stoneware baking sheet

**halloweenfreak** · 11-27-2007, 06:49 PM

just recently bought a stoneware baking sheet and was thrilled when it finally arrived. so far EVERYTHING i have baked on it has stuck like crazy. so i thought i would use parchment paper the next time i made cookies. they didnt stick but were so soft and mushy youd have thought they were still raw. whats the deal????

**YankeeMom** · 11-27-2007, 07:03 PM

Season it.
Keep it in the oven when you cook EVERYTHING. It will get black & dirty and beautiful. And nothing will stick

**halloweenfreak** · 11-27-2007, 07:08 PM

well the instructions didn't say anything like that! it said to wash it in hot water and spray it with pam occasionally. or cook a bag of tater tots on them to release the grease. how long will it take to get it all 'non sticky'?

**halloweenfreak** · 11-27-2007, 07:31 PM

ok so it didn't say pam. it said to spray with veggie oil. so its in there soaking up the oil and when the meatloaf is done ill throw it in the oven. i also ordered some cast iron skillets. do you season those the same way?

**YankeeMom** · 11-27-2007, 07:47 PM

I think pans need to be seasoned in non animal fat? Like vegetable oil or vegetable shortening. I'm not positive about that though...

**mom2bobsarah** · 11-27-2007, 08:43 PM

Also, cookies do take longer when you cook on stonewear. Usually just the first 2 trays. Just long enough for the pan to get good and hot. Bake some chocolate chip cookies and you should have more than enough fat to season the pan.

**Marie78** · 11-27-2007, 11:11 PM

I season my stoneware by rolling out a roll of inexpensive (less than 50 cent) crescent dough all over it. I bake according to the directions on the package. I don't eat this dough, although I am sure you could. Then I bake with it, it helps to get some oils into it for future uses.

**quiltingmommy** · 11-28-2007, 09:03 AM

rub it with crisco shortening and bake it in the oven for about 20 mins at 375. Then rub off the extra oil. When you get your cast iron pans (which I use mine almost daily), wash them with hot water, dry them with a paper towel and put a coating of shortening on them (including the bottom and the handle). Then, put them in a hot oven (425, I think and you may want to put some aluminum foil under them to catch any oil) and bake them for about 30 mins. Turn off the oven, let them cool inside the oven - door closed. When they are cool, wipe off the excess oil and you are good-to-go. Remember, never, ever use soap on cast iron! After each time you use them, clean with a little hot water and dry with a paper towel.

Have fun cooking!

**halloweenfreak** · 11-28-2007, 12:08 PM

thanks for all the help! ive never owned cast iron but i've heard nothing but good things about them so i thought i would try them.

**Squirt** · 11-28-2007, 12:21 PM

You're likely to have the same issues with the new cast iron, even though they come pre-seasoned. I think you have to cook a lot of fatty stuff on them for the non-stick properties to build up. From my understanding, it's a layer of carbon that develops over the iron.

**quiltingmommy** · 11-28-2007, 01:56 PM

You'll notice that as you use the cast iron, it will get darker and darker...that is what makes it non stick. Don't scrub a cast iron pan unless something is really stuck on (like a piece of cheese), it will wear off the non-stick coating that builds up as you use it. Usually if there is a fleck of something stuck (which does happen from time to time), I use my fingernail or those plastic card things for scrubbing pans and just pick at the spot until it's gone.

Every once in a while it is a good idea to reseason your pans. About every 6 months, go through the seasoning process again and you will notice a difference in the pan.

**forHISglory** · 11-28-2007, 02:40 PM

Hi, Although most folks that I know have enjoyed using their stones, I had a bad occurence with one. I bought it at a party, and followed the directions to a T once it arrived. The second time I used it, the stone exploded in the oven. I actually had my hand on the oven door handle, and was ready to open it. If I had had it open, I could have been blinded by the flying debris. I contacted the company and they offered me a new one or my money back. I took the money. They said that once in a while the stone will have an air pocket in it, which causes the explosion. Just be careful!

**Jessesbride** · 11-29-2007, 09:46 AM

I'm not sure about the stone...as dh handles that (he had it before we got married) but then it is black in the middle and we never do anything to it!, but he has taught me how to use the cast iron skillets (which I now LOVE to cook with (as it also helps to put iron in your diet!). We DO wash them with soap & hot water (but only wash outside about every so often), however we "reseason" the skillet(s) by (I use a paper towel to help with this) using a generous amount of vegetable oil and coat the ientire nside of the skilet, then put the skillet onto the stovetop burner and turn on stove.... let the skillet 'burn' on the stove until mostly dry (in other words dry - no oil to run around in the pan cuz you dont want it to rust - but not bone dry, turn off the stove and let cool, put it up and you are done. If you have washed entire skillet with hot water & soap (after rinsing it

) do this to the whole pan to "reseason" it. Now it's ready for reuse!

Hope this helps!

Kim