One of the oldest and greatest cookware was made from cast iron vessel, which is now more commonly called cast iron skillet. Majority of the household has at least one of these cast iron skillet or cookware and considered one of the most important pieces of the cookware. This skillet has definite promises for that mouth watering cornbread and other delicious recipes. Some of the best iron skillets on the market today are made by Lodge Logic Pre Seasoned skillets and many more.
Listed below are tips on how to clean a cast iron skillet:
Have you ever gone to the shed to get the cast iron skillet only to find that it has caught rust? The rust is usually caused by exposure to air and moisture. The oxidation causes a brown substance on the kitchenware. One should not use any cookware that has caught rust as it might get into the food to cause food poisoning. It is therefore important to learn the simple steps on how to clean cast iron skillet rust to continue enjoying cooking.
Before beginning to follow the steps on how to clean cast iron skillet rust one should look at the extent of the rust. Where the rust is small, it is possible to salvage the kitchenware by removing the rust. In the event where the rust is too much, it is wise to dispose of the rusted kitchenware and replacing it with a new one. It is also worth all the time is taken when salvaging an inherited cast iron skillet from the parents to keep the memories alive.
1. Remove Surface Rust
The first step on how to clean cast iron skillet rust is removing the surface rust. This should be done using hot water, soap, and a scouring pad or steel wool. Scrub the surface as much as possible to remove any rust on the surface of the kitchenware. Where one finds out that the steel wool is not able to cut the surface rust, one can use coarse sandpaper.
2. Prepare Cleaning Solution
A leaning solution to remove the rust on the cast iron skillet should be prepared. The ingredients include water, ammonia, or white vinegar. Mix 33% of water with 67% of ammonia or where one has white vinegar mix 67% of it with 33% of water. The volume of the solution made should be enough to submerge the rusted cookware.
3. Soak Cookware in the Solution
The next step to follow on how to clean cast iron skillet rust is completely submerging the rusted cast iron skillet in the prepared solution of ammonia or vinegar and water. The cookware should be fully submerged in the solution since partial submerging will only leave permanent lines on the surface. One will notice that the rust on the cookware immediately changes in color when submerged in the solution.
4. Rinsing In Hot Water
After removing the rusted cast skillet from the cleaning solution, what should follow is rinsing with water. It is advisable to use very hot water to be able to completely remove the leaning solution. Take caution not to burn your hands when using the hot water. Where possible, use a dish rag or scouring pad to remove the solution from the surface of the cookware.
5. Scrubbing Off the Remaining Rust
Soaking the rusted cookware makes the remaining rust lose and can easily be scrubbed off. Using steel wool or a pad, scrub the remaining traces of rust from the surface of the kitchenware. The process should be repeated until all the rust has come out of the surface.
6. Seasoning the cast iron skillet
After following the steps on how to clean cast iron skillet rust and are satisfied that the cookware is clean, what follows is seasoning. The seasoning process should be carried out at least twice or thrice before the cookware can be used again. After properly seasoning, the cast iron skillet is now ready for cooking again. A well-seasoned skillet is usually easy to clean as well as cook in.
After learning how to clean cast iron skillet rust it is important to maintain the kitchenware to prevent rusting. The best way that the cookware can be maintained is by seasoning. Seasoning prevents the iron kitchenware from catching rust even when stored in the shed for long.
To get the best results, the best way of seasoning a cast iron skillet would be by following the instructions below:
1. Cast iron is only non-stick when they are properly seasoned. It would require coating your cast iron cookware with a dab of fat and then allowing it to bake into the cookware, to create a slick surface.
2. A good choice of fat to use as seasoning would be the saturated fat since cast-iron cookware often used for high-heat cooking.
3. Once your cast iron cookware is clean and dry and still warm from your stovetop, add just enough fat to coat the bottom and sides of the pan. You can use a cloth napkin or paper towel to distribute the fat evenly. Then put your cast iron cookware in a 300-degree oven for a few hours. This is your initial layer of seasoning. You can always repeat the process to maintain the seasoning of your cast iron cookware.
4. Let it cool off.
5. Store in a cool dry place.
Some may find cleaning and maintaining cast iron skillets hard and tasking. A great alternative for a cast iron cookware would be anodized cookware which is made from electromagnetically hardened aluminum. Cookware made to last longer than regular cookware and is non porous. A complete lack of pores makes it resist sticking even when the food is burned or overcooked.
Related:
- How To Care For Copper Cookware
- 11 Reasons To Buy Cast Iron Skillet
- Should You Take Cast Iron Cookware Camping?
These products are available in the market today at a very reasonable price. Check out your local retail stores for these products and start cooking delectable meals that would surely be tasty and envy of everyone.
