How to clean your cast iron Skillet Overview
There is nothing like cooking in an old cast-iron skillet. It makes us remember our childhood breakfasts of eggs, bacon, and sausage.
It may be easier to cook using a non-stick skillet, but something about that old cast iron skillet just makes the food taste better. Unfortunately, they can seem difficult to clean.
You cannot pop them in the dishwasher and you should not even be using dish-soap. Both of these things can damage your skillet.
It is not necessarily hard to get your skillet clean, but it does require a few different steps. Here are the steps my mother passed down to me on how to clean the skillet:
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
- Salt or baking soda
- Hot water
- Plastic or rubber utensils (such as a spatula)
- Paper towels
STEPS TO FOLLOW TO CLEAN YOUR CAST IRON SKILLET:
1. RINSE OUT THE SKILLET WITH HOT WATER.
You can even do this while the pan is still hot. You should expect the water will steam and hiss.
You also need to be aware of splash-back. Stay away from the (very hot) steam as well as the water in the plan. Make sure you put in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan as well as anything still stuck.
2. FILL THE SKILLET WITH HOT WATER.
You can actually boil the water in the pan on the stove-top. Just be very careful of the splash-back. This is an easy way to get burned.
3. POUR ABOUT A TEASPOON OF SALT IN THE SKILLET.
The salt will be your cleaning agent. This is replacing the soap. Salt, like baking soda, can be used to clean all sorts of things in your home.
It is especially good for your cast iron skillet because the granules are small enough that they will really scrub your pan.
4. SCRAPE AWAY.
If you are boiling the water, turn the stove off and let it cool enough so that you can work with it.
Use a soft, non-abrasive sponge to wipe the pan. You can also use rubber or plastic utensils like spatulas. Do not use anything made of metal. You can damage the metal in the skillet.
5. DUMP THE WATER (AND ANY SCRAPPED OFF DEBRIS) IN THE SINK.
Set the skillet aside. Be careful here: because the handle is made of the same metal as the pan it will also be hot.
6. WIPE OUT THE PAN WITH PAPER TOWELS.
They will come away very dirty, with a lot of residue attached. That is expected. There is also a point to give up wiping. You will almost always get some dark residue from your cast iron skillet.
7. POUR A LITTLE OLIVE OIL INTO THE SKILLET.
Using a paper towel, spread the olive oil all around the skilled (including the handle).
Add more if necessary and make sure you have a thin layer over the entire pan. You can also use vegetable oil, shortening, fat, or sprayable vegetable oil.
8. STORE YOUR SKILLET.
If you have a lid, do not put it on the skilled. Store it separately so no moisture forms in the pan.
If you want, you can put a paper towel on top, and under it. This will help keep the oil from spreading around in your cabinet.
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