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Cornbread sticking in Cast Iron
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:16 am
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:16 am
Recently got a new cornbread skillet (the kind with the cornbread shaped like ears of corn). I've seasoned it twice (coated it with canola oil and put it in the oven at 450 for a couple of hours), but it still sticks.
Before pouring in the batter, I pre-heat the skillet and add a layer of canola oil.
My mom has the same skillet, uses the same process, and her's doesn't stick.
I use the recipe on the back of the Martha White Self Rising Corn Meal bag.
Help!
Before pouring in the batter, I pre-heat the skillet and add a layer of canola oil.
My mom has the same skillet, uses the same process, and her's doesn't stick.
I use the recipe on the back of the Martha White Self Rising Corn Meal bag.
Help!
13
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:18 am to greenbean
I use Pam and it never sticks.
Is the canola from an old container?
Is the canola from an old container?
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:21 am to idlewatcher
quote:
I use Pam and it never sticks.
Is the canola from an old container?
You pre-heat the skillet and then spray in Pam?
canola oil isn't old. Is there a better oil?
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:26 am to greenbean
Are you preheating to a temp where the cornbread sizzles a bit? I always add a heavy brush of butter mixed with a little canola oil after it is heated up nice and hot. But this is just for a regular cast iron 8 inch.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:41 am to greenbean
quote:
Is there a better oil?
Grapeseed oil. After cooking in cast iron, we clean it out, then re-heat the skillet then apply/wipe with a thin layer of this.
Right before heating it up for cooking, we spray a little Pam.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 9:07 am to greenbean
I have an old corn bread skillet, likely seasoned with bacon grease years ago. I still use bacon grease and it never sticks.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 10:38 am to greenbean
I wouldn't use pam in cast iron. it leaves a residue that becomes sticky. also when you oil it, wipe off everything you can get out. it needs just the slightest of oil coating you can get. more you use it, better it will get. we heat the pan and the oil before adding the mix, but i'm using an old dutch oven for corn bread
Posted on 12/4/23 at 11:27 am to greenbean
Is it a new piece of cast iron or an old one?
If new, did it have a coating of factory "seasoning" on it?
Either way, I'd throw another two or three coats of seasoning on it (I use grapeseed oil on all of my cast iron now, and usually do at least four coats on most pieces), being sure to wipe off the excess very well. That's the problem with those "firgure" cornbread skillets, they have so many nooks and crannies that it is very easy for your seasoning oil to pool and become sticky, even after cured.
Grapeseed oil, 450-475° preheat, use a pair of welding gloves to hold it easier, wipe on a light coat, and actually try to wipe away everything you put on it. Those things are notorious pains in the arse if they ever get "over seasoned".
ETA: And if/when you get it to actually cook good cornbread......guard it with your life.
If new, did it have a coating of factory "seasoning" on it?
Either way, I'd throw another two or three coats of seasoning on it (I use grapeseed oil on all of my cast iron now, and usually do at least four coats on most pieces), being sure to wipe off the excess very well. That's the problem with those "firgure" cornbread skillets, they have so many nooks and crannies that it is very easy for your seasoning oil to pool and become sticky, even after cured.
Grapeseed oil, 450-475° preheat, use a pair of welding gloves to hold it easier, wipe on a light coat, and actually try to wipe away everything you put on it. Those things are notorious pains in the arse if they ever get "over seasoned".
ETA: And if/when you get it to actually cook good cornbread......guard it with your life.
This post was edited on 12/4/23 at 11:28 am
Posted on 12/4/23 at 11:34 am to greenbean
Why at 450? I've always done mine somewhere between 225-300
Also, I typically use olive oil or avocado oil. Pour a bit in the middle and use a paper towel to coat the entire pan before sliding it in the oven.
Also, I typically use olive oil or avocado oil. Pour a bit in the middle and use a paper towel to coat the entire pan before sliding it in the oven.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 11:40 am to Weekend Warrior79
quote:
Why at 450? I've always done mine somewhere between 225-300
Your goal is to polymerize whatever oil you are using. To do so, the oil has to reach its smoke point. Higher smoke point oils (avocado, grapeseed, etc.) polymerize better. It will look like little droplets of oil when cured and be incredibly hard. Not reaching the smoke point of chosen oil can result in a weaker seasoning that is sometimes sticky and gummy.
Your vegetable, canola, and animal fats have lower smoke points. I used to use pure lard, but it would haze and sometimes turn rancid if the piece of cast iron wasn't used often enough.
Whatever oil you choose, you should research its smoke point and be sure that your oven reaches that temp.
This post was edited on 12/4/23 at 11:41 am
Posted on 12/4/23 at 12:20 pm to greenbean
quote:
I've seasoned it twice (coated it with canola oil and put it in the oven at 450 for a couple of hours), but it still sticks.
Two coats isn't very much. I've stripped a lot of my cast iron pots/pans and re-seasoned them from bare metal. I put 4-5 coats of seasoning on them before I'll use them. While they were all good enough to use at that point, they only got better with more use. In other words, keep cooking more cornbread and I think it will eventually stop sticking. But after every use, I'd clean it really good then re-season it. Make sure you put a very, very thin coat of oil (apply lightly and wipe with a dry towel) and stick it back in the oven upside down so nothing is building up in it.
I may make some heads explode here, but you can use a little mild dish soap on cast iron. Lye soap is what you can't use on a cast iron. (Southern Living) and (Lodge Cast Iron Cleaning).
