Caring for Cast Iron

Garage sales and thrift stores are full of ugly looking cast iron skillets just waiting for me to take care of them! If the skillet is rusty or covered in grease, it can be revived by putting it in the oven and running on the self-cleaning cycle. After that serious cleaning, wash with soap and water to remove all remaining residue.

Now comes the scary part...seasoning. It can get smelly and smoky so it is best to season "new" skillets outside on a covered propane/electric grill. Heat the grill (or oven if you have to) to 450 degrees. Heat the cleaned cast iron to 450 degrees.

Carefully slather the skillet inside and out with Crisco. Rub in Crisco then wipe off all excess with a paper towel. Place skillet in grill/oven upside down, close lid, and allow to heat in grill for 45 minutes. Turn off heat. Allow skillet to cool in grill.

When cool, do it all over again THREE MORE TIMES. Heat,grease with Crisco, and "bake" at 450 degrees for 45 minutes a total of four times. Some call this the 4-4-4 method. This creates a nice beginning coating called "patina."

Proper care of skillets improves the patina so that the skillet will be comparable to a Teflon coated skillet, but you aren't eating Teflon and you are getting dose of iron. After cooking in the skillet, aggressively scrape any excess food off with a metal spatula (a putty knife works great). Rinse skillet with hot water and scrub with a scrubber to remove all food residue.

The trick to maintaining the patina is never, ever use soap. Soap flavors and cuts the patina so food not only sticks, it tastes bad. After "washing" the skillet with hot water and a scrubber, lightly coat the inside with Crisco on a paper towel. Wipe off excess. You don't want the grease to pool at all. Heat skillet on burner turned to med-high or in hot oven for at least 5 minutes. Wipe of any excess Crisco. Your skillet is ready for its next use.

CAST IRON RULES

*NEVER USE SOAP*

*ALWAYS RESEASON AFTER EACH USE*