need help with cast iron cookware

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i received a set of cast iron cookware as a gift, i've heard i need to season them before use but don't know how can anyone please help me out with this? thank you in advance

-- cheryl chandler (cc_chandler_2000 @yahoo.com), February 13, 2001

Answers

If your cookware has some rust first take steel wool and remove the rust. The best way I know of to get a good season on cast iron is to fry in it. I do this with every new piece I get. I keep my deep frying oil in it and use the pot or pan for a month at least. If you don't care to do that then you need to heat your cookware and coat it with oil. Keep it warm for a while but not smoking hot. Repeat this every time after you use this for a while and your pans will get that wonderful nearly nonstick surface. Once your pans are seasoned you will be able to wipe them clean with a dry rag or napkin. Avoid soap when you can....of course some things you cook require washing in soapy water. When you do wash your pan make sure and heat it up immediately to get rid of all the water and then put a light coat of oil on it. A wood cook stove is nearly perfect for seasoning cast iron.....put it in a moderate oven. I also season the top of my cast iron cook stove. We make toast by putting it directly on the top of the stove so it is important that it is seasoned.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), February 13, 2001.

If it is new, wash it with steel wool and soap and water. Coat it with bacon drippings or beef tallow or even olive oil. Place in an oven at about 450 degrees and let it smoke and blacken (about 30 minutes or so). If it has already been cured and the cake in it is broken, you'll need to "burn it out" to return it to like new condition to recure it and make a smooth , non stick surface. This I ussually do outside, by placing charcoal brickets inside the skillet and burning them in it to give the cast a light grey , virgin cast iron appearance before curing. For continued maintenace, wash immeidiatly after use, coating castiron with a light oil coating after drying at about 200 degrees for a few minutes.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), February 13, 2001.

Havent tried it yet but they were talking on another forum, about using beeswax as a seasoning.

"Wash, wirebrush or do what you need to to clean your iron. Put your cast iron whatever on top of the stove and warm till it is hot enough to melt beeswax. No petrol based wax or combos, beeswax only. Let the wax melt or rub it all over the iron then rub the extra off with a paper towel. Repeat the next 4-5 times you clean the iron (remember no soap). Then I only do it if it looks like it needs it. This works really great and my iron is as good as no-stick surfaces." By Firemaker

MikeinKS

-- MikeinKS (mhonk@oz-online.net), February 13, 2001.


I use cast iron cookware everyday and have a skillet from my Mother that is at least as old as me - close to 50 years and is slick as any Teflon pan. First rule - NEVER WASH IN SOAPY WATER! Clean with a scrubby and HOT water. Stubborn stuff comes off with salt & scrubby. After washing heat on burner of stove for a minute or two to dry. I usually help it along with a quick wipe of dish towel & maybe a little wipe with olive oil or lard. Last year I received a few pieces of cast iron retrieved from the dump & in awful shape. I sandblasted it to remove the rust and immediately (it will begin to rust again right away) took it home and coated it with lard & put it in a hot oven for a few hours. It looks & cooks great and it is true that well seasoned cast iron is very non-stick & not all that difficult to care for. Also, the more you use it the better it gets so get cooking! Hope this helps.

-- Jenny Malone (doggarden@msn.com), February 14, 2001.

Hot cast iron rubbed with lard stinks when in an oven (hence the preferred method of outside in a fire). Do it anyway and repeatedly for 2-3 hours at a time and you will be rewarded with a lifetime friend. I have 5 skillets (for 2 people) and a dutch oven and a griddle....it IS great stuff. Be sure to store it dry and well- greased, especially in its beginning (orr re-seasoning).

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), February 14, 2001.


I, too, asked this question awhile back. I was rewarded with many wonderful posts.I don't use mine as often as I should,since it is heavy (arthritis) BUT, this group saved my cast iron. In moving,it got rained on, and before I realized hubby had set it outside to dry...it was too late, rust every where!! I got on here, asked what to do, and was rewarded with solutions. My wonderful cast iron was saved, and I have since taught my children how to keep it wonderful. I had never let it rust before, so didn't know what to do. Throwing it in the campfire saves alot of scrubbing with the steel wool, but I did it both ways to save time in the long run. Gotta love that cast iron!! :-) I have a lot of it, but still need to get me a big dutch oven. I really, really need one! sigh...I wanted one for my birthday. Anniversary is coming up, guess I will ask again then. ;-)

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), February 18, 2001.

Lodge Manufacturing Company makes most of the cast iron cookware sold in the country. Visit them at www.lodgemfg.com. They will be very helpful. Or you could just clean up your cookware,then when dry rub in a good vegetable oil and bring the temp up to 400 on the piece and bake for an hour. Allow to cool to the touch in the oven and you are ready.

-- W.A. Harris (wah@tnweb.com), February 18, 2001.

Awhile back, Countryside had a good run of letters on different ways to clean castiron pans that was really good, but the way we do it wasn't mentioned. Maybe it wasn't swnitary enough for folks anymore but my mom did it this way and I do too and we're still living. After your done frying food just leave the grease in the pan. When you need to cook in it again, scrape out the old grease with a metal spatula, add water to cover the cooked on crud and put it on the stove,bring to a boil and scrape the bottom with the spatula to loosen everything up, then dump it out, then wash in soapy water or just rinse and start cooking again. The pan wont rust and it wont lose it's season either.

-- Jeanette (jeni@dwave.net), February 19, 2001.

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