o/t how do you clean cast iron pans?

730 virgil · Apr 7, 2011

okay i know this isn't about tractors but i had been on the seat of 333 about 10 minutes before i found one of mrs 730's cast iron pots.
it and the cast iron skillets have some rust on them. my question is how do i get the rust off of them and treat them so we can use them?

High Octane · Apr 7, 2011

Ive sandblasted them, using black beauty.

Then scrubbed them with a scotchbrite till they shined up.

Have used butter or vegetable oil to season them.

Worked real well, got 10 or so skillets that we aint croaked over from doing the above from frying up many eggs, and steaks. MMMMM!

Janicholson · Apr 7, 2011

Sand the interior until some cast is showing in most areas. Clean in dish soap to get dirt and sand out/off. Use PAM or High temp oil and spray as you heat it. Heat to light smoke then cool it such that you can wipe it out with a paper towel. Repeat this until the towels stay clean but oily. When seasoned, never leave water in the pan, or use detergent and a scotch brite. Only scrape off the food particles and wipe clean with a dry cloth or paper towel. The carbon and tight iron surface will be very resistant to sticking this way, and it will not rust on the rack. Jim

old · Apr 7, 2011

I asked that not long ago since I found a couple of them that had been unloaded and left on the ground by my shop. I brought them in and cleaned them real well in hot water and a scotch brite pad with soap. I then heated them up in the oven and after they where at about 150 degrees I poured olive oil in to them to coat them well and heated them up to around 400 and they now hang on the wall with the rest of MY pans

John A. · Apr 7, 2011

730Virgil, Sand Blast is one way. Or get a small bucket of sand bed sand from out of your kids sand bed or from down at the creek or river, or field!
a clean old rag like a cotton athletic sock. Get a coffee can of water too. Put a hand full of sand in the cast iron pan add just enough water to make a slurry, then add elbow grease till the pan is clean. Adding water or sand as needed till it is clean!
two or more applications may be needed to get really clean. also if there are deep pits those will always be there, noticeable till the seasoning builds up to fill it to some degree, This is how the old Timers cleaned pans before the time of sand blasting.
If the pits are too deep, or too bad just use it for a dog feeding or watering pan.
Hope this helps,
Later,
John A.

1950whiteC · Apr 8, 2011

..........never ever use soap on any cast iron cookware.

scotchbrite pads,steel or brass wool to clean them. Heating them on a stove with water in it until boiling will loosen any unwanted cooking material so that you can scuff it off. Once your cast iron gets seasoned it will clean up like it's teflon. Soaps will cut your seasoning and bring your porus cast surface back which will be difficult to clean.

bob15 · Apr 8, 2011

Electrolysis is the best way to do it without ruining the finish or patina.
eletctrolysis

Dave in GA · Apr 8, 2011

I use a couple of cast iron skillets for all of my frying and sauteeing. Found some good ones at garage sales. I wanted to get the bottoms as smooth as a glass window pane, so I put a sanding disk on the drill and spent about an hour per pan starting with a medium grit and eventually using an 1800 or 2000. Smoothed up the sides of the pans too. Then cleaned them good and seasoned them with cooking oil and heat. Now, nothing sticks in them when I"m cooking, and soap never touches the pans. Occasionally I"ll fill them with water and boil them out. Otherwise, I just keep them lightly oiled and rinse them out with water. I"ll never touch a teflon pan again. That stuff eventually flakes off and gets in your food. Could never figure out how they got the teflon to stick to the pan in the first place. Did you know that if you cook in iron pans regularly, it provides some of the iron you need in your diet?

MarkB_MI · Apr 8, 2011

Scotchbrite and water should do it. If it has crusted black stuff, oven cleaner will remove it. Once you get it clean, it has to be seasoned immediately, as it will start rusting before it's even dry. Wipe it dry, coat it with vegetable oil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until it stops smoking.

kito169 · Apr 8, 2011

I burn them in a wood fire. They look like new when finished but must be reseasoned immediately.

jackinok · Apr 8, 2011

i use electolysis also,works great for me.If its just a small amount of rust in one spot ,cover it with coke for a while and it will eat rust off.

NawlensGator · Apr 8, 2011

People on the bayou use a lot of cast iron for cooking. Every so often they will build a fire and throw them in and let them get white hot. Have to be reseasoned (a rub of cooking oil and heat in the oven) as mentioned.

jwmfarms · Apr 8, 2011

I've never done this, but I've heard you can do it in a self cleaning oven, then re-season. Makes sense to me.

o/t how do you clean cast iron pans?

730 virgil

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High Octane

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Janicholson

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old

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John A.

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1950whiteC

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bob15

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Dave in GA

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MarkB_MI

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kito169

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jackinok

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NawlensGator

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jwmfarms

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