The Best Way To Clean and Season a Cast Iron Skillet | Epicurious 101
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- čas přidán 18. 05. 2024
- Want to keep your cast iron cookware looking like new? Chef Frank Proto demonstrates and explains everything you need to know to get the best out of your cast iron skillet, from seasoning to cleaning to storage.
Learn more with Chef Frank on his CZcams Channel ProtoCooks!
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0:00 Introduction
1:01 Chapter One - Removing Rust
3:11 Chapter Two - Initial Seasoning
4:28 Chapter Three - Cleaning After Use
6:01 Chapter Four - Storing And Maintaining
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add water and boil it for a minute and then wipe clean.
If you let food dry on your pan by mistake, just add 1L of boiling water and cover for 10m. Then you can wipe it out with your soft sponge effortlessly. After you rinse it out you can set it aside and next time you do dishes, you can give it a gentle wipe out with your damp dish cloth that was in the dish water. That's as much soap as you'll ever need to remove fish oil. Then rinse with hot water and air dry as you like - either on top of the stove, or inside. Show your pan some love. If you fried fish, deglazed the pan with wine, or made a sauce in it, then once it's dry it's a kindness to treat it to a light coat of oil. Instead of burning down forests, just use a silicon brush to spread a couple drops.
Can't you use vinegar to clean the rust?
Why use vegetable oil or crisco which is hydrogenated cottonseed oil to season? Youre just making a toxic layer of oxidized vegetable oil. Wouldn't animal fats be better for seasoning?
@@hmu958 the best oils to use have both high iodine content and a high smoke point, which polymerises into a more durable temper. Olive and Flax (linseed) are ideal. Regardless of which you use, all tempers are inedible. Just like the scorched black lines on your BBQ steak is inedible, toxic, carcinogenic. But you're not eating very much of the temper, or those black lines.
There's lots of foods we eat which have small amounts of poison in them. Like fresh fruits, which contain alcohol, arsenic, etc. Instead of freaking yourself out with whether every molecule of what you eat is safe, you're better off picking your battles and aiming for eating a majority of healthy foods, and letting your body deal with the less-than-ideal bits the way that it was designed to via millions of years of evolution. Be safe.
My favourite part about owning a cast iron pan is that it is now my full time job to take care of my cast iron pan
It owns you now
Like a little metal baby... that never learns to clean itself.
Labor of love huh'... But, love me, love my dog, and my cast iron!
lol
Tell me you don't know or understand cast iron without telling me lol
Thanks again Epicurious. Glad I get to share my experience with everyone.
Thanks for all the instruction over the years. You've taught me a lot.
100th like. lol
Next up - How to clean and care for your carbon steel pans.
What's what your thoughts on using grapeseed or flaxseed oil?
How do you fix flaking seasoning, and uneven seasoning?
You are the most adorable guy on earth
Im 72 yrs old and I did not know this. I've always worked outside the home so I just cooked "easy" meals...a lot of fast food. My mother passed away and left me 4 iron cast pans. I also wanted to leave them to my daughter but didn't know how to take care of them. Frank, you have made me so happy with this video. I love the way you teach ( I have to be able to understand the steps and for me they have to be simple) Now to find easy recipes for my instant pot! Thanks again. I can take this off my list of things to learn .
The only thing I use my insta pot now is for cooking rice. 1 cup of chicken stock per 1 cup of rice. Turn it on manual high for 3min, then let it sit for 10min after it's done cooking. Release, dump in a big bowl with a cover. Put it in the fridge of I've got killer rice all week for whatever.
That's really nice!❤️ It helped me too
My mother is 95 yrs. old and still has her cast iron skillets, they're well seasoned. She made my father cornbread in them since 1942. It's a southern tradition.
👍🏾 well done
My landlord uses her grandmother's skillet daily. Amazing how they last.
When you season cast iron for storage and you not gonna use it let say for 2 months do you have to do any maintenance like reseasoning it every week or something?
@@Voltomess no, in his example where he uses crisco it doesn't go away. Oil doesn't evaporate.
95yr old grandma cast iron cornbread? Damn I bet that's some of the best cornbread ever. Bless your granny.
