Why won't SS "season"

There is no appreciable oxide layer for the oil to bond to.

Normally on a cast iron or steel pan (like a wok or omelet pan) you heat the pan until it is extremely hot, then give it a good coating of oil, and let it burn in. This bonds the carbonized oil into the oxide layer on the iron.

Stainless steel does have an oxide layer, but it is extremely thin and is not porous enough for the oil to bond into. Stainless steel pans are used differently. Normally you want the pan to be pretty hot, then add your oil just before you add the food. Hot pan, cold oil.

Some chefs like stainless pans because you get all those nice burned bits stuck to them that you can later deglaze with wine or stock to make your sauce base.

A stainless steel omlet pan will make a good cat dish. Never make a good omlet. Take it back if you can.

Regards. Ken.

Cast iron is a mixture and one of its parts is free graphite. These areas are capable of absorbing oil. When you heat a cast iron pan that has been primed then wiped clean you can see the oil bleeding onto the heated surface. This characteristic is what makes it such a good surface for sliding contact such as cylinder walls. Anyone who has machined cast iron will have noticed the black graphite dust. That graphite is the extra carbon that has not joined in the crystalline/ atomic structure of the iron atoms. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron, nickel and chromium. There are no spaces so to speak and no carbon whatsoever. At least there isn't supposed to be any. Randy

-- Bob (Chief Pilot, White Knuckle Airways)