US-ION Raw Wrought-Iron Cookware Seasoning & Care

What to Expect, in Reality

Please don't expect Teflon™! Seasoned iron is superior in every way that really counts (health and sustainability), but will never be quite as slick or easy to wash as synthetic-coated pans even when perfectly seasoned. It will take a little maintenance and you will quickly develop your own flow. Seasoned iron will also be more 'earthy' and less visually perfect on the cooking surface. Relax! Iron pans have been that way for thousands of years, and they still haven't been beaten by corporate 'technology' marketing coatings when it comes to sustainable, non-toxic, natural non-stick!

See real life Solidteknics pans below from the home collection of our founder/engineer, MJ Henry, using the same methods detailed in the above instructions. The wrought iron AUS-ION Satin crepe/griddle pan at bottom was very carefully seasoned for maximum natural nonstick: mostly used for cooking with fats/oils, and carefully washed. Its natural nonstick approaches that of the disposable synthetic-coated imports. The two AUS-ION Satin skillets top left are Mark's 'daily workhorses', and more typical of what to expect when cooking a range of foods, including acidic sauces, with some rough, rushed washing at times. There's no food stuck on: that's all good seasoning - the transformed hardened oil you must try to retain as much as possible during washing. These pans are still naturally nonstick for most cooking, and very low maintenance. Though seasoned and cleaned the same, the two AUSfonte cast iron pans (a range that has since been discontinued) on the top right aren't used quite as much as the AUS-ION skillets, and generally aren't used for acidic sauces, so they have been easier to maintain with good consistent seasoning.

Ugly, or natural? Easy or too much hassle? Chef pans hanging in restaurants can look much worse! The message is don't worry what your iron pan looks like if it works. This isn't disposable synthetic non-stick convenience, this is healthy, sustainable forever-renewable non-stick that you are responsible for yourself and can always renew if/when required. It is also a great source of pride for cooks who know they will pass on these heirloom pans, as well as the skills and love for healthy cooking, to many future generations.

Sincerely tried following all instructions below, but still having difficulties?

For anyone new to iron pan seasoning and washing, there are a few simple common errors that can lead to weak/sticky seasoning, sticking food, rusting, etc. What to do?

• Email our experts directly with photos and a description of your issue: info@solidteknicsusa.com.
   
• If there are still difficulties, one of our experts will call you to walk you through the issues and get you on the right course to enjoying natural seasoned iron as much as the tens of thousands of chefs and home cooks who already love their Aussie iron (and the many millions all around the world who love their seasoned cast iron and steel pans). It's easy, once you get it right!
   
• If our seasoning methods or oils don't work for you, feel free to switch and try the advice of other experts like Jeffrey B. Rogers in the USA. There are so many variables at play that no one method works for everyone, and there are many good ways to season iron.
   
• We would appreciate it if you please refrain from making frustrated social media posts before trying all of the above, and before giving us an honest chance to fix your specific problems. It is a matter of mutual respect: we have worked long and hard to produce the world's finest iron pans, acclaimed by top chefs, while pioneering a whole new Australian cookware industry against impossible odds and we continue our crusade across the US. We expect our customers to trust that we know what we’re doing, and so do the millions of iron pan users all around the world. Please do trust that we will help you correct your seasoning problems. We have little patience for trolls and haters whose first reaction is to make a damaging public post on social media. That’s very uncool! Please be patient and fair, and we guarantee to turn your personal seasoning issue into iron cooking triumph. You will have learned a new skill that means you can maintain your non-toxic non-stick iron pan for your whole life, then hand it down for many future generations of cooking love. It’s worth it! If you give up too early you will instead necessarily revert to disposing of imported non-stick pans that don’t last: potentially exposing yourself to a lot of toxic fumes, landfill and wasted resources many many times over the course of one lifetime. We firmly believe that zero waste and healthy non-toxic cooking in the same pan for generations is well worth the initial effort and learning curve that everyone new to iron cookware inevitably goes through (then forgets)!

