I have found that the best way to restore crusty, rusty and downright ugly cast iron is to do it the way the chuckwagon cooks in the old west did... toss it on the cook fire coals and leave it overnight.
We stoke up the firepit in the back yard and enjoy an evening by a roaring fire. Then, when there may still be some flames burning or the coals are glowing hot, I put in any cast iron that I have gathered recently right onto the coals. You want the cooking side facing in toward the fire, handles up in the air. Move some coals to the back side of the pans and griddles with a poker and then leave them there overnight. They will get hot... glowing hot and this will burn off any old, baked on guck and rust.
First thing in the morning, hop out of bed and check out your cast iron pieces. They will be beautiful like the day they came out of the foundry!
A while back I was at a garage sale and found a dutch oven. I picked it up and smelled it. It still had dried on spaghetti sauce on it. The garage sale lady said "Oh, you can have that." I gave her a dollar for it to make me feel better about the deal. Later, when I gave it the glowing coal treatment, it looked brand new. Okay, maybe there was a little black from smoke and some ash on it, but that washed right off and into the oven it went for seasoning.
So, avoid the toxic fumes, chemicals and harsh abrasion that ruins the pores of the cast iron, and enjoy a roaring campfire while you restore your cast iron pieces to like-new condition.
Try it, you will be pleased.
ronmaggi
June 22, 2009
About the only good use for Coca-Cola is as a rust remover. I havn't tried it on cookware, but it has served well on boats. Phosphoric acid is one of it's main ingredients, and the main ingredient in rust removers. Now you know why your teeth feel soft after drinking it! I believe it would probibly be easier than brushing it off with a drill. Just be sure to clean the Coca-Cola off real well, heaven forbid you should actually ingest the stuff!
demon64
February 09, 2009
I used electrolysis a couple years ago on a peice from Australia that was in very bad shape and it worked really well. That's the only method I've tried that worked on really bad buildup. It's also pretty inexpensive and is safer for your cookware than putting it in an oven or using lye. I found a page up just this year that looks like there going to offer a service where they do this. There's no pricing up yet and I don't know when they're planning on starting the service, but I took the survey they have up and I think it might be a good thing if it doesn't cost too much. Just do a search for castironclean and you'll get the link.
I'd be interested in discussing your own experiences with electrolysis if any of you have done it?
Livens
March 12, 2008
Hi,
Its great to see that you are promoting the use of cast iron cookware.
Non-Stick (teflon) is the WORST thing you can use to cook with. Not only is it toxic, but your food will never taste right being cooked in it.
A few comments on your article...
First off, it is perfectly OK to use modern soaps to clean your seasoned cast iron. Way back when everyone used cast iron most soap was made with lye, and lye will dissolve the seasoning. In fact I use a lye bath to safely strip cast iron of its seasoning. Modern soaps have 0 lye, and dish detergent such as Dawn will not do any damage to your seasoning.
Secondly you can use pretty much any oil to season your cast iron, but you have to use a much higher temp to keep it from gumming up. Crisco (shortening) has a very low smoke point, and that is why you are able to season your cast iron with it using low temps. I usually use shortening as well, but I use my outdoor grill and between 400° to 450° temps. Vegetable oils like canola carbonize just fine at those temps. Cast iron has no problem handling temperatures at and above 500°, as long as its not heated or cooled too rapidly.
They have great articles written by guys/gals who have been collecting and using cast iron for decades. Also they are very helpful in answering any questions you have.
Jeremy
jackin
September 06, 2007
Do not try the self cleaning oven rumor, I did and now my pot is messed up, I've got to start all over now.
el_wombato
June 15, 2007
Another technique to strip cast iron is to run it through the self-cleaning cycle on your oven. So I've heard.
DesigningMom
June 01, 2007
I loved my cast iron cookware until I injured both my wrists hand watering tons of container plants last summer and I had to give up using them. I did pass them on to our daughter for her first apartment though.
I have a different way of cleaning them...
Once the food was removed and the pan was still very hot (leave the burner on until later) I poured a cup of cool water into the pan.
I then scraped the inside of the pan with a sturdy, but inexpensive metal spatula. This is not the time to use your best chrome plated utensils.
Next give the pan a good rince in the sink, using of a dish brush if necessary to remove any remaining food particles.
