How dangerous was this? How much damage have I done?

For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.

For economy and convenience reasons, I've been stuffing the little
soaked paper-towel remnants into a little soup tin by the stove-top and
then reusing them to quickly re-season the pan after it's been lightly
cleaned.

Sometimes I do this when the pan is cold, sometimes when it's hot, you
know I just grab the little soaked rags with a pair-of-tongs and whisk
it quickly over the pan to keep it lightly seasoned with a layer of
oil.

Lately however I've been noticing how the rags are beginning to develop
a very pungent solvent type odor just like the mechanical oil and paint
rags n the damn garage! I thought somebody was playing a joke on me!
But then it suddenly dawned on me I might have been doing something
terribly wrong in the kitchen without knowing it.

Please give me the bad news. What have I been doing? WHY does it smell
like that? How does it go from odorless to solvent like? And how much
danger have I done to myself.

There's never enough oil actually being applied to actually pool in the
pan but I don't know if that actually matters much. It's more like
using the rags as a handy-quick way to apply a thin-layer of oil to
keep it well-seasoned.

But then everything started changing from light smooth colorless oil to
sticky, pungent and brownish. I didn't let the rags get black but they
were turning brown. I just threw them away but probably too late.

So please give me the news ... good, bad or otherwise ... how much
sooner am I going to die?

Thank you.

-BdN-

Bozo wrote:
> For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
> apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.
>
> For economy and convenience reasons, I've been stuffing the little
> soaked paper-towel remnants into a little soup tin by the stove-top and
> then reusing them to quickly re-season the pan after it's been lightly
> cleaned.
>
> Sometimes I do this when the pan is cold, sometimes when it's hot, you
> know I just grab the little soaked rags with a pair-of-tongs and whisk
> it quickly over the pan to keep it lightly seasoned with a layer of
> oil.
>
> Lately however I've been noticing how the rags are beginning to develop
> a very pungent solvent type odor just like the mechanical oil and paint
> rags n the damn garage! I thought somebody was playing a joke on me!
> But then it suddenly dawned on me I might have been doing something
> terribly wrong in the kitchen without knowing it.
>
> Please give me the bad news. What have I been doing? WHY does it smell
> like that? How does it go from odorless to solvent like? And how much
> danger have I done to myself.
>
> There's never enough oil actually being applied to actually pool in the
> pan but I don't know if that actually matters much. It's more like
> using the rags as a handy-quick way to apply a thin-layer of oil to
> keep it well-seasoned.
>
> But then everything started changing from light smooth colorless oil to
> sticky, pungent and brownish. I didn't let the rags get black but they
> were turning brown. I just threw them away but probably too late.
>
> So please give me the news ... good, bad or otherwise ... how much
> sooner am I going to die?

The oil oxidized. The oxidation process develops heat, which speeds the
oxidation. Depending on the oil and on how well the stuff is packed and
on how well the container holds the heat, the mass can actually start to
smolder, then burn (just like packed wet hay). Appreciable quantities of
oxidized oil smell rancid.

Just throw the rancid oil out and don't worry about your health. Keep
the oily wad around all day if you like, but chuck it (an isolated
square won't smolder) after the evening cleanup. If you are using a
small piece of paper towel instead of a whole sheet, you probably aren't
getting the pan hot enough. Good seasoning is had by getting the oil to
oxidize to a hard coat on the skillet, and high heat speeds that, as I
wrote above. (Oxidize, that is, in conjunction with the iron oxide. If
it won't rust, you can't season it with oil.) My take on all this is at
http://users.erols.com/jyavins/season.htm

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

--

BetsyB

"Jerry Avins" <jya@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:GMidnS1O_6sgV_TYnZ2dnUVZ_q2dnZ2d@rcn.net...
> Bozo wrote:
>> For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
>> apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.
>>
>> For economy and convenience reasons, I've been stuffing the little
>> soaked paper-towel remnants into a little soup tin by the stove-top and
>> then reusing them to quickly re-season the pan after it's been lightly
>> cleaned.
>>
>> Sometimes I do this when the pan is cold, sometimes when it's hot, you
>> know I just grab the little soaked rags with a pair-of-tongs and whisk
>> it quickly over the pan to keep it lightly seasoned with a layer of
>> oil.
>>
>> Lately however I've been noticing how the rags are beginning to develop
>> a very pungent solvent type odor just like the mechanical oil and paint
>> rags n the damn garage! I thought somebody was playing a joke on me!
>> But then it suddenly dawned on me I might have been doing something
>> terribly wrong in the kitchen without knowing it.
>>
>> Please give me the bad news. What have I been doing? WHY does it smell
>> like that? How does it go from odorless to solvent like? And how much
>> danger have I done to myself.
>>
>> There's never enough oil actually being applied to actually pool in the
>> pan but I don't know if that actually matters much. It's more like
>> using the rags as a handy-quick way to apply a thin-layer of oil to
>> keep it well-seasoned.
>>
>> But then everything started changing from light smooth colorless oil to
>> sticky, pungent and brownish. I didn't let the rags get black but they
>> were turning brown. I just threw them away but probably too late.
>>
>> So please give me the news ... good, bad or otherwise ... how much
>> sooner am I going to die?
>
> The oil oxidized. The oxidation process develops heat, which speeds the
> oxidation. Depending on the oil and on how well the stuff is packed and on
> how well the container holds the heat, the mass can actually start to
> smolder, then burn (just like packed wet hay). Appreciable quantities of
> oxidized oil smell rancid.
>
> Just throw the rancid oil out and don't worry about your health. Keep the
> oily wad around all day if you like, but chuck it (an isolated square
> won't smolder) after the evening cleanup. If you are using a small piece
> of paper towel instead of a whole sheet, you probably aren't getting the
> pan hot enough. Good seasoning is had by getting the oil to oxidize to a
> hard coat on the skillet, and high heat speeds that, as I wrote above.
> (Oxidize, that is, in conjunction with the iron oxide. If it won't rust,
> you can't season it with oil.) My take on all this is at
> http://users.erols.com/jyavins/season.htm
>
> Jerry
> --
> Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

Good advice. My Mother used to heat the pan in the oven then apply the oil
and let it cool naturally. Ditch the paper towel after dinner.

