Cast Iron Care

Cast iron has been around for a long time and, if it’s taken care of and treated with respect, it will outlive us all. Nearly all of my cookware is made out of cast iron, from Dutch ovens to skillets. If it was good enough for all those old cooks going down the trail, then it’s good enough for me.

Cast iron has many benefits. It emits no toxic fumes while cooking, it is oven safe, it helps to flavor food, it is sturdy, and it can actually help boost iron intake. I would much rather absorb iron than Teflon, wouldn’t you?

Seasoning is extremely important and will make all the difference.

Seasoning New Cast Iron

First of all, if you are in the market for buying new cast iron, buy American made. There are a lot of bad cast iron pieces made overseas out of a lot of trash materials, which can cause cookware to warp and cook unevenly.

Most new pieces of cast iron bought today are preseasoned. Since I don’t know how they seasoned it, I always use my own method for new pieces or older pieces that have been restored.

Rinse out the cast piece with warm water. Use the soft side of a sponge to wipe out any residue. Place the piece on a burner over medium heat. (Warming the piece opens the pores in the cast and allows it to accept the seasoning.) Wipe out any excess moisture with a clean rag and let the heat evaporate any remaining moisture. Remove from the heat. Place a dab of olive oil on the inside of the piece. You don’t want an oil slick because this will create a buildup. I prefer to use olive oil when seasoning because vegetable oils can become rancid over time. As the old-timers used to say, “It will help your cast to taste sweet.” Rub the olive oil around with a clean, lint-free rag. Never use paper towels on cast iron because they will leave lint, which will eventually build up.

Place the piece on a cookie sheet and rub the outside with any cheap oil, since it won’t affect the taste of your food. The cookie sheet will prevent oil dripping off the piece and onto your oven, causing it to smoke. Place the cookie sheet in an oven heated to 200°F. Leave in the oven for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven and let cool. Repeat this step two or three times. Remember, you only need to do this method on new cast iron.

The best things to cook in newly seasoned cast iron are potatoes and bacon. These will help create flavorful seasoning on your cast iron.

Cleaning and Preseasoning Cast Iron

Never use soap on cast. Simply rinse the piece out with warm water and scrape any residue out with a wooden spoon or a sponge. Once your piece is clean, be sure to reseason after every use. Place the piece over medium heat until the moisture disappears. Place a dab of olive oil on the inside and wipe with a clean cloth. Depending on use, I typically season it two times a year with cheap oil (vegetable or canola), but I season Dutch ovens more often since they get outdoor use.

For particularly sticky situations, fill with warm water and let soak. A cobbler that has burned in a Dutch oven can create a sticky mess. Often, I put the Dutch oven or skillet in an open fire and let it sit just long enough to release the stuck food. You can also do this in the house by turning your oven to “self-clean” and leaving the Dutch oven in there until the burned portions begin to release. The cast piece will then need to be reseasoned on a burner over medium heat (see above).

Rust Care

The best cast iron ever made was Griswold. You can still find some pieces at antique shops and estate sales. If they are rusty, or if you have any rusty pieces of your own, don’t give up on them. If you have true, well-made cast iron, it can be brought back to life. The best things for cast iron are heat and oil; anything else can be potentially harsh.

I place a rusty piece of cast in an open fire and allow it to thoroughly heat up, about 15 minutes. Then I remove the piece and scrub it with a wire brush. I repeat this method several times, adding a little oil after the first few times to see how the rust is coming out. Sometimes, rust lives deep down in the pores and this can be a long process, but you have to remember, it didn’t get like that overnight.

The only time you should fear cast iron is if your wife is fixin’ to hit you with it.

You can also try this method in your oven by setting it on the self-cleaning setting. If you have extremely old pieces or pieces that are very thin from use, this may be a better method than the fire.

If the heat and oil process doesn’t work, you can also warm the cast over a fire or a burner at medium/high heat, add coarse salt, and, with a piece of leather or glove, buff out the rusty spots. The salt will help remove the rust. Be sure the cast is warm while doing this.

My last resort is vinegar. You can use the salt with vinegar and even a little baking soda to make a paste and rub the cast with it. I’ve even soaked pieces directly in the vinegar. This is a quicker method but can be caustic to the cast.

After you remove the rust, follow the procedure for seasoning new cast iron to restore it.

Storage

Be sure to store cast iron in a dry place. When storing Dutch ovens, place a paper towel between the lid and the oven. This will act as a wick and allow air to circulate and prevent the oven from souring. If you live in a humid climate, you can also sprinkle a little Minute Rice in the bottom to absorb the moisture.

Threats to Cast Iron

Extreme temperature changes: Heat and cold will not hurt cast iron unless it is exposed quickly to extreme temperatures. Especially if you’re cooking outdoors, gradually warm and cool cast iron to prevent it from cracking.

Acidic foods: Foods containing acid and sugars, such as barbeque sauces and cobblers, can be particularly hard on cast. That’s why it is important to properly clean and season after every use.

Boiling water: I never boil water in my seasoned cast iron. Boiling water will cause the seasoning to release and turn the water, or whatever you’re cooking in it, black. If I cook beans, I make them in a polished cast pot that I only use for boiling beans. Some folks boil water to clean their cast. Don’t do this: Boiling removes some of the much-needed seasoning.

Soap: My mother put her Griswold cast iron skillet into the dishwasher every night after supper. I told her that the soap would eat the seasoning and cause food to taste bad. But you sure aren’t going to tell an eighty-year-old woman what to do, so I got used to the taste of Cascade. Water is all you need to clean cast iron.