Seasoning trouble with Turk pan

I purchased a small Turk pan some months ago. I seasoned the pan right away, following the directions in Amanda's video. All looked good. After using the pan a couple of times, half of the seasoning seemed to wear away. Half of the pan was dark and coated-looking, the other half was lighter and food stuck on the lighter spots. So I cleaned it carefully, again following Amanda's directions, and re-seasoned. The half seasoned, half unseasoned appearance did not change. I can certainly cook with it, and it's a lovely pan, but I would appreciate some suggestions for what I can do so the pan can reach its full potential. (And so can my cooking with it!!) Many thanks for your help.

WHB
  • Posted by: WHB
  • February 14, 2016
  • 8780 views
  • 3 Comments

3 Comments

Laura C.
Laura C. February 16, 2016
No problem, Wendy. One thing that can also eat away the seasoning is cooking with acidic foods, though I'm stumped as to why it would only happen on half of the pan! It sounds like you're doing everything right. Good luck!
 
Laura C.
Laura C. February 16, 2016
Hi WHB,

I work for Lodge Cast Iron, an American cast iron cookware manufacturer, and I'd love to help! My first question is what did you season the pan with and at what temp? Generally the higher the temperature you use, the darker the iron will get when you season it (though high temps can lead to a smoky house!). It will also darken considerably with regular cooking over time, especially if you use it in the oven to roast or bake frequently. If food is not sticking to the lighter half, my advice would be to simply keep cooking with it and let it darken over time. If food is sticking, then I'd recommend seasoning it again at 400 or 450 degrees using any kind of high smoke point vegetable oil or shortening. I hope this helps! -Laura
 
WHB
WHB February 16, 2016
Laura, Thanks so much for your suggestions. I did indeed season the pan with vegetable oil at 400 degrees for a full hour. No smoke, but a noticeable odor. The pan looked dark and seasoned, until I used it a couple of times. (I did follow the manufacturer's directions to heat the pan slowly, gradually increasing the heat.) Then, it's as though half of the seasoning wore off/disappeared. I cleaned it (with water/brush, no soap!), dried, then re-seasoned as I did at first. The second visit to the oven did not have an effect. Food does stick to the lighter part of the pan. It may be that using it in the oven will help. I will certainly try that, in addition to using it on the stove top. Again, many thanks. Wendy
 
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