earn how to clean and season a cast iron skillet. An iron skillet is a must have tool for home chefs of all skill levels. Whether you like to whip up gourmet meals or just cook basic meals for the family, an iron skillet is the ideal type of pan to use. Read on to learn how to season a new pan and remove rust spots on old iron skillets.
How to clean a cast iron skillet
My husband and I have a tradition every year on our wedding anniversary. We always get each other gifts according to the traditional anniversary list. Have you heard of this list? It started in ancient Roman times when husbands would give their wives silver on their 25th wedding anniversary, gold on the 50th and diamonds on the 60th.
Fast forward to the 20th century and materials were assigned to other years as well. For example 1st anniversary is paper. I bought Rob a book for our first year. 2nd anniversary is cotton. I bought him a cotton robe. Most of the early years have a basic material assigned to them like wood, leather, copper etc.
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Last August was our sixth anniversary and the material was iron. I bought Rob an iron skillet. Neither one of us had used an iron skillet before so we didn’t realize that they need to be used and cared for differently that other types of pots and pans.
Why are iron skillets so great to cook with?
Iron skillets are a versatile kitchen tool. They heat food evenly and retain heat well. Your food will even absorb some of the iron from the pan, increasing the iron content of your meal.
Can you ruin a cast iron pan?
Our skillet came with some instructions that we ignored that said you aren’t supposed to use soap or harsh scrub brushes because it will remove the “seasoning” that coats the pan and makes it non-stick. After a couple of mornings cooking eggs the poor skillet was all crusted up with eggs that were half burnt on and the sad skillet was most definitely not “non stick”
How to season a cast iron pan
What is this “seasoning” you ask? Well it’s not just a layer of oil, it’s a layer of polymerized oil. What this means is that in a properly seasoned cast iron pan that has been rubbed with oil and heated repeatedly the oil has broken down and formed into a plastic-like substance that has bonded with the surface of the metal (Whoa! Science!) The material is not actually an oil anymore and that is what gives well seasoned cast iron it’s non-stick properties.
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After some trial and error here is what seemed to work best for us to get out iron skillet back into tip top shape.
How to use a potato and salt to clean a cast iron skillet
If your skillet is rusted or has burnt or caked on food that won’t come off you will need to deal with that first.
- Try pouring a little oil into the pan and sprinkling the pan with salt.
- Then take a potato cut in half and use it to scrub into the salt to remove anything yucky.
How do you clean a burnt cast iron skillet?
If that isn’t strong enough then you will have to bring out the big guns. Steel wool and soap. Normally you are not supposed to use either of these things on an iron skillet because it will remove the seasoning. However, if the pan wasn’t seasoned properly to begin with you will have to redo that any ways so you must get all the crap off the pan by any means necessary.
Cast iron is tough! It’s almost impossible to completely ruin an iron skillet. If you think your pan is beyond the point of return, have hope- you can bring it back to life!
Once you have put in the elbow grease and your pan is totally clean, it’s time to season it. Here is how you do it:
How to re-season a cast iron pan
- Coat the skillet in oil, coat the entire surface even the bottom and exterior and place it in the oven at 350 degrees for an hour.
- Line the bottom of the oven with aluminum foil to catch any drips.
- For regular maintenance any type of oil or fat will do but for your first seasoning you should use oil that has a smoke point higher than 350 degrees.
- Try lard, Crisco, or avocado oil.
How do you season a brand new iron skillet?
Every time you heat the pan with oil you will reinforce the non-stick surface of the pan. Even if your pan come pre-seasoned you should still give it some extra protection.
- Heat it up on the stove top until it’s smoking hot
- Add a little oil into it and then let it cool.
- Do this a few times prior to cooking with it for the first time.
How to clean an iron pan after daily use
- Give the pan a rinse immediately after using then wipe it dry with a clean rag or paper towel. It’s ok to use a little dish soap and water. You would think that dish soap would dissolve the oil however, like I said previously, the seasoned pan has turned the oil into a plastic like substance and if you add a little more oil to the pan after rinsing and drying it you won’t lose any of the seasoning.
- Add a little more oil to the pan to help prevent rust. Make sure you don’t leave your skillet soaking in water and don’t attempt to boil water in the pan as it will almost certainly cause rust.
Do you like to cook with a cast iron skillet? Tell me your tips!
Hi I’m Adrienne Carrie Hubbard. I believe a rich life comes not from the things you have, but the things you do; the experiences you create and the people you meet along the way. Thanks for hanging out!