How To Clean Your Cast-Iron Skillet #Shorts

[anneclark]

Contrary to popular opinion, it is definitely acceptable to use soap to clean skillet. In the 'olden days' soap was made with lye which was not good for cast iron. Today using a dishwashing liquid is perfectly okay, with a scrubber if necessary. Dry and rub with a bit of oil. Been doing that to my grandmothers pans for years with no ill effects. They cook beautifully.

[dan]

You should heat the finishing oil to the smoke point to prevent it going rancid.

[theouthousepoet]

Just a small note to new cast iron pan cooks: if you do not use the pan often, excess oil in the pan can become sticky and/or turn rancid.

I sometimes use my cast iron daily, but in other occasions I go 3-6 months without using it.

It is harmless to leave oil in your pan when you re-season after cooking, but there’s also no benefit.

If you suspect you will go a long time without re-using your pan…

1) heat up your cast iron before seasoning.
2) Coat your pan with as little oil as possible while still re-coating the whole surface.
3) if there is any excess oil in the pan, wipe it out
4) pre-heat your oven to 500 FH
5) put cast iron in the oven, upside down, ensuring that oil does not pool in the pan
6) turn off heat and leave pan overnight

The oil will have bound to the pores in the iron, removing any opportunity for rancidity/stickiness.

Again, all of this is far beyond necessary if you use your pan more often than once every 3-4 weeks.

I leave town/the country for several months at a time, and I’ve returned to a pretty gross pan. The process above works perfectly to prevent that.

Cheers

[punksaustin]

Preferably use a sponge with a hard side to scrub a cast iron. brushes or steel wool can chip away the coating and ruin your skillet ( learned hard way)

[unoreverse]

It's a good idea to season it multiple times because due to the way the oil polymerizes it has small holes in it but no matter how many layers you add if given enough time water can seep through these holes and eventually get to the bare iron

[jcs]

Always clean the skillet while it's hot on the stove. Wipe and if needed scrape w wooden spatula. That should handle the majorityof the cleaning. For stubborn crud, hot skillet under hot running water and the steam shot with a dish brush will loosen everything. The wash in the sink is ok but really not needed. Dry on the stove and add as little oil as possible, a few drops at most...wipe on, wipe off or you'll get the dreaded sticky skillet

[Semaj.]

Question ! What if clean it dry it and that last step which is adding oil whay if I do that. Right before. I cook again ? Meaning place oul let it heat up for 3 min at least make sure it’s nice n hot hot let it soak in then add maybe more oil before I place any kind of meat

[cynthiaesquivel]

Everytime i coat pan with oil my paper towel is darkened back..is this normal?

[dougefresh]

What type of oil is recommended for seasoning a cast iron skillet? It's an important question.

[gdevelek]

All you cast-iron-skilleteers must hold a convention where you'll decide once and for all what the proper steps are. Stop wasting everybody else's time.

[tanyaanaya]

Is it normal for my paper towel to continue looking black/dirty after rubbing my "clean" cast iron. I washed it, and still seems to be dirty... should I continue to wash it until my towel rubs clean against the skillet? Thanks for the help.

[jwcsfsky]

Short and sweet. Thank y'all, this is mighty useful.

[improvisedsurvival]

I use dawn soap idc care what the iron experts say not using soap is gross and you can’t destroy the seasoning with dish soap

[jbl]

Would you use the same process for a carbon steel pan?

[girlfromnowhere]

Curious, why is it better to use a non metal brush to clean vs a chain metal to clean?

[indiag]

Why use a non metal brush? I’ve been using a metal scouring pad to clean my pan… is that bad?

[sunflowerbaby]

Can you use a cast iron pan on a glass top stove?

[pinikpikantv]

I always wash with soap handwash and never had an issue on 3 cast irons so far. I always reseason them after use in a stove.
I do wait for few minutes turn it other way and apply another layer. Less stickier with just heating it up then immediately cooling them.

[bmolax]

Very simple and easy to tutorial and great job

[MrOffTrail]

Do you not know that Lodge, Field Co, and your own company (ATK) recommend using liquid dish soap on cast iron, as it safe for seasoning? You are undoing the great work America’s Test Kitchen did on this debunking an old wives tale that is left over from way back when harsh lye soap actually would damage seasoning.