i must have done something wrong

new to CI and bought a really nice #8 Griswold a few months ago. it was already cleaned and seasoned but i followed some of the steps here. at one point it was super non-stick allowing eggs to slide around easily without using a ton of butter.

cooked a bunch of bacon and other things and all seemed well. use a spritz or two of Pam when putting it away. the last two times i cooked bacon though, it seemed a bit sticky. not so much the bacon was sticking but there seems to be sticky spots on the pan while cooking. not sure if i should just keep using it or do i need to start over. eggs are becoming a challenge.

i don't use the pan often and wonder if thats part of the problem. should i season with something other than pam for not frequent use? thx.

Chris.....You've done nothing wrong. Bacon now-a-days has a lot of preserves that will cause this build up. I have found that a very thin (metal) egg turner used to scrape the skillet with on occasions along with hot water and mild dish soap will clean this grime off and not hurt the seasoning. Cook a pan of cornbread on occasions and it will also lift some of the bacon residue. The pam is o.k. but try to wipe as much off as possible after treating it. Lots of people have different techniques but this one works good for me.
Good luck....

I'm the anti-PAM guy. I believe it retards good seasoning. You may want to try another oil, butter or bacon grease and put the skillet away dry to solve the issue.

Hilditch

I clean with hot water, dry, and spritz my skillets with two quick shots of PAM and then wipe them down with paper towel after every time I cook with them. No problems whatsoever.

thanks for the replies. i had been using really high quality artisan bacon (very pricey but oh so good!) and had no issue. last two times were basic grocery store bacon and guess there's more "stuff" in it.

my process is identical to Doug's. rinse with water, dry, some pam and wipe down. i have a container of used bacon grease - does this need to be kept refrigerated if i'm going to use it to season the pan with before putting it away. wasn't sure i could use this and then store it. meaning, does bacon grease go "bad"? i see some like crisbee if you don't use the pan a lot.

Yes bacon grease will go bad. I wouldn't use it before storage, just for cooking or seasoning. I keep mine in the fridge & replace it every month or two.

Hilditch

It's funny, this post could have been mine - I came here just now to ask the same question. So, heating it and using water to deglaze it - is that ok to get the bacon schmeckle out of it?

Rich_Brown said:

It's funny, this post could have been mine - I came here just now to ask the same question. So, heating it and using water to deglaze it - is that ok to get the bacon schmeckle out of it?

Click to expand...

Yes, it is.

Couple of things that sort of stand out in this thread to me:

1) "Store bought bacon" has sugar in it. Even if it's not sugar cured and says it's hickory/applewood/hardwood smoke cured, it has sugar in it. I believe that's a big reason that Chris T saw the sticking that he didn't experience before.

2) I, like MDF, use the edge of my spatula to gently scrape a skillet. Often while I'm frying in it. Doesn't hurt the seasoning and doesn't hurt the CI as long as you don't dig with a sharp corner and gouge the CI or act like you're trying to dig to China.

Rich_Brown said:

It's funny, this post could have been mine - I came here just now to ask the same question. So, heating it and using water to deglaze it - is that ok to get the bacon schmeckle out of it?

Click to expand...

I think it is. I have had a tendency to over season. More is better, right?
I do not think is is bad to use pam but it can build up and the results can become a little sticky. Spray and wipe good. Too much oil on the pan at rest also seems to catch dust etc.

Try this. Clean your skillet after use. Sometimes only a quick wipe does the trick. Sometimes I let hot water rest in the skillet which will loosen the grim then scrub or with whatever you use. I will then use a cotton towel to rub some veg oil and like the site says I will try to wipe all the oil away with another towel or the other side of said towel.
Start the next cook with slow heat until you get to temp and go to town. Eggs are the test. When you can roll them and they slide.....you are doing good.
Too much heat causes problems even with the best pan.

Always remember to have fun and enjoy.