What's your threshold for cooking vessels in vegan cooking, if they may have been previously used for preparing animal products?

Question

I am particularly focused on old cast iron.  I can understand that no one could really consider a dish vegan if it were cooked in a skillet that had just been used for a bunch of bacon, but what would it need to be in order for a vegan dish to be proper vegan?  Many older pieces have had multiple owners and no definitive history, making it impossible to know if they have ever been used in preparation of meats or other animal products, so what is the level someone would be comfortable with?  Something like;
A thorough cleaning,
Complete re-seasoning where everything is burnt off to carbon and then the pan seasoned with vegetable fats,
Or totally scraping a layer off the surface to expose new iron (and then again re-seasoning it with vegetable fats)?
I've sold a few pieces and once got asked about a pan's history regarding this kind of thing.

Louis · Accepted Answer

There is nothing in the vegan code of conduct about "cross contamination". I think you are getting confused with a kosher household that has two set of everyone. one for meat and one for milk. and you can't eat a meal that contains both milk and meat cause god said so.

But veganism is about reducing animal cruelty. You don't cook meat. But as long as YOU don't buy, cook, or eat meat, everything else is fine. and kosher too.

revdrcyn · Answer

I was vegan for a long time, and my threshold was 400 degrees. I don't remember where I originally got that number, but that was my guideline. For Cast Iron, re-seasoning is probably a good idea. My cast iron skillet is over 100 years old. It belonged to my Great Grandmother, and I know she cooked all manner of animal products in it. When I first started using the skillet, I just re-seasoned it. 
I occasionally eat fish now, and have temporarily added eggs. Once that phase comes to an end, I will again re-season the pan and keep on cooking in it.
I'm sorry some of the respondents haven't taken you seriously. I totally get where you're coming from. I hope this helps.

Anonymous · Answer

I probably wouldn't buy a used cast iron pan vegan or not.

If I were going vegan and already owned the pan, I'd simply stop using it for animal products and clean/season it as usual.   No reason to throw out a perfectly good pan.

What seems like common sense/comfortable to one person might be totally unacceptable to another.

Evan · Answer

Looking at this from purely a financial standpoint the idea that you need vegan pots and pans is kind of silly, plus from a chemistry standpoint cast iron gets so hot you willl burn off the stuff anyway

Anonymous · Answer

IMO reusing an item is always more ethical than buying new. and being ethical is supposedly what veganism is about.

but also, i would clean and re-season a 2nd hand cast iron skillet regardless of my diet. just seems like its time to start fresh with a new owner.

br549 · Answer

Day yum!

The stove probably fried chicken once, and the floor you stand on has probably had more than one leather sole slid across it! How ridiculous do we want to be?

? · Answer

If someone is that concerned, they should be buying a brand new one and season it themselves.

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What's your threshold for cooking vessels in vegan cooking, if they may have been previously used for preparing animal products?

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