Seasoning cast iron

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alisonb

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Am having my older brother over tomorrow and am going to cook up an oxtail 'pot' but first.....

The pot or dutch oven as you call it has developed a bit of rust in the inside which I have scoured off. Have rubbed it with salt and must now do the heat treatment. Can I use something like Spray + Cook or is it better to use oil or fat and then place in oven? Is it necessary to repeat or will one treatment be adequate? Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance. Will post pics of the oxtail pot if it is a success ;-)
 
alisonb":33ycdonm said:
Am having my older brother over tomorrow and am going to cook up an oxtail 'pot' but first.....

The pot or dutch oven as you call it has developed a bit of rust in the inside which I have scoured off. Have rubbed it with salt and must now do the heat treatment. Can I use something like Spray + Cook or is it better to use oil or fat and then place in oven? Is it necessary to repeat or will one treatment be adequate? Anything else I should know?

Thanks in advance. Will post pics of the oxtail pot if it is a success ;-)

I use bacon fat/grease. rub it in and put in oven at 400-450 for 30min minimum then just turn oven off and let it cool on its own. wipe out excess oil and use. after your thru cooking rinse wipe and regrease and put it away.
 
I've never used the spray stuff for seasoning pans. The one I have has silicone in it, and that might inhibit the polymerization effect you're looking for. I would stick with an oil or fat. Should only need a light coat and then in then into the fire or oven. One treatment should be sufficient under the circumstances. If it's a light rust, next time it happens scrub lightly with some kosher salt mixed with oil. This should remove the rust without removing your finish.

Looking forward to those pic's!
 
Thanks Alan - I ended up using oil which worked perfectly but will try fat sometime too.

Here are some pics as promised. For those of you who don't fancy oxtail I suggest you look no further ;-) -

Heat some olive oil in pot, dust meat with seasoned flour and fry till golden brown. Add some sliced bacon and fry.



Add Celery, carrots, onion, leeks, garlic and saute



Cover meat with stock, add some red wine and herbs and simmer slowly for about 4 - 5hrs :nod: .Your fire has got to be just right, this can become very tiring unless you have good company and a couple of beers :p

Time to add veggies - baby spuds, baby marrows, mushrooms, baby corn, baby carrots, olives and butter beans, cook for a further half hour

Time to dive in. Forgot to buy rice again so we had to serve the stew with mealie 'pap' or meal :roll: , also made a pot bread.


Everyone enjoyed the food, my mom pulled her face a little until she tasted it and then announced "Very good :nod: , now who would have thought and old tail would taste so good" :lol: . First time she's had oxtail....
 
The pot that needed seasoning....made an excellent pot bread, sorry no pics of the bread as the folks were getting rather hungry :D
 
So is the thought of eating oxtail similar to that of haddock :yuck: ....out with it TB, don't you folks eat it? Or is it just my primitive method of cooking that's got your tongues :p
 
alisonb":2ih73sq7 said:
So is the thought of eating oxtail similar to that of haddock :yuck: ....out with it TB, don't you folks eat it? Or is it just my primitive method of cooking that's got your tongues :p

HeTT no. Never had one in the house but I understand it is served in many places as "soul food". Before you ask, I don't eat the kidneys, chitlins, tongue, head or stomach contents either. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
TexasBred":29opfbfx said:
Before you ask, I don't eat the kidneys, chitlins, tongue, head or stomach contents either. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yuck, that would be pushing it :lol:
 
If you cook some sugar cured pork products in the skillet it will help season it too. The sugar will help add to the black coating on the bottom of the pan.

Don't pay TB any mind. He's a vegetarian and is still on the quest for the wild celery.
 
Jogeephus":g8khs3y9 said:
If you cook some sugar cured pork products in the skillet it will help season it too. The sugar will help add to the black coating on the bottom of the pan.

Don't pay TB any mind. He's a vegetarian and is still on the quest for the wild celery.

:lol2: :lol2: Joe I don't even eat the garden variety of celery either. I'm sure a lot of this stuff is good, I just never had the occasion to even try it.
 
I am a bit like TB....my policy is that I neve eat anything that used to be guts....

I have had ox tail soup though....but they had skint it....so it was just stew meat to me....
 
Wow Alison !!! I can't believe you can do all of that on an open fire , you are extremely talented :clap:

We love ox tail soup, but I have to do it in a big pot on my stove ,not nearly talented to even attempt to do it on an open fire . :help:

LUV the pot too !!! :D
 
pdfangus":35g4fxsn said:
I am a bit like TB....my policy is that I neve eat anything that used to be guts....

I have had ox tail soup though....but they had skint it....so it was just stew meat to me....

:lol: This tail was of cause skinned, that's flour that you see in the pic...

Thanks Jo, will give that a try.

HD, think I'm just lucky I didn't burn the whole affair but thanks. How do you make the oxtail soup, is it just cooked until it falls off the bone?

TB - You will have to go to the next festival :help: -
http://texaspotjie.com/upcoming-potjie-festival
 
TB ain't goin nowhere near Rusk--he's afraid they'll try keep him.
That's where the State of Texas mental facility is--what we used to call the insane asylum before political correctness came along.
(I take the bypass for that very reason)
 
greybeard":3pz7t4nq said:
TB ain't goin nowhere near Rusk--he's afraid they'll try keep him.
That's where the State of Texas mental facility is--what we used to call the insane asylum before political correctness came along.
(I take the bypass for that very reason)





This is the honest truth. Many years ago back in the 90's I was headed off to a bull sale. Back then before the satellite radio stations, your choices for radio stations in east texas was limited... Anyway the station I was listening to was playing old funny songs of the past.

I was about a half a mile away from the Rusk facility and they started playing " Their Coming To Take Me Away "lol....have to admit that one scared the **** outa me!
 
That looks delicious. My grandmother and mother used to cook oxtails. It was a favorite of mine. I haven't had it in years.
I enjoy dutch oven cooking too. You have a nice set up. My pots have a ridge around the top of the lids to hold the coals on.
We cook outside a lot during the summer to keep the house cooler.
 

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