How do you deal with this? Cook ware.

[bushman762]

Hi all,

I always seem to end up with a pan like this...

I have always seasoned the pan well, so I know that is not the problem as most other food do not stick, but eggs are a problem!

How do you normally deal with a pan in this condition? I normally just burn the egg off and re-season no washing involved, as a matter of fact I never wash the pan.

Thanks in advance

 

[Silverback]

If your eggs are sticking like that then the pan is not seasoned enough. I have a skillet pan at home that I would describe as a 'work in progress'. Every opportunity I get I stick it on the hob get it good and hot then rub a little cooking oil into the surface leaving it until it starts to smoke then I add a little more repeating the process, whenever I store it I wipe it over with a thin film of cooking oil. It still sticks but is gradually becoming easier and easier to clean. A bit more effort and the metal will have become suitably impregnated to produce that magical non stick coating. I am doing the same thing with a dutch oven which is a long process and is best done over the fire (to save on the gas bill ) Washing up liquid is the arch enemy of cast iron

 

[EdS]

put a good layer of oil in and put it in a hot over for an hour. As long as it doesn't have burnable handles

 

[andy_e]

Google for Wok seasoning tips, basically start with EdS's tip but wipe out the oil with kitchen towel to leave a thin film let that smoke itself out then apply more in coats repeating for an hour or so - might also be worth getting in there with a wire-brush and wire-wool to smooth it down completely before re-seasoning - the tiny lumps and bumps will always attract egg. The other thing to try is to use a bit more oil than usual before starting to cook your eggs and make sure it's smoking hot before adding them - it'll spit but shouldn't stick as bad.

Edit: you're doing the right thing - once seasoned - NEVER wash your pan - rinse and wipe only. I used to work in a Chinese and got hell once for washing and scrubbing a well and properly seasoned Wok - oops.

 

[Silverback]

This link has some decent sound advice that echoes just about all of the advice given here http://www.texascooking.com/features/jun98castiron.htm

 

[C_Claycomb]

I would add that if you view burning everything off the pan, then reseasoning it, as an acceptable method and are prepared to do so as needed, that you might not be getting it seasoned enough to begin with.

I have a cast iron skillet which I went to great trouble seasoning, then like an idiot I left it on a camp fire that was too hot while I sorted out the rest of the meal. :aargh4: It was burned back to bare metal and it took ages to get the non-stick surface back. Re-seasoning was not a short or trivial task, I had the air in the kitchen blue for several days running. I have had less trouble using detergent once in a while than I have had with burning the coating off.

I have no idea whether it makes a difference, but I use oil to cook with, but lard to season the pan. I like the idea of the wire wool to smooth things out. That is worth trying.

 

[andy_e]

I have no idea whether it makes a difference, but I use oil to cook with, but lard to season the pan. I like the idea of the wire wool to smooth things out. That is worth trying.

With a wok you just use vegetable oil or groundnut oil, it's really about the number of layers you add and the amount of time you put into it - I can't speak for cast iron, I have a griddle pan that's cast iron for kitchen use but it was already teflon-coated.

 

[bushman762]

I'm gathering from the replies that my problem is numbers of layers, as the pan has been well seasoned with various fats and oils, butter being my favorite, perhaps this could be the cause? My problem only arises with scrambled eggs my favourite.

I have seen the pan seasoned four times before use and when used it still had problems with eggs, so I need to season it more before using it. How many times does everyone season their pan approx? Mine has a lovely black sheen and no pores showing so I thought I was correct.

I wanted to buy a dutch oven, but thought I'd try the pan first, still lots to perfect.

Cheers

 

[andy_e]

Butter is not pure oil, so I'd be reluctant to season with it. Also, it burns at too low a temperature to make a useful season.

 

[PJMCBear]

I used to work in a restaurant and a weekly task was to salt the crepe pans. Basically pour salt into the dry pan about a centimeter deep, put it on a hot heat and scrub the salt into the surface with kitchen paper. Every now and again I'd skip doing it for a week, but the head chef always knew because the crepes would stick to the pans.

The salt can be used again and again, but make sure you lable the container. It looks very like brown sugar when you're in a rush.

 

[andy_e]

I used to work in a restaurant and a weekly task was to salt the crepe pans. Basically pour salt into the dry pan about a centimeter deep, put it on a hot heat and scrub the salt into the surface with kitchen paper. Every now and again I'd skip doing it for a week, but the head chef always knew because the crepes would stick to the pans.

The salt can be used again and again, but make sure you lable the container. It looks very like brown sugar when you're in a rush.

Did you ever find out why? Sounds like it would just scour the surface and remove any seasoning, though maybe that's what you need in a crepe pan - a very smooth surface.

 

[PJMCBear]

The salt scoured the surface to such an extent that the crepe wouldn't stick. These pans were used for everything, not just crepes, and nothing ever stuck unless I'd missed the job for a week or so. Chef was not a happy bunnny.

 

[andy_e]

Chefs rarely are happy bunnies

Thanks for the tip, I mostly cook in a well seasoned wok, but might give that a go on my griddle.

