What am I doing wrong during the seasoning process of my cast iron skillet

I have read a lot of articles and watch several videos on how to season a cast-iron skillet. But the outcome I am getting is nothing like what I find online.

My cast iron skillet comes out with spotty marks which are a bit sticky. I've repeated the process twice but now I am doubtful about doing it one more time. I am using canola oil and a convection oven at 450F, leaving the pan upside down for 1 hour.

Here is a photo of the results.

cast-iron seasoning-pans

Best Answer

You're using way too much oil. "A thin coat" really means thin--apply a small amount of oil, spread it around, and wipe it ALL off, leaving nothing but the shine.

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How do you fix an improperly seasoned cast iron skillet?

Splotchy, patchy, or uneven cast iron is caused by using too much oil during the seasoning process. To fix it, scour the pan with steel wool to remove old seasoning. Wash and dry the pan. Apply a thin layer of oil, wipe the pan down with a towel, and heat it in the oven at 500 degrees for an hour.

Why is the seasoning coming off my cast iron skillet?

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.

What happens if you use too much oil when seasoning cast iron?

Using too much oil, anything more than about the size of a quarter will just build up and cause an oil slick on your pan. When it's time to season your cast iron skillet, you simply can't do this with a cold skillet. This will cause build up of that oil residue, and cause stickiness.

Why is my cast iron dull after seasoning?

The dullness comes when the oil on the pan burns off before cooking. To fix this, just re-season the pan. If your cast iron still looks dull after re-seasoning it, repeat the process until it achieves a slight sheen.

Why is My Cast Iron Sticky? And How to Fix It!

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Caleb Oquendo, MART PRODUCTION, Karolina Grabowska, Karolina Grabowska