Posted on 12/4/23 at 12:23 pm to LegendInMyMind
This chart is from the site castironcollector.com and lists the smoke points for pretty much every oil or fat that can be used for seasoning:
I use grapeseed oil and usually set my oven on 450° because that guarantees that even with temp fluctuations it will hit the smoke point. I pre-heat the piece of cast iron, getting it to that temp (usually 15-20 minutes), then apply my oil using white t-shirt fabric. I then try to wipe every bit of that oil off with a dry rag.
Always put the piece back into the oven upside down. This keeps any excess oil from pooling and not curing. I let it stay in the oven at 450° for 30-45 minutes. If doing a second coat I pull it after that time and immediately apply the second coat.
This link will tell you more than you will ever want to know about seasoning cast iron.
castironcollector.com - Seasoning
Tip: one of those bamboo lazy susans and a pair of welding gloves makes the job easier. The lazy susan keeps the hot iron off of other surfaces and allowe you to move it around easier. It is particularly helpful with large pieces. I've done a #14 BSR skillet this way and a #12 dutch oven with legs, as well as everything else that I've needed to season.
Over the years I have cleaned and seasoned hundreds of pieces of cast iron. I use a lye bath to strip the old seasoning and electrolysis to remove rust. I never take a wire brush to a piece of cast iron.
I use grapeseed oil and usually set my oven on 450° because that guarantees that even with temp fluctuations it will hit the smoke point. I pre-heat the piece of cast iron, getting it to that temp (usually 15-20 minutes), then apply my oil using white t-shirt fabric. I then try to wipe every bit of that oil off with a dry rag.
Always put the piece back into the oven upside down. This keeps any excess oil from pooling and not curing. I let it stay in the oven at 450° for 30-45 minutes. If doing a second coat I pull it after that time and immediately apply the second coat.
This link will tell you more than you will ever want to know about seasoning cast iron.
castironcollector.com - Seasoning
Tip: one of those bamboo lazy susans and a pair of welding gloves makes the job easier. The lazy susan keeps the hot iron off of other surfaces and allowe you to move it around easier. It is particularly helpful with large pieces. I've done a #14 BSR skillet this way and a #12 dutch oven with legs, as well as everything else that I've needed to season.
Over the years I have cleaned and seasoned hundreds of pieces of cast iron. I use a lye bath to strip the old seasoning and electrolysis to remove rust. I never take a wire brush to a piece of cast iron.
This post was edited on 12/4/23 at 12:27 pm
Posted on 12/4/23 at 12:30 pm to notbilly
quote:
In other words, keep cooking more cornbread and I think it will eventually stop sticking. But after every use, I'd clean it really good then re-season it
The one piece of cast iron I never "wash" is my #5 BSR cornbread skillet. The thing is perfect. All I do is flip the bread out, wipe it out (leaving some of the residual oil) and put it back in the oven. Everything else I will wash normally.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 3:43 pm to greenbean
quote:
coated it with canola oil
So hard to believe that in these days with all we know about how bad canola oil is and people are still using it.
Try something like avocado oil.
EDIT: bacon grease is another good choice.
This post was edited on 12/4/23 at 3:46 pm
Posted on 12/4/23 at 4:03 pm to LegendInMyMind
quote:
The one piece of cast iron I never "wash" is my #5 BSR cornbread skillet. The thing is perfect. All I do is flip the bread out, wipe it out (leaving some of the residual oil) and put it back in the oven. Everything else I will wash normally.
That's the beauty of something old and well-maintained. Most of my cast iron fits into one of two groups.
1) something I've bought in the last 20 years, so the surface isn't very smooth.
2) Old pieces that I've acquired that were neglected and I've stripped and re-seasoned in the past couple of years.
The items from group 1 aren't bad, but they aren't the same as the old stuff. I have some BSR and Griswalds that are like cooking on teflon for non-stick. I often get by just wiping them out and re-using them. But since the seasoning isn't very old, I never pass up a chance to clean them and give them a round of seasoning.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 5:02 pm to notbilly
quote:
I have some BSR and Griswalds that are like cooking on teflon for non-stick. I often get by just wiping them out and re-using them.
My favorite skillet to use for years now is a #8 Wagner with the outside heat ring. It is flat and so smooth with slightly tapered sides. Nice skillet.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 8:05 pm to LegendInMyMind
quote:
My favorite skillet to use for years now is a #8 Wagner with the outside heat ring.
I’ve got more than a few cast iron pieces and no Wagners. Obviously I could buy something for a good bit but I keep trying to find a deal at an estate sale or garage sale.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 9:54 pm to notbilly
quote:
I’ve got more than a few cast iron pieces and no Wagners. Obviously I could buy something for a good bit but I keep trying to find a deal at an estate sale or garage sale.
My rarest piece of Wagner is probably a little #4 skillet with matched lid. I've only ever seen one other with the lid.
I've had some good pieces over the years, but I've sold a lot of them. I do still have a few Griswolds. The best piece I have left is a #10 slant logo. When I bought it, you couldn't even see the logo through the baked-on seasoning, I just knew the handle. I gave $40 for it because it didn't sound cracked. It wasn't, and cleaned up nicely.
Posted on 12/4/23 at 10:20 pm to greenbean
Crisco
Posted on 12/5/23 at 12:18 pm to LegendInMyMind
I have several I’ve bought and restored but never had a Griswold. Wish I did.
This post was edited on 12/5/23 at 12:19 pm
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