 

[Fin]

Eggs are notoriously difficult in cast iron pans because cast iron gets very hot and retains the heat for ages. This can often be too hot to cook eggs through - burning the bottom before the middle is cooked.

I've never found seasoning alone to be sufficiently non stick (I know! I know! I'm probably not doing it properly!) for example with, say an omlette I would still use plenty of butter on a low heat. With say, steak, some of the fat goes in first to melt and sizzle on the hottest heat possible before the meat - and don't attempt to move the meat in the pan for at least a minute - giving it time to sear and unstick itself.

Some interesting seasoning tips on this thread - I've always just wiped my skillet with kitchen roll after cooking, I might try one or more of the more methodical methods on here.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

My problem only arises with scrambled eggs my favourite.

I think your pan is fine, it's your cooking technique that's the problem. You're cooking your eggs too hot and too fast and not shifting them around on the bottom of the pan enough. You need a low heat and some patience. As soon as they start to gel you have to scrape the bottom of pan plenty with something wooden (so it doesn't damage your lovely seasoned surface) and with a flat edge (so it scrapes the bottom clean)... like these:

... which are easy to make with a axe and knife

As soon as the eggs are cooked to your taste, scoop them straight out of the pan and run some water in or the heat remaining in the pan will bake what's left on.

Sorted

 

[garbo]

a couple of ideas,
cheats maybe

for stuff that messes up my pans I take tinfoil trays the kind takeaway comes in, to cook in, new ones cost, well not a lot, look in the pound shop or whatever its called and use plenty of marg almost like frying, they fold up, they can be folded over things to save, formed to a shape you like, but please take the used ones to a litter bin not just buried,
I also prefer a non stick wok, Heretic I hear you scream ok out with the pan scourer boy
hope this give someone an idea and moves it forward
cheers
Garry

 

[DoctorSpoon]

I also prefer a non stick wok,

:yikes: noooooooooo......

 

[oops56]

You all got it wrong. Turn pan over fry on the bottom like a griddle then after done turn over burn the extra off.

 

[ForgeCorvus]

I use a thin pressed steel frying pan JUST for eggs (and Fungi), and I use a lot of oil (so the egg is nearly floating, just drain it well) and they never stick (except when my SOPs used it for bacon, its something about the salt I think)

If you're getting stuff stuck on like that don't burn it (and your seasoning) off, just boil water in it (it just lifts the kak off, no deturgent...ever) really stubborn bits can be eased off using a wooden thing (like wot the good Doctor showed you), never scour (maybe the outside, if it catches fire, yes I have seen it happen )

 

[Mike Ameling]

First, a light cleaning with water and ... gasp ... soap ... ain't gonna ruin a cast iron or sheet iron pan. It CLEANS the surface - as long as it is a quick and light cleaning. Nothing more. Heating it back up a bit and wiping it down with some oil/grease brings that surface right back.

Most people use some version of vegetable oil or olive oil to season their iron frypans/griddles - and to cook with. Margarine is common for frying. It takes the high heat without breaking down or scorching. So most use it.

But the best thing to use is Animal Fat - as it un-salted butter or pure lard! There's just something in the chemical make-up of animal fat that works the best.

One of the common church or community group fund raising meals around here is a Pancake and Sausage Breakfast or Supper. One of their biggest problems is with the pancakes sticking to whatever griddles people brought in to use. And even the "non-stick" ones stick. And, for those "healthy eating" reasons, they usually wipe the griddles down with margarine. About the time the really start getting people showing up, the grumbling starts because of those sticking pancakes. That's usually when some "oldtimer" will see the problem, walk over, pick up several butter patties, and throw them on the griddle. End of problem! As I said, there's just something about using un-salted butter or pure lard that works!

Growing up, my maw would fry up paw's breakfast every moring in a cast iron skillet. She only used pure lard. She'd fry his eggs in a good layer of lard. They never stuck! Any ham or bacon fried up would usually be done in another pan. The SALT in them causes burning/sticking problems. Also any SUGAR used in the curing. But sometimes when she (or us kids) would scramble some eggs and fry them in that same skillet, they would stick. Any time the surface of the skillet didn't have a little lard on it, those eggs would dry it out and stick. Now, it usually scraped off easily, but would stick a bit. Of course, those scrambled eggs were always fried firm and dry! No "snotty" scrambled eggs were allowed in our house!

So try using real UN-SALTED butter or pure lard. It may solve your problem. And you will be AMAZED at the taste!

Just my humble thoughts to share. Take them as such.

Mikey - yee ol' grumpy blacksmith out in the Hinterlands

p.s. I use cast iron at home, sheet iron when out trekking. Treated right with un-salted butter or un-salted lard, they work well for me. I just wipe them out when finished. Plus, I have a canvas bag to slip them into. It keeps gunk out of the pan, but also keeps soot from the pan getting over everything else. I only BURNED the gunk out of a pan ONCE - never again. Took far longer to re-season it than just spending the extra time scrubbing with a little salt and heat.