Cleaning Cast Iron Pans

I was recently given a set of four cast iron skillets, all different sizes.  I could not be more excited, but as soon as I saw them I saw....rust.  Now if you are like me, I immediately thought I needed to throw them out and buy new ones.  Cooking with rust does not sound at all appealing.  Lo and behold, I was told that you can clean those babies right up, remove the rust, and re-season.  I had no idea how to do this so I used trusty old Google to help me.  And it was EASY!

CLEANING:

What worked best for me was some abrasive salt such as Morton's Kosher Salt, a sponge (a potato cut in half will work just as well), and some elbow grease.  Working in my kitchen sink, I poured about a 1/4 cup of salt into the bottom of the skillet.  Using a damp sponge, I scrubbed the skillet with the salt.  Do not be afraid of really getting in there and working the salt.  It breaks up the rust and "cleans" the skillet.  I concentrated on the rusty areas, but also cleaned the sides in and out as well as the bottom, underneath and the handle.  After scrubbing for about 5-10 minutes, I rinsed with water and dried immediately.  This is important.  If the skillet gets wet, it needs to be dried completely, right away.  If you still see some rust, just repeat the scrubbing process until the rust is gone and dry completely.

SEASONING:

For the next step, you will want to preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  I took a large baking sheet and covered it with foil.  The baking sheet will be placed on the bottom rack of your oven to collect excess oil.  I used approximately 1/4 cup of oil (I use olive oil, but vegetable or canola will work as well) and coated every inch of inside the skillet.  Once the oven is preheated, place the skillet upside down on the top rack of the oven.  There will be some excess oil in the pan, but the baking sheet will catch that.  Do not wipe the excess oil out of the pan.  Bake the skillet for 45 minutes.  BE CAREFUL when removing as the skillet will be VERY hot.  Be sure to use an oven mitt or towel. 

MAINTENANCE: 

Now that the skillet is seasonsed, you will want to know how to keep them rust free.  When cooking, I still use a bit of oil in the bottom.  The more you cook with your pan, the more seasonsed, or non-stick, it becomes.  It is best to clean the skillet immediately after cooking.  Most things can simply be wiped out of the skillet with a dry towel or paper towel.  If food has become stuck and you need a better cleaning, add a small amout of water to the hot pan.  (REMEMBER, a cast iron skillet retains heat, so it will still be hot for a bit after cooking.)  Using a wooden spatula, or soft bristled brush, remove the stuck on bits and DRY IMMEDIATELY.  I do not let my cast iron sit in water and I do not use soapy water.  Once the skillet is dry, I add about a tablespoon of oil and coat the inside.  When you are ready to cook again, I wipe the skillet out with a dry paper towel to soak up the old oil and use a tablespoon of fresh oil.  Oil is your friend when it comes to cast iron skillets, water is not.   

STORAGE:

Cast iron skillets look beautiful hung up on the wall but any old place will do.  I usually keep mine on the stove.  If you want to store in a cabinet, you can keep a towel inside the skillet to keep the oil from getting on your other pieces.

I hope this was a helpful post.  I love my cast iron skillets and I will never go back to using other "non-stick" pans.  If you want to read about some of the benefits of using cast iron, this is a great article. 

Before-Dirty and rusty eek!

After-Glistening with oil and non-stick!