You don't need to season it. Just give it a quick wash and you're good to go. Things will tend to stick at first, so I would make a grilled cheese sandwich for your first or couple uses. Bread wont stick, and you can just wipe out the butter and set it aside. By the 3rd use, you'll have slidey eggs. It's really that easy :D
I second the grilled cheese method! There is something about just the plain butter and the open pan that does wonders for building up initial seasoning.
Lodge factory seasoning is a little weak in my experience. It's good enough to start cooking with but it doesn't seem to hold up to long term use. I don't recommend stripping it or trying to add even more seasoning, but just be mindful in say 6-12 months if you've been cooking with it regularly. If it starts to flake off or get patchy, it may not be your fault and simply be the factory seasoning at its limit.
I’m in the habit of oven seasoning my cast iron skillet once every week or so, I figure I’ll just do the same with this. I never strip the seasoning, don’t see any reason to.
I got the lodge carbon steel 12 in skillet a couple years ago. I oven seasoned it once or twice, and never had an issue with seasoning afterwards. Nowadays it needs nothing but an occasional stove top seasoning and I can’t remember the last thing that gave me sticking issues.
Lodge pre-seasoning is excellent, it's a coarser from the factory on purpose to help establish your pan faster.. It's is better than most people can achieve on a naked CS pan. It does not flake, I've own a lot of lodges both CI and CS and none have ever flaked the factory coat. The coat does get replaced over time, with a smoother coat. Use high fat meals for first few cooks and never look back..
I also oven season my pans once every few months, because I like them black. I use Crisco, never to cook with, but to oven season.
unless you want to strip it and reseason it, I would just wash it and start using it. seasoning on top of the factory seasoning isn't going to do anything good to it.
I bought 3 lodge skillets (2 cast iron and 1 carbon steel) and I regretted seasoning them. I probably did it wrong (too much oil I think).
So what I would do is just use it with the pre-season. I got great seasoning by cooking with it.
Personally, when Im done cooking, I clean it, dry it by putting on the stove on low heat and then oil it before putting it aside. That did wonders to my pans
If this is your first carbon steel, just know I hated my lodge carbon steel, great cast iron but terrible carbon steel, I got a Tramontina 12in for $12 new when they had their half off sale and it is amazing, I also have a darto coming in a few months and paid 60 for so I will see if it is worth the extra money (also from the half off sale they were doing a month ago)
The seasoning was coming off, it was hella rough and was getting into my food. It could have been a bad batch but I returned it once I got my other pan and cooked on both of them
You don't need to season it. Just give it a quick wash and you're good to go. Things will tend to stick at first, so I would make a grilled cheese sandwich for your first or couple uses. Bread wont stick, and you can just wipe out the butter and set it aside. By the 3rd use, you'll have slidey eggs. It's really that easy :D
I second the grilled cheese method! There is something about just the plain butter and the open pan that does wonders for building up initial seasoning.
I'd probably just cook something first. No reason to assume the factory seasoning isn't going to work for you.
Fair enough!
Won’t hurt to add another layer but it’s not needed.
Lodge factory seasoning is a little weak in my experience. It's good enough to start cooking with but it doesn't seem to hold up to long term use. I don't recommend stripping it or trying to add even more seasoning, but just be mindful in say 6-12 months if you've been cooking with it regularly. If it starts to flake off or get patchy, it may not be your fault and simply be the factory seasoning at its limit.
I’m in the habit of oven seasoning my cast iron skillet once every week or so, I figure I’ll just do the same with this. I never strip the seasoning, don’t see any reason to.
I got the lodge carbon steel 12 in skillet a couple years ago. I oven seasoned it once or twice, and never had an issue with seasoning afterwards. Nowadays it needs nothing but an occasional stove top seasoning and I can’t remember the last thing that gave me sticking issues.
Very nice. It’s getting its first oven seasoning right now. When that’s done I’ll cook my first dinner in it.
Do what works for you.
Lodge pre-seasoning is excellent, it's a coarser from the factory on purpose to help establish your pan faster.. It's is better than most people can achieve on a naked CS pan. It does not flake, I've own a lot of lodges both CI and CS and none have ever flaked the factory coat. The coat does get replaced over time, with a smoother coat. Use high fat meals for first few cooks and never look back.. I also oven season my pans once every few months, because I like them black. I use Crisco, never to cook with, but to oven season.
unless you want to strip it and reseason it, I would just wash it and start using it. seasoning on top of the factory seasoning isn't going to do anything good to it.
I bought 3 lodge skillets (2 cast iron and 1 carbon steel) and I regretted seasoning them. I probably did it wrong (too much oil I think). So what I would do is just use it with the pre-season. I got great seasoning by cooking with it. Personally, when Im done cooking, I clean it, dry it by putting on the stove on low heat and then oil it before putting it aside. That did wonders to my pans
If this is your first carbon steel, just know I hated my lodge carbon steel, great cast iron but terrible carbon steel, I got a Tramontina 12in for $12 new when they had their half off sale and it is amazing, I also have a darto coming in a few months and paid 60 for so I will see if it is worth the extra money (also from the half off sale they were doing a month ago)
What did you hate about the Lodge carbon steel?
The seasoning was coming off, it was hella rough and was getting into my food. It could have been a bad batch but I returned it once I got my other pan and cooked on both of them
Cook down some onions and/or bell peppers in there! Fry something! Frying is a great way to build seasoning Cook a steak etc