Seasoning pan with bees wax

cjschuckwagon · Posted: Dec 20 2017 Post subject: Seasoning pan with bees wax

Hello dutch oven people, im reentering the cast iron world after 15 years or so, and im glad the smoke ring has this forum.

I have always used pig fat to season my pans, but was told recently of using beeswax instead.

She learned of this method cooking with reenactors in the mountain man era.

Anybody hear of such a thing?

Thanks,cj
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why see a shrink, bbq therapy...be one with the pig....cj

JohnH12 · Newbie Joined: 14 Aug 2016 Posts: 25

jess · Posted: Dec 21 2017 Post subject:

I have heard of it but why change whats not broke ?
A couple pieces of my CI are a hundred yrs. old, always
oil seasoned, black & shiny as hard coal. I have to believe
that bees wax was a lot harder to come by back then than
lard. Even most candles were made from tallow.
Ever notice that a lot of re-enactments have zippers ? they where not invented until almost 1900...

JohnH12 · Newbie Joined: 14 Aug 2016 Posts: 25

Don't know why my post didn't post but the Cast Iron Collector website says basically that you shouldn't use it if you wouldn't cook with it.
Seems like a pretty good rule to me.

Pit Boss · Posted: Dec 22 2017 Post subject:

As always...do what you want and what you're comfortable with.

But...as an opinion...I use bacon grease or straight lard. I have an endless supply of bacon grease (restaurant...breakfast 3 days/week...plus what I cook at home) so that's what I usually gravitate toward.

I typically "season" a pan only once...and that's always on bare iron. Any subsequent seasonings are just to bolster what's already there.

I DO NOT do the multi-sequence flax seed oil method. Again, why try to fix what ain't broke?
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Somewhere in Kenya...a village is missing their idiot.

JohnH12 · Newbie Joined: 14 Aug 2016 Posts: 25

Pit Boss · Posted: Dec 22 2017 Post subject:

cjschuckwagon · Posted: Dec 23 2017 Post subject:

Thanks for the input folks, i love that about this site.

I have been using cast iron for most of my life, and have always seasoned with pork fat or other animal fat with no issues.

I tend to listen to new ideas and dont discard them if its reasonable, she claims that it is edible,and imparts only a slight flavor and the main advantage is it wont go rancid and is antibacterial by nature.

Im gonna try it before i say nay, but i am quite skeptical at this time.

My cast doesnt stay unused long enough to go rancid....

Cj
_________________
why see a shrink, bbq therapy...be one with the pig....cj

Pit Boss · Posted: Dec 23 2017 Post subject:

I guess I'm lucky...I've never seen a rancid piece of cast iron...and I've seen some that have been sitting for years.
_________________
Somewhere in Kenya...a village is missing their idiot.