Carbon Steel pan. WHat did I do?

[natenaaron]

10 inch Matfer carbon pan
Seasoned with the flax seed oil and bake method.
First use of the pan was AWESOME with zero sticking
Deglazed with water and wiped with wet nonsoapy sponge
Put back on hot burner to dry and wiped with olive oil then heated to smoking and let cool

I cooked pork chops, in a vegitable oil, last night and they totally stuck to the pan and took the seasoning off when I finally got them up to flip. What the heck happened?

 

[smudge]

"Deglazed with water....." Deglazing is a method used for removing sticky goodies from the bottom of the pan - I think that you stripped your "non stick" surface. I just wipe mine out with a paper towel and put it away.

 

[ouch]

Here's what the site's all seeing resident mystic said-

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/508255-Matfer-or-de-Buyer?p=8743863#post8743863

The pan doesn't get seasoned in one go. It takes many re-seasonings to build up a good nonstick base. In the future it will be able to withstand boiling liquids, but for now just wipe it out as best you can, re-oil and heat every time you use it. Stubborn bits can be removed by putting kosher salt in the pan, adding just enough water to make a thick paste, and scrubbing with paper towels then proceeding as usual. Eventually your seasoning will become almost bulletproof.

 

[davent]

... And don't use the pan to cook anything acidic, tomatoes and the like.

dave

edit, slow, slow typist, deleted what had already been conveyed.

 

[natenaaron]

Thanks folks. I thought it might be the olive oil. When I seasoned it with the flax seed oil it was not sticky at all. The olive oil got pretty sticky. I just read that you can use the salt paste to get rid of the sticky too.

 

[beginish]

I give all of my cast iron and carbon steel pans a wipe down with canola oil after washing, leaving a very thin layer behind.

 

[TexLaw]

The pan doesn't get seasoned in one go. It takes many re-seasonings to build up a good nonstick base. In the future it will be able to withstand boiling liquids, but for now just wipe it out as best you can, re-oil and heat every time you use it.

That's really the deal. Even a few rounds isn't much. If you can find a day to dedicate, just give your pan round after round of seasoning in the oven. I've knocked out a dozen or so rounds in a day with flaxseed, and the difference is astounding. Do that over a few days, and you're really getting somewhere.

When I say "dedicate," of course it's not like you can't do anything else. As you well know, seasoning is pretty dadgum hands-off.

With regard to cleaning, the kosher salt paste always works. However, about a year or so ago, I broke down and bought one of those chainmail cleaners and my life got pretty good after that.

 

[TexLaw]

Well, there's a mighty fine hijack for ya!

 

[natenaaron]

Hijack? I need all the advice I can get, and I never would have known about the chainmail cleaner.

 

[TexLaw]

Hijack? I need all the advice I can get, and I never would have known about the chainmail cleaner.

The post before my last one was deleted but intended for a different thread.

The chainmail cleaner is sweet, though.

 

[DoctorShavegood]

The post before my last one was deleted but intended for a different thread.

The chainmail cleaner is sweet, though.

That was my bungle. Don't know what happen...I don't drink Bloody Mary's until the weekend.

 

[Alacrity59]

I thought we just jumped from chain-mail to mounted ax wielding horsemen.

Flax oil works but to me stinks. I use olive oil. The same oil I cook with almost exclusively. To build seasoning I rub a very thin bit of oil on the pan with a waded up paper towel and heat on medium high until the pan stops smoking. Of course the exhaust fan is on. I'll then use the still oily towel and put another thin coat on which will quickly smoke and be done quickly. Repeat a couple of times.

When I cook I heat the pan and add thin layer of olive oil as above and save the paper towel to put the thin layer of oil on that Bob was talking about after you wash. Add a pat of butter or a bit more olive oil then add what I'm cooking. Hey . . . it is not Teflon for me this means using some oil. For meat it is better for me if I pat down "wet" meat with a paper towel. Wet meat seems to stick too easily.

After cooking and washing the pan I put the pan back on the still hot burner on my stove top and when the water burns off rub the inside with the oily towel.

A nice flat steel flipper makes a huge difference. Even scrambling eggs a steel edge will easily glide right down to the seasoning under the eggs whereas a softer nylon flipper may not . . . and leave some egg to burn. A lot of the time there will be some bits stuck after cooking meat. If you are deglazing to make a pan sauce or if you just want to clean up a nice steel edge flipper will help. Reduces the salt scrubbing.

 

[TexLaw]

I don't drink Bloody Mary's until the weekend.

Well, there might be your bungle.

 

[davent]

A nice flat steel flipper makes a huge difference. Even scrambling eggs a steel edge will easily glide right down to the seasoning under the eggs whereas a softer nylon flipper may not . . . and leave some egg to burn. A lot of the time there will be some bits stuck after cooking meat. If you are deglazing to make a pan sauce or if you just want to clean up a nice steel edge flipper will help. Reduces the salt scrubbing.

OXO have a couple very thin flexible spatulas that work well.

dave

 

[cegadede]

For carbon steel pans I've found that the "fry potato skins with salt and oil until the skins are dark brown" to be the best method for seasoning.

Despite working wonders with cast iron, the baking flaxseed oil method caused a lot of sticking and formed a very fragile seasoning on the carbon steel pan (even after 10 layers).

Also, I just use a nylon scrubber and water to wash mine. Dry on the stove top, apply a bit of oil and store. I've got no sticking problems after that.

Enviado de meu XT1225 usando Tapatalk

 

[BrianShaw]

For me the secret has been to never stop cooking in them. Fastest way to get them seasoned and certain way of maintaining the seasoning.

 

[Kazeryu]

Thanks folks. I thought it might be the olive oil. When I seasoned it with the flax seed oil it was not sticky at all. The olive oil got pretty sticky. I just read that you can use the salt paste to get rid of the sticky too.

That was certainly my thought.

Why would you put a gummy layer of unpolymerized olive oil on top of your smooth, nicely polymerized flax?

 

[Phog Allen]

Gents, what's the consensus on seasoning with peanut oil? We cook with it a lot because of its high smoke point and low aroma and flavour. So as not to influence the dish too much. Otherwise it is olive oil for other things.

 

[DCRIII]

That's really the deal. Even a few rounds isn't much. If you can find a day to dedicate, just give your pan round after round of seasoning in the oven. I've knocked out a dozen or so rounds in a day with flaxseed, and the difference is astounding. Do that over a few days, and you're really getting somewhere.

When I say "dedicate," of course it's not like you can't do anything else. As you well know, seasoning is pretty dadgum hands-off.

With regard to cleaning, the kosher salt paste always works. However, about a year or so ago, I broke down and bought one of those chainmail cleaners and my life got pretty good after that.

I do this with my cast iron as well. Those chain mail scrubbers are awesome as well and should last as long as the pans.

 

[Acmemfg]

Peanut oil seems to be popular. I use grapeseed oil for seasoning. Crazy high heat tolerance. Works well