OF COURSE Frank found a way to use that much salt without ever cooking anything
What a legend
Looking for this comment!
lol
Idontgetit
Oh man then he would love living somewhere with snowy winters. Whenever I run out of ice melt I use whatever salt I have in my kitchen before going to the store
Is it only koshers salt or any salt ok
I followed this fella’s instructions but used some avocado oil instead of shortening. It seasoned pretty well, there was a little bit of oil left after the oven seasoning, so I rubbed in that oil with a paper towel and let it heat up a little on the stovetop. Now the pan is actually completely nonstick! It’s a farging miracle! My hope is restored because I can do one very useful thing! Yaaay! Thank you thank you!!!❤
That is exactly what I use 😉
Not good idea to use fruit oil as they have a lot of fibre and will have oil build up.
@@hotingpong they also attract more molds and bacteria because of the cellulose
Also when using liquid oil it is very important to wipe off all excess oil, before the oven
What to do. I'm really scared to use crisco. Isn't that really bad for health? I wonder how much of it will seep into food. Anyone know any alternatives
I love it when a lesson is delivered with humour. I wanted to know about the subject but it was the delivery of the teacher that compelled me to stay. Great work.
E
I cook every week on a cast iron pan my great grandmother passed down to my grandmother that passed it down to my mother that passed it down to me. It still looks brand new because we took care of it.
I’m using mine as well on a weekly basis, 25 years and counting.
Also have a stew pot which my dad bought for mum same year I was born 1976. Still looks like new.
I’ll probably hand them down.
correction @ 3:22: polymerization actually allows you to combine monster cards together to summon a fusion monster, like Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon
POLYMERIZATION!!!
A person of culture I see.
History lesson here guys. The reason you don't use soap is because it has lye in the final product which removes the seasoning. At least this was the case 40 some odd years ago. Nowadays as long as you use a light detergent(most kitchen soaps) you don't have to worry. Don't have unsanitary cast iron because of out of date info.
Blue dawn is included in that list of safe soaps to use. I personally only soap if the pan has been cooking something fairly pungent, or after 3-4 things. Hot water and a good scrub does it good.
@@drpackage I only do it more frequently because I have several friends and family members with dietary complication. One can't have gluten, one can't do red meat, I can't do dairy(not really important to this one but still)
Thanks for the information.
Even modern soaps should technically be safe to use, as if the soap goes through proper saponification there should be no lye left. The fear of using soap comes from before there were market options or detergents like Dawn. People would make their own crude soap out of potash (ash from the fireplace) and used cooking oil so of course proper saponification was questionable at best.
I also learned soap was forbidden because decades ago seasoning was done with lard and not vegetable oil.
4:30 I find that pouring hot water in a dirty cast iron pan, and scraping with a flat bamboo spoon does the job of removing dried chunks of food quite easily. The rest of the tips here are excellent.
i do that too. soften the food,scrape with wood. wood spatula better.more wide
I always just simmer a bit of water in it, which is the same sort of concept but I've always found it a bit better, especially for more stuck on stuff.
You can just use your spatula to scrap with too! My Grandma taught me to sprinkle some salt in as it soaks up some oil and will get bits off the pan. Often that is all you need to do.
I'm a big fan of doing this, but instead of using a spoon I use an escobeta (aka root brush) instead. It works great, has a little bit of scrubbing power and doesn't damage the seasoning.
Yup, as soon as I take out my food I add a bit of water, put it right back on the flame and scrub all the gunk off. Easy peasey
Love your videos. A couple of things I've learned with cast iron. If you compare a brand new pan with one that was made decades ago, you will find that the "antique" pan has a very smooth surface on the inside, whereas the modern pan has a grainy appearance from where it was cast using sand. They used to finish the pans a bit better in the old days. I have found that a rotary sander can smooth out the cooking surfaces, and after proper seasoning, the pan is almost as non-stick as Teflon. I also will use my gas grill for the seasoning process, as this keeps the house cool and smoke free.
You can still get the old style from Smithey or Lancaster and some others.
