US-ION™ WROUGHT IRON COOKWARE SEASONING & CARE
SEASONED IRON IS THE ONLY KNOWN NON-TOXIC AND FOREVER-RENEWABLE NONSTICK. ALL OTHER NON-STICKS ARE MADE WITH TOXIC AND/OR DISPOSABLE SYNTHETIC COATINGS. SOLIDTEKNICS US-ION™ AND US NÖNI™ ARE 100% AMERICAN MADE.
What is seasoning?
Seasoning is simply oil baked onto the iron that prevents rust and provides a natural, easy-release finish that continues to improve with use. Seasoning can refer to both the initial finish of the cookware as well as the ongoing process of maintaining that finish.
Seasoned iron is the only known non-toxic and forever-renewable nonstick. All other non-sticks are made with toxic and/or disposable synthetic coatings.
Seasoning will help you achieve your desired level of natural non-stick, that you will build and maintain yourself. It continues to renew as you cook with fats and oils, and will not be not removed by careful washing. Our pans season exactly like cast iron (or carbon steel skillets and woks). It is very easy to 'build your own' seasoning - by following our instructions (see below) or finding your own seasoning ritual - as millions of iron skillet users around the world already know.
Solidteknics USA 'best practice' seasoning method for ‘RAW’ wrought iron/steel pans.
Break the cycle of disposable synthetic imports: BYO!
Build Your Own seasoned, non-stick skillet, and cook with a surface you can trust. From bare iron, you can easily develop and maintain you own non-toxic, forever-renewable, natural seasoning. There is nothing new about seasoning - it’s been done since the age of iron - but we do have some important tips if you want to maximize your skillet’s low-stick ability and corrosion resistance. For basic instructions, read below;
““I have to admit I too was nervous about care and maintenance when I first joined this revolution. Over time I’ve come to realize my old Teflon pans were the difficult ones. Stuff up once and they’re destroyed. These pans rinse clean and need minimal day to day care. Plus they can always be returned to perfect conditions if you get it wrong.” ”
SEASONING YOUR SOLIDTEKNICS US-ION™ SKILLET
First, oven season for corrosion resistance:
As per step 7 — Place skillet upside down in oven for 1.5 hours.
Preheat your oven to 120° F / 50°C
Before seasoning can begin you will need to remove the protective natural beeswax coating via one of the two recommended methods below (a or b):
a. Melt and wipe: Preheat your oven to 80°C / 180° F (no hotter as beeswax is potentially flammable over 100°C/210° F). Place your pan upside down in the oven on a tray lined with grease-proof paper to catch drips, and heat for 10 minutes or until the beeswax has melted. Carefully remove your pan from the oven (with thick gloves/cloth – HOT!), and place on a heat-resistant surface. Wipe the pan all over with a cotton or tough paper towel to remove as much of the melted wax as possible. Wash thoroughly in warm water, and repeat the process if necessary. Note: If you use this method, you can skip 3. below.
Or, alternatively:
b. Pour boiling water all over the pan to strip the wax. Do this outside to avoid getting wax down your drain and please be careful!
Once your pan is wax-free we recommend that you ‘Key’, or roughen the surface all over to make a better micro topography for seasoning to bond to. This isn’t essential, but it can greatly improve the evenness and strength of the initial seasoning foundation layers. Abrasive pads are best for this purpose, and you can use fine sandpaper (400 or 600 grit), or fine steel wool are best to rough up the entire surface, including the base and handle. Don’t worry, you can’t damage US-ION™ - this scouring will give the seasoning better ‘grip’.
Preheat your oven to 120° F / 50°C. Place the skillet upside down in the oven, warm for 10 minutes.
Carefully remove from the oven, and place on a heat-resistant surface.
Turn oven up to 480° F / 250°C.
With a cotton or paper towel, wipe rice bran oil, seed oil, canola oil or shortening over the ENTIRE pan very thinly, so the surface appears polished (just wipe on, wipe off…..and wipe off again). The pan should look dry with no glistening pools of oil, only the merest shimmer.
Place skillet upside down in oven for 1.5 hours.
Switch off the heat and leave the skillet to cool in the oven for 30 minutes, or overnight.
Repeat steps 4-8 two or three times to establish the best seasoning foundation.
Second, stove-top season for best natural non-stick:
SLOWLY heat skillet to high on stove, drop in a teaspoon of one of the seasoning oils mentioned above in step 6 and wipe the inside surfaces with a lint-free cloth or paper towel (held in tongs for safety). Note: It is necessary to slowly heat all metals to avoid warping - we recommend warming on a lower temperature before cranking up the heat!
Continue wiping for 20 seconds as the skillet smokes.
Oil should be a very thin polish - no pools or lumps (barely visible).
Cool for at least 1 minute.
Repeat for 10-15 minutes over two or more sessions, until the base is black, slick and oil repellent.
You will now have a great foundation, but it's only the start.... don’t expect perfect non-stick from the beginning, particularly with delicate foods like eggs and fish. As with all the best iron skillets, yours will only get better with time!
Seasoning Notes:
1. While seasoning, use your oven extractor fans on high and open the windows - make sure you have enough ventilation going to avoid breathing smoke and setting off the smoke detectors!
2. If your seasoned skillet is sticky to the touch after seasoning, this is an indication that either too much oil or not enough heat/time was applied. Repeat the oven seasoning instructions above to help remedy.