Ideal Iron Cooking Practice

• Preheat: Before food is placed in the pan, ensure it is preheated to the correct temperature (remember, you don’t need a high stovetop heat to get a hot iron pan, iron is very conductive). Many newcomers don't allow enough time for pan/oil to come up to heat, and this often causes sticking. After several generations of synthetic nonstick, most home cooks have been trained to use far too low a heat to properly sear meats, generally stewing the juices out at low temperature instead. Match your pan size to burner size as closely as possible. Avoid fast high power in small burners, especially induction, with pans of much larger base size: the concentration of heat in the centre can warp the pan unduly.
• Meat: The most common cause of stickiness with meats is searing on too low a temperature. Go far hotter than you may be used to, to quickly sear the juices and avoid stewing. You should go hotter than you're used to with other pans (it can take it), and let the pan preheat for a bit longer before adding the oil. Do it like the chefs: quickly sear to seal and brown, then transfer the pan to the oven to finish baking and retain the juices. A hot, well-seasoned pan doesn't need much oil, because it quickly caramelises and seals the surface. Coarse salt/pepper dry rub helps: see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ggiONseXig and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=987wOx8HXzo
• Bacon: some bacon has a high sugar content and that's what causes gumming and sticking. Because iron cooking isn't so well known in Australia, there's lots of answers on USA forums and groups and one of the good answers we recommend is this: http://www.permies.com/t/12218/cooking/Cooking-bacon-cast-iron-skillet
• Eggs: Conversely, eggs often stick when cooked at too high heat and/or for too long. Butter/oil should be used generously. Use a well-seasoned pan on low temperature for scrambled eggs and scrape around the whole pan gently toward the middle to avoid sticking and burning. See this video for the fail-safe scrambies formed-iron and cast iron method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_5rdQjN0kg .

CAUTION: READ BEFORE FIRST USE OF SOLIDTEKNICS COOKWARE!

• Oven burn risk: Take care when handling any hot metal pan, especially when taking from oven, and use oven mitts to protect your hands and trivets to protect surfaces. After removing from an oven we recommend leaving the heat sock, mitt or towel over the handle to remind yourself the handle may still be hot.
   
• Stove burn risk: our longer skillet handles are designed to resist heat transfer up the handle, and this works so successfully that hand heat protection is normally not required and the pan can be lifted from stove with bare hand. This obviously does not apply to ovens or when the handle is ever exposed to direct heat from underneath (such as over a campfire/coals or burner). The effective 'cool handle' effect does not work for other pan models with short handles, such as the AUSfonte cast iron BIGskillet and DEEPan, or the AUS-ION 30cm duel-handled wok, although their handle designs are better than most short loop handles.
   
• Thermal shock: warping and cracking: Beware that iron pans can be warped and cast iron has been known to crack (although we’ve never seen it in AUSfonte) due to thermal shock from heating too quickly on electric or induction cooktops set on max. So warm your pan a little more slowly on a medium setting for a minute on those stoves before stepping up to higher heats. On induction in particular, do not use a small 'burner' with a large pan (too much warping of any pan), and avoid settings above medium. Our iron pans are so efficient with induction that heat can become too concentrated in the middle, particularly with some high power or very centrally-focused induction. Thermal shock from cooling too quickly: never apply water to a hot pan. Apart from the risk from boiling water/steam, the thermal shock can crack cast iron or warp steel pans, no matter how thick and tough. Wait until your pan has cooled until just warm to the touch before washing. Like other situations of 'abuse', warped or cracked pans from thermal shock or overheating on induction are not covered under our warranty.
   
• Induction warping: Our iron pans are so efficient with induction that heat can become too concentrated in the middle, particularly when mismatching induction ring size to pan size. Because our US-ION wrought iron pans are so efficient on induction, there is rarely any need to go above medium power settings. Small rings and high power can certainly warp any pan, and though ours are tougher than most, it is possible to ruin your pan through warping. The issues can be exaggerated with some high power or very centrally-focused induction. Like other situations of 'abuse', warped pans from overheating on induction are not covered under our warranty.
   
• Lid security: Please note that our style of lid seal is not 'locking' so please be careful. The lid could slide off the base if both sets of handles are not held. This is particularly important when removing a HOT combination of base and lid from the oven. Remove the lid first and set aside before removing the base containing the food. Furthermore, the combination is potentially heavy, particularly when full of food, and most ovens have awkward retrieval angles for the spine.
   
• Acidic foods and seasoning erosion: Until your iron pan is very well seasoned, avoid slow-cooking highly acidic food such as tomatoes, as this can strip some of the seasoning layer away and impart a metallic taste (which is harmless - it's clean and safe iron - but not ideal in taste!). For similar reasons, don't store food in your cast iron pans overnight (but certainly use their great heat-retention properties for serving on a trivet on the tabletop)!
   
• Oil stains: Keep in mind if your pan is oily on the base it may stain porous surfaces.