Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast iron

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Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast iron

Postby jkemp512 » Sun Jun 21, 2020 4:21 pm

I've been reading the archive post for the "Cast Iron" sub forum.

I've used cast iron cookware for several decades, and have seasoned with several different types of oils. Have not done the coconut oil yet, but that sounds interesting. Also haven't done the flax seed oil yet either, seems difficult to find in my area, and when I do find it, it always seems very expensive, although I've heard more times than I can count that flax seed is the best.

Either way, back on topic. There are several post in the archives that discuss seasoning cast iron, not with some type of oil, but with bee's wax. I just can't understand in my mind how that could do anything.

It seems like the bee's was would either burn off or melt off, leaving bare cast iron.

Maybe this is more obvious to everyone else, but hoping someone can explain it better. Also, once a person has seasoned a cast iron cooking item with bee's wax, is it a big plus over seasoning with oil? If so, in what way.

Comments appreciated.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby iggy3860 » Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:15 pm

G'day jkemp512,

I found this article a while ago on cast iron seasoning & the use of flax seed oil.

http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/ ... cast-iron/

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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby John61CT » Sun Jun 21, 2020 7:31 pm

Yes flax seed oil.

Find an online bulk source, buy a years' worth one time.

I guess the wax gets burnt off, leaving ??something?? behind that carbonizes to a thin sealing layer.

Very much an unusual reco, maybe worth a try.

But really if you're treating your CI right a full reseason should be rare

cooking should be self-maintaining
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby jkemp512 » Sun Jun 21, 2020 10:43 pm

John61CT wrote:
But really if you're treating your CI right a full reseason should be rare

cooking should be self-maintaining


I completely agree with this comment, rarely need to re-season, unless I do something stupid.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby GuitarPhotog » Mon Jun 22, 2020 12:30 pm

I re-seasoned my ci skillet after it rusted after being left in the trailer for a couple of months, with bees wax.I don't know how or why it works but it does. Follow the instructions in this group, and carry on. I use my ci skillet about weekly (in the house these days) and have had no sticking issues, and have not felt it needed re-seasoning.

Good luck,

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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby jkemp512 » Fri Jun 26, 2020 6:03 pm

slowcowboy wrote:Flat NO.unless you don't want to be able to go bathroom!!!!..thats why i switched to oil stuff it in the oven after oiling on 400 for 30 mins...but stay away from that crazy bees,waxe!!Not built for your body use oil bake it on and just go old school...slow.


Thanks for the post, and yes, I've done fine for many years using oil, and really don't see any reason to switch.

Possibly my question was poorly worded.

I just don't understand any way that bee's wax could be a substitute, and provide a strong, non-stick seasoning on all my Griswold and Wagoner Ware Cast iron.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby tomhawk » Wed Jul 01, 2020 12:57 pm

This article explains the process reasonably well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasoning_(cookware)

Since there is a an element of pyrolysis involved, I would think any fatty food substance would work. I would think a liquid vegetable oil would be easier to apply than bees wax. It also may be that the unsaturated fats in vegetable oil form a better surface. That said many folks have used bees wax.

Maybe bees wax is not the most nutritious substance but folks eat it all the time as part of unfiltered honey.

As described in the article, the seasoning process results in a deposition of a tough non-stick surface on the cast iron. This coating is produced by the heat decomposition of the bees wax.
Very little of this coating will flake off into ones cooked food. Even if you don't like eating bees wax, the amount you will ingest will be homeopathic.

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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby jkemp512 » Sun Jul 19, 2020 9:39 pm

Thanks everyone for looking at my question and also thanks for the replies.

Thru all that, I'm still not certain I have any better understand as to how bees wax could provide comparable seasoning vs a standard oil based seasoning. I've also not seen any evidence that bees wax seasoning would be superior to a conventional oil based seasoning.

Had there been any arguments, pro or con, this is a good time to find out for me. These past few months, I've been enhancing my cast iron collection with several fine vintage Griswold items that I've re-seasoned as purchased cast iron items arrive.

constipation - TMI - too much information - I got the message, please do not share that anymore. :(

Again, thanks to everyone who replied.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby bobhenry » Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:25 am

NOW WE KNOW WHY SLOW IS FULL OF IT ! :D :D :D

ANYONE EVER CONSUMED COMB HONEY ?

I have now been treating my 47 pieces of cast iron with a bee's wax seasoning for about 9 years since being introduced to it by a fellow camper. There are several benefits I have found.... It will NOT go rancid in long term storage, you don't have a need to BAKE it in ( just rub into a warm [hot to the touch] piece. and it's done. It will completely protect from rust in long term storage, and best of all takes about 20 seconds to do inside and out. I fill my egg skillet while still hot with warm water and rest it on the stove immediately after plating up the food. I let it set till after the meal is done and then scrub with a soft green scrubbing pad. Baked on egg , sausage or bacon crumbles are easily removed. After drying on the burner I coat lightly with coconut oil for storage ( it will not go rancid either) I have re-waxed the cast iron when it gets a bit ornery while trying to wash it up. It has now been about 8 month since this was last necessary and these 4 favorite skillets are used almost daily. I am a solid member of the no bake club.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby GerryS » Mon Mar 29, 2021 7:34 pm

Seasoning with beeswax is done the exact same way as you do with flaxseed or other oil. Build up in thin coats....you won’t taste it....but it smells nice when you first apply it.


Heat the pan to open the pores, rub a bar of 100% beeswax (solid) to leave a thin layer. Then spread and wipe wipe excess away with a lint free rag. A light coat is all you need. Repeat...often. We add a fresh layer every time we use ours (daily!) and a 1 lb brick lasts us about a year.

We’ve been doing this for years....and the outcome is every bit as slick as Teflon, and it is all natural. No weird processes if oil extraction.

We converted a couple people who “hated CI because everything sticks.”

Anyone who tells you otherwise is working with bad data. The only caveat is you MUST use 100% beeswax, some you buy is mixed with soy and paraffin...avoid that like the plague.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby 8 » Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:59 pm

I made my own blocks of coconut oil / beeswax blend. They stay solid but melt on a hot oven. I only use it on my camping ovens after use as they only get used when camping and it's not like I use every oven every trip. It's not easy to get a nice season where you carbonize the oil while at a campsite. But it's not hard to warm up an oven and run a bar over the surface to coat it. The wax seals it up and as mentioned by bobhenry, it will not go rancid in long term storage. Of course, that is sealing, not seasoning. But I did actually season / carbonize with the same blend.

For my cast iron used in the home, I just clean it immediately after use and dry it, sometimes before I even eat what I just cooked because a warm pan is easier to clean.

People have a different idea of what "seasoning" is. I bought one of those chainmail scrubbers and in the description, it says "TOUGH ON GRIT, GENTLE ON FLAVOR". Personally, I think that sounds gross. My next meal should not get any flavor from my last meal. When I think of "seasoning" cast iron, I think it's like seasoning firewood. You are just preparing it for use. Of course, I am also one of those people that uses soap on my cast iron but it is seasoned well enough that the soap flavor does not stick around.

By the way. Those chainmail scrubbers are also great for cleaning water bottles since you can drop them in and shake them around.
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Re: Bee's Wax - help me understand how it can season cast ir

Postby nevadatear » Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:36 pm

I use beeswax as well. Absolutely no problems with it, (or my digestion!l). Rarely need to retouch, but when I do, its easy. Just heat up the pan, glide the wax across, wipe off excess, let it melt in a little, wipe out final excess, put away.
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