3. * Avoid overheating your iron pan on the stovetop while it is empty, and allow it to cool adequately between seasoning layers. While stovetop seasoning and cooking it is important that the burner is well matched to the pan size. Iron naturally expands when heated and although our pans are carefully designed with the correct amount of concave to compensate for that movement, there may be uneven movement if you are using large pans on small, high powered / high temperature burners when the center of the pan will move a lot more than the outer edges. There may also be issues if an empty pan is left on high heat for too long and such misuse can lead to warping or deformation of the base.
4. Similarly, induction cooktops can put out a lot of heat instantly. Just as you should not put a hot pan under cold water, you should not expose a cold pan to intense, instantaneous stovetop heat (ovens are a different matter as the pan will heat uniformly). It is necessary to slowly heat pans for stovetop use, as well as correctly matching burner size to pan size, or the metal can potentially be warped (causing pans to either become spinners or excessively concave). We recommend warming on a lower temperature before turning up the heat, and never using anything higher than a medium setting with induction for iron cookware which is very conductive. Far better is to spend a little more time slowly pre-heating your pan on a lower temperature until it is hot.
COOKING WITH YOUR SOLIDTEKNICS US-ION™ SKILLET
Old-school seasoning while you cook: Continue to build your non-stick, natural, seasoning foundation by cooking with fats/oils. Acidic foods like tomato, lemon juice and vinegar can strip your seasoning. To remedy, repeat the seasoning process above.
CLEANING YOUR SOLIDTEKNICS US-ION™ SKILLET
After cooking, run the skillet under hot water.
Never place in a dishwasher - these skillets are for hand-washing only.
Use a wooden or steel scraper to remove food residue. No soap needed! Use a brush if necessary though be careful with the beautiful black seasoning you have achieved!
Wipe with a towel or paper cloth to dry while the skillet is still warm.
Place skillet on stove top and turn heat on low for a final dry, if needed.
Final notes:
Once a pan is well-seasoned, cleaning can be as easy as wiping out with a paper towel.
If your pan develops rust, gently scrub it away. Keep cooking or spend a few minutes stove top seasoning as per the instructions above.
If your seasoning works a little too hard with acidic foods or high heat, you may notice some dark residue on your towel when cleaning. This is perfectly safe and normal and will go away with regular use and care.
Enjoy the pride in building your own healthy, natural, non-stick, innovative 100% USA-made iron skillet!
We don't want you to miss all the fun going on among our wonderful Solidteknics Cookware Lovers Group members: lots of cooking, recipes, and advice for anyone new to cooking with our highly conductive seamless stainless and iron cookware.
Join us and get into the solid spirit even before you get your pans! www.facebook.com/groups/solidteknicsusers
Happy Cooking!
CLICK HERE FOR OUR SEASONING FAQs
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WHAT TO EXPECT, IN REALITY
Please don't expect Teflon™! Seasoned iron is superior in every way that really counts (health and sustainability), but will never be quite as slick or easy to wash as synthetic-coated pans even when perfectly seasoned. Seasoned iron will also be more 'earthy' and less visually perfect on the cooking surface. Relax! Iron pans have been that way for thousands of years, and they still haven't been beaten by corporate 'technology' marketing coatings when it comes to sustainable, non-toxic, natural non-stick!
See real life Solidteknics pans from the home collection of our founder/engineer, MJ Henry, using the same methods detailed in the above instructions. The wrought iron AUS-ION Satin crepe/griddle pan at bottom was very carefully seasoned for maximum natural nonstick: mostly used for cooking with fats/oils, and carefully washed. Its natural nonstick approaches that of the disposable synthetic-coated imports. The two AUS-ION Satin skillets top left are Mark's 'daily workhorses', and more typical of what to expect when cooking a range of foods, including acidic sauces, with some rough, rushed washing at times. These pans are still naturally nonstick for most cooking, and very low maintenance. Though seasoned and cleaned the same, the two AUSfonte cast iron pans (a range that has since been discontinued) on the top right aren't used quite as much as the AUS-ION skillets, and generally aren't used for acidic sauces, so they have been easier to maintain with good consistent seasoning.
STILL HAVING DIFFICULTIES?
For anyone new to iron pan seasoning and washing, there are a few simple common errors that can lead to weak/sticky seasoning, sticking food, rusting, etc. What to do?
♥ Email our experts directly with photos and a description of your issue: info@solidteknicsusa.com
♥ If there are still difficulties, one of our experts will call you to walk you through the issues and get you on the right course to enjoying natural seasoned iron as much as the tens of thousands of chefs and home cooks who already love their Solidteknics iron (and the many millions all around the world who love their seasoned cast iron and steel pans). It's easy, once you get it right!
♥ If our seasoning methods or oils don't work for you, feel free to switch and try the advice of other experts like Jeffrey B. Rogers in the USA. There are so many variables at play that no one method works for everyone, and there are many good ways to season iron.
♥ Please refrain from making frustrated social media posts before trying all of the above, and before giving us an honest chance to fix your specific problems. It is a matter of mutual respect: we have worked long and hard to produce the world's finest iron pans, acclaimed by top chefs, while pioneering a new cookware industry in Australia and the USA. We expect our customers to trust that we know what we’re doing, and so do the millions of iron pan users all around the world. Please do trust that we will help you correct your seasoning problems. Please be patient and fair, and we will turn your personal seasoning issue into iron cooking triumph - plus help ease you from the toxic use-damage-dump cycle of synthetic-coated cookware. ♥ ♥