Cast Iron Pot problem

I did not want to hijack the other Cast Iron thread so I will ask this here.

I bought an inexpensive cast iron fish cooker, consisting of large pot with lid and a propane burner. The first time I tried to use it I filled it about half way up with canola oil and lit the flame under it. As soon as the oil got warm, not even hot, there was a spot about 3 inches in diameter on the side of the pot that started seeping oil THROUGH the cast iron. It, of course ran down into the flame and flared off. I got the burner turned off and watched as the oil just seeped through the side in that one place. As the oil cooled it stopped flowing. I relegated the pot to the corner of the garage where it lives today. Can it be fixed, or should it just continue to hold the small parts of other projects as it does today?

If it's got a hairline crack, which is what it sounds like, you don't want to keep using it for frying.

Is it a dutch oven? You might still be able to use it as a dutch oven, but don't try to repair it for hot oil. Lots of good things come out of dutch ovens tho.. some of the best desserts EVER!

I've got a skillet that I love, but it's got a crack. Can't use it for frying anymore but it's fine for baking.

There is no crack, just a spot that gets porous when it is heated.

It needs to be a parts holder. Cost more to repair right than a new pot.

Is it warranted?

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Originally Posted by "D"

Is it warranted?

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Heck no. I am not really worried about it as I said it was inexpensive (cheap) and I use the burner with a large aluminum pot I have so not all is lost. I should drill some holes in the bottom for drainage of the cast iron pot and plant some petunias in it.

That's odd for it to just seep oil. Did you season it before you used it?

Finding someone that's good at welding cast iron will cost close to a new dutch oven and that would be for a small crack.
I found one at a carport sale for $2, the bail came off while getting it out of the car and went to the driveway. It now has a crack down the side. I carried it to 2 shops, they wanted $35 and $40 for the repair.

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Originally Posted by Mrs. Crappie Stalker

That's odd for it to just seep oil. Did you season it before you used it?

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Got to remember, a lot of this cheaper stuff is made in China now days and is of very poor quality. Does not surprise me that it has a bad spot in it that is pourous.

If you season it properly, it may not seep anymore. The polymerization of the oil should seal it up.

I experimented one time when I was cooking fish for a pretty good crowd and I had a cast iron pot, a aluminum pot and a stainless steel pot. The Aluminum pot required the most heat as expected, but the Cast iron took way more heat than the stainless and the grease burnt up nearly twice as fast. I used a "cheap" cast iron pot like you are talking about. I am now sold on Stainless....so, if you decide to buy another pot go ahead and pay a few more bucks for the stainless and the money will come back in burnt oil.....just my .o2...

Once it gets to the desired temp, you don't have to keep the heat up when you're using CI. If you had reduced the heat, your oil wouldn't have burnt.

your crusin for a brusin if you try to salvage it. law suite, burning someone badly or your house. do plant flowers in it and go get a quality pot to cook fish. to much risk trying to use it...

Very, very difficult to weld a cast Iron pot. Has to be heated before welding, welded then cooled very slowly or it will re-crack.

ALWAYS go with a CAJUN COOKER! I am still using the same oil that I bought in april 2014! I use it alot too!!!! I just keep draining and straining the oil (which is a breeze and takes less than 5 minutes after the oil has cooled!). The fish get prettier and prettier with each use! Rice bran oil is what im using. It has a much higher scorching point and to my knowledge is the only oil that does not transfer taste to your food. Don't believe me,.....come on over and you will throw rocks at the cast iron cooker!!!! :biggrin