Sorry. I can repost for you later. 
You already did, above at #57.
By the way, I got a new, slightly different message this time around saying that the original author can only reopen once, and if there is a 2nd flag, thereafter it goes to @moderators for review.
I think perhaps we are using “seasoned” differently. With cast iron cookware, seasoning means building up a layer of polymerized oil that smooths and seals the naturally somewhat porous surface of the metal. Aluminum already has a smooth seals surface and thus does not need seasoning. However, it does benefit from a light coating of oil.
“Seasoning” both aluminum and SS has been a frequent topic here and on Chowhound. It’s not just a matter of “a light coating of oil”, and if you polymerize oil into any visible coating, you’re doing it wrong.
My method goes:
- Start with a super-clean pan.
- Add a skim of oil, approximately 1/8" deep. Wipe up the sides.
- Heat the pan to just below the oil’s smoke point, wiping away any runnels on the walls.
- Off the heat, add a good volume (about a 1/4 cup) of kosher salt. Make an oil/salt slurry and then evenly scour it into the interior, floor and walls.
- Let the pan cool to room temperature, then wipe out the slurry until the interior looks dry.
There is a (tenuous) bond of oil to pan that surpasses just adding oil when cooking. Any real scouring removes it, which for me limits its use to pans dedicated to cooking eggs. This “seasoning” typically doesn’t survive very long if you use strong surfactants or a DW, or sear at high temps. It lasts longest if you clean only by making more salt slurry to remove any bits that stick.
Give it a try, you might be surprised.
Again, I think this is a semantic issue. As far as I can determine, you cannot season an aluminum pan the same way you do a cast iron one.
No, not semantic. Have you tried it, or are you comfortable guessing?
The vast majority of people who do try it notice a qualitative difference. Their opinions vary on the magnitude and whether it’s worth it, considering the ubiquity of nonstick pans.
IMO, the uptick effect on nonstick-iness is at least as great as preheating an empty pan to Leidenfrost before adding oil.
I have no problem with food sticking to my AllClad hard-anodized aluminum cookware. My cast iron is well seasoned. I see no reason to change anything.
But you haven’t tried. What you and I are talking about (as opposed to Kaleo) is seasoning aluminum just as if it is cast iron - with a polymerized coating of oil.
I say it works, because I’ve done it. And there’s no reason why, from a chemical standpoint, a polymerized coating of oil won’t adhere to aluminum.
I was a bit confused by one of your latter responses to me, though. You mention “not to try to season an aluminum pan. If it works for you, fine. My AllClad pans work just fine without it”. Do you have All-Clad pans that are bare aluminum surfaced? What I mean is, aluminum All-Clad that doesn’t have their non-stick coating?
I’m relatively new to the All-Clad game and all I can find are stainless-surfaced (the original aluminum inner cladding sandwiched between layers of stainless) and their aluminum line (not steel-over-aluminum) which is all coated in what they call“high-quality PTFE nonstick”.
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Some types of oven cleaner, like easy off, will ruin aluminum pans. I absent mindedly sprayed some on a sheet pan recently. I do not recommend.
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I am confused as well. Aren’t All Clad hard-anodized alumium cookware have PTFE? If you have PTFE, then of course, no seasoning is needed, but even then the reason is not aluminum, it is PTFE.
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I got these silicone mats for Christmas and use them to line my baking sheets instead of aluminum foil.
Silpat Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet, Cream https://a.co/d/aTJYtNf
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I remember these mats were highly praised back by the many people on Chowhound. I have never used one though.
They definitely help to keep the sheet pan clean. Also great to keep food from sticking
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Silpats are great, but if buying from eBay or Amazon beware of counterfeits.
And I’ve polymerized oil (seasoning) on both aluminum and SS sheet pans/cookie sheets… you can either live with it or drive yourself nuts trying to remove it.
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I have ruined a sheet pan by spraying with oven cleaner. It seemed to strip off an entire layer of finish, as well as pitted and corroded the surface. Can’t remember if I threw it away or saved it for some gnarly use or other utility. Knowing me, I probably saved it. I usually just hand wash cookie sheets & sheet pans, occasionally some of the smaller ones end up in the DW from time to time. I need to keep reminding H to use parchment or foil, both of which are always on hand. Foil for things like ribs, etc. Saves a ton of work.
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Agree on both accounts - nonstick and keeping pan clean. To @ScottinPollock’s comment about counterfeits, I’d say yes but also maybe no about them being a problem because we have 2 actual branded SilPat liners, but we also have 2 sold by Aldi under their “Crofton” brand, and those seem to be just as good.
But there may be many others of unbranded stuff that Scott warns about that are not good. I can just say that the Aldi “Crofton” imitation silpats are pretty good.
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Yep, I saved the corroded sheet pan - it’s kind of nice having a beater pan you can put on your outside grill, or whatever. I do line with foil before use, don’t want to put food on the corroded surface.
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You must have miracle A-C cookware. I’m guessing you don’t cook and haven’t cooked omelets in bare aluminum or SS pans.
Do you have a waffle iron? Coated or bare?
It really does create a strange surface. It had not occurred to me that it took off the top layer but that does explain the texture. It is like it melted and then reformed into a chaotic mess. I thought about bring out my dremel tool to sand and polish but decided I would go through more dremel pads and time than it was worth.
The destroyed pan is being used to hold seedlings waiting to be transplanted. I’ll try to remember to take a picture of it just so people will not be tempted to try it.
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Yes, that’s a good idea! I’ll get mine out as well, and do the same. We can compare the devastation!
