
Keep Your Cast Iron in Good Condition
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My late mom (would be 99 years old this year) cooked all her life with cast iron. She (and others of her generation) always said if a pan gets too badly in need of cleaning, put it in a brush pile that is being burned. Recover it when it's cooled (as a volunteer firefighter, I've recovered several pans from the rubble that would be good as new when cleaned and re-seasoned. NEVER TRY TO COOL THEM QUICKLY WITH WATER! They will crack!) PS: Anybody know how to "season" an old-fashioned iron teakettle? Grease will give you greasy water. Otherwise, they'll rust...any ideas? Thanks.
I know if you need an abrasive you can put salt on it and use a paper towel. I have seen a little soap and water used but the pan is heated until all water evaporates. Then you add oil all over and heat it until it smokes. These are Iron that has already been seasoned well. not starting out. I have heard there is one American company making cast Iron called "Logan".
Did you mean Lodge Cast Iron and logan?
I have cleaned my cast iron precisely as described in the article for my entire life.
I was pleased to see a reasonable set of suggestions instead of the usual "no soap, not ever, oh, no!" stuff that is pervasive.
If you can clean it well and not use soap, scalding hot water rinse and dry with paper towels - great. But eventually of course you will find a time when it's absolutely necessary to properly clean a cast iron pan with soap and water.
Just dry it well, dash of oil, dash of heat, good to go. Reseasoning is something you might need to do every few years, but a little oil and a couple minutes on the burner is enough most of the time.
And even if you ever did see a little rust, it will scrub right off and you can then reseason.
Yep Mike, go ahead and scrub some soap on yer tongue. Haaahaaahaaa. Clean yer cast iron properly every-time, and you'll need no soap like Mike.
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