Treating a cast iron pan is essential to recreate a non-stick treatment and prevent rust. To preserve this treatment, you need to take some precautions when cleaning. With the right attention, your cast iron pot will improve over time and use, becoming the queen of your kitchen. Here's what you need to do exactly.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cleaning the Pan the Traditional Way
Step 1. Rinse the pot with hot water after cooking
Remove large food residues and then fill it completely with water.
Step 2. Boil the water
Very carefully put the pan back on the heat and bring the water to a boil. Let the water boil for several minutes to dissolve the leftovers.
Step 3. With a large spatula, lightly scrape the edges and bottom of the pan to loosen stubborn residue
Do it while the water is boiling, but only for a few minutes. Excessive contact with other metal tools can ruin the pan's coating.
Step 4. Throw the dirty water into the sink
Turn off the heat and put the pan back on it.
Be very careful when moving the pan full of water. Since cast iron is an excellent conductor of heat, the handle, like all the rest of the pot, will also be very hot. Use a tea towel or oven mitts to grab it
Step 5. Moisten a couple of paper towels and quickly wipe them over the surface of the pot
If you do this right, you should notice a thin layer of dark residue on the napkins.
Step 6. Apply a thin layer of fat, such as vegetable oil
You can also use spray oil (you can find it on Amazon) which is very useful for this purpose. Help yourself with kitchen paper to even out the oil layer both on the edges and on the bottom. This operation should make the inside of the pot shiny and smooth.
Step 7. Store the pot in a dry and cold place, cover it with paper towels instead of a lid, to prevent moisture from forming
Method 2 of 3: Clean the Pan with Potatoes and Sodium Bicarbonate
Step 1. Cut a raw potato in half widthwise or lengthwise (depending on the size of your pan)
If your pot is very large, it is best to cut the potato lengthwise to have a larger cleaning surface.
This method is great for tackling rust stains on cast iron pots and pans
Step 2. Apply a thin layer of baking soda to the surface of the potato
Baking soda is mildly abrasive and cleansing, and is known as a natural cleaning product.
Step 3. Rub the pot with the potato and baking soda, paying particular attention to the most problematic areas
Scrub the bottom and edges. If the pot gets too slippery, cut off the first layer of potato and put more baking soda back.
Step 4. Treat the pan after cleaning it
You will probably need to restore the surface treatment after scrubbing your pot a lot.
Method 3 of 3: Techniques that Won't Help Clean a Cast Iron Skillet
Step 1. Avoid using soaps and detergents
They are great for cleaning most of your kitchen gear, but you must avoid them with cast iron tools. The sulphides present in most cleaning products dissolve the oil from the surface treatment and ruin it, leaving the pan exposed and vulnerable from the first day of use.
Step 2. Never put a cast iron pan in the dishwasher
The procedure is different, but the motivation is the same as indicated above. This appliance spoils the treatment and promotes the formation of rust.
Step 3. Avoid using steel wool to clean your cast iron pans
It is actually useful for removing food encrustations, but it ruins the surface treatment and forces you to start over. Better to use the potato method for cleaning (no double entenders!).
Advice
- After drying it with a cloth, you can slightly heat the pot on a stove, or in the oven; in this way you are sure to have eliminated all traces of humidity.
- Grease the pan adequately with oil after each drying, you will keep the metal lubricated, reducing the risk of rust.
- Thickly grease the bottom of the pan with a light coat of oil or other vegetable shortening. Do not use lard, lard or any other animal fat, as they tend to become rancid.
- A very rusty, or corroded, cast iron pan can be cleaned up using an electric grinder. With this operation you can 'save' almost all the pans that would normally be thrown away, perhaps labeled as too old. Immediately after cleaning it, treat it with oil, or another fat, it will last you for years.
- If you really can't help but wash the pan with soap, be sure to rinse it thoroughly. Dry it carefully and grease it properly.
Warnings
- Avoid rinsing a pan that is still very hot with cold water, the metal could crack or even break.
- It is impossible to distinguish a hot pan from a cold pan, be very careful when it is placed on a stove.
- It also dries all the kitchen utensils you usually store inside the pan very well. Placing a slightly damp pan on the pan could cause rust.
- An iron pan heats up completely, including the handle; be very careful if you handle it with your bare hands to avoid burning yourself.