Betsy
> ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Jerry Avins wrote:
> My take on all this is at
> http://users.erols.com/jyavins/season.htm
>
> Jerry

Are you the Jerry Avins who used to live on Kendall Road in Kendall Park?

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

"Bozo" dribbled:
> For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
> apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.
<snipped the tastless >
> So please give me the news ... good, bad or otherwise ... how much
> sooner am I going to die?

Well, you won't be dying of laughter, that's for sure. It's not so
bad to hoax cooking and food ngs but to bother people on
a cancer support group, that's really low. Go back to
alt.comedy.standup. You need the practice. You're not funny.

"Mizz Marcia Ryder" <MizzOtis@regrets.com> wrote in message
news:Z9uah.34942$OE1.1541@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com.. .
>
> "Bozo" dribbled:
>> For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
>> apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.
> <snipped the tastless >
>> So please give me the news ... good, bad or otherwise ... how much
>> sooner am I going to die?
>
> Well, you won't be dying of laughter, that's for sure. It's not so
> bad to hoax cooking and food ngs but to bother people on
> a cancer support group, that's really low. Go back to
> alt.comedy.standup. You need the practice. You're not funny.

Amen!

--

·.·´¨ ¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
Laurie
((¸¸.·´ ..·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸ ·.·

*~*LiveLoveLaugh, and hangin' in there!*~*

Paddle together, bail, paddle; paddle, bail; paddle towards the land.
~Hawaiian proverb

Bozo wrote:

> For the past year or so I've been using little paper-towel squares to
> apply vegetable oil to an iron skillet to keep it well-seasoned.
>
> For economy and convenience reasons, I've been stuffing the little
> soaked paper-towel remnants into a little soup tin by the stove-top and
> then reusing them to quickly re-season the pan after it's been lightly
> cleaned.
>
> Sometimes I do this when the pan is cold, sometimes when it's hot, you
> know I just grab the little soaked rags with a pair-of-tongs and whisk
> it quickly over the pan to keep it lightly seasoned with a layer of
> oil.
>
I am sure you have heard that oil soaked rags can spontaneously combust.
It is not petroleum oil however, it is animal fats and vegetable oils
that combust. It is possible that keeping those oils in a uncovered
container could cause them to catch on fire.

Otherwise, all you have done is let the oils get rancid, and probably
the worst thing that would happen is you will end up going to the toilet
several times a day for awhile.

If these are cast iron skillets just heat them up in the oven very hot
and then oil then and let cool slowly, they will stay seasoned.
--
******************************************
* This is the Spammish Inquisition *
* Not Lumber Cartel Unit 75 [TINLC] *
* http://bobcathoh.50megs.com/tinLC/ *
* david l kayp at earthlink dot net *
******************************************

DLU wrote:

> If these are cast iron skillets just heat them up in the oven very hot
> and then oil then and let cool slowly, they will stay seasoned.

Why are you crossposting, David?
I'm curious.
Bored?
Don't care about this newsgroup?
You can't reply and trim out this newsgroup?
J- curious
PS I rarely fry anyways but when I do, just washing them then heating them
works.
No seasoning required at all.
Bought a $25.00 (made in Taiwan) set of 3 different sized cast iron skillets
20 or more years ago and they're still (almost) as good as new.

DLU wrote:
> Bozo wrote:

...

> I am sure you have heard that oil soaked rags can spontaneously combust.
> It is not petroleum oil however, it is animal fats and vegetable oils
> that combust. It is possible that keeping those oils in a uncovered
> container could cause them to catch on fire.

Any oil that oxidizes (burns) can undergo self ignition from the
build-up of heat if that heat is retained.Linseed oil and turpentine are
the usual culprits, but motor oil and mineral spirits can do it also.

...

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

J wrote:

> DLU wrote:
>
>
>>If these are cast iron skillets just heat them up in the oven very hot
>>and then oil then and let cool slowly, they will stay seasoned.
>
>
> Why are you crossposting, David?
> I'm curious.
> Bored?
> Don't care about this newsgroup?
> You can't reply and trim out this newsgroup?
> J- curious
> PS I rarely fry anyways but when I do, just washing them then heating them
> works.
> No seasoning required at all.
> Bought a $25.00 (made in Taiwan) set of 3 different sized cast iron skillets
> 20 or more years ago and they're still (almost) as good as new.
>
This was on alt.support.cancer, I did not see the other newsgroups until
it was too late.

--
******************************************
* This is the Spammish Inquisition *
* Not Lumber Cartel Unit 75 [TINLC] *
* http://bobcathoh.50megs.com/tinLC/ *
* david l kayp at earthlink dot net *
******************************************