Marc

Cleaning cast iron pans

I was over at my friends for dinner and decided to help with washing up. I was just about to pour some dish soap and scrub her cast iron pan and heard her *gasp* and shout “NOO!” She claims that the best way to clean cast iron pans are just with hot water, not to use soap. She said something about maintaining the finish on the pan with the cooking oils? Is this true or some old wives tale that she inherited from her grandma?

Alex

Ahhh you dont actually clean it! The beauty of cast iron pans is that they keep all the flavours that you cooked with, so it gives a nice aroma to the food. So, once you are done cooking, you just need to wipe the excess oil with a paper towel and leave it in the oven on high heat for an hour (Do not touch it!). What this does - it seasons the cast iron pan as the high heat melts the oil in the pan itself as a new coating! But if you get any burnt food at the bottom - you can scrub it with some baking soda and a non abrasive kitchen towel - that should do the trick! Of course, you would need to re-season the pan after - by coating it with oil (even the handle) and "baking" it in the oven.

Flour Shower

Yes, thats the best way since water will cause cast iron to rust, applying thin coating of oil will keep it rust free.

Marc

Thanks Alex! That makes more sense now! 🙂

Marc

Thanks Flour Showers! So applying oil will help keep it rust free, but how does one go about cleaning it without water?!