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Care and Use of Cast Iron

How I came to use cast iron

The care and use of cast iron pans, skillets, and griddles had always been kind of scary to me. I thought that I would want to have the pan be nonstick that would make clean up so much easier. I started out using nonstick pans over the cast iron pans of my parents. Heck, this is progress the cast iron pans had seen their day or so I thought.

Nonstick Pans

Right after I bought my first set of nonstick pans I found out that any cooking utensil used in the pan had to be nonmetallic.  Next, I could not use a grit type cleaner to clean the pan. All scrub pads had to be nonmetallic.  Scratches are the enemy of nonstick pans. So it was kid-glove handling for the nonstick cookware.

Lodge 6 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven/Cover  – Amazon.com

Ok so special handling and nonmetallic cooking utensils. That’s a um.. a small??? tradeoff to have nonstick cookware?  So I started using them and they performed as expected. But soon two to three years later the coating is looking bleak and the pans need to be replaced. Hmm… Well, maybe another brand will last longer. So I buy another brand and two or three years later the pans are looking the same as the first brand. Off to the store to buy another brand. There’s got to be a set that will have longevity. Nope, it didn’t happen. Hm… where’s that old cast iron? Maybe mom had something there.

 Seasoning that cast iron pan

If you start out with a well-seasoned pan, your cast iron pan should last you a lifetime, not two or three years. What if it isn’t well seasoned? Well, season it again. Heck, I season my pans after every use. It’s simple and so easy it’s ridiculous. Don’t think of seasoning as a one-time thing or that it is a special event. It’s part of the cleaning process and something that will keep you smiling and positive you made the right choice in cookware. Every time you season your pan it’s like having a new pan all over again.

The Pioneer Woman Timeless Cast Iron, 12″ Cast Iron Enamel Skillet – Amazon.com

Seasoning is not a thin layer of oil, it’s a thin layer of oil that has broken down under heat and has bonded to the surface of the metal. This is what gives a well-seasoned cast iron its non-stick properties. Use a metal utensil and you can continue cooking with it no problems your seasoning is unharmed.

How to Season your Pan

How do you season your pan? There are two methods one for a new pan and another for a pan that has been seasoned once and used to cook food.

For a previously seasoned pan, I use the following method. After washing it and rinsing I place the wet pan on the burner, set to medium heat and heat until it is dry on the inside. When dry I grab my cooking spray(canola oil cooking spray) and lightly spray the inside of the pan. Then allow the pan to get hot enough to start smoking. Turn off the heat and wait for it to cool on the burner. Store when cold.

Lodge 20″ Cast Iron Reversible Griddle – Amazon.com

Washing the Cast Iron Pan

Dish soap does not affect this coating. Go ahead, wash and scrub it out. I use a stainless steel scrubber that quickly removes any remaining food particles after cooking and helps even out the coating for the next time I use it. My wife handles this chore differently she lets it soak in the sink before washing it out. Either method works well as long as you season it before you store it away for the next usage. I, however, would not soak a new pan. Wait until you can no longer see any of the iron, the coating isn’t thick enough if it still looks new. Wait for the pan to look black on both the inside and outside surfaces.

Scotch Brite 3M Stainless Steel Scrubbing Pads Scouring Meshes Sponges Brushes – Amazon.com

Using that cast iron pan

Cast iron is slow to heat up. Once it’s hot, it will stay hot longer than other cookware materials and won’t produce temperature spikes. This can be confusing to the “new to cooking with cast iron” cook, the pan does not respond quickly to changes in heat. However once hot, a cast iron pan usually contains more heat energy than other pans of different materials. Cast iron is great for searing because of its heat retention capabilities and unlike any other type of pan, cast iron pans will not warp when left on a burner to heat up. The seasoning in cast iron is actually remarkably tough. Metal cooking utensils will not harm the coating.

Lodge Enamel & Cast Iron 10″ Square Grill Pan – Amazon.com

How to keep it working well

• Season it when you get it. Every pre-seasoned cast iron pan can do with more seasoning. To season your pan, heat it up on the stovetop until its smoking hot, then I use canola cooking spray, lightly spray into it, heat until hot and almost smoking, turn off the burner and let it cool. Repeat this process a few times and you’re good to go.
• Season the outside. Don’t forget to season the outside of the pan. To do this turn your pan upside down on a large walled cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil and spray away, set the oven to 350º-400º heat for an hour or longer.
• Clean it after cooking. Clean your pan thoroughly after each use by washing it with soap and water and scrubbing out any gunk or debris from the bottom. I use a stainless steel scrubber for this.
• Re-season it. Rinse out any excess soap with water, then place the skillet over a burner set to medium heat. When most of the water inside the skillet has dried out, lightly spray with cooking spray. Continue heating the pan until it just starts to smoke then let it cool and you’re done.
• Use it, use it, use it. The best way to keep your seasoning maintained? Just use your pan a lot! The more you fry, sear, or bake in it, the better that seasoning will become.

Related Article: Perfect Canned Biscuits on Cast Iron

Cooking ideas with cast iron cookware(click here)

The type of scrubber I use on my cast iron pans(click here)