Caring for Cast Iron

Hi All! I know firsthand how intimidating it can be to start up with a new set of cookware, especially one that seems foreign and unfamiliar in our modern world. My boyfriend (now husband) brought home a cast iron skillet, & after some persuasion, finally got me to start cooking with it. Being as I barely knew how to cook ground beef at the time, it was way out of my comfort zone. Fast forward to now though, it’s pretty much all we use, and one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. Don’t feel bad if you still like to use your non-stick pans from time to time, or if you can’t afford all cast iron cookware just yet. Like all things, we built our collection up over time.

Cast iron is making a large resurgence in both the homesteading community & wellness community for its purported health benefits and lack of harmful chemicals like PFAS found in most non-stick pans today. While it may seem scary at first with all the arbitrary rules people like to put in place ie. how to clean them and what “not to do”, they end up being easier to care for than any other style of cookware that i’ve found.

Cleaning

When it comes to “washing” cast iron, I tend to be on the lazy side. My steps are as follows: After cooking, I wipe down the skillet with a paper towel to get anything out that is still liquid ie. gravy, or broth. My next step is to scrape out the pan with a metal spatula or chain mail scrubber. If that does’t quite get everything and the pan has cooled off, I will reheat the pan on the stove & try scraping again. This usually does the trick. If it still won’t come clean, that’s when I bring it to the sink. The chainmail scrubber, or dedicated cast iron sponge (it will turn black and get greasy) and very hot water takes care of the rest. I do not personally use soap on my skillets etc. Make sure after you put your cast iron in water to completely dry it off (by way of heating) & re-season / oil it so it does not rust.

Re-Seasoning Cast Iron

I like to use either extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil to re-season my pans. You can use anything from tallow to coconut oil, whatever you have on hand.

After Cooking:

While the cast iron is still warm, I wipe it down/ scrub off any leftover food & then proceed to put some oil either directly in the skillet or on a paper towel to rub it in. I only do this after cooking if the pan looks very dry and I think it will get rusty. If you forgot and your pan has cooled off you can heat it back up in the oven or stovetop, or if you’re low on time, just put oil in it cold.

After Washing:

If you’ve just washed your pan, you will need to get all the water off or you will get rust. So heating it up again if it is cool is imperative. I like to heat my skillets on the stovetop because that seems to get the water off quicker & then once they are dry I’ll put oil on them and turn off the burner.

Note: If you cook with your cast iron every day this probably won’t be something you do very often.

Accessories

You really don’t need much to keep your cast iron in good working order. I have a few items I would recommend, but this is really personal preference.

I love these Lodge silicone handle covers. They help mimic the comfort of a nonstick pan handle and you don’t burn your hands if you are prone to accidentally grabbing hot things in the kitchen like I am. Do use caution if you have a gas range though, these will get blackened if they get too hot/ close to the flames. They also sell leather ones, or you could go the fabric route as well.

Another tool I use frequently is my chain mail scrubber. This is also from Lodge. If you properly preheat your cookware, food won’t stick as much, but sometimes despite my best efforts, dinner gets stuck to the bottom of the skillet. This scrubber is a million times more durable than a sponge and really helps to get in there and get all the grime out.

Help, my cast iron is rusty!

If you leave your cast iron sit too long without cooking anything in it or keeping it well oiled, it will likely get a bit of surface rust. Not to worry though, there are several methods to get it off. No matter how bad yours looks, I guarantee some vintage pans have been brought back from worse. When got my first 2 skillets, I let them sit for months in-between cooking with them and thought I had ruined them due to the rust.

You’ll need salt and a halved potato, sponge with a scotchbrite side, or a chain mail scrubber. Pour your salt (preferably coarse) into the pan in question & get scrubbing with the half potato, sponge, and/ or chain mail scrubber until the rust is gone. You may have to repeat this a few times with new salt, as it will turn black and crumble as you scrub. If you don’t have time all in one day to do this, I re-seasoned and heated my pans in-between salt scrubbings to try and prevent any more rust buildup. This seemed to help them get back into the rhythm of being cooked in as well. I have heard vinegar soaks also work, but I have not tried this method myself. Once you get into the habit of keeping your pans seasoned, or just cooking in them every day, this likely won’t be an issue for you anymore.

FAQ

Q: Can I use soap on my cast iron?

A: Yes, it won’t ruin it. Generally using soap on cast iron is not recommended, but if you have a really caked on mess that heating the pan won’t get off, soap will help. Just know you will want to re-season the pan after this.

Q: Can I cook acidic foods like tomatoes on my cast iron?

A: Yes, you can cook anything you can on a nonstick or steel pan. I even make deserts with fruit on the bottom & lemon juice. Just make sure to get as much out as you can when finished.

Q:Where to source cast iron?

A: While I L O V E antique cast iron, finding it near me at a reasonable price is not a viable option. I have opted to buy it on sale when I see it at stores like Walmart and Cabela’s. I generally stick with the brand Lodge. They are easy to find & everything I have from them is holding up wonderfully to daily use.