Cast Iron pans and skillets

[16Bore]

It's generally not fat free cooking for sure. Get that sucker hot and drop a flat iron steak in it, sear both sides, put butter on top and finish in a 400 degree oven. When it hits med-rare, pull it out, tip the pan and baste it with the juice in the pan. Let it rest and cut on a bias.


Damnation......


And coconut oil has a high smoke point and works well. Best way to cook plantains I've found.

 

[Daniel_M]

Yep. It leaves that fatty buildup and really keeps that layer going.


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[archer wapiti]

Pasteurization temperature is 161 degrees F for 15 seconds, according to the Google. Water boils at 212, according to Mr. Fahrenheit. No pathogens are going to survive if you clean them as others have described with boiling water.

I pour about 1/4 inch of water in the bottom of the pan, cover and come back when it's boiling. Hit it with a spatula if I did some major mess-making or a soft-bristled brush if it's looser softer stuff. Don't be afraid of the soap, but at the same time, I've never really needed it. Just keep it dry in between uses. Those lids (if you have one) can seal quite tightly and will trap moisture inside causing rust.
My biggest frustration is a place to store them. I throw them in the oven, but then it's a pain hauling them out when I want to use it.

I've wanted to try this since I heard about it:
The Ultimate Way to Season Cast Iron

 

[Cinch]

Hot water and a light brush... towel dry... back on the stove, get it good and hot, season with Crisco...

 

[WoodBow]

If it gets real gunky, use one of the stainless scrubber pad things. After I dump the food out of mine, I run water into it while it is still hot and most of the food residue will loosen up. Don't be scared to get a little soap on it. It's not the end of the world. Most people saying no soap have probably never had soap on it so they have no idea what will or will not happen. If you use some soap on it, just put it back on the burner afterwards and rub it down with oil. No big deal.

 

[2ski]

The reason you want to put it on hit after you use water on it is because when it's hot the pores open up and allow water molecules in. As it cools those pores close sealing in the water. So you want the water to evaporate out when the pores are open.

There's always been a lady at the MT outdoor shows that sells cast iron stuff. She said soap is okay just don't use lemon scented. You can always reseason your cast iron too. You can't screw it up. I want to say she said soak it in alfalfa and apple cider vinegar and it will take all that off. Some of them come with a waxy coating when you buy them and she said to use that soak to take it off and then season. Season in your bbq so if it starts to smoke you aren't filling your house.

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[Tod osier]

Love our cast iron and have cooked exclusively in it for 15 years, just about every meal every day. We cook real meals every day of the week and year. I will absolutely go against the grain as far as soap. I wash with soap every day. If you get a pan performing well and it is seasoned, soap is no big deal and won't hurt the seasoning - it is mush faster and cleaner (think making French toast the day after garlic clam pasta). I seldom scrub cast iron with a soapy sponge because you don't have to if it is well seasoned, but I will if I have to, I'd rather scrape with a turner. For me the keys to getting them performing well is seasoning and not letting them sit with water in them (like overnight) - I cook with them, wash and put back on the stove (often until it smokes). I only formally season them a couple times a year, but when I dry them on the stove after cooking and they look like they need oil once hot (flat and dry looking), I shoot some oil (olive because it is in an easier container) and wipe it around with a paper towel and leave it.

 

[Rmauch20]

I will have to try making a steak in it. Thanks.

 

[blackpowderhunter]

Loveeeeee cooking steaks and veggies in my cast iron.
As for cleaning, I usually just let it cool down a bit, and use one of these Amazon.com: Lodge SCRAPERPK Durable Pan Scrapers, Red and Black, 2-Pack: Kitchen Products: Kitchen & Dining
to scrape it clean, then wipe it down. If i get some stuff really stuck in there, like others have said, coarse salt and a little bit of water and a paper towel will clean it right up.
the first few times cooking with the cast iron were a bit frustrating, but once you cook with it and the seasoning really build up it gets better and better.
With regards to the ruined regular non sticks. Was she cooking with them on high heat? Regular non stick pans really should not be cooked with on high heat, that is where the cast iron comes in and really shines.

 

[Titan]

No soap ever here.

I have a couple cast iron skillets. Recently picked up a carbon steel pan...basically the same idea but quite a bit thinner and lighter. Much easier for everyday use.

 

[cjl32]

I use this stainless scrubber with a littel hot water and it works well enough.

Amazon.com: The Ringer - The Original Stainless Steel Cast Iron Cleaner, Patented XL 8x6 inch Design: Home & Kitchen

Edit: Just saw this item already posted. Maybe I should start reading from first page to last rather than the reverse.

 

[elkyinzer]

You can absolutely use soap. I do on a daily basis.

Only once you have a good seasoning built up, though. Treat it with kid gloves while your seasoning is still forming. And by forming I don't mean any one-time oven treatments, just the nice layer that comes with a couple dozen proper uses.

Once you reach that point, a little soap to help cut the grease doesn't hurt a thing once you have a good seasoning layer. Just never, ever let it soak for long. Don't even let it soak with plain water, and especially not acidic or basic liquids.

Deglaze while it's still smoking hot and you'll remove 95% of the grime, everytime. Use a steel scrubber and a touch of soap to remove the rest, wipe a little oil before you store it, and you're good to go.

 

[Cinch]

Just don't ever try to burn it off in the camp fire...

 

[Tod osier]

You can absolutely use soap. I do on a daily basis.

Only once you have a good seasoning built up, though. Treat it with kid gloves while your seasoning is still forming. And by forming I don't mean any one-time oven treatments, just the nice layer that comes with a couple dozen proper uses.

Once you reach that point, a little soap to help cut the grease doesn't hurt a thing once you have a good seasoning layer. Just never, ever let it soak for long. Don't even let it soak with plain water, and especially not acidic or basic liquids.

Deglaze while it's still smoking hot and you'll remove 95% of the grime, everytime. Use a steel scrubber and a touch of soap to remove the rest, wipe a little oil before you store it, and you're good to go.

Good to see a few other enlightened soap users here .

 

[robby denning]

No soap on my CI stuff, and my dutch oven is 20 years old. If I remember right, bacteria dies below the temps we cook at. Didn't read whole thread, so hope I'm not repeating

 

[ChrisS]

Soap occasionally if necessary, but I rarely use it. Usually it gets deglazed with some hot tap water and brushed out with a lodge brush. I have a 12" lodge that I bought a few years ago, but my favorite is a 10" who-knows-how-old that I got at a flea market years ago. The 10" is super smooth and I can cook eggs in it.

Cast iron is, overall, really forgiving stuff.

 

[mrgreen]

As to be expected, a lot of good advice here. From what I've found you can do anything EXCEPT drop it on a hard surface. Anything cast is kind of brittle.

One of the best resources I've found:

The Food Lab- 7 Myths About Cast Iron That Need to Go Away.

 

[Brendan]

If you really want to get into re-seasoning - here are some good articles (Good discussion in the comments too):

Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To - Sheryl's Blog

“Black Rust” and Cast Iron Seasoning - Sheryl's Blog


And then, old vs. new cast iron pans:

Black Iron Blog: Old Cast Iron vs. New Cast Iron

 

[mrgreen]

On a related note, who's got experience with carbon steel?

 

[Davebuech]

I use a carbon steel wok and treat it the same as my cast iron skillets. Water a brush and no soap. Sometimes I need to boil it clean. I always reheat and oil the steel before putting it away. Not so much my cast irons

On a related note, who's got experience with carbon steel?