stephmodo: Proper Care of Cast Iron

Proper Care of Cast Iron

• 23 October 2007

B's parents introduced us to the world of cast iron cookware around the time we married and we've used them a zillion times since. These tough pans are perfect for a myriad of recipes such as roast chicken, roast beef, roasted vegetables, etc.

Guests often comment on these pans and ask questions like, "where to you purchase one?" and "how do you clean it?" and "how do you season it?", etc. Here are the answers to all those questions and a few tips from Martha.

Where to Buy: Antique stores or Kmart--Martha's Everyday line over there offers cast iron pans now.

How to Clean: The most important thing to remember about cast iron is to never use soap during the cleaning process. It will ruin the finish. Just use warm water and a sponge/scrub brush to get off any dirt particles. If you have stubborn stains, use coarse salt and a sponge. That will do the trick!

How to Season (per Martha):

Seasoning a cast-iron pan gives it a smooth, nonstick surface that actually improves with age. When you buy a new cast-iron pan, the first thing you should do is wash it in hot, soapy water. Dry the pan thoroughly, first with a dishcloth, and then in an oven heated to 300 degrees for several minutes. You must dry the pan completely to prevent rust. Then pour about a tablespoon of oil into the pan, and rub it over the surface with a paper towel. Be careful not to use too much oil or the coating will be too thick. Place the pan in a 300 degrees oven for about an hour, then remove it and let it cool. Wipe away the excess oil, and your pan will be ready to use.

To keep a seasoned cast-iron pan in good condition, simply wipe it with a paper towel and a little oil after each use to clean it. If there are stuck-on food particles, use hot water and a brush or nylon scouring pad to clean them away (never use soap). If necessary, pour some water into the pan, and boil it on top of the stove for a few minutes to eliminate stubborn food pieces. Dry and reseason the pan between washings.


7 comments:

  1. I have one cast iron pan that I got at Target years ago. It isn't very big and doesn't have sides really. It is for making tortillas and I love it! I seasoned mine with oil when I first got it but probably should do it again. Thanks for the reminder!

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  2. Thanks to your influence, I have a cast iron pan I found in some little antique shop. I love it! It sure seems to make the food taste better! Is that just my imagination? Thanks for the refresher on how to care for it. Look out Martha Stewart! You have my vote! Love you! Mama

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  3. Oops, I never knew these things. We've probably washed ours every time we've used it. Is it too late to season it as if it were brand new and just start over?

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  4. Costco here on the East Coast has two Cast Iron skillets for around 20 smackers. Totally worth it! They also make me feel better about what I'm cooking cuz I don't have to worry about all kinds of chemicals and such being on the pans.

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  5. jerin... I'm sure you could start over with your pan! We LOVE out pan for Fried Chicken.. just some chicken dippend in egg and then flour. Throw them in the cast iron with some butter and keep it on low enough heat to not burn the butter... mmm mmmm! Then you can use the drippings with a Tbsp of flour, a little milk and water and salt and voila! super gravy.. I've never been able to get gravy to come out right in anything but a cast iron!

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  6. Jerin, that last comment was actually B. He's the fried chicken king around here. Consult him on all poultry issues :)

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  7. I've finally come back to this post so we can now properly season our pan. Thanks for the tips Ben. Fried chicken is exactly the reason we got our pan! (Good Eats, Season 4, Episode "Fry Hard II")

    Boy, you're all very domestic, aren't you? I thought it was just Steph. :)

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Thanks so much for taking the time to drop a line. I really appreciate it!

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