Info on Wagner Dutch Oven

Hello! I recently acquired this Wagner No. 7 Dutch oven. I have a number of my grandmother's old Wagner cast iron skillets that I love cooking with, but I have a couple questions about this item:

1. Is it coated in something other than iron? It looks/feels different than my skillets. I read somewhere that Wagner coated some items in nickel? If so, does it need to be seasoned like regular cast iron? Also, the cooking surface/inside is a slightly different color/texture than the rest of the pot - is it perhaps uncoated, or is that just a result of use?

2. I've cooked in it a couple times so far, and the food has had an odd taste to it - any ideas why and/or potential solutions?

I've attached a couple images, for reference.

Thank you!

Intact nickel plate would not require seasoning, but would have likely become seasoned with just regular use. The inside here has been mostly worn off as is typical with used plated ware. The exposed bare iron should be seasoned before use, both to prevent rust and leached iron from potentially affecting the food.

Doug D. said:

Intact nickel plate would not require seasoning, but would have likely become seasoned with just regular use. The inside here has been mostly worn off as is typical with used plated ware. The exposed bare iron should be seasoned before use, both to prevent rust and leached iron from potentially affecting the food.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply! Are we sure the coating is nickel? Can I safely clean it in a lye bath? Will that help with the discoloration on the outside and buildup on the cooking surface?

Wagner plated with nickel exclusively. Lye will not hurt it. It will react with any cooking build-up with some grease left in it.