First of all, NEVER use soap on cast iron cookware. After cooking and while pan is still hot run some hot water into it and sit it back on the stove for a few minutes. If anything is burnt on, turn the burner on low. After a brief period of deglazing drain it and sprinkle liberally with table salt. Wash with a cloth and a little hot water. Rinse with hot water and dry thoroughly. Allow pot to air-dry for awhile and lightly grease inside (if needed) with fingers or a paper towel.
Note: a metal or synthetic scouring pad may be used if needed, as long as it contains NO SOAP. I very seldom need anything more abrasive than salt.
Lynda Eddy
has posted a tip on November 27, 2007, 1:40 pm
to get the nonstick back on the cast iron this works great. Clean castiron w/soap & water,dry completely. Apply a coat of oil or shortening(non flavored). Preheat over to 350. Put aluminum foil on bottom of oven put castiron on top shelve upside down and bake for one hour. turn oven off and leave pan in oven until cool. Clean pan with boiling water,plastic scrub or bun.(no soap). Dry thoroughly, spray lightly with Pam, wipe with a papertowel and store.
I have heard from some of the elders ladies in town that to recondition a cast iron pot (not the non stick kind, the old fashioned kind) you simply place in the fireplace for an hour. I don’t know what this does other that burn off anything that isn’t the pot. I imagine a good cleaning is in order afterwards. I have the seen the posting about NOT using soap…but I wonder why? I have never heard of this.
You don’t use soap, because soap is a surfactant and removes the oils that the cast iron collects to become non-stick…This is the same for the stoneware that has become popular. Both will absorb the oils (fats) in the items cooked, and then become non-stick. By using soap you will rfelease the oils that you are trying to keep. The second reason for avoiding soap is that the pans can absorb the soap and you will have a soapy taste to what you cook in it next.
To clean crusty build-up and burnt-on food, soak in a solution of lye (sodium phosphate) and water. About one can of lye to five gallons of water and soak overnight. Then wash and scrape off the built up crud. Lye will loosen the build-up and you can wash it right off. For rust removal, soak in a vinegar-water solution of half and half or stronger. Careful with the vinegar, it will pit the cast iron if left in too long. About eight hours and check it. Then scrape and scrub. Also be careful with the lye solution - use rubber gloves and eye protection. Lye is very caustic and will burn the skin. Lye won’t hurt the iron however. It can be left as long as needed, well, almost. E-mail me for more info on sleaning and re-seasoning cast iron pots and pans.
Use oven cleaner and wrap in plastic wrap or in zip-lok bag overnight instead of lye solution (oven cleaner contains lye). See earlier tip for using lye solution or vinegar.
First of all, NEVER use soap on cast iron cookware. After cooking and while pan is still hot run some hot water into it and sit it back on the stove for a few minutes. If anything is burnt on, turn the burner on low. After a brief period of deglazing drain it and sprinkle liberally with table salt. Wash with a cloth and a little hot water. Rinse with hot water and dry thoroughly. Allow pot to air-dry for awhile and lightly grease inside (if needed) with fingers or a paper towel.
Note: a metal or synthetic scouring pad may be used if needed, as long as it contains NO SOAP. I very seldom need anything more abrasive than salt.
to get the nonstick back on the cast iron this works great. Clean castiron w/soap & water,dry completely. Apply a coat of oil or shortening(non flavored). Preheat over to 350. Put aluminum foil on bottom of oven put castiron on top shelve upside down and bake for one hour. turn oven off and leave pan in oven until cool. Clean pan with boiling water,plastic scrub or bun.(no soap). Dry thoroughly, spray lightly with Pam, wipe with a papertowel and store.
I have heard from some of the elders ladies in town that to recondition a cast iron pot (not the non stick kind, the old fashioned kind) you simply place in the fireplace for an hour. I don’t know what this does other that burn off anything that isn’t the pot. I imagine a good cleaning is in order afterwards. I have the seen the posting about NOT using soap…but I wonder why? I have never heard of this.
You don’t use soap, because soap is a surfactant and removes the oils that the cast iron collects to become non-stick…This is the same for the stoneware that has become popular. Both will absorb the oils (fats) in the items cooked, and then become non-stick. By using soap you will rfelease the oils that you are trying to keep. The second reason for avoiding soap is that the pans can absorb the soap and you will have a soapy taste to what you cook in it next.
To clean crusty build-up and burnt-on food, soak in a solution of lye (sodium phosphate) and water. About one can of lye to five gallons of water and soak overnight. Then wash and scrape off the built up crud. Lye will loosen the build-up and you can wash it right off. For rust removal, soak in a vinegar-water solution of half and half or stronger. Careful with the vinegar, it will pit the cast iron if left in too long. About eight hours and check it. Then scrape and scrub. Also be careful with the lye solution - use rubber gloves and eye protection. Lye is very caustic and will burn the skin. Lye won’t hurt the iron however. It can be left as long as needed, well, almost. E-mail me for more info on sleaning and re-seasoning cast iron pots and pans.
Use oven cleaner and wrap in plastic wrap or in zip-lok bag overnight instead of lye solution (oven cleaner contains lye). See earlier tip for using lye solution or vinegar.
Correction: 100% Lye is sodium hydroxide, not sodium phosphate.
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