Wipe off any excess water with a clean lint free towel.
Last, but a very important step, would be to replace the damp pan back on the still hot burner. You may now turn off the burner.
Once your pan is cool and dry you may choose to rub it with a bit of olive oil placing a paper towel over it and store it in a place of your choosing.
kadeline
May 26, 2007
forget oven cleaner. Max out the temp on your oven and pop your cast iron in there for at least an hour to burn off the rust
Caya123
May 26, 2007
I once cracked a cast-iron griddle, by putting it on two burners, and having one on high and forgetting to turn on the other burner. Amazingly enough, the crack didn't go all the way to the other side, and I could still use the griddle. But I have a hard time imagining how a cast-iron skillet could get warped- wow.
felisaudis
May 25, 2007
I've bought some good cast iron from flea markets, but then I also got a few skillets that were warped. Always be sure that it will sit level unles you are only going to be using it on a camp fire/grill. It drives me nuts on my stovetop!
Jim
I have found that the best way to restore crusty, rusty and downright ugly cast iron is to do it the way the chuckwagon cooks in the old west did... toss it on the cook fire coals and leave it overnight.
We stoke up the firepit in the back yard and enjoy an evening by a roaring fire. Then, when there may still be some flames burning or the coals are glowing hot, I put in any cast iron that I have gathered recently right onto the coals. You want the cooking side facing in toward the fire, handles up in the air. Move some coals to the back side of the pans and griddles with a poker and then leave them there overnight. They will get hot... glowing hot and this will burn off any old, baked on guck and rust.
First thing in the morning, hop out of bed and check out your cast iron pieces. They will be beautiful like the day they came out of the foundry!
A while back I was at a garage sale and found a dutch oven. I picked it up and smelled it. It still had dried on spaghetti sauce on it. The garage sale lady said "Oh, you can have that." I gave her a dollar for it to make me feel better about the deal. Later, when I gave it the glowing coal treatment, it looked brand new. Okay, maybe there was a little black from smoke and some ash on it, but that washed right off and into the oven it went for seasoning.
So, avoid the toxic fumes, chemicals and harsh abrasion that ruins the pores of the cast iron, and enjoy a roaring campfire while you restore your cast iron pieces to like-new condition.
Try it, you will be pleased.
ronmaggi
About the only good use for Coca-Cola is as a rust remover. I havn't tried it on cookware, but it has served well on boats. Phosphoric acid is one of it's main ingredients, and the main ingredient in rust removers. Now you know why your teeth feel soft after drinking it! I believe it would probibly be easier than brushing it off with a drill. Just be sure to clean the Coca-Cola off real well, heaven forbid you should actually ingest the stuff!
demon64
Livens
Hi,
Its great to see that you are promoting the use of cast iron cookware.
Non-Stick (teflon) is the WORST thing you can use to cook with. Not only is it toxic, but your food will never taste right being cooked in it.
A few comments on your article...
First off, it is perfectly OK to use modern soaps to clean your seasoned cast iron. Way back when everyone used cast iron most soap was made with lye, and lye will dissolve the seasoning. In fact I use a lye bath to safely strip cast iron of its seasoning. Modern soaps have 0 lye, and dish detergent such as Dawn will not do any damage to your seasoning.
Secondly you can use pretty much any oil to season your cast iron, but you have to use a much higher temp to keep it from gumming up. Crisco (shortening) has a very low smoke point, and that is why you are able to season your cast iron with it using low temps. I usually use shortening as well, but I use my outdoor grill and between 400° to 450° temps. Vegetable oils like canola carbonize just fine at those temps. Cast iron has no problem handling temperatures at and above 500°, as long as its not heated or cooled too rapidly.
If you need help with your cast iron I would recommend this forum, http://www.griswoldandwagner.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl
They have great articles written by guys/gals who have been collecting and using cast iron for decades. Also they are very helpful in answering any questions you have.
Jeremy
jackin
el_wombato
DesigningMom
I loved my cast iron cookware until I injured both my wrists hand watering tons of container plants last summer and I had to give up using them. I did pass them on to our daughter for her first apartment though.
I have a different way of cleaning them...
Once your pan is cool and dry you may choose to rub it with a bit of olive oil placing a paper towel over it and store it in a place of your choosing.
kadeline
Caya123
felisaudis
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