seasoning problem

[M Garner]

when I season my skillets most of the time they come out blotchy and uneven. I am using lard, dose that have something to do with it? I coat lightly and bake at 400 for one hour upside down.

[EricC]

Most likely you aren't wiping off the excess oil adequately. You need to wipe it as clean as you can get it, what you can't get off will still be enough.

The seasoning guidelines on the main site recommend removing it and wiping it down again after the first 15 minutes in the oven:
http://www.castironcollector.com/seasoning.php

[Ty L.]

Also, if you're using a paper towel to wipe off the excess, you're probably still leaving too much oil on the pan. Best to use an absorbent cloth to wipe off excess oil. Treat if as it it's wet and you're trying to dry it off. I've found that cut up old t-shirts work fantastic for this.

[M Garner]

thanks, I had no idea I needed to wipe it all off as dry, hum I thought it needed a good film......

[RobHerrington]

Yeah, I did that on my first one and had to start all over. We've all been there.

[Nick_N]

Yep, wipe it real good before putting it in the oven, and I have found that it's a really good idea to quickly pull it out (of the oven) after the first 15 minutes, check for those splotches & any pooling of oil, and wipe, wipe, wipe, once again, before continuing the baking process. Sometimes I crack the oven at about the 30 minute mark, just to check it again. If it's ok at 30 minutes, chances are all will come out well.

[Jeffrey F]

This is good to know. Just did my first one ever and inside the pan has the same thing, small amounts of uneven dried crisco. SMALL though. The outside looks GREAT.
Question is ~ Can I wipe out the inside with oven cleaner, wash, dry and do again or does the whole thing need to go back in the eTank and start over ?

[Nick_N]

Originally Posted by Jeffrey F

This is good to know. Just did my first one ever and inside the pan has the same thing, small amounts of uneven dried crisco. SMALL though. The outside looks GREAT.
Question is ~ Can I wipe out the inside with oven cleaner, wash, dry and do again or does the whole thing need to go back in the eTank and start over ?

Personally, I would just give it a good scrubbing on the inside, without the oven cleaner, rinse it well, and put it in the oven to dry for 10-15 minutes. Then take a look, and if it looks good, wipe on a bit of Crisco. Then with an absorbent towel, or a tee shirt, wipe that skillet like you are trying to remove what you just put on. Then back to the oven, check in 15 minutes, wipe again if necessary, and carry on !

Good Luck !

[Doug D.]

If the spots of Crisco or oil are sufficiently baked on and polymerized, just scrubbing may not take them off. If you feel you can reasonably and carefully do just the inside with oven spray, it should only take 10-15 minutes to put you back to bare iron.

[Nick_N]

Originally Posted by Doug D.

If the spots of Crisco or oil are sufficiently baked on and polymerized, just scrubbing may not take them off. If you feel you can reasonably and carefully do just the inside with oven spray, it should only take 10-15 minutes to put you back to bare iron.

No doubt on the "sufficiently baked on and polymerized" Crisco. I was just trying to avoid introducing the oven cleaner, back into the skillet. I had one that this happened to, back on my first seasoning, and I just went at it real good with the stainless steel Chore Boy scrubber, started over, and all went well.