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>low smoke point for linseed oil I would naively think you would want an oil with a high smoke point for seasoning. Can you elaborate on why a low smoke point

>low smoke point for linseed oil I would naively think you would want an oil with a high smoke point for seasoning. Can you elaborate on why a low smoke point is preferable?

black6 6y ago
You want it to smoke when seasoning. That's an indication that free-radicals are being created which set off the polymerization of the oil and create the seasoning. Low smoke-point oils are more convenient because they start polymerizing at lower temps.
- black6 6y ago
  You don't want it to smoke when cooking, because ingesting the free-radicals is generally considered unhealthy ;)
  - TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
    This is a glaring connection I rarely see people make. In fact, I've been banging on about it for 15 or so years, and, I kid you not, you're the first person I've seen being this up. Strange! Unusual cross section of knowledge: I studied nutritional medicine in a formal capacity for four years 2000 through 2003 inclusive, and I'm also a welder by trade.
    - jacquesm 6y ago
      At the cross roads of knowledge domains interesting conclusions can be drawn, and sometimes fruitful cross pollination occurs. One thing about the successful founders that I know is that they are not confined to just one domain, and I have been wondering for a long time if that is a trait that helps them to be successful.
  - refurb 6y ago
    The free radicals don't stick around for very long, maybe seconds before they react with something else. And cooking in general create a bunch of carcinogens like acrylamide, etc. You can reduce it, but it's tough to eliminate it completely.
biomcgary 6y ago
My wife uses linseed oil on cast iron. Almost as good as non-stick. Linseed oil has a lot of triply unsaturated α-linolenic acid, which is reactive (due to multiple double bonds) and supports polymerization. A few thin layers of linseed oil added to cast iron and baked to the smoke point create a beautiful sheen and make it easy to clean.
- c0nsumer 6y ago
  Finally, a reply that is correct. Thank you; too many people leave seasoning up to being some mystery when it's really just that straightforward. FWIW, I wrote this up a few years back after I went down the rabbit hole of seasoning pans, only to find that it's actually really simple and just as you describe: https://nuxx.net/blog/2014/01/24/well-seasoned-cast-iron-pans-flaxseed-oil/ https://nuxx.net/blog/2014/01/24/well-seasoned-cast-iron-pan...

>low smoke point for linseed oil I would naively think you would want an oil with a high smoke point for seasoning. Can you elaborate on why a low smoke point is preferable?

black6 6y ago

You want it to smoke when seasoning. That's an indication that free-radicals are being created which set off the polymerization of the oil and create the seasoning. Low smoke-point oils are more convenient because they start polymerizing at lower temps.

black6 6y ago
You don't want it to smoke when cooking, because ingesting the free-radicals is generally considered unhealthy ;)
- TheSpiceIsLife 6y ago
  This is a glaring connection I rarely see people make. In fact, I've been banging on about it for 15 or so years, and, I kid you not, you're the first person I've seen being this up. Strange! Unusual cross section of knowledge: I studied nutritional medicine in a formal capacity for four years 2000 through 2003 inclusive, and I'm also a welder by trade.
  - jacquesm 6y ago
    At the cross roads of knowledge domains interesting conclusions can be drawn, and sometimes fruitful cross pollination occurs. One thing about the successful founders that I know is that they are not confined to just one domain, and I have been wondering for a long time if that is a trait that helps them to be successful.
- refurb 6y ago
  The free radicals don't stick around for very long, maybe seconds before they react with something else. And cooking in general create a bunch of carcinogens like acrylamide, etc. You can reduce it, but it's tough to eliminate it completely.

biomcgary 6y ago

My wife uses linseed oil on cast iron. Almost as good as non-stick. Linseed oil has a lot of triply unsaturated α-linolenic acid, which is reactive (due to multiple double bonds) and supports polymerization. A few thin layers of linseed oil added to cast iron and baked to the smoke point create a beautiful sheen and make it easy to clean.

c0nsumer 6y ago
Finally, a reply that is correct. Thank you; too many people leave seasoning up to being some mystery when it's really just that straightforward. FWIW, I wrote this up a few years back after I went down the rabbit hole of seasoning pans, only to find that it's actually really simple and just as you describe: https://nuxx.net/blog/2014/01/24/well-seasoned-cast-iron-pans-flaxseed-oil/ https://nuxx.net/blog/2014/01/24/well-seasoned-cast-iron-pan...