How do you care for your cast iron?

[OvenSeeksBun]

We have just made the switch to cast-iron skillets. They're seasoned and working beautifully, but what is the best way to clean them?

[ursusarctos]

I grew up with a cast iron skillet and we always just washed it with normal dish soap like the other dishes and dried it on the stove. I know you're not "supposed" to do that but it never seemed to harm our pan, didn't stick extra or get dried out or anything. So now that I just bought one I have been washing it normally. I'm curious what others do though...

[crl]

If there's no food stuck on it, I just wipe it out with a paper towel. Otherwise, I use salt to scour it and then rinse with hot water and immediately dry. I've also used hot water and a stiff brush (purchased at IKEA), and again dried immediately.

Catherine

[mamadelbosque]

I just scrub with hot water with a scrubby brush till all the little bits are gone, then set it on the stove to dry, or stick it in the oven (if I have multiple pieces to dry, or the oven was on).

[Kinguk]

Once it's dry, coat the inside of the pan in cooking oil to keep it in good condition. I love cast-iron

[Sailor]

I never use dish soap. If there are pieces stuck to it, I use hot water and a scrub brush. If there are no pieces stuck to it, I just wipe and put away.

If I do the scrub brush/hot water thing, I "moisturize" it with a little bit of olive oil afterwards.

I always hand dry and NEVER use the dishwasher.

I love cast iron. It's actually all I use, now that I think about it.

[herbalshakti]

when they are dirty, we usually just fill them with water and let it boil to help get any remnants off the bottom of the pan, afterwards, if there is still some left we will scrub it with a scrubber under hot water but without any soap. Soap makes it more likely to get the surface super clean and stickable. after they are clean we dry them by putting them on the burner until they are dry and then we rub with some salt and cooking oil so when they are ready to use next they are set to go. We usually add some more oil right before they cook as well, this is all done to get the non stick effect without the chemicals present in most non stick cookware.

[ursusarctos]

Interesting. How do you get rid of the lingering smell from whatever you cooked in it before? I find that if I just scrub without soap I get this funky smell left over.
As for not sticking, I always just thought you had to pour oil in the pan to cook whatever it was you were cooking... Or water if you aren't frying.

[ursusarctos]

Sorry, but I couldn't help noticing herbalshakti that your location is Sebastopol. I am so envious! I love Sebastopol (lived there as a kid). I love Finland too, but Sebastopol would probably be my first choice in the states

[mamadelbosque]

I don't worry about leftover flavors/smells... drying it on the stove/in the oven I don't really notice them. Maybe if you just dry with a towel, but we don't And I don't coat with oil after use - I just always use oil whenever I cook much of anything (or a little water).

[Magelet]

like many others, if there are no stuck on bits, I just wipe it and put it away when cool(the only thing I use paper towels for atm). If there are, I scrub with salt and oil, or salt, or water and a scrub brush, (no salt), and then heat it to dry, and then oil it. I have some stuff REALLY stuck on though, some I'm going to try boiling a little first. If I had one of those copper scrubbies, I might use that, but I don't atm.

(also, over time, the pans get to a point where almost nothing sticks. but starting out, stuff sticks. I can't recall how I got my little pan to that point, but my big one isn't there yet, because I've used it less.)

[Sailor]

I never really noticed a smell, to be honest. I've never really sniffed them up close, though. But, just from using them, I never noticed any smells.

If I were to wipe with a paper towel, the paper towel would come back "dirty". And, still, I haven't noticed smells.

Like another poster said, after awhile, nothing really sticks to them. The more you use it, the quicker you'll get to that point.

I don't use mine for baking desserts, though. So, there is no issue with flavor "contamination."

[nerdymom]

After you cook fish is the ONLY time soap should come within 10 feet of your cast iron! just wipe it out with a dry rag, or if there are dried on bits, give it a rinse with warm water and a stiff brush scrub. After you rinse it, rub it with bacon grease and let it dry.

If you are noticing a lingering funky smell you might want to strip (with soap) and reseason. Or you could cook a high acid food (like tomato sauce) in the pan, that would take the smell out. I would avoid pungent foods for a bit while you're seasoning a new pan. Also make sure your grease isn't rancid fromm sitting out in warm weather. That can stink up a pan.

[OvenSeeksBun]

Thanks everyone! I'm loving my cast iron

[cristeen]

I have a stainless steel wire brush that is only used for my cast iron - the nylon brush really didn't cut it. Hot water and scrub, scrub, scrub, rinse. Then over a low flame to dry.