Paper towel gets completely dark after I wipe my Dutch oven [duplicate]

I bought Lodge cast iron dutch oven a few weeks ago. I didn't season it right away since I kept it in a dry closet. Last week seasoned it with pure almond oil (because I read it somewhere it's slightly better than other oils) and an hour in the oven (500F). After I cooked with it, nothing was wrong with the food. Then I rinsed it with hot water and wiped with paper towel, and the paper towel got completely dark, and it didn't seem like the oil I used for the food.

So my question is: Is it normal ? Should I reseason it ? I thought maybe I should've done the seasoning for a couple more times instead of once, or I used too much oil for the seasoning.

Thanks in advance, Cheers!

cast-iron dutch-oven

Best Answer

You didn't mention what your meal was, but this may help...from the Lodge Cast Iron web site:

Occasionally when your seasoning works a little too hard with acidic foods or really high heat, you may notice some dark residue on your towel when cleaning. This is perfectly safe and normal, and will go away with regular use and care.

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Quick Answer about "Paper towel gets completely dark after I wipe my Dutch oven [duplicate]"

Occasionally when your seasoning works a little too hard with acidic foods or really high heat, you may notice some dark residue on your towel when cleaning. This is perfectly safe and normal, and will go away with regular use and care.

When I wipe my cast iron the paper towel is black?

They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food. While unappealing, they won't hurt you in such a small amount.

Why is my cast iron skillet brown when I wipe?

If the towel picks up a lot of black or brown residue, repeat the rinsing process and rub with oil again. By the second time, the paper towel should come away pretty clean. You may still see a little residue on the towel when wiping the pan, but don't let it worry you.

Why does my cast iron look brown?

Newly seasoned cast iron may have a brownish tint to it. It's not rust, it's just the initial patina baking in. It can take a few coats of seasoning and some use to get a black finish. Don't worry about the brownish colour - go right ahead and use the pan.

Should cast iron wipe clean?

Most often you can clean a cast-iron pan by simply wiping it down with a dry paper towel or cotton dishcloth. If the pan is well seasoned, bits of burnt, stuck-on food will come right off. If any stubborn bits remain, scrape them off with a plastic spatula.

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