Cast Iron Cleaning and Care

There are a couple items in my kitchen I am overly protective over; don’t mess with my Kerry Gold Irish Butter or my cast iron skillet, and no one gets hurt. Despite having recently purchased it from the Christmas Tree Shop (embarassing?), it is quickly become my most used kitchen appliance.

The instructions that came with it were a bit confusing and made it seem like the thing would crack in half if you cleaned it improperly or touched it with the wrong kind of utensil. Instead, I did a little research and came up with a few necessary tips for re-seasoning and cleaning my cast iron.

First, you might be wondering what the hype is about this kitchen tool. For starters, they are extremely durable and can last a lifetime or more if properly cared for. They heat very evenly on the stovetop and in the oven so they are versatile as well. And lastly, the seasoning and nonstick surface only improves with more use. If only everything we owned did that we’d be all set. Basically, they are well worth the fairly inexpensive investment!

Re-Seasoning

Cast iron is a natural non-stick surface, but only if they are seasoned well. If you find half your omelet being left behind in the pan, or notice bits of rust around the edges, you should consider re-seasoning it. Seasoning it means filling in the ‘pores’ of the surface with some type of oil and then heating it to create a smooth non-stick surface that is rust resistant.

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly coat the entire skillet with any type of vegetable oil (corn, lard, bacon fat works well too), wiping it clean with a paper towel. You want to remove basically all of the excess oil so it almost appears dry.
• Place the skillet upside down in the oven over a layer of tinfoil to catch any dripping oil.
• Cook for 1 hour.
• Turn off the oven and leave the skillet in there until it reaches room temperature

You may want to repeat this process 3 or 4 times to get a really good seasoning. As you continue to cook with it, the pores will get filled in with more oil and eventually you can cook without oil if you desire to. I love butter too much to do that, but others may find this useful.

Cleaning Your Cast Iron    

If you remember just a few tips about cleaning this baby, you can pretty much guarantee you’ll have it for life.

• Do not submerge the skillet in water (especially when its screaming hot)
• Do not clean a hot or warm skillet in cold water as this causes the surface to crack.
• When the skillet is still warm after use, scrape out the inside with a wooden spoon and then wipe it clean with a bit of oil on a paper towel. This should get any food remains out, but if it doesn’t…..
• In hot water, use a mild soap and scrub with a soft sponge.
• Completely dry the skillet after washing so that rust does not form. It’s a good idea to put it over low heat after drying it to ensure that its thoroughly dry.