What grain would I use? Leaving Teflon behind and now buying new C.I. Its a bit frustrating without smooth. TIA
You dont need to do all that. Season it naturally over time. Any real cook doesn't need that lazy shortcut lol
@@blackdirtloverreal cook? Chill we’re all here trying to learn to care for our iron babies I wouldn’t go around throwing those words “real cook”😂
Lazy short cut? Sounds like a dofus who doesn't understand cat iron at all... they quit making it smooth because it's cheaper. A smooth pan is always a better surface to start with.
Cast iron AND Frank?! Man this a great!
After washing and wiping it dry, before seasoning even, I put mine on the stove and heat it up for a few minutes, to drive any water out of the pores.
Yeah that’s literally what frank said you can do…
@@Guavamente I'm specifically referring to 3:00 where he hand dries it, then the next scene is oiling it for seasoning.
@@phunkydroid ah gotcha. yeah thats like a normal thing man
Yes 👍 I follow the same!
@@phunkydroid My dear, late, friend taught me that years ago, she used cast iron pots and pans for all her cooking for nearly seventy years.
My method is different and works beautifully! I was with soap after every use since my son pointed out he heard otherwise all meals taste the same. After washing and drying I put the pan on the stove to heat, pour in just a little olive or preferably organic flax oil and heat that for 3 minutes. My pans come out black with that gorgeous shine and it takes just a few minutes!
That’s basically what I do… But I try not to use soap. I just take the pan to the sink and use some really hot water and the scrubby side of the sponge and get all the gunk out and then I’ll Dry with a paper towel and put it on the stove to evaporate the rest of the water and heat it up again and then put a little olive oil on it and spread it around. Give her a few minutes and call it a day.
Yeah same, if I can get away without washing with soap, I will. But I always take it back to the stove and wipe in a little oil, heat to just smoking, and leave it to cool overnight. Wipe out any excess and back into the cabinet with its siblings!
One of the best ways to clean a properly seasoned cast iron pan is to 1) scrape down the big chunks - using a spatula or the Lodge scrapers 2) put enough water to cover the dirty part 3) put it back on your heat source and get the water boiling. Then let the pan/water cool down a bit and scrub/wipe off the dirt. As is said in some of the other comments, a properly seasoned cast iron won’t degrade if you do this for a few minutes (I’m not suggesting cooking the brew overnight!) - once it’s cleaned it can be helpful to put the pan back on the heat (now with a bit of oil of your choice)…heating the oil and the pan and then letting it cool down on the stove or in your oven.
Wash the cast iron first. Turn the pans over on the burners. Set them to 'warm.' When you've finished the dishes the pans will be dry and you can leave them to cool.
One point Frank fails to mention is that, when you are seasoning your cast iron, you need to heat it to AT LEAST the smoke point of the oil you're using! Even better, go 25-100 degrees above the smoke point. Otherwise, your oil won't fully bond to the iron, and instead of a nice, smooth finish, you'll end up with a gummy residue. Vegetable shortening, like Crisco, has a smoke point around 325 degrees, but if you use canola oil, which has a smoke point of 425, you would want to heat your oven to between 450-500 degrees.
Exactly this. I prefer to use Grapeseed oil because it creates a tougher layer, and I heat my oven to 450 and bake for 1 hour then let the pan cool in the oven for at least 1 hr.
You shouldn’t use processed seed oils they are terrible for your health
Not strictly necessary. You can stay below the smoke point and not end up gummy, you just have to keep it hot longer. I've done it. Ideally, do a bunch of iron at once, and chuck a pizza stone in there too, so it stays hot longer after you turn the oven off.
The argument about processed seed oils, in the meantime, ignores the fact that after seasoning you will not be *able* to ingest the oil. The whole point of seasoning is to cross-link it into one thin molecule as wide as your pan.
My husband's grandmother always dries her pan in the oven after cleaning.
@@Moose1207 so don’t use avocado oil? Cause my oven can’t go over 500!
His comment about passing cast iron pans from generation to generation reminds me that I have a Griswold number eight Dutch oven that my wife's grandmother got in the 1920s. It came to my mother-in-law in the mid-1950s. Now I have it, and I fully expect that my middle son will have it. Along with the Griswold skillet that my mother bought in the early 1950s.
what did your first son do to lose the oven inheritance
@@randylahey2242 My eldest son is wholly uninterested in cooking.
