best temp to season cast iron with grapeseed oil

[QuantumCheetah]

been using grapeseed oil to season my cast iron but the temp recommendations are all over the place smoke point is 420f but some guides say 400 for an hour which makes no sense shouldnt it be higher than the smoke point to polymerize also read that lower temps work too since its more about time than heat my method so far is 200f for 10 mins to dry it out then 300f for 15 mins before wiping the excess oil then i crank it to 450 and bake for an hour sometimes i repeat the cycle but not sure if this is the best way anyone got a solid method that works best for grapeseed oil

 

[literalironman]

Yeah, the temp recommendations for seasoning can be all over the place, but you're right, polymerization happens best when the oil is heated past its smoke point. Grapeseed oil smokes around 420°F, so ideally, you'd want to go a bit higher to ensure proper bonding. your method isn't bad though, but you might not need the 300°F step. Drying at 200°F is solid, but after that, wiping on a thin coat and going straight to 450°F for an hour should work fine. The key is multiple thin layers rather than one heavy coat. You can try it out and let us know if there are any issues

 

[MoonAndSun]

been using grapeseed oil to season my cast iron but the temp recommendations are all over the place smoke point is 420f but some guides say 400 for an hour which makes no sense shouldnt it be higher than the smoke point to polymerize also read that lower temps work too since its more about time than heat my method so far is 200f for 10 mins to dry it out then 300f for 15 mins before wiping the excess oil then i crank it to 450 and bake for an hour sometimes i repeat the cycle but not sure if this is the best way anyone got a solid method that works best for grapeseed oil

I usually do it around 420F, it's the recommended temp

 

[Dursley]

been using grapeseed oil to season my cast iron but the temp recommendations are all over the place smoke point is 420f but some guides say 400 for an hour which makes no sense shouldnt it be higher than the smoke point to polymerize also read that lower temps work too since its more about time than heat my method so far is 200f for 10 mins to dry it out then 300f for 15 mins before wiping the excess oil then i crank it to 450 and bake for an hour sometimes i repeat the cycle but not sure if this is the best way anyone got a solid method that works best for grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil seasoning can be weird. Honestly, I usually skip stressing about the smoke point. Apply a good thin coat and then bake around 450 degrees for an hour. You can let it polymerize nice and hard. Multi-step might be cool, but sometimes the simpler, the better.

 

[dudleeey]

been using grapeseed oil to season my cast iron but the temp recommendations are all over the place smoke point is 420f but some guides say 400 for an hour which makes no sense shouldnt it be higher than the smoke point to polymerize also read that lower temps work too since its more about time than heat my method so far is 200f for 10 mins to dry it out then 300f for 15 mins before wiping the excess oil then i crank it to 450 and bake for an hour sometimes i repeat the cycle but not sure if this is the best way anyone got a solid method that works best for grapeseed oil

Your method sounds pretty good but yeah, seasoning is kinda a hit or miss. The smoke point of grapeseed oil is around 420, so you're right to bake a bit above that for the whole polymerization thing. Some people would argue to go for lower temperatures for longer times, but cranking it to 420 for an hour is something I grew up doing. So that's what I'm sticking to now especially since everyone here seems to be vouching for that too.

 

[crispybacon92]

Grapeseed oil seasoning can be weird. Honestly, I usually skip stressing about the smoke point. Apply a good thin coat and then bake around 450 degrees for an hour. You can let it polymerize nice and hard. Multi-step might be cool, but sometimes the simpler, the better.

this is what I'm doing. 450 for an hour and I do several passes until I get an even look without some weird patches or different colors.

 

[BigBob75]

I have to try the seasoning with grape seed oil when I get some on my next food shopping trip. I've been using Crisco vegetable lard and it has worked for me on many pans. Scrub pans clean first. Let them dry. I use a VERY light coating and start with a cold oven. Pan upside down and a piece of aluminum foil to catch any drips. I crank the temp up to 500 F for an hour, then turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven to cool by itself. I do this three times and I'm then good to start cooking. I think the smoke point of the Crisco lard is around 440 F. IT SMOKES LIKE CRAZY SO LEAVE THE WINDOWS ALL OPEN AND ANY FANS ON. IT WILL SET OFF SMOKE DETECTORS IN THE HOUSE. Ask me how I know. I use this method on cast iron and carbon steel Lodge pans. Good cooking to all. God Bless. Bob

 

[Deleted member 129]

Filling my house with smoke is a non-starter, so how about using a gas grill? Is there an upper temp range I'd want to avoid? Gas grills can go way north of 500F. Or does it matter if it goes beyond 500? I do have a Chef Alarm I can use to monitor temps.

 

[BigBob75]

I would use a window fan but it's your choice. I would not try going over 500F. An oven temperature is much easier to control than a gas grill.

 

[ironMAN]

That makes sense, 500°F is pretty high. If accuracy is important, the oven is definitely the better choice.

 

[Isle of Skye]

Yeah, the temp recommendations for seasoning can be all over the place, but you're right, polymerization happens best when the oil is heated past its smoke point. Grapeseed oil smokes around 420°F, so ideally, you'd want to go a bit higher to ensure proper bonding. your method isn't bad though, but you might not need the 300°F step. Drying at 200°F is solid, but after that, wiping on a thin coat and going straight to 450°F for an hour should work fine. The key is multiple thin layers rather than one heavy coat. You can try it out and let us know if there are any issues

We've been using flaxseed oil all this time. Have you noticed any difference in durability between grapeseed and other oils over time? Also, do you let the skillet cool in the oven or pull it out right after the hour?