Your cast-iron pan or skillet shouldn’t be a high maintenance beast. You should know the do’s and don’ts of owning a cast-iron.
For example, here are several don’ts: don’t boil water in your cast-iron, don’t use metal utensils on your pan, avoid cooking acidic food in the pan, don’t leave it wet and dirty, don’t use soap and water to clean it, don’t use steel wool to clean it, and definitely DO NOT PUT IT IN THE DISH WASHER.
It may seem like owning a cast-iron pan has a lot of rules but it's definitely doable. If you only have one pan when you're bugging out how to clean it will especially be an important skill to learn!
Some say that a rusty cast-iron pan is a useless pan. But that’s not true! You can still revive your rusty cast-iron with the proper steps to clean it. Take a look on the next page to find out!
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BS
Re season each time?
I was taught to use bacon grease steel wool and iron tools. Do you really want to use plastic?
The first time use soap and hot water, steel wool and scrub it to the white. If it’s a really old pan with a lots of gunk I have used a wire wheel. It’s not going to hurt it. Wash with soap and hot water afterwards.
Next step use really fatty bacon and fry it up in the pan on medium heat and let the grease build up. Use tongs to ensure you hit all the sides. Pull out the bacon save the fat. Rinse with hot water and yes use steel wool (really case stuff) to scrub out any sruck bits. Try not to rinse out the grease. Wipe it dry (you did it right if your wife complains if it looks greasy) put back on the stove wipe down with a generous amount of bacon fat. Heat up on low for about 5 minutes then wipe again and put in the oven to cool and dry.
I store my cast iron in the bottom stove. Yes it looks greasy and when I use it I preheat wipe with a paper towels add a bit of bacon grease and cook clean by rinsing with hot water and a light scrub. Dry and wipe down with grease heat and store.
As you build the seasoning layer up cleaning gets easier. Just remember that cast iron cooks better on lowere heat.
Cheryl Jennings Cox
I’m with this guy^ vinegar wash is a cool idea tho
James
I wish I could still lift them. Made the best sliced potatoes when fried in these pans