Callling All Cooking Gurus - Cleaning and Maintaining a Cast Iron Skillet

[Don Ro]

Ok guys...should I scrape this off my skillet with a steel spatula or leave it?
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I washed it with soap/water while it was still warm...scrubbed it with a brush.
Does it need to be cleaned more?...scraped clean down to the iron?
I know about treating it w/olive oil, etc.
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Some advice, please.
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[RWebb]

Rule 1 is never use soap

I can't tell what is showing there - burnt food residue? (aka, over-cooked "debris")

try using oil & salt to abrade it all away; follow by seasoning it

if the salt doesn't work then you can also stick it into a real hot oven (500 oF) and carbonize the residue

then there the random orbit sander...

[masraum]

actually, don't use olive oil. Use bacon fat or a high heat oil. Olive oil is a very low heat oil so not really the best for seasoning cast iron. Flax oil is supposed to be good.

[MBAtarga]

I've gone to several with a wire wheel brush on a drill and then re-seasoned them with oil in a hot oven.

[Don Ro]

It's what's left over from my rib eye (or is it, ribeye?) last night.
I can easily get it off...just wondering if I should.
In the past, I'd just put water in it and heat it on the stove top...it flakes up and I remove it.
OK..I'll clean it up and re-treat it.

[RWebb]

rib-eye, as in S-T

yes, use a high smoke point oil, not olive oil for the seasoning

try the water boil first, maybe it won't need re-seasoning

oh yeh - I'd watch it with the wire wheel bit as you may get various metals into the skillet and then into your food - metals you do not want to eat

[Don Ro]

OK...so don't let carbon build-up accrue on a cast iron skillet?
After each use, take her down to the iron and re-treat?
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As in, after cooking a "rib-eye" (Webb ).

[Skytrooper]

Once the pan is properly seasoned, cook at lower heat to minimize the carbonization of the meat to the pans surface. Also, use olive oil, butter, bacon grease when cooking...just like with a regular skillet. When done cooking if there is still cooked bits stuck to the pan put some water in it for a little while. Scrape with a plastic scrapper and do not use soap of any kind. I cook with cast iron almost every meal and have only had to sand and re-season once in the last several years. I prefer cooking in cast due to the excellent even heating. I even do my jalapeno cornbread in my iron skillet.

[Cajundaddy]

Originally Posted by Skytrooper

Once the pan is properly seasoned, cook at lower heat to minimize the carbonization of the meat to the pans surface. Also, use olive oil, butter, bacon grease when cooking...just like with a regular skillet. When done cooking if there is still cooked bits stuck to the pan put some water in it for a little while. Scrape with a plastic scrapper and do not use soap of any kind. I cook with cast iron almost every meal and have only had to sand and re-season once in the last several years. I prefer cooking in cast due to the excellent even heating. I even do my jalapeno cornbread in my iron skillet.

^^ Agreed. A well seasoned skillet will not usually stick like this. Just boil it off with water and re-season the pan. Oil is your friend with these.

[Don Ro]

Thanks all.

[jyl]

For the first several uses, cook with plenty of oil and moderate heat, wash with only a brush and warm water, dry the pan on the heat, and wipe with more oil before you put the pan away. (No soap! Putting the hot pan under running hot water and scrubbing with a stiff brush is enough; if necessary, scrape off stubborn bits with a plastic or wooden tool.) After awhile the pan will be saturated with oil in the pores of the steel in addition to having a coating of oil, and you will not need to use much oil when cooking and can cook with as high a temp as you like, but otherwise treat it the same as to cleaning, drying and wiping down. Olive oil is not the best for seasoning but it will work fine and since that's what I like to cook with, that's what I use.

[rusnak]

You might wipe it clean next time while it's still hot. If you have burnt bits, then you can hit it with a water spray. The steam will work loose any bad particles. A bbq brush also helps. Re-heat and then wipe with fresh vegetable oil or canola oil.

[azasadny]

Treat it with flax seed oil...

[Don Ro]

Lots of info...thanks guys.

[Baz]

[Don Ro]

I do have a big-ass Lodge skillet.

[john70t]

For seasoning, I coat w/lard and bake at 425 a few hours(disable smoke alarms and open windows).
Touch up is getting fairly hot, and wiping down with a little Crisco.

Only water and dishrag used here, then back on the stove to dry.
Cast iron is easy to clean.

[Por_sha911]

I think that black and white images weave back and forth in a subtle, ironic commentary on illusion and reality.
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Wait, are we talking about the same thing here?

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[aigel]

I don't even wash mine. Scrape out with my stainless steel spatula, which has a straight edge and gets it pretty nice. Wipe with paper towel - add some lard as needed and spread - done. My pans are used at least once a week - the medium size almost daily, so it isn't going to grow anything ...

G

[javadog]

Rinse it out while it is still hot. Use a little soap from time to time, if you want. It won't hurt it. Don't scrape it with metal.

Or, just get a real non-stick skillet and put the cat iron one away.

JR