Cast iron cookware - how do we properly clean this?

[Mariposa]

Hi everyone,

Mods, please merge this if necessary.

In my house, we generally cook with cast iron pans. My housemate is paranoid about nonstick pans and despite the many explanations I've given about the safety of anodized aluminum cookware, it's just not cool. I also grew up with a father who is obsessed with cast iron. I know how to season cast iron cookware. I have a little paintbrush to dip in a neutral-flavored oil after cleaning the cookware, so that it does not rust.

For some reason, my largest pan has gotten rusty. This is so not cool, as I need to cook in it tonight. I've tried nearly every recommendation from my dad and Google. It's presently on the stove on high with some white vinegar in a last resort, so my apartment will be reeking of douche solution shortly.

Have any of you culinary artists found a resolution? I don't even know what was last cooked in it; whatever it was wound up sticking to it (most likely, it was eggs or pasta) and it oxidized as a result. I want to save its life - the other cookware we have is doing well with our seasoning regimen.

Perhaps sea salt and a good brush if boiling it in water and white vinegar does not work out?

Many thanks to anyone who can offer advice in this regard. I don't want to have to buy a new one.

 

[michael]

have you tried steel wool? if worst comes to worst you could try washing it like a normal pan, you'll just have to reseason it afterwards.

 

[beagleboy]

wd40..........the fix-it-all trusted by mechanics. The Exec Chef ( female ) used to use it in a Hotel Casino I worked at under the table.

or steel wool. Use the very fine type. I use it on chrome, bumbers and stuff that I dont want swirl marks on.

 

[alasdairm]

i'm with michael. scrub it thoroughly with steel wool then reseason.

alasdair

 

[Belisarius]

I swear by SOS Pads or their generic equivalent.

 

[Pander Bear]

jesus christ you people...


Reseason the pan, you don't even need to remove the oxidation. Just reseason the pan. Slather the cooking surface in veg shortening or a high-smoke point oil like veg oil, pop it in a 400 degree oven for an hour.

And in the future, don't let water sit in it, and don't strip the seasoning with something like Dawn, just scrub it and dry it.

 

[Max Power]

This reminds me I need to buy a cast iron pan!! My fellow barfly who is a chef (and who I'm always bugging about culinary related issues) was explaining to me how to properly clean and use cast iron pans. Unfortunately, I was three sheets to the wind at the time so none of it is ringing a bell. But I to remember he said chefs are very close to their pans and don't like others using them.

 

[nekointheclouds]

jesus christ you people...


Reseason the pan, you don't even need to remove the oxidation. Just reseason the pan. Slather the cooking surface in veg shortening or a high-smoke point oil like veg oil, pop it in a 400 degree oven for an hour.

And in the future, don't let water sit in it, and don't strip the seasoning with something like Dawn, just scrub it and dry it.

Pander is totally right, you need to re season the cast iron. And always be careful about how you clean your ask iron pans, they are mean to always have like a build in layer of oil cooked on the metal, thats what we mean by seasoning it. It keeps it from rusting, but the seasoning can be washed off if you dont maintain your cast iron cook wear.

 

[GlassAss420]

i trust the southerners answers on treating cast iron skillets..

 

[Kenickie]

i trust the southerners answers on treating cast iron skillets..

Mariposa is a daughter of dixie and she's the one asking about it! hahaha. anyway, the biggest thing to remember about cast iron, is surely DONT EVER LET WATER SIT IN IT. ever. I don't even scrub our cast iron pan. I take a paper towel with oil on it and wipe it until it's smooth and 'clean' looking.

 

[Samadhi]

^ this.

If i do wash ours (warm water with a soft cloth and tip the water out straight away), i then season it every time - wiping it with a paper towel. My nonna had a cast iron skillet that is still good after 60 years - my mum uses it now, and i will use it too

 

[addictivepersona]

jesus christ you people...


Reseason the pan, you don't even need to remove the oxidation. Just reseason the pan. Slather the cooking surface in veg shortening or a high-smoke point oil like veg oil, pop it in a 400 degree oven for an hour.

And in the future, don't let water sit in it, and don't strip the seasoning with something like Dawn, just scrub it and dry it.

This.

When my wok rusted, I just scrapped off (with a spatula) what easily came off and what didn't ended up in the next stir-fry. Mmm, iron. I would never put chemicals (SOS pads, soap, etc) onto a pan that isn't meant to be washed.

 

[Mariposa]

Update.

The problem child is a Dutch Oven (no innuendo, please ). This was an anomaly. I've been cooking with these things forever, as has my family. The family seasons ours meticulously; this one belongs to my roommate. I've generally seasoned them with bacon grease.

Kenickerbear and others, you make a good point that water should NEVER be left in a cast iron pan. I don't think I dried this one enough last time I used it (to boil pasta 8(). I'm getting some Calphalon today.

I've come to the conclusion that the rust absolutely has to be removed physically. Here are the manufacturer's instructions in this regard:

I have Rust

1. If rust is not too bad, scrub with a scouring pad and rinse well. Put over a heat source to dry out all the moisture. Lightly reseason.
2. The way the pioneers did it was to place the pot in a larger container and stuff with hay. Dry or moist makes no difference. Add enough water to cover and 1 to 2 cups of cider vinegar. Just let it sit for about 1 hour, then check to see if all the rust is gone. If not, scrub a little and let it sit for 1 more hour; and all the rust should be gone. Scrub with a scouring pad, rinse, and re-season the pot. Remember to use the proper tools and hot pads to do the seasoning since the pans hold their heat. Never touch a hot Dutch Oven without good hot pads. This also works on tools!!!
3. If your Dutch Oven is extremely rusty, this could take 12 to 24 hours of sitting in the solution before you are down to the raw iron.

http://www.lodgedutchovens.com/products/dutch_ovens/dotips.html

I have also heard that finely ground sandpaper works. Ordinarily I would NEVER take an SOS/Chore Boy/similar pad to cast iron cookware. I'm picking up all 3 shortly, then going at it until the rust/debris/whatever flakes off. My butcher suggested that I borrow someone's self-cleaning oven (I don't have one) but I think steps 1 and 2 ought to do it.

The layer of oxidation is relatively superficial. I've gotten a lot of it off with a scrub brush already. Hopefully the end product will be viable - if not, I'll have to make a welder friend who can take a fucking blowtorch to it.

It will live, I am determined!