Do I need to start over or can this be salvaged?
Do I need to start over or can this be salvaged?
Also this might be off topic for this community as this is a carbon steel pan (Merten & Storck).
I'd melt it down and recast it.
Usually with cast iron if I damage the seasoning at all this is my workflow.
No you don’t.
Yes I do.
I usually put it back into the molden Earth core to melt it at its origin temperatures. Just like mother nature intended it.
Personally, I'd just keep cooking with it. I wish someone had told me that when I was getting started with carbon steel. In my experience, keeping the seasoning visually even across the pan is much harder on carbon steel than cast iron. I was restarting constantly because it would look splotchy, but eventually gave up on that. As long as it performs fine and there's no rust, there's nothing to worry about. Eventually it'll all even out.
This sentiment is worth spreading. Cast iron pans were around long before anyone knew what a polymer was. You can get a -good- seasoning coat from just regular use. Active seasoning can give you a -better- one, but pans have lasted decades and generations on just the seasoning gained from cooking.
I'd just give it a scrub to remove any rust then apply a light coat of oil and put it in the oven to season.
Or you could try the stove top method for woks.
honestly just melt it down and recast it.
Is that actually cast iron? Never seen a pan like that called so.
It’s carbon steel, but the seasoning process is the same.
Yes not hard to get it back in shape again.
- Clean it up and put a few cm (inch whatever) of peanut or other high temp oil in. No olive oil!
- And put it on high blazing fire for about 10-15 min or so.
This will fume a bit so keep a window open. But the looks and non stick quality will be completely restored .
You're fine enough. Might need to restart, but I've seen pans in worse shape recover fine through regular use. Mind you, it won't be as low-stick as if you scrub it down to metal and reseason, but it isn't necessary.
This is what mine looks like after washing it out with a chainmail scrubber and soap and water. Just do a couple quick seasoning layers on the stovetop with high smoke point oil (avocado, grape seed, etc) and a paper towel to get the layers on as thin as possible.
Looks ready to cook to me. I cook with mine looking like that all the time. The finish varies depending on what I last cooked in the pan.
yes and no. it'll be fine if you continue regular use. heat slow, oil well. then dry well, protect with a very light coat of fat. a single drop is enough to oil the whole base. test w with your finger, if it feels oiled it's oiled.
If you are really obsessed with getting a perfect finish then you could but i would just make sure no rust, put a bit of oil and keep cooking or heat up with the oil to put a fresh layer on the bottom if im feeling like it.