Comments on: how to season cast iron cookware

By: gigi peterson

gigi peterson — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:15:58 +0000

If you need to get off something that is stuck to the pan, pour some table salt in the skillet and scrub with a small amount of water, then rinse with more water. Works great and doesn’t affect the seasoning of the skillet.

By: damsel

damsel — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:51:34 +0000

Wow! Very very cool. Good to know!

By: Shirley

Shirley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:27:22 +0000

So, you’ve had your cast iron skillet for many years and now it’s getting a little “crusty” on the outside. Or maybe you got one at a yard sale and it needs help?
Whatever the reason ,you need to clean it down to square one and start over. Don’t waste time with steel wool and elbow grease. The time-honored cleaning method is to toss it IN the woodstove. Yup! Right in with the wood fire. It’s easiest to do at night when you put in the last firewood of the day, then just dig the pan out in the morning before you start a new fire.
If you don’t heat with wood, I suppose you could do it in a BBQ, but I’ve never tried that.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:19:42 +0000

Ah, the muscles. I should keep that in mind. And I guess the self-protection (if an intruder entered my kitchen) afforded by the weight of the cast iron is another consideration.

By: damsel

damsel — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:36:41 +0000

The Damsel gives you permission to love your Teflon pans. They are light, it’s true. But they say the Teflon wears off…and goes in your food. I’ve heard Teflon’s not great for you to eat, but I admit I don’t know too much about it. I do know I’m annoyed when my Teflon pans get all scratched and have to be replaced. Grrr!

So I love that my cast iron pan never wears out…it only gets better the more I use it. And the muscles. Don’t forget about those.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:45:21 +0000

I want to love my cast iron pans, really I do. But that teflon pan is just so easy and light. I keep telling myself that cast iron is the healthy choice, but I just can’t warm up to them. I did make an awesome cornbread the other day in my 10″ pan, but it will sit in the cupboard for a good long while before I use it again. Please, dear Damsel, tell me again why I should be using cast iron.

By: damsel

damsel — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:31:06 +0000

Cast iron! Yay. One of the best thrift store finds ever.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:21:29 +0000

I love my cast iron pots. I’ve even found them at the thrift stores all rusty. I scrub the rust off, using soap, because at that point you are going to have to reseason it anyway. Once all the rust is gone, wipe it dry with a towel and season as above.

I also wash mine without soap, with just hot water. Then I dry it and wipe it with a thin layer of canola oil before I put it away

By: damsel

damsel — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:06:28 +0000

You’re supposed to scrub it out with hot water, and then wipe it dry…or even put it back in a hot oven to make sure it is totally dry. A LITTLE bit of mild soap is okay but seriously, the traditionalists say NO SOAP. The patina that forms is made of oil so soap can destroy it.

By: Sande Nascimento

Sande Nascimento — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:47:18 +0000

how do I clean it if I don’t use soap?