How to Clean Cast Iron Cookware
Just promise not to do this one thing.
People will tell you all sorts of things about cast iron. Don’t use soap! Don’t cook tomatoes in it! Don’t get it wet or feed it after midnight!
Relax. Cleaning cast iron care is simple. I can talk about cleaning cast iron all day long, but lucky for you I asked the experts instead.
How to Clean Cast Iron, According to Lodge
Lodge is the best-known American manufacturer of cast iron cookware and has been at it since 1896. The company claims to ship about a million pounds of iron products every week. Which is a lot of cookware.
As far as cleaning cast iron, this is what their website says on the matter. "Wash your cast iron cookware by hand. You can use a small amount of soap. If needed, use a pan scraper for stuck on food. For stubborn, stuck-on food, simmer a little water for 3-5 minutes, then use the scraper after the pan has cooled."
Short and sweet! To summarize:
Dish soap is okay.
Always wash cast iron by hand.
Sometimes you need to use a little elbow grease.
When to Use Soap and When You Can Skip It
About that soap: Often it’s not necessary to wash cast iron with soap. If you’ve been griddling pancakes, a simple wipe with a paper towel might be all you need. For gunky or saucy foods, soap is totally your friend. My own beloved cast iron skillet, a family heirloom, is older than I am. It's been baptized with soap countless times.
For gunky, saucy residue, submerging the skillet in warm water and scrubbing with a wet plastic scrubby or brush gets the job done nine times out of ten. Avoid metal bristles or pads, which can remove the skillet’s seasoning.
Old-time cleaning methods include scouring the skillet with salt or cornmeal. Both of these abrasives are safe and cheap.
Tip
I save the plastic netting from bags of onions or fruit for single-use scrubbies—they work great, especially for crud like melted cheese or cooked egg residue.
Always Dry Cast Iron Before Storing
Don’t store your cast iron while it’s still wet because Iron + Water = Rust.
How do you dry a skillet? Sounds obvious, but with a towel (cloth or paper). You can let it air-dry, but that could lead to small spots of rust developing if the air circulation is poor.
Some people like to dry their skillets on the stove over medium heat for half a minute or so. This works, but you have to monitor the skillet the whole time. Don't walk away lest you forget you have a smoking-hot skillet on your burner.
Why You Should Never Put Cast Iron in the Dishwasher
Dishwashers strip away the seasoning and make cast iron rust. Just to be double sure, I bought a used cast iron skillet and ran it thorough the dishwasher. It came out totally rusted and I had to scour the rust off with steel wool and then re-season the skillet from scratch, which is quite a process.
Read the original article on Simply Recipes.
