cast iron help

Br@ndy · 11-29-2006, 03:51 AM

Hi ladies I am in need of help from someone with some cast iron know how

I am freaked out by non stick pans and heard that cast iron can be non stick when its seasoned. My friend gave me one she had out in the garage but it has a little bit of rust on it. How do I clean it and then season it? Thanks

AnnieC · 11-29-2006, 09:14 AM

Well to clean it you should get something that removes rust. Barkeepers Friend perhaps? I would google cast iron cookware care and maybe it will give you some ideas. To season, wipe the skillet down with oil and put it either on the stovetop or in a hot oven for a while (let it heat, put the skillet in, turn oven off overnight). Here's some instructions I found online:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Infor...stIronPans.htm

http://huntsville.about.com/cs/food/ht/Cast_Iron.htm

http://www.ehow.com/how_11103_season-cast-iron.html

Hope this helps.

Jashobeam · 11-29-2006, 11:09 AM

Ditto. It took a wihle for our pans to season, but they are great now. Just remember never to put them in a dishwasher or allow them to sit in water or the rust will return. I handwash our pans after every use. To season I put olive oil all over the inside and stick them in the oven. It cases lots of smoke, but it works.

Br@ndy · 11-29-2006, 02:56 PM

Thank you both

I'm going to run out and grab some barkeeps friend today

BlackVioletSkye · 12-08-2006, 03:32 AM

It's also very important to remember that you NEVER use soap on it. It will ruin the seasoning and ruin your pan.

To clean it you pour in a couple of tablespoons of Kosher Salt.. very important you use kosher salt, and a couple tablespoons of fat like oil if there isnt any in the pan already. Then you scrub it down with a wadded up towel while its still hot. The salt will soak up any of the nasties that youve got in your pan then you just wipe it out. ;o)

anglewormm · 12-26-2006, 08:50 PM

I would never use any chemical in ours. We just scrubbed the one we had (rust from the owner previously) with a wire brush and cleaned real well with soap (before seasoning to get any yuck). You can also clean with a brick, infact some sites recommend it. Then to season is we just used it often. It was a chicken fryer, but we used it to cook bacon and then to cook baked beans. It is so pretty smooth and black now.

Be careful what oil you use to keep it lubricated. Some oils will just leave them sticky. We don't eat a whole lot of bacon, but do keep the fat around to lubricate the cast iron. I wash with just a scrub brush and hot hot hot water. Then I wipe down with a little bit of fat. Olive oil will work just as well. We don't use the spray oils as they tend to be sticky and gummy.

If Dh does get something stuck (every so often it happens), he puts water in it and puts on the stove, brings it to a boil and then stuff unsticks.

Good luck. Cast iron is the bomb. We of course also have a nice set of stainless steel that rarely sticks. If you get the good stuff, NSF grade, then it is fairly easy to clean even if things stick.

Ammaarah · 12-26-2006, 09:34 PM

I also chucked my teflon for stainless steel recently. I cook a lot of stinky stuff like salmon and I have a slight fear of cast iron. Lame, I know.

Anyway, my stainless steel is nearly nonstick if I cook at the right temp.

soaper woman · 12-27-2006, 01:47 PM

i clean my pans with a piece of wadded up aluminum foil and oil...never soap. if something gets stuck on it...it's easier to clean while the pan (and the gook) is still hot...like a bbq grill. i've always seasoned mine by greasing them up and putting them in the fire pit at camp or outside if i needed it. i tried it once in my oven and the smoke took over the whole house..

and sometimes, you have to go through the season more than once to get a good season. a good season means less food sticking.