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Patina
What is a Patina?
A patina is a layer that is gradually produced over time on cast iron cookware that creates an easy-release surface on the base of a pan. This process occurs during seasoning and/or when oils and fats are released during cooking and generates a protective layer on the base of the pan. After a pan is seasoned using heated fat and oils, the result is the patina which should not be washed off or removed. This process also only improves over time, giving the pan more of a nonstick property.
How is a Patina used?
The first step to creating a patina involves seasoning the cast iron pan by baking oil and fats onto it using high temperature. Once the fat polymerizes, this process is repeated until a protective layer is formed. This layer is known as the patina and offers cookware a dark and glossy finish.
The patina will only improve over subsequent uses as additional fat and oils are heated into the pan. Beyond its natural look, this layer is an essential part to any cast iron cookware, providing a stick-resistant surface. This patina, moreover, ensures that ingredients can be whisked or stirred easily, and helps with delicate recipes by preventing them from sticking to the heated base and then breaking up as they are stirred or otherwise agitated.
Benefits of a Patina
The patina greatly enhances cooking performance of cast iron products, creating the perfect environment for ingredients to be stirred, whisked, or flipped. Its easy-release properties make it ideal for cooking with high heat. Pans with a patina require less oils, fats, or butters on their surface during cooking, offering a healthier alternative to cooking with other kinds of pans.
The patina also goes hand-in-hand with seasoning by protecting cookware and eliminating the risk of rusting and ensuring its durability. Moreover, a patina is extremely easy to build, and only improves as it builds naturally over time.
