Cast Iron Pans

[jeepmedic46]

I just got a cast iron pan and I cook on a electric stove. It came pretreated and now there is a rust color on the bottom. When I clean it I was using dish detergent and then used a brillo pad. The pan said that it was pre treated.

 

[Black Dog]

I get the same thing on my cast iron pans on the electric stove top. Near as I can tell, its just the seasoning coming off when the pan scrapes on the heat coil. Is is a smaller\lighter pan? Because the one that does it to me is my smaller pan (8 inches) but my heavier 10 inch pan stays put pretty well and it doesn't have that problem.

 

[Black Dog]

I do want to add also that some folks swear up and down to never use soap on your cast iron, just hot water and a plastic scraper. I do that just because it makes sense to me, they say that the soap will scrub off your seasoning and others say that the soap works its way into the pores of the pan and taints the flavor of the food. Really, I don't think using soap hurts anything that seriously, but I definitely wouldn't use a metal wire scratch pad on it.

 

[Corey]

Food rarely sticks to my Lodge cast iron on the campstove or the electric range at home.

I just wipe it out with a paper towel and shoot oil back onto it and wipe it in.

On the occasion food does stick, I use warm water and a nylon brush with a handle on it.
Then I reshoot oil again and wipe it in with a paper towel.

I would never use soap on these.

 

[Desert Dan]

Just rub a little cooking oil on it and the rust should dissapear

 

[MatthewThompson]

X2, never soap. I use hot water and a plastic scrubber, dry quickly on the stove or in the oven (if it's still hot from supper) and rub a couple drops of olive oil with a paper towel when it's cool enough to handle.

Tip: most used cast iron you find for sale at swap meets and flea markets is nasty looking, with crust and lumps of stuff. Easy way to get great cookware on the cheap, as you can stick it in the self-clean oven for four hours and it comes out looking good as new. Let it cool, wipe a few drops of olive oil on it with a paper towel and put it in a pre-heated oven at 375, upside down, for an hour. Repeat oil and bake one more time, and you're golden.

 

[Errant]

X3, never soap, just hot water. Dry it with paper towels, warm it up on a burner, then apply a light coating of oil, inside and out.

 

[dwh]

X4 no soap.

"Treated" means it has a coating of grease (called seasoning) that cooks in and seals the pores and becomes a smooth non-stick surface. If the pan was factory treated that just means that they have saved you the time of doing it yourself.

DO NOT scrape off that layer of cooked in grease or you'll have to make a new one. Soap will break up the outer skin of the seasoning and penetrate into the seasoning which will A) leave a soap taste and, B) deteriorate the seasoning. Highly acidic foods, like tomato sauce, will do the same thing if left in the pan too long.

The bottom of your pan is getting the seasoning scraped off.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1999-12-01/Seasoning-Cast-Iron.aspx

 

[jeepmedic46]

Thank you, This is the first cast iron pan I've gotten since my first divorce. My first wife use to use brillo to clean her pans. I'll use the above suggestions to get rid of the rust.

 

[Wyowanderer]

Thank you, This is the first cast iron pan I've gotten since my first divorce. My first wife use to use brillo to clean her pans. I'll use the above suggestions to get rid of the rust.

Check this out:

http://www.lodgemfg.com/use-care-seasoned-cast-iron.asp

 

[spressomon]

30-years ago, give or take , I was shown a (then) unique way to season steel and cast iron pans by a chef. Take regular salt and put enough in the pan to coat about 1/8", or a little more, deep. Then take whatever cheap veggie oil you have and add it to the pan covering the salt by an 1/8" or so. Slowly, on the range, heat the pan with the now oil covered salt, until just starting to smoke.

Let the pan and salt/oil mixture cool a bit and then dump out the salt and oil wiping the pan clean with a cloth or paper towel. This treatment is so effective on steel omelet/crepe pans it truly turns them into a pure non-stick surface.

Repeat as necessary. Its faster and IMO better than the oven seasoning process...

 

[bobDog]

30-years ago, give or take , I was shown a (then) unique way to season steel and cast iron pans by a chef. Take regular salt and put enough in the pan to coat about 1/8", or a little more, deep. Then take whatever cheap veggie oil you have and add it to the pan covering the salt by an 1/8" or so. Slowly, on the range, heat the pan with the now oil covered salt, until just starting to smoke.

Let the pan and salt/oil mixture cool a bit and then dump out the salt and oil wiping the pan clean with a cloth or paper towel. This treatment is so effective on steel omelet/crepe pans it truly turns them into a pure non-stick surface.

Repeat as necessary. Its faster and IMO better than the oven seasoning process...

Thankx I'm going to try that! I would assume that the salt would increase the heat ten fold or so like salt fired ceramics and completely glaze the oil......hmmmmm. Can't wait!:wings: How do you clean the pan after using?

 

[matt s]

Great way to scrub them is to simply pour some salt in there and use a clean (never seen soap) plastic dish scrubber. Scraps the cooked on stuff (not much once you are good and seasoned) right out.

If I use water (rarely) I will throw it back on the stove for a minute to cook out the water, then an oil wipe down and done.

 

[bobDog]

Great way to scrub them is to simply pour some salt in there and use a clean (never seen soap) plastic dish scrubber. Scraps the cooked on stuff (not much once you are good and seasoned) right out.

If I use water (rarely) I will throw it back on the stove for a minute to cook out the water, then an oil wipe down and done.

Okie Dokie.....Not much diff then I do now....Have scrubbed w/ beach sand....worked great! I always scape and wipe. Builds up a great coat of non stick over the years. Salt sounds like a great way to go. thank you.:victory:

 

[Zelix]

I buy used, old & rusted beat up cast iron. I usually cook my cast iron after I buy them in my offset smoker. I burn off any "funk" and such. I rub them down with a little bit of oil/Crisco and then I bake them up in the smoker for a while. It's worked well for me.


Here's a good site with a lot of info on cast iron and camp cooking you might get more info from:

http://camp-cook.com/forum/login.php