Polymerized Oil or Burned Oil?
I bought a carbon steel frying pan. Now I need to season it. I think i messed up the first time. So I scrubbed it clean again. Now how do I now if my oil is polymerized or actually burned?
I heated a thin layer of flaxseed oil until it reached its smoking point and then let it cool and repeat. The coating was really black in the center of the pan and not so smooth. The edges around the center were smooth and golden brown and had a glossy finish.
Did I burn oil in the center and polymerized the edges?
Best Answer
There is no clear cut border between polymerized and burnt, it is a continuum. The center went clearly farther than the sides, which is common enough in stovetop seasoning.
If the coating in the middle of the pan doesn't work well for you, you can strip and reseason to a lighter state, preferably in an oven. If food cooks well on it, you can keep it as it is.
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Is polymerized oil safe?
Heating fresh oil in a pan to create a nonstick coating may result in some air oxidation in addition to polymer formation, but I think it is not a big cause for concern. High polymers are generally nontoxic because the body does not absorb them.How does oil polymerize?
When oils or fats are heated in cast iron at a high enough temperature, they change from a wet liquid into a slick, hardened surface through a process called polymerization. This reaction creates a layer of seasoning that is molecularly bonded to the iron.How do you dispose of polymerized oil?
Burnt-on crud and patches of polymerized oil can take the shine off a pan and, in the worst cases, interfere with cooking. The good news is that stainless steel is pretty darn indestructible. You can scrub it, you can scour it, and sometimes, when you're feeling lazy, you can toss it in the dishwasher.What temp does vegetable oil polymerize?
All will still polymerize at 350\xb0F if the applied layer is extemely thin and it is heated long enough to reach a "dry" state, meaning they no longer feel sticky or tacky to the touch (after cooling, of course). You may have read elsewhere about exceeding the smoke point of the oil being used as a necessary step.Why do oils get thick when they oxidise? Polymerisation of lubricants explained
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