Wow! Amazing. How do you maintain it after using it? Do you ever have to re-season it?
Just bought a new cast iron pan for the first time and I really needed a video like this to understand how to maintain it for a long time.
I love Chef Proto. After months, I watched this video again, it's really helpful.
If you repeat the initial seasoning a bunch of times (like at least 3 or 4) and are liberal with your oil the first few times you cook with it you can get a truly almost completely nonstick coating. After cleaning each time I also heat the pan up just enough so that it is on the verge of being too hot to touch the bottom and give it a quick wipe down with whatever oil you used to season before storing. I've been doing this with my cast iron for years and they are incredible non stick usually cleaning consists of a quick rinse out and I have no stickage regardless of what it is that I cooked
How much oil do you use? And what oil olive oil? I've been trying to use a cast iron and everytime I cook burgers the cast iron looks dry when i flip the burger is it because my seasoning isn't good enough? I didn't use enough oil? What's the cause?
@@zoulzopan olive oil has a low smoke point and isn't good for high heat. A properly seasoned pan will be non stick
@Jim Espenoza I'm on my first cast iron pan, so I've been watching & reading several tutorials, and they all seem to disagree / contradict, making me more confused than ever. So I'd like your opinion on 2 things:
1. Most said to never use paper towels, b/c they leave lint, which will eventually cause problems. Yet Frank uses them. What is your take?
2. Most said to never use steel wool, b/c it'll scratch. Yet Frank uses chain mail, although he did say it could mark up the pan. What is your take?
@@debilyn4c1r I have a chain mail that I use every now and then. Only when there’s something that won’t come up with a towel. I chopped up old shirts to wipe it down with. Paper towels will leave lint behind, while it won’t hurt your pan, you don’t want pieces behind to cook in to your food. Whenever I cook something that gets stuck on (searing meat), I will put water in to the pan and let it sit for 20 minutes. The pan doesn’t have to be hot, it will break down those bits and make cleaning it out much easier.
@@debilyn4c1r I guess there is more than 1 way to do just about anything. I've been using a cast iron pan for years and I do a lot of what Frank does. I use Crisco to season and every once in a while if I see a dull spot remaining on my pan I will add another coat of seasoning in the oven. Heat at 375 for an hour. Cool down completely in the oven and repeat if necessary. For cleaning, I wipe out grease and loose stuff with paper towel. Never had an issue with lint. I do make a wad of the paper towel so none of the torn edges touch the pan so perhaps that's why. You are also washing the pan so lint should wash away anyways. Then I run the pan under hot water to loosen things up. Let it sit in hot water a few minutes if warranted. Dump out the water and give a heavy sprinkle with salt. Not as much as Frank. Then I scrub the stubborn bits with one of those blue scrubbing sponges meant for non-stick pans. I keep one in a dish by the sink just for the cast. They aren't abrasive enough to hurt your seasoning. I rarely use soap because I also heard it is bad. Glad to see in the comments it isn't. Once clean, I rinse it off and dry with paper towels. Then I place it on the burner on medium heat a few minutes to dry out the pores in the iron. Turn off the heat and while still warm, I put a super thin coat of Crisco on the cooking surface and rim. Quickly wipe away any excess. Let it cool and put away. I keep a small tub of Crisco just for my pan. IMO Frank put way, way too much Crisco on the pan when he was seasoning it. I coat my pan then wipe it off with paper towels. If you can see the oil residue on your pan it's too much and you risk it leaving sticky spots behind. Better to put many thin coats on then a thick one that doesn't bond.
You will also see people on the internet saying to use grapeseed oil or flaxseed or fancy store bought seasoning pastes. Crisco worked for our great grandmothers. It's cheap and it works just fine.
Another tip, right after your done cooking, and you plate your food, scrape the pan while it's still hot with a wooden spatula to help get off the gunk. It's easier to remove when the pan and the gunk is hot vs when it's cooled down.
I use a wooden spatula too
I like the tip of using a wooden spatula for heavy duty scraping. I will have to buy a wooden spatula and stop scratching up my pans.
After cooking, throw in a couple tbsp of water while hot and that will loosen the residue up a huge amount. I always use a flexible metal spatula, it hones the surface smooth with use, but requires a premium pan that comes smooth, or sanding a cheap one smooth.
