How To Treat Your Cast Iron Skillet
Cast Iron Skillet Care
I see too many cast iron skillets in second hand stores and I can't help myself turning them over to see who made them and examining them for the reason they are where they are. Outside of the U.S. started making them and I can tell you they do not hold up to the standard of U.S. made cast iron, such as Wagner (the best) or Lodge brands.
I felt maybe the process of not curing them properly was the reason they wind up in second had stores but most have been cured. The problem, after carefully looking them over, I believe is the fact that the now-days teflon or teflon-like coated skillets are faster and easier to clean. Some have clues to not being properly cured or cleaned, which will lead to their not performing as they should.
First, cure them properly. Follow the instructions that come with them, if new (if not new, instructions are below). Which is placing them in a high heat oven for so many minutes. Second, for the next few months, cook only high fat items, such as bacon, fatty meat with additional oil added. Vegetable oil will soak in, but does not cure properly. Animal fat or real butter is best.
CLEANING is most important to keeping your cast iron skillet cured.
NEVER clean a cast iron skillet while hot, no water, etc. Let it cool down before adding COLD water (hot water draws the oil/fat out of the iron) if you need to let it soak, and for only an hour or so, not all day. If the skillet does not clean out of particles, use SALT and a non-abrasive scratcher (no iron/copper scratchers). The salt grinds against the particles left in the skillet; you may need to use some elbow grease. Rinse in COLD water, and dry thoroughly. Coat LIGHTLY with olive oil, butter, or even Crisco (brand), if needed (when you don't use it often, which is about once a week) when storing your skillet.
Always think of your skillet for frying/sauting purposes, something with fat added.
When thoroughly seasoned, once in awhile dishes that have various liquids such as water, tomato juice, etc., won't kill the cure completely, but you'll just have to reseason it again once, which I use Salt Pork, or bacon.
If you inherited or bought a used skillet, and if you see burned on seasoning, we used to pile up leaves in the fall and set them on fire, but first, we 'sunk' our cast iron skillets in the middle. The high heat burned off anything that shouldn't be there. After cooling down, we properly reseasoned them. If you live where you can't burn a pile of leaves, place your skillet in your oven and turn it on to broil and 'cook' it for about 30 to 60 minutes. You may need to repeat the process. Or, at this time, you can use a metal scratcher to remove junk. Then, begin your reseasoning process over. I've rescued several really great skillets this way.
Remember - always use oil when cooking in a cast iron skillet and cold water during cleaning. Enjoy!!!
About the Author
I'm an educated farm girl from Colorado. I grew up with cooking in cast iron and still prefer it.
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