(Mama here) We missed you all yesterday. It's Jerri's fault. She's got us running in circles with Katie's quilt and her cookbook and all that stuff.
Plus, we spent Sunday afternoon buying area rugs for my living room and dining room. My grandson put in hardwood floors for us last winter when we were traveling. We love the hardwood, but our little doggie misses the carpet. We compromised by adding area rugs. Now everyone's happy.
Last week Prema asked how to season a cast iron skillet. Lots of people will tell you lots of things about how to season cast iron, but this is the way I do it. My skillets stay nice, so I guess it works fine.
First, wash the pan (and the lid, if it has one) in hot soapy water. This is one of the things I do that some people warn against. The soap, I mean. Lots of people say you should never use soap in cast iron. I say you should never eat out of dirty pans. So...I use soap.
Rinse the pan thoroughly with hot water. Make sure you get all the soap out of the inside and off the outside.
Next, you need to dry the pan. It needs to be very dry, so I put it on the stove and turn on the burner and watch. You can see when the pan gets dry because the color gets kind of dull. Let it cool slightly, but only enough to handle. It's best if the pan is still warm. Use a paper towel to oil it with a dab of Crisco. First the inside.
Then the outside.
Set the pan upside down on a broiler pan
and put the whole thing in the oven at 350° for about an hour. When the hour is up, turn off the oven and let it sit until cool.
One of the most important things you can do to keep your cast iron from rusting is to make sure it's dry after you use it. I wash my pans, again with the soapy water, and put a light coat of Crisco on them when they're dry. I also store them with one crumpled paper towel inside and another beneath the lid, just to let some air in.
And don't forget that if you do get some rust, you can clean it up with vinegar and water. (Check out my vinegar tips here.) If you go to garage sales or flea markets, keep an eye out for great deals on cast iron. Rusty old pans sell for next to nothing sometimes. You can clean them easily with vinegar and save yourself a whole bunch of money.
There you go. That's how I do it. If any of you have other ideas or suggestions, we'd all like to hear about it. Leave us a comment. As a matter of fact, leave us a comment even if you don't have ideas. We love to hear from you.
9 comments:
River says: why putting pan in oven? (3 yr olds are smart, aren't they!)
Thanks for the lesson, love that I get to see pictures, too.
A friend almost attacked me once when I started to wash her cast iron with soap so I've been scared ever since...
I've never bought Crisco. Ever. Is there something else I can use or do I need to head to the store?
My sister would never put soap on her cast iron either, but hers is always rusty. Mine never is unless Chuck takes it to deer camp with him. He is not a hunter but he goes to cook. His brother and several other men go to the woods for a week and have a grand time. Chuck cooks over an open fire. His brother has young grandchildren and they think it is really something. Best beans and ham in the whole world.
It is hard to believe you have never bought Crisco. What do you use to make pie for Steve?
You can buy Crisco in a 1 pound can. I do think it is best for the cast iron and maybe a pie for Steve and River.
n
Big laugh over here...it's true, and maybe the reason is that I have NEVER made a pie in my life. Actually, that's not true. Last summer a friend tried to teach Steve and I while at the beach. That was great fun.
I'll buy some and try it out...do you think it will help my marriage? Is Crisco that influential? Hope so!
Hey, one of these days, I think Chuck should have a guest spot on Mama N Me and show us how to make those beans and ham. Maybe he could take a camera/camcorder with the next time he goes hunting.
Crisco,flour,salt and a little water have held my marriage together for 56 years. I guess there have been a few apples, cherries, blueberries, peaches and chocolate pudding along the way with it.
n
Thanks for the seasoning lesson, mama. I season my cast iron with canola or vegetable oil. Works fine too. Main thing is never let the pan soak in the sink. That's when it starts to rust. Keep it dry, as mama says.
Now, speaking of cast iron, how about a great cornbread recipe....
"Lots of people say you should never use soap in cast iron. I say you should never eat out of dirty pans. So...I use soap."
I'm with YOU!
BTW, the vinegar/olive oil remedy for removing water rings? Made it into the 120 pg. book!
I'm late to the party, but thanks! Great useful post, I'm going to do it. But, no Crisco for me either, unless, that is, I can borrow Prema's. After that, I'll teach her how to make pie. :)
I haven't used my cast iron skillet in around 20 years. It belonged to my grandmother and I got it when both of them had passed. It's probably 80 years old. It has some rust I need to get off and need to re-season it. Is there any trick to getting it back in use?
Hi, Nancy. Mom explains how to clean rust from cast iron here: http://mama-n-me.blogspot.com/2008/02/cleaning-day.html
Basically, put 1/4 of white vinegar in some water and boil for 30 minutes. You should be able to wash away the rust when the pan cools. Season it after it's clean, of course.
Good luck!
Post a Comment