I dont cook messy things, like stir fry, tacos, or sauces in them. Steaks, bacon, sausage, eggs, pancakes, pizza, ect work well, stainless steel is better for messy jobs. Anything with sugar should never go in cast iron (including sweet breakfast sausage) - too much work to clean up.
Plus never ever let guests use or wash your cast iron. They will cook something sticky and acidic and then put it through the dishwasher on you.
I actually often reheat an empty dirty pan on the stovetop to smoking point just so I can clean it like this, with water to loosen the softened grease. Once I've rinsed and wiped out the residue, I dry it with the residual heat from the burner. It works for everything except something high in protein, like eggs. For eggs, I soak in cold water briefly and then use a scraper to remove as much residue as possible before washing with a slightly soapy cloth. My pan is always beautifully seasoned. It's wild how over complicated people make this seem. As if our great grandmothers were wasting a bag of salt every time they cleaned the pan!
You're*
I grew up with my grandma cooking with cast iron. I knew this dude was legit when he pulled out the Crisco.
I just recently bought a cast iron pan and this video really helps me alot. THANK YOU SO MUCH
I'm a simple girl: I see Frank, I click.
''Cast iron is iron'' such an underrated comment
People die when they are killed.
Cast iron is great! No dangerous chemicals to leach into food. Thank you for this helpful lesson!
except when seasoning is chipping off ? I havent see anyone or any study about that btw..
@@btbbass1984It is literally oil.
@@doug1066 Polymerized oil and carbon, hardly toxic especially in such small amounts. Better than the mystery chemicals used in Chinese non-stick crapware
I have some cast iron I have cooked in for 52 years. His is the best video on this! I scrape the skillets with my spatula and they are easy to clean. If I get busy and let sit, then I scrape with spatula and have to use the salt scrub, so clean as you go!
3:20 polymerisation is actually when you fuse 2 monsters in YU-GI-OH
I don't even own a cast iron skillet but will I watch the whole video? Absolutely no doubt.
If you like to cook, you should really consider getting one. Inexpensive and really a pleasure to work with.
To season: preheat the oven to at least 250C. Heat the pan on the stovetop to a medium high heat (let the heat soak up the walls of the pan). Put a small amount of your chosen oil on a wadded up cotton towel (paper towel also works but can leave lint) and carefully wipe all over the pan - it should start smoking immediatly. Put the pan in the oven upside down for 15 minutes. If the pan is new or has just been reconditioned then repeat this four or five times.
To clean: while the pan is hot, use a wooden spatula (plastic works but can melt) to scrape. Put a small amount of hot water (boiling is best) into the pan and scrub with a synthetic bristle brush. Pour dirty water out and wash with dishsoap in the sink (do not soak), rinsing well when clean. Put the pan back on the hot stove to dry and re-season.
If your pan is properly seasoned, dishsoap and scrubbing with synthetics won't damage it. Soaking, however, will quickly lead to rust. Cast iron isn't suitable for every application, but it's hard to burn your meals in a cast iron skillet and it's perfect for steaks. Thi is balanced by the increased maintenence.
Great tips on caring for cast iron, love Frank's demeanor!
I personally use more a little bit of water in the de-rusting step with salt to help bind the rust to the salt, getting rid of all of it. Same goes with the cleaning step. Letting the pan simmer in a bit of water at a low temperature for 2-3 minutes should lift up pretty much any stuck on spots consistently.
Thanks!!!
i do the same to clean my pan, basically deglazing the pan, but not intending to make a sauce XD
@@theonlymegumegu this "deglazing action" also works on wood stove glass. Heat up the stove then use a wet rag to steam wipe away the creosote from the glass. No fuss no muss no chemicals.
Use ashes (cool not hot) from a previous fire on a paper towel to clean glass on wood stove! Works perfectly!!
I do the same thing it always work perfectly! The salt method looks painful
One tip that speeds up the cleanup process is a soon as you’re done cooking, dump hot water in the pan and let it soak while you eat. This doesn’t let the food get stuck on and crusty and everything comes off with a few wipes with some paper towels and just a pinch of salt. Hope this helps