Geekboy,
Wow! You're allowed to speak to other people? Is JesBelle on vacation or something?
Welcome to the board.
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| Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil http://www.cookaholics.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=954 |
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| Author: | Geekboy [ Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:02 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
Being who I am, I undertook researching the particulars of this process. Here is what I found. Flaxseed oil (also known as linseed oil) belongs to a class of oils known as 'drying oils.' These oils earned their name because they are particularly susceptible to polymerization when exposed to oxygen, especially in the presence of a metallic catalyst such as iron. It is this cross-linking of the oil's molecules which forms the hard non-stick coating on cast-iron pans, and is the reason these 'drying' oils are used as the base for oil paints and varnishes. They will form this coating on their own (gradually congealing over time), but putting them in a hot oven speeds the process dramatically. So I dug deeper. I wanted to find out how much better flaxseed oil was as a seasoning agent than oils such as coconut (which is what we've been using lately), corn, etc. I discovered that the polymerization potential of an oil can be expressed as something called the iodine value (IV), and that 'drying' oils are those oils with an IV of 130 or higher. I tried really, really hard to find a table or list of the IV of different oils, but it turns out that all the really good lists that Google knows about are locked behind the paywalls of professional journals. Fortunately I managed to find some help from sites devoted to the DIY manufacture of soap and biofuels (it gets inconvenient when oil turns to shellac in your tank!). Coconut oil - 10 (10??? Sheesh! No wonder we have to reseason so often!) Olive oil - 80 (getting better...) Peanut oil - 93 (now I know why peanut was my personal favorite for so long) Canola oil - 98 (slightly better than peanut) Sunflower oil - 125 (Now we're getting somewhere!) Soybean oil - 130 (right on the border) Tung oil - 168 (Now we're really talkin') Flax/Linseed oil - 190 (Wow. That's really up there) And that was pretty much it. I couldn't find anything with a higher IV than flaxseed oil...for a really long time (because I ain't gonna pay $35 for access to professional journals for a project this casual!), but eventually I did manage to find one higher than flaxseed. It turns out that perilla oil has an IV of about 195, which theoretically means that it should be even better at seasoning pans than flaxseed...if you can find some, that is. I was only able to find it in a $25 2oz size for skin care (but diluted with vitamin E oil) or in a $50 gallon jug (though they do have it available in a 40lb pail or by the drum, too). We're debating getting the gallon jug and just having a seasoning party with some tossed greens and maybe a deep-fried chicken. Who knows? --Geekboy |
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| Author: | TheFuzzy [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:10 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
Geekboy, Wow! You're allowed to speak to other people? Is JesBelle on vacation or something? Welcome to the board. |
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| Author: | fitzie [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:35 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
post deleted |
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| Author: | JesBelle [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:12 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
I was obviously incapable of doing justice to his 1.5 hours of research so he just posted it himself.  I am definitely trying this out this weekend, but we're getting flax seed oil. I don't need a gallon of unsaturated fat turning to tar in my pantry. |
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| Author: | TheFuzzy [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
JB, I wonder if flax seed oil would be good for cutting boards, too? Or would it get too hard/dry and flake off? |
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| Author: | Geekboy [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
It would probably be fantastic...if you want your cutting board to be waterproof, hard, and shiny. I assume it would get scarred up pretty badly with the cutting, requiring a fresh coat every so often and a complete strip once in a while. You'd literally be stripping and refinishing a wooden block with linseed oil every so often. Dunno if putting a hard shell finish on a cutting board has any advantage over a soft one (from mineral or other non-drying oil). Got an extra board you can bake at 350, oil up, and then get back to us? --Geekboy |
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| Author: | fitzie [ Tue Jan 11, 2011 1:05 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
Would this work on my new unseasoned carbon steal wok? Fitzie |
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| Author: | Amy [ Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
TheFuzzy wrote: Geekboy, Wow! You're allowed to speak to other people? Is JesBelle on vacation or something? Welcome to the board. teehee... Very nice to see you here Geekboy. Amy |
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| Author: | TheFuzzy [ Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
Geekboy wrote: It would probably be fantastic...if you want your cutting board to be waterproof, hard, and shiny. That's pretty much the opposite of what you want. I'll stick to food-grade mineral oil. |
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| Author: | JesBelle [ Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Seasoning Cast Iron - A New Method Using Flaxseed Oil |
I did it. It looks beautiful. I will post pics and the results of the trial run tomorrow. |
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