Tutorial on Simple Cast Iron Care

Are you intimidated by the thought of using and cleaning a cast iron pan? Do you wonder what technique other people use? Is it really as hard as it seems? It doesn't have to be! I like to keep things simple, and that usually involves figuring out my own way of doing things. People first started using cast iron pots around 200AD, so rest assured that it does not have to be complicated. I'm here to share how I clean and quick season my cast iron pan that I have come to love.

Why do I call it "quick season"? Because the typical method of seasoning (heating the pan with a coating of fat so it forms a naturally non-stick layer and prevents rust) is to rub with oil/fat then roast on high heat in the oven for an extended period. I did this once when I first got my pan, but after that I have used my quick method and it's worked out well! I do it on my gas stove, and it takes less than 5 minutes.

As I've gotten older and cooked many types of meals, I've really come to loathe all of the "non stick" pans that are out there. Without fail, one by one, they have started to stick. Not to mention the nasty chemical coating chipping off--where does it got? In your food! Using a cast iron pan is all part of my goal to take things back to a simple and traditional method. A well seasoned pan can cook eggs, pancakes, and all sorts of things without sticking! Here's how I do mine....

If I had some little bits that stuck during cooking (this was zucchini fritters and some of the cheese burned on) then I soak it in a bit of water while I eat to help loosen up the burned on bits. *Don't soak longer than a couple of hours or you risk causing rust spots!*

When I'm ready to clean it, I just use my hand to rub them off and dump the dirty water out. If your pan is generally clean after that, you can skip this step! However if there's still a few bits you need to scrub then I take my salt and liberally sprinkle it into the pan. You can also use coarse salt for a bit more abrasion.

I wet my scrubber with hot water and wring most of the water out, then just start scrubbing the pan in a circular motion to use the salt as an abrasive cleaner.

Once all the bits are loose, I just rinse off the salt with hot water and use my scrubber once more all on the inside to make sure the surface is all cleaned off.

Now for the "quick season" part! Put the pan on your gas stove on high heat for 1-2min. You want ALL the water droplets to be gone.

Now the pan is clean and dry, but a bit dull from scrubbing off some of the natural seasoning. So get your vegetable oil ready and a paper towel and while the pan is very hot still you want to drizzle just a bit of oil in the middle. Maybe a teaspoon to half tablespoon.

Take your folded paper towel (protect your fingers from the hot metal!) and in a circular motion you want to spread the oil out all over the inside of the pan. Go up the sides and even over the handles. Flip over your paper towel to continue spreading the oil and coating it with a light layer. You don't want any pooling of the oil, just a light coating where you can see the shine all over.

And that's it! Let the pan cool completely before putting it away. It's all ready to start cooking at your next meal! Once you get this method down, it only takes a few minutes.

If you're ready to try out a cast iron pan for the first time, just keep in mind some tips:

• The handle gets very hot! Have a towel or pot holder ready before you grab it while cooking
• They are pretty heavy, be very careful if you need to lift or pour something while cooking
• The metal is thick and needs a few minutes to heat up before you add food to it
• No soap! It feels weird to not use it, but trust me--it's ok!
• A little rust is no big deal! You just need to scrub it off with steel wool, rinse, then reseason well

If you have a new cast iron pot, I do recommend a thorough seasoning before you begin to use it. If you take good care of it you shouldn't have to repeat this very often. I've had my pan for years and have only done it the once. If you are having issues with food sticking, feel free to season it again. Click HERE for an easy description on how to do it.