Cast Iron Skellet Cleanup Question

dbbls wrote:
I wipe out the grease with a paper towel and dispose of it in the trash. I never let grease, or any food waste, into the holding tank.

Double Ditto. If there are stuck on bits of food I use a spatula to lightly scrape. The info below was posted on a similar thread in the last 24 hours. It's good info.

From the Camp Chef website:

Cast Iron Care & Maintenance

Some cast iron cookware brands come with a wax coating, which protects the product during transport between the manufacturer and you. This coat helps minimize rusting. Cast iron is very sensitive to changes in temperature, making it an excellent cooking material, but also making it susceptible to rust if not properly cared for.

Camp Chef cast iron comes with a True Seasoned ready to cook finish. If your iron is not seasoned, do the following. Place your cast iron upside down on your Camp Chef outdoor cooker, in a barbecue or in your home oven. If using an oven use a cookie sheet under your cast iron to catch any wax drippings. Set your heat source to medium heat to melt off wax coating. When burning off the wax on your cookware, the wax will smoke. This step is best done outside to avoid excess smoke in the kitchen. When smoking stops, your cast iron is ready for seasoning. Remove from heat source and let cool. Wash and dry thoroughly with hot water to eliminate any deposits.

Seasoning Technique #1
1.Saturate a clean cloth rag with Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner
2.Coat all surfaces of the cast iron with conditioner
3.Place in heat source upside down and heat to between 400° and 450° F. in oven or on medium setting of a low pressure Camp Chef burner
4.As the cast iron begins to smoke remove carefully from heat (be sure to wear protective clothing at all times while working with hot cast iron)

Your cast iron cookware is now ready for use or let cool, then store for next use. After each use, apply a small amount of Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner, about a dime's diameter worth, and thinly coat all surfaces of the cast iron. Over time, this will make your cast iron black, creating a finish called a "patina." This patina will enhance your cast iron by creating a glasslike finish, which also creates a nonstick surface.

Seasoning Technique #2

**BE SURE TO WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AND THICK LEATHER GLOVES WHEN HANDLING HOT CAST IRON** Using a thick leather work glove, saturate a clean cloth rag with Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner. Coat all surfaces of the hot cast iron as soon as the wax coating stops smoking. Cookware will smoke as the seasoning bakes. As smoking stops, remove from heat. You can use your oven, or let cool for storage. Note: Your oven is extremely hot and should not be touched as it will easily burn your skin.

Have a Rusty Oven?

Though there are many methods for cleaning rusty ovens, the one that we have found to be the easiest to use is a can of Cola. If the inside is rusty, pour the Cola in and let it do its job. Depending on how rusty the oven is will depend on how long you will need to leave the Cola on the rusty spot. If you have an issue with the outside of an oven, use a sponge to apply the Cola, or place the cast iron in a large bowl or bucket with enough Cola to dissolve the rust (some rotating may be necessary). After rust is removed be sure to wash and re-season you cast iron.

How to Clean Oven?

Many people feel comfortable using hot water and soap to clean their cast iron. This is fine but remember to rinse thoroughly to remove soap residue from cast iron pores. Some soaps and acidic dishes often will cut through and remove seasoning from your cast iron. The iron will appear to look dry and gray. Simply rub a small amount of Camp Chef Cast Iron Conditioner on the iron, re-heat the iron until you see it begin to smoke, remove the iron from the heat source and allow to cool completely. Your iron will be ready for use the next time you cook.

Recommended Cleaning
1.Remove all food particles from cast iron cookware using a Dutch oven scraper or a plastic pan scraper.
2.Fill pot half full of hot water; allow to sit for a period of time. If you have burnt food in it, it may require the water to be boiled to help loosen the food.
3.With a stiff bristled long handled brush, scrub the remaining food residue away and off of the iron. Rinse thoroughly, pat dry with a towel. If the finish looks healthy or black and shiny you can store your oven. If it is dull, gray or marble looking you may have to touch it up following the directions under the “How To Clean Cast Iron” you previously read.

I never wash my cast iron skillet...to LAZY is my reason...lol

:S Never use soap and nothing sticks to any of my cast iron equipment. Wipe with a paper towel while still warm and re-heat while spreading a new coat of EVOO. Place in canvas cover for travel.

The older pans when treated are less likely to stick because they were actually machined or polished after cast. The newer pans are not and are much more porus.
But I agree with robsouth and don't have problems with any of my cast iron when using soap. By the way yes wipethe pan out with a paper towel to get the grease it also makes great fire starter that way.

robsouth wrote:
I have been washing cast iron pans and pots with liquid dish washing soap for nearly 50 years with nary an ill result. I don't get the "don't wash it" thing. :h

Why do you wash them? Any oil residue left from hot water just helps keep them seasoned and rust free.
There is no reason to wash a pan with soap if it's going to be heated to over 300 degrees when cooking with it! If that doesn't kill the bad things neither will soap.

- I don't use soap
- I re-season each year using the BBQ
- To clean sticky messes I will add a little water and let it boil then clean it.
- I use a light coat of crisco in a hot skillet before putting it away.
- After a few years they are petty close to non-stick versions

I have my grandmother's skillets and they were washed all those years with soap and water. After washing they were put on top the old coal stove to heat/dry, then wiped with some lard. I have never had to strip them down.

If they are so easily unseasoned by soap, wouldn't they be a lot easier to strip down to the bare metal? I think the key is to use some fat when cooking, at least wipe it good with some kind of oil. Clean it immediately after use, heat dry and wipe again with the smallest amount of oil.

robsouth wrote:
I have been washing cast iron pans and pots with liquid dish washing soap for nearly 50 years with nary an ill result. I don't get the "don't wash it" thing. :h

X2, this is way overplayed. A well seasoned (coal black) cast iron skillet is nearly impervious to anything. We have never seen ours rust, stick, or anything else and have been washing it with soap for 30+ years.

robsouth wrote:
I have been washing cast iron pans and pots with liquid dish washing soap for nearly 50 years with nary an ill result. I don't get the "don't wash it" thing. :h

Does fried food stick? Does it not look shiny black? Does it show signs of rust if not heat dried? Does eggs have black on them? If so, yep, your skillet's not seasoned... But yes, it will still cook but missing the advantages of cast iron.. ;) .. We're 100% cast iron here but would still like to try one of those "as seen on TV" no-stick skillets......

robsouth wrote:
I don't get the "don't wash it" thing. :h

As can be seen in this photomicrograph of cast iron, it is porous; the seasoning process seals those pores.

It takes up to two years to complete this process. Wash it once with soap or detergent and you have to start over.