Smooth or Rough Cast Iron

[Army 1911]

There's a YouTube channel something about Cowboy cooking with some guy I can't remember but he did a one of his videos on seasoning cast iron and I believe he showed how to smooth down a little bit a brand new Lowe's cast iron skillet check it out.

 

[brashears9567]

There's a YouTube channel something about Cowboy cooking with some guy I can't remember but he did a one of his videos on seasoning cast iron and I believe he showed how to smooth down a little bit a brand new Lowe's cast iron skillet check it out.

Cowboy Kent Rollins. If anyone knows about this stuff, it's him.


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[Vaquero]

A little texture is good on an un-seasoned pan.
A well seasoned pan might have some seasoned texture near the rim. That's OK.
The bottom of a seasoned pan should be smooth and water repellant.

 

[Polekitty]

Rough but not too rough is best because it provides more surface area not only to retain the seasoning, but it also allows the cast iron to retain heat longer.
The Lodge website has some really good info about caring for cast iron that includes seasoning.

 

[TheDan]

it also allows the cast iron to retain heat longer

How does a rough texture help retain heat?

 

[FireInTheWire]

Don't most like it rough? Oh crap I'm thinking sumping else neva mind.

Better pull that hair...

 

[Polekitty]

How does a rough texture help retain heat?

All of the little humps, bumps and dips create more surface area (metal) so the skillet will stay hot longer.

 

[AlteisenMkII]

The only smooth cast iron I've seen is that stuff with the layer of paint.

 

[TheDan]

more surface area (metal) so the skillet will stay hot longer

That's backwards. Do you mean mass instead of surface area?

 

[jrbfishn]

Dan is right. More surface area disaptes heat faster. That is why air cooled motercycles have rough textured fins on the motor. More suface exposed to air currents to carry heat away.

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[benenglish]

The only smooth cast iron I've seen is that stuff with the layer of paint.

Paint? Do you mean enameled like this?

 

[AlteisenMkII]

Paint? Do you mean enameled like this?

Correct. Been tempted to get a few kettles like this but I'm still partial to making popcorn on a cast iron wok.

 

[jetcycles]

I cook in 100 year old cast iron and modern carbon steel and I just want to chime in and say, in my humble opinion, surface texture (when properly seasoned) matters far less than having a hot pan when the food is introduced.

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[robertc1024]

Correct. Been tempted to get a few kettles like this but I'm still partial to making popcorn on a cast iron wok.

They're not painted, they're enameled. We've got a bunch of LeCruset stuff. As much as you might hate the French, they know how to cook.

 

[AlteisenMkII]

They're not painted, they're enameled. We've got a bunch of LeCruset stuff. As much as you might hate the French, they know how to cook.

Its a common mistake I make but it is a coating of sorts.

 

[CavCop]

Guys at work every year on the shop floor break out sanding equipment to smooth and polish cast iron pans for Christmas. Then spend the weekend season them in the oven doing set heat cycles. Most of them are serious into cooking, even making cutting boards.

I have one smooth cast iron pan, and like it better than my rough ones. Easy to clean, cooks very evenly.

 

[ZX9RCAM]

Can't wait for the video....

 

[Polekitty]

That's backwards. Do you mean mass instead of surface area?

I don’t know what the hell I was saying.

I guess I meant that cast iron has good heat retention properties. The texture just comes from the sand mold it’s made in.

 

[Dash Riprock]

The poll is too binary.

Some roughness is needed. The ones polished to a mirror shine are, IMO, a bad idea.

However, current Lodge production is too rough. Look at the old pans from premium makers who went out of business somewhere around WW2. Those have a texture that's much finer than current Lodge. They also tend to be thinner. That's not a problem; any cast iron pan will act as a good heat sink. The thinner ones heat up faster, though.

There's a reason that some old pans from makers whose names I've forgotten sell for such premium prices.

I got a Lodge "chicken fryer" skillet for Christmas last year and it does seem to be pretty rough. It was supposedly "pre-seasoned" but I've had to spend a lot of time seasoning it to get it where I want it and we're still not quite there. I agree, it seems to me you want a little texture but not as rough as this. The mirror-polish finish like the one in the OP's picture seems way too smooth.

fyi, I've found that cooking popcorn and substituting some ghee for part of the oil leaves a layer of seasoning and gives the popcorn a nice natural butter flavor.

 

[Dash Riprock]

Cowboy Kent Rollins. If anyone knows about this stuff, it's him.

I've seen some of those. Very informative.

I went down this cast iron rabbit hole a couple of years ago. It's crazy how seriously people take this stuff. My grandma just cooked with hers, I'm sure she never thought twice about any of it.