Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Caring for cast iron pots
I love my cast iron pots and skillets. I have three different sized skillets and two pots, one medium and one larger sized, oh, and the great BIG one that my dh got for Christmas. Some I have found at thrift stores, some I have purchased, and some I have actually found in old houses. Whatever the case may be with your cast iron, they need to be taken care of in order to last. I use at least one of my pots everyday. I never have any trouble with cleaning them and I love to cook with them. Here is some information I thought I would share on the care of these great kitchen favorites.
Here is a picture of some of them, one is too big to keep in the house and the other is at a friends house. The two bigger ones are used almost everyday.
Wether you'd like to restore your family's favorite skillet or fix up a garage sale find, removing surface rust from a durable, dependable cast-iron pan is a breeze. As long as the rust isn't too serious--no deeper than 1/8 inch (3 mm)--you should be able to return the pan to cooking shape. After removing all the rust, be sure to season the pan before using or storing it.
Removing rust
Instructions
- STEP 1: Depending on the pan's size, pour 2 to 4 tbsp. salt into the middle of the pan. Add an equal amount of vegetable oil.
- STEP 2: Scrub the pan vigorously with a folded paper towel, concentrating on the rusted spots but covering all surfaces with the oil and salt mixture. Add more salt or oil as needed.
- STEP 3: For more serious rust spots, scrub with fine steel wool.
- STEP 4: Wash the pan with dishwashing liquid and rinse well with hot water. Dry completely.
Seasoning the pan
Instructions
- STEP 1: A well-seasoned cast-iron pan will resist rust and create a virtually nonstick surface for cooking. To season it, brush vegetable oil lightly over all its surfaces.
- STEP 2: Heat the pan in an oven at 250* for 1 hour, recoating it with more oil after 30 minutes.
- STEP 3: Wipe the pan well with paper towels, and let it cool completely before using it.
- STEP 4: To preserve this natural, protective coating, do not use soap when cleaning a seasoned pan. Instead, scrub it with salt and oil, rinse it with hot water, then dry it completely over low heat before storing it.
Overall Tips & Warnings
- For quick removal of rust spots, use a hand drill with a wire brush attachment. Take care not to scrape away too much metal; hollows in the pan will lead to uneven cooking and food scorching.
- Spun-steel and carbon-steel woks benefit from the same care as cast-iron pans.
Thanks for visiting.................Kitty
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by lisamarie
Thanks for the tip. I hear quite a few different methods, but yours seems the simplest!
Lisa
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007 - Great
 Posted by Pattisea
I was given some cast iron recently, so I am excited to be able to season it properly!
Patti
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Thursday, January 11, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by justbeingme
This is a very informative post! I have always avoided cast iron due to its weight. I was in an auto accident many years ago that left me with a slightly weakened hand. I have toyed with the idea of getting just a few pieces though for emergency type cooking (having to use our grill as a stove and such during hurricane season). I must live in the wrong area for finding cast iron at yard sales and thrift stores though. I've never seen it anywhere in the 10 years I've lived here. LOL
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Thursday, January 11, 2007 - Wow!
 Posted by jewlsntexas
This is a great post and just what I needed to hear. I am looking into getting one - likely at a Thrift store - and I was wondering how to care for them! Awesome post! Thanks.
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