Failing the egg test, what am I doing wrong?

I often see videos of eggs sliding around effortlessly in a cast iron skillet. There is absolutely no stick in these videos, as if they are sautéing mushrooms in butter. Try as i might, i have not been able to achieve this.

First, Let me explain my process:

Acquire a vintage cast iron skillet, drop it in the lye tank until all gunk is off, e tank it for 6 hours or so until rust is off, dry immediately, flash rust is typically very minimal.

Heat oven to 200, place skillet in oven for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes generous rub with cribsee, then wipe ALL THE WAY OFF (i wipe it hard to make sure all oil is off so i don't get that pooling look) then crank oven to 400, set timer for an hour and done. I do this 3 times and then consider a skillet ready for the stove.

Now, onto cooking the eggs.

First, I don't add anything to my eggs, just whip them for 3 or 4 minutes straight until i've got plenty of air mixed in, makes them nice and fluffy. I use a generous amount of butter (i've tried oil too, but i prefer to use butter) so the skillet is well lubricated. My gas range settings go from low, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, high. I usually set it on in-between 3-4 and once the butter is all the way melted i pour the eggs in and i keep them moving with my spatula. Today, i cooked them at the 2 setting, nice and slow and still had the same issue.

It's all good and non stick for the first couple minutes but once the eggs start to solidify there's a thin film that sticks to the pan (pictured below).

I have this issue with all my skillets. Does this seem to be a seasoning issue or is it how i'm cooking them? Any advice is much appreciated.

Thank you and sorry for the long post!

#1. You are cleaning your skillets too good and removing that top layer of polymerized oil/fat from the seasoning. Either less/easier scrubbing or preheat, wipe with canola, let cool a bit then preheat and add the butter. The problem is the eggs contacting the dry seasoning.

#2. Maybe too much heat. Once the eggs start to set lift the skillet off the burner and play with the heat as you continue to stir. The heat in the skillet will finish the eggs in most cases.

#3 More butter won’t hurt.

Check out this post #22:
http://www.castironcollector.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3685

Hilditch

Fried eggs (sunny side up, over easy, over medium, etc.) are a different beast than scrambled eggs. I've never seen scrambled eggs just slide around the pan. It's part of what makes them scrambled. In any case, from your picture it looks as if there is no seasoning on the bottom (cooking surface) of that skillet. I'd also say that a freshly stripped and seasoned skillet is not going to be non stick. Use it a while, don't scrub the dickens out of it between uses, and it'll get better. FWIW, I cook eggs on the lowest setting on my gas cooktop.

Yeah I'll often turn off the burner shortly after adding the scrambled eggs and the heat retained by the pan is enough to cook them.

But I think your issue is they aren't seasoned enough yet. The manual seasoning process is just the starting point, it will take some regular use before the seasoning will get to the point where you'll have ideal results.

I agree with the above.

I preheat my skillet for about 7 or 8 minutes. The numbers on my electric range are LO, 2-9, HI. I preheat the pan and also cook my eggs on 3. I don't put the butter in the skillet until right before I add the eggs.

Kevin, I protest. Following the links in post #2 above shows scrambled eggs sliding around the pan right nice.

Hilditch

That whole thread was about cooking in enameled cast iron. I don't think cooking in enameled cast iron is germane to the OP's questions.

I found the technique of using a coating of polymerized oil between the surface of the pan and the lubricant, wether it be seasoning or enamel will keep the eggs from sticking if they are kept moving. It works in seasoned pans too. Picked that up at the Waffle House.

Hilditch

Thanks for the advice Hilditch. I'm gonna clean the pan, crack a few eggs and give it another shot. This time with canola oil, then butter in low heat and I'll keep them moving.

I also might "oven season" it again, however this time wiping off less oil and leaving more on the cooking surface, not too much, but more than last time.

Thanks again CICers!!!

I think you just may be expecting too much too soon from a pan only manually seasoned with three rounds in the oven. I also think that trying to do a thicker layer in one pass isn't going to be your answer.

NLevine said:

I also might "oven season" it again, however this time wiping off less oil and leaving more on the cooking surface, not too much, but more than last time.

Thanks again CICers!!!

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That's the last thing you want to do. You'll start getting blotchy, uneven results that are more prone to flaking. One step forward, two steps back.

There are no shortcuts, just keep using the pan.

Looks like you had too many eggs on that little skillet,try only one and you'll see the difference,avoiding skillet wall contact,while cooking the egg.

EricC said:

That's the last thing you want to do. You'll start getting blotchy, uneven results that are more prone to flaking. One step forward, two steps back.

There are no shortcuts, just keep using the pan.

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Good thing I read this before throwing it back in the oven!

I've got a lot to learn regarding CI and more and more it sounds like slow and steady wins the race.

Thanks for taking the time to comment, i'm really learning a lot!

I do fried eggs much differently than scrambled. For fried sunny-side-up I slowly bring the skillet up to temp before I add a generous about of butter. Once the butter melts I add the eggs and let them slightly set before I break them lose to slide around the plan.

For scrambled i do the low and slow method. Skillet heats up on the lowest setting for about 5mins with cold butter and eggs to start. Once it starts coming up to temp then it is a constant stirring of the eggs so they don't stick but also do not form a crust. I keep this up until they are creamy and cooked. At that point I drop on a sprinkle of feta cheese and plate them with the bacon I've been cooking in another CI skillet

NLevine said:

I've got a lot to learn regarding CI and more and more it sounds like slow and steady wins the race.

Thanks for taking the time to comment, i'm really learning a lot!

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Make a couple batches of cornbread in your skillet (plenty of bacon fat in the bottom before you add the batter). I'd read about that as a good way to build seasoning, but just experienced with a recent restoration of my own. I'm now a believer!

There's definitely an art to using the iron well.

Steve

I should have updated this a few weeks ago after I found some REAL BACON. The pure pork fat from the real bacon was the ticket for me. I poured some scrambled eggs into the hot grease and had the best cast iron experience of my life! Perfectly cooked eggs sliding effortlessly around the greasy pan, it was a beautiful sight indeed. With the REAL BACON grease I've passed the egg test, without it, i'm reaching for my plastic scraper.