Restoring a vintage cast iron waffle maker

[grokman]

Just picked up a cast iron waffle maker with a removable base at a yard sale, and I'm pretty excited to get it seasoned and cooking. The plates are hefty, classic style, and the base makes it easy to heat evenly without burning the bottom. I've cleaned off the old rust and given it a light seasoning coat, but I'm curious, any tips for getting the deep grooves perfectly seasoned without the batter sticking? I'm hoping to bring it back to its full, non stick glory

 

[Milich_Oppenheimer]

Don't overdo it on fancy oils... plain canola or shortening works fine. Brush it on thin, bake it in, repeat. And yeah, expect the first few waffles to stick no matter what. Call it "seasoning in progress" and keep at it.

 

[SaxeJ]

I like brushing a little oil or melted shortening in right before pouring batter the first few cooks. After a few rounds, it'll build up the slick surface and you'll be pulling waffles out clean

 

[lisalopia4]

Don't forget to keep it clean by wiping with a dry cloth after you use it and avoid using soap. If batter gets stuck, give it a scrub with a soft brush and add a thin coat of oil. If you're not using it all the time, keep it oiled to stop rust.

 

[shenshan5]

Make sure to bake it upside down so that the excess oil drips away instead of pulling. If you repeat it a few times, it will gradually smooth out the surface and also once you start cooking. Just keep in mind to do a quick brush of oil before each use. This also helps until the seasoning is well established.

 

[MaisonF]

As stated by others. season 2-3 times, remove any wood handles if needed, then use some PAM, oil or butter on the waffle iron before pouring the batter. After a few waffles come out it should break in, but my last batch I hit it with some PAM on every waffle just to be sure. I usually release one side, then flip it to the top and let gravity help me peel out the waffle from the other side. I pull it out with a fork and let it cool on a cooling rack so one side doesn't get soggy.