Why do I need to cook milk in a cast iron pan before first usage?
I bought a cast iron grill pan from a famous Swedish four-letter store. They suggested boiling milk with some vegetable oil before starting to use the grill.
Why is this necessary, and what's the difference from just washing it with water?
Best Answer
I've never heard of milk being used to season a pan and so I am a little skeptical of it.
Pan seasoning is always done with fat that is heated until it polymerizes. This creates a very hard non-stick surface that makes cooking easier and protects the pan from rust.
See this question for more about how to season your pan:
What's the best way to season a cast iron skillet?
See the article linked in one of the answers:
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
This process, while slightly more labor intensive, produces the best seasonings I've ever seen.
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Can you cook milk in cast iron?
Can you boil milk in cast iron? Yes, you can boil milk in a cast iron pan. Don't boil milk for longer than 15 minutes to protect the layer of seasoning. Milk is a base so it won't dissolve the seasoning as quickly compared to acidic solutions.Do you have to do anything to a cast iron skillet before first use?
When it comes to cooking in a cast iron pan, start with heating the pan first before you use it. While you start preparing other things for cooking in the meantime heat the pan in low or medium flame. When you start to cook, the pan would have heated well.Do you have to season a cast iron skillet The first time you use it?
Your new cast iron skillet will almost always comes from the factory with some degree of pre-seasoning on it, but you'll generally want to lay down a few more on top of that to make sure it's good.How To Cook With Cast Iron
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Answer 2
i had to do this when i bought a non-stick pan from the same place, and it didn't make an ounce of difference. if it's truly a cast-iron pan, there are much better places to get info on proper seasoning, like the links posted by Sobachatina, above. if it's a non-stick type coating, like the one i bought, just keep using it. it's gotten much better over time.
Answer 3
The milk-and-oil process isn't there to wash the pan, it's there to 'season' it. The seasoning process embeds oil in the pores of the metal, which increases its resistance to water - the last thing you want is a rusty pan (though a nice layer of black oxidation is a good thing).
You should avoid washing a cast iron pan with soap and water as it will remove the seasoning. Just give it a good wipe or go over it with a brush.
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