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.

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.

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.

• 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.