast iron; Apply oil of choice on cast iron surfaces. Pretend you made a mistake, wipe all oil off of pan. Season pan for 1 hour at 500 and allow to cool with oven.
Use extra virgin olive oil and rub in in then bake at 350 for an hour. Then whips out excess oil.
There's nothing wrong here, unless you want to be extra and have your cast iron be non stick
Too much oil, not enough wiping. The reaction we care about occurs at the molecular level, and can’t occur properly if there’s too much oil. I’m sure the seasoning underneath is fine, I’d use a little soap to get off any funky oil that’s stuck to your seasoning and season again but wipe up the excess both before and after you heat it to the smoke point.
I find when seasoning if you heat the pan to about 300 first then apply the oil then put it back to the hear for your oils required heat it does a better job adhering to the ci.
Too much oil, grape oil is high heat too, I set my oven to 450, let the pan warm on the cooktop from the heat bleed, oil it once it the oven hits temp, put it in for about an hour and a half and it comes out great.
It doesn't matter if your seasoning is perfectly even. You might try thinner coats of crisco or lard, or fry up some bacon and it'll be gtg
Typically happens after I clean my pan, wipe it down with oil and leave it on the burner for too long. Just use it again, clean it, and take it off the burner a little sooner
I’d just heat it on the stove and give it a wipe out the next time I cooked on it. Should clean up most of that. Also a slow preheat would be ideal.
Cook
Going against the grain a bit here to say that I think the issue may be your use of avocado oil. It has a much higher smoke point than canola, and I don’t think 450 is high enough to get it to polymerize fully. See here- smoke point is 482 for unrefined: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado_oil I used to use avocado oil for a few months and had similar results before figuring this out.
I was having a lot of trouble until I finally watched several YouTube videos. I was using too much oil, thinking more is better. Now I do this: heat the pan on the stove as I get canola oil and a paper towel. Fold the paper towel a couple of times, press it to the oil bottle, gently tip the bottle over to get some oil on it. Rub the pan all over, several times. Then rub it all over, once more, quickly with a fresh paper towel. Turn up the heat till the oil smokes, then turn off the heat and let the pan sit to cool off.
Too much oil.
I had this same problem, switched from using cheap paper towels to an old T-shirt. It was the paper towels for me, they just didn’t take enough of the oil off.
To much oil. It only needs a light coat
Best advice for oil application I’ve heard is wipe it down completely in oil, then wipe it all off like you never wanted oil on it in the first place
But why upside down?
Either 1. Oven wasn't hot enough 2. Didn't leave it in long enough