Repairing the Seasoning on a Cast Iron Pan
I had some caked, hard burned substance (garlic, really, from steak) on my cast-iron pan. I tried cleaning it with a brush, and it didn't come off.
So unfortunately, I put a bit of muscle into it, and now the bottom of my cat-iron pan has bits that are positively shiny and silvery. I'm pretty sure the seasoning came off here and there.
Is there a way to fix it, other than completely re-stripping the seasoning and re-seasoning it from scratch?
Best Answer
So, just answering the new part of the question:
You can simply season "over the top" of the existing seasoning. To do this, you'd go through the normal seasoning process, wiping the pan with oil, heating in a 500F oven, wiping again, heating again. This will fill in the "holes" in your seasoning and you'll be able to use the pan again.
However, you will also end up with somewhat rough, uneven seasoning on the bottom. This will make things more likely to stick than if you completely reseasoned the pan. You can improve this by scrubbing the bottom of the pan with a mixture of course salt and oil. This will "sand down" the seasoning without completely removing it.
You should also ask yourself if maybe the original seasoning of the pan wasn't faulty, given that some of it already scrubbed off.
Pictures about "Repairing the Seasoning on a Cast Iron Pan"
How do you fix a badly seasoned cast iron pan?
If the seasoning in your pan is sticky, this is a sign of excess oil built up on the cookware. The Fix: To remedy stickiness, place the cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven and bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat if necessary.Can you season cast iron again?
This seasoning can be built up or worn down over time. You'll be able to tell if your cast iron is losing its seasoning because the glossy surface will turn matte and food will start stick to the pan. But thankfully, it's never too late to restore your seasoning!How do you restart a seasoning cast iron pan?
The Easy (Natural) Way to Reseason a Cast Iron PanWhy is my cast iron seasoning coming off?
Sometimes layers of seasoning may flake off your cast iron pan. This can happen if layers of seasoning have not fully bonded to the metal. If your pan is flaking, don't panic. Simply scrub the pan with a nylon brush or salt, then rinse, hand dry, and rub with oil.The Easy Guide On Seasoning and Restoring Cast Iron
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Images: Milan, Engin Akyurt, Gary Barnes, Klaus Nielsen