cast iron damaged?

Throw it in the campfire, and heat to red-hot. Remove carefully and let cool. Reseason as recommended. If that doesn't fix it, call Lodge cookware in Tennessee.

Johno02 wrote:
Throw it in the campfire, and heat to red-hot. Remove carefully and let cool. Reseason as recommended. If that doesn't fix it, call Lodge cookware in Tennessee.

x2 - heat it until it starts smoking and then stops smoking, burn off whatever mistakes the previous owner made.

x2 what Johno02 said...
no need to use chemicals you can clean/restore even the worst condition cast iron with heat and oil. A good hot fire will turn the rust to dust and burn off anything on it, bury it right in the coals when you heat it. The rust should just wipe off with a green kitchen scrubber after it cools. When you reseason with oil and heat a second time, it will look and work good as new. I have heard of people passing the same pan down for generations and they still look/work like new. I have also heard of people finding old pans that have been sitting in a shed for decades and are covered in rust and making them like new again.
I think the only way you can ruin it is by cracking it.

Once restored, never wash it, just wipe it off with a green kitchen scrubber. For really stubborn messes if you really must, use a small amount of soap and scrubber and after rinsing put it back on the burner to dry however you may have to reseason it more frequently.

I've always understood that cast iron needs to be heated slowly and cooled slowly. Thus, let your heat source go out and die. Take you pans out of that place after they are cooled to the air around them and you.

:C

Johno02 wrote:
Throw it in the campfire, and heat to red-hot. Remove carefully and let cool.

I'm not sure you can get it red hot, but get it as hot as possible.

You can accomplish the same heat level if your oven has a "clean" cycle. But, it will smell up the house.

Good info y'all. Thanks for the suggestions.

I have recently started using cast iron exclusively! I have a skillet that is over 100 years old..its surface is smooth as glass. You can heat it on your coals..however you will get lots of black on your pans. I clean mine at home..in the self cleaning oven..it will smoke up your house! After cleaning..remove from your oven after it has cooled..taking it out too hot can cause it to crack! Season it with whatever you choose..Crisco, vegtible oil, then wipe it real good with a paper towel.. inside and out..leaving too much oil on it will result in a sticky mess! At this point I spray mine with Original Pam..after each use..then wipe down..ready for next use!

I wash our cast iron pans in soap and water all the times.
They are well seasoned and suffer no harm.

Cast Iron Myths

Fizz wrote:
I wash our cast iron pans in soap and water all the times.
They are well seasoned and suffer no harm.

Cast Iron Myths

Agreed. The cast iron our family uses has been washed in the sink with everything else for generations and is still good as new.

Washed in the sink that is. I'd never put cast iron in a dishwasher. But none of our pots, pans, or sharp knives ever see the inside of a dishwasher anyway. It seems to be more of a cup, plate, utensils and glassware sterilizer after they've been well rinsed. :)