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Simple Cast Iron Question...I hope

WI_Bowhunter
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Explorer
Can I store a newly seasoned cast iron pan in a plastic bag to keep it clean and dust free in my camper? I am also trying to keep the pan from getting the camper dirty as well once I start using it on the fire.
Keep the Shiny Side Up!;)

2011 F150 Supercrew, 4X4 3.5 Ecoboost, 145" wheelbase, 3.73 gears, Max trailer Tow package

2014 Puma 30DBSS
Equali-I-Zer WD Hitch

3 kids and 1 DW
17 REPLIES 17

SWMO
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Explorer
Alfred622 wrote:
Personally, I would NOT store cast iron in a zip lock plastic bag. Reason is moisture condensation which could impart rust. Much better would be a paper bag (we've used paper grocery bags for years) or cloth that breathes. Just my 2-cents!


Yes. We store ours with paper towels hit lightly with Pam or the like. I would never put mine in anything that sealed them off from air circulation.
2009 Dodge 3500 Laramie, DRW, 4X4, auto, 6.7L, B & W Companion.
Jayco Designer 34RLQS, Mor/Ryde

magnusfide
Explorer II
Explorer II
Wife gave me a stack of old pillow cases to use. It also gave her a great excuse to shop for new linens.:B
"The only time you should fear cast iron is if your wife is fixin' to hit you with it."-Kent Rollins
First law of science: don't spit into the wind.

Magnus

Wishbone51
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Explorer
I store my camp oven in the trailer's oven.. Oven rarely gets used, and the feet of the dutch oven gets into the slots of the rack so it doesn't slide around while driving.

I usually just stack my skillets with cloths between and put them underneath the sink.. Not particularly sanitary, but I get them really hot before I use them.
2017 Jayco Jay Feather 25BH
2004 Nissan Titan

Dakzuki
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Explorer
We store our oiled iron in bags made from flannel dish cloths. They can "breath" and the iron doesn't collect crud. The bags have dividers to keep lid separate so they don't clank while driving.
2011 Itasca Navion 24J
2000 Chev Tracker Toad

Wishbone51
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Explorer
down home wrote:
Old cast iron was made with the eye toward making it as non porous and slick as possible. The new stuff is made just the opposite and the pores are bigger and more of them. It does not perform like the old iron.

Cast iron is porous, regardless of the finish. The pores are microscopic. The old stuff was ground smooth, but the pores still exist.

I prefer the old over the new, but a well-seasoned new-style skillet can still be very non-stick if maintained properly.
2017 Jayco Jay Feather 25BH
2004 Nissan Titan

down_home
Explorer II
Explorer II
Seasoned cast iron will attract mold and mildew when stored over time where it is damp or cool.
If it has a black crust it is less likely to be attacked.
Wife hadn't used a bunch of our cast iron over a long time and when we took them out for the move we found it with dark green and gray on some so it was back in the oven on oven clean and then reseason after cleaning the dust or soot off. She left some in the oven overnight and rust formed and had to be cleaned up.
Cast iron rust not only on the surface but in the metal since it is porous. Old cast iron was made with the eye toward making it as non porous and slick as possible. The new stuff is made just the opposite and the pores are bigger and more of them. It does not perform like the old iron.

fla-gypsy
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Explorer
I think a lot of folks think you have to baby cast iron. That is just not the case. A well seasoned cast iron pan is nearly indestructible and I have never harmed any of my ironware through the years of abuse it has endured through washing with soap (yes, gasp!, even soap). Some of the pieces I own are 50+ years old.
This member is not responsible for opinions that are inaccurate due to faulty information provided by the original poster. Use them at your own discretion.

09 SuperDuty Crew Cab 6.8L/4.10(The Black Pearl)
06 Keystone Hornet 29 RLS/(The Cracker Cabana)

twins89
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Explorer
I store mine in an old flannel pillow case I bought at a thrift store. If you have a lid, do not put it on the pan.
Western New Yorkers with a Westie
2000 F350 DRW 7.3 PSD crew cab
2010 Jayco Designer 37rlqs

Little_Kopit
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Explorer
Look I live very near salt water, like within sound of fog horns.

I store my cast iron in my house.

With Dutch Ovens, I leave the lid on the oven.

I mesh, i.e., stack, frying pans.

My cast iron is just seasoned. I don't do any stuff like put a fresh coat of oil on my ci after cooking with it.

So, I may live in the land of fairly high average humidity, but I don't get rust because of how I store things.

:C
& I, I took the road less travelled by.

My Photo Album, featuring Labrador 2006

WI_Bowhunter
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Explorer
I will either go the paper bag route or the pillow case idea. Thanks for all the input. The problem with plastic is what I thought it would be...moisture can not escape. Thanks again!
Keep the Shiny Side Up!;)

2011 F150 Supercrew, 4X4 3.5 Ecoboost, 145" wheelbase, 3.73 gears, Max trailer Tow package

2014 Puma 30DBSS
Equali-I-Zer WD Hitch

3 kids and 1 DW

Wishbone51
Explorer
Explorer
Put one of those dessicant ("do not eat") thingies in the plastic bag ๐Ÿ™‚
2017 Jayco Jay Feather 25BH
2004 Nissan Titan

Alfred622
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Explorer
Personally, I would NOT store cast iron in a zip lock plastic bag. Reason is moisture condensation which could impart rust. Much better would be a paper bag (we've used paper grocery bags for years) or cloth that breathes. Just my 2-cents!
Alfred
2005 Sightseer with Workhorse, ReadyBrute Elite towing 2003 Honda CRV
Map below shows states where we actually camped.....

Wishbone51
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Explorer
Just make sure you don't store it long term that way.. Store in with the lid off or with a piece of folded paper towel leaving the lid ajar, so that the seasoning doesn't go rancid. I use most of my iron regularly, but there's this one that I don't use that often that I have to store that way.

If it's a skillet, there is likely no lid, but might still get rancid because of the plastic bag impeding the airflow.

Rancid seasoning really stinks, and will impart the flavor to the food. When this happens, I have been successful with getting it really hot, and wiping it off with oil. Problem mostly resolved. A couple more times and it's gone.
2017 Jayco Jay Feather 25BH
2004 Nissan Titan

Tom_N
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Explorer
Could you use a paper bag? No moisture would condense on paper.
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