If you see some raised, splotchy residue on your skillet, which often looks like a spiderweb or spotted pattern, this is most likely some oil residue. This sticky situation can occur when you season your pan with a little too much oil, or if some oil hasn't fully polymerized and turned into seasoning yet.
Warped, crusty, rusty and cracked are bad qualities for a cast iron.
The splotchy appearance of your cast iron skillet is a direct consequence of an excess of lipid molecules applied to the ferrous surface. When subjected to elevated temperatures, these lipids undergo a complex chemical metamorphosis known as polymerization.
yes, the discoloration is where the seasoning has come off. it's no big deal. Heat the pan up dry, wipe it with a whatever oil you season with on a paper towle and let it get up to smoking. then let it cool off - and you can repeat if you want.
The Cause:
This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as not using enough fat or oil when cooking, using cookware that isn't well seasoned, or when breaking in new cookware that hasn't built up additional layers of seasoning.
You should only need to fully re-season your cast-iron cookware one to two times a year, but you may also want to give it some extra seasoning love anytime you cook something that requires a heavy-duty cleaning.
The seasoning will only burn off at about 800°F, so don't worry that you will damage your pan by cooking with high heat. Cast iron can, however, easily get too hot for the dish that you're trying to cook.
It's straightforward. Immerse your pan in a solution of 50:50 white vinegar to water for about 1 hour. When it comes out, scrub any remaining rust off with something abrasive like a scotch brite pad or steel wool. (Nine times out of ten you won't need to seriously strip your pan like this.
This layer is known as the patina and offers cookware a dark and glossy finish. The patina will only improve over subsequent uses as additional fat and oils are heated into the pan. Beyond its natural look, this layer is an essential part to any cast iron cookware, providing a stick-resistant surface.
Common cooking oils like olive oil will gradually produce seasoning, but won't be as effective as grapeseed oil. Canola, other vegetable oils, and shortening are a little better.
Some cast-iron skillets, including those made by Lodge, come pre-seasoned. You'll notice they have a smooth, non-greasy, softly lacquered surface. Those that don't come pre-seasonsed have a matte gray finish—until you season them, at which point they become shiny and closer to black in color.
Clean your cast-iron skillet each time you use it. Doing so prevents stuck-on food from staying on the skillet between uses. If the skillet is only slightly dirty, a quick wipe after cooking in it will work. If dirtier, or food is stuck, then scrubbing it is best.
You let your skillet soak.
Soaking your cast iron skillet in your sink is a recipe for rust, as is washing it in the dishwasher. Instead, clean it ASAP, even using simple soap and water if you must.
With proper care cast iron cookware can withstand a lifetime of use. Actually several lifetimes as these cast iron pans and dutch ovens are often passed down from generation to generation. Taking care of cast iron cookware is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3.
Cast Iron Discoloration
This is totally normal and expected for a new cast iron skillet, especially a higher-quality one with a smooth surface. Cast iron becomes naturally non-stick with time and use, by developing many thin, interlocking layers of seasoning on its surface.
Cooking with a cast iron pan that has a little bit of surface rust on it isn't likely to hurt you. If your pan is seriously rusty or has visible rust flakes, you shouldn't cook with it until the rust is removed and the pan is washed and re-seasoned.
Put the oiled pan in a preheated 450°F (230°C) oven, and leave it there for 30 minutes. It may get a little smoky, so keep your kitchen well ventilated.
The more you use cast iron, the smoother it becomes. Each time you cook with oil, the seasoning on your cast iron improves, making you cast iron darker and smoother. After a few years of regular use, the finish on your cast iron will be very smooth, similar to cast iron you might find at the flea market.
Being well-seasoned means, it will not seem sticky, greasy or dry. An easy way to tell whether your skillet is well-seasoned is to perform the egg test on the surface. Over medium heat in your cast-iron pan, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil and crack an egg into the pan.
All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.