Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Share your culinary creations, recipes, food knowledge, restaurant recommendations, etc.
Post Reply
User avatar
joanjet
Posts: 216
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2019 10:25 am
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by joanjet »

Hey everyone, was wondering if any of you had seen something like this before. Was making some steaks and after cleaning off my cast iron pan I noticed the following:

Image

Not sure what I did. Can cast iron really chip like this?
rayl1234
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:25 pm
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by rayl1234 »

The actual iron or just the layer of seasoning flaking off? I’ve had seasoning flake off, for which I usually strip and reseason....
User avatar
joanjet
Posts: 216
Joined: Fri Apr 26, 2019 10:25 am
Has thanked: 58 times
Been thanked: 55 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by joanjet »

rayl1234 wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 11:57 am The actual iron or just the layer of seasoning flaking off? I’ve had seasoning flake off, for which I usually strip and reseason....
Oh well I guess that would make more sense than the cast iron itself chipping.. Really didn't think the seasoning on this pan was this thick, assumed it was part of the pan.

So my best option would be to completely scrub this layer out with hot water and soap and reseason from the beginning?
rayl1234
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:25 pm
Been thanked: 3 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by rayl1234 »

I do it the lazy way with the self cleaning cycle in the oven...

In any case, you will know what’s actually chipped once the pan is returned to gray iron!
gastro gnome
Posts: 328
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:47 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 37 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by gastro gnome »

If some seasoning comes off (especially if it seems localized), I usually just apply a couple rounds of seasoning on the stovetop. I'm not sure why it would be necessary to strip everything off, but maybe I've never had t this much flake off? Dunno.
User avatar
Jeff B
Posts: 14741
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2017 5:59 pm
Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Has thanked: 1954 times
Been thanked: 2324 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by Jeff B »

I'd just keep on using it for now and see how it goes before going through all the hassle of stripping and reseasoning it.
If God wanted me to be a vegetarian he wouldn't have made animals taste so good.
Kalaeb
Posts: 3271
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 8:59 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Has thanked: 208 times
Been thanked: 390 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by Kalaeb »

Jeff B wrote: Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:42 pm I'd just keep on using it for now and see how it goes before going through all the hassle of stripping and reseasoning it.
Definitely, just keep using. It may not affect performance at all. Stripping is a pain and the rest the seasoning looks great
User avatar
ken123
Posts: 5342
Joined: Wed Jan 25, 2017 2:53 pm
Location: Northern California
Has thanked: 253 times
Been thanked: 316 times
Contact:

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by ken123 »

Hard to tell the depth. I would grind it out and reseason the pan.

Ken
Cutuu
Posts: 3533
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 9:00 pm
Has thanked: 285 times
Been thanked: 105 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by Cutuu »

I'm with Jeff. I would just wash it so there is no debri and use it it. If you notice it continues to flake, then I would strip and reseason.
HTXSharp
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2020 1:12 pm
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 2 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by HTXSharp »

It looks like seasoning coming off. I agree with a couple of the other guys, just keep using, or if you feel compelled to do something, oil that spot very lightly and throw it on the burner or in the oven until you get the oil polymerized. I've stripped/reseasoned 3 pans over the years and it's not worth the work and mess unless the finish is total crap.
Bob Z
Posts: 1341
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2017 8:49 pm
Has thanked: 156 times
Been thanked: 887 times

Re: Chipping in the center of a cast iron pan?

Post by Bob Z »

Just in case...My carbon steel Matfer finally got a cruddy surface on it and I thought it was affecting cooking eggs so i stripped just the bottom by using some tomato sauce with a few squirts of vinegar. Heated it slowly half an hour and it came right off. I used a plastic spatula to avoid scratches and then paper towels.

I couldnt see any reason to redo the whole pan since the sides looked great.
Post Reply