Ever since meals were cooked over hearths, cast iron has been a staple of the home cook’s culinary experience. For one man, a recent journey with smelted metal has led him to a place where perhaps no one else has gone: the mirror finish.
On January 22nd, Reddit user u/fatmummy222, who asked to be called “Dewey,” I posted a series of images on the r/castiron subreddit It quickly went viral. With over 52,000 upvotes, users share the latest chapter in their months-long cast-iron story. Yes, I am eighty.
“I’m 80 coats now,” Dewey wrote on his now viral Reddit post“Don’t do it, folks. This is for Internet clout and ‘science.’ It can also unnecessarily piss off random internet strangers. “
For those unfamiliar, seasoning cast iron cookware A rough surface should be prepared for cooking.
When the cast iron is thoroughly coated with neutral oil and placed in an oven, the coating is baked onto the surface of the casting, sealing it and preventing the cast iron surface from sticking.
We recommend that you only need one coat of seasoning to start searing these steaks and Dutch baby pancakes, but many people put the seasoning in their cast iron skillet or Dutch oven several times. I also paint .. but about 4 or 5.
80 coats of seasoning is something else altogether, and from the over 4,000 comments on Dewey’s latest post, reactions to his mirrored pan range from awe to confusion.
“Hey, put the mirror back in the bathroom.” I have written 1 Redditor.
“OP is doing the work of a lord” commented On another Redditor, on another Redditor answered“Work for lard?”
Still, wondering aloud if he’s doing anything else with his time besides seasoning one cast-iron skillet raises genuine concern for the extraordinary seasoner. There are commentators who have expressed
“OP’s post history is a journey” read Another Reddit comment. “I feel like they literally dropped everything else in their life to season this pot and make eggs for two months straight. They haven’t even mentioned steak these days. OP, help Blink twice if you want.
Dewey’s seasoning journey with this particular skillet Started in December 2022He tells TODAY.com that seasoning and cooking with cast iron isn’t just for “science” and “internet clout.” The dedicated seasoner also says cast-iron care is his way of unwinding.
“I’ve been seasoning cast iron and carbon steel for a long time,” says Dewey.
Dewey says he recently found the r/castiron subreddit where he joins old kitchen items and shares his experiences. “People shared their seasoning ideas and recipes and I was obsessed with it.”
He says he just enjoys the seasoning process and usually seasons this particular skillet about once a day. “I love the way the pot looks. I’m satisfied. It’s like polishing your shoes to make everything shine,” he says.
Commenters on the thread asked a great many questions about Dewey, the most common being: Why?
“Both [experimental and meditative]’” Dewey said, adding that he added seasoning to this particular skillet. Combining Crisco and Grapeseed Oil, among other techniques. “I really enjoy it, and I’m curious. How far can you push it? How far can you go? Can you do a real mirror finish?”
for them I like the smell of my house After numerous burns of oily cast iron, Dewey says anyone in his home who cares about it can “open a window.” He added that he wasn’t too worried about it because there weren’t any.
“Some people on the subreddit are a little bit set in their ways,” Dewey said, adding that there was bound to be a lot of backlash when people conducted experiments like his. There’s no stopping seasoners, and Dewey plans to add coats and continue documenting his journey on Reddit.
“What I’m trying to say is get people to enjoy what they’re doing. Won’t it hurt someone you know?” says Dewey. “I think people should just relax. It’s a lot of fun.”
By our estimate, he’ll likely reach 100 by St. Patrick’s Day.Perhaps he had a well-oiled frying pan soda bread. ‘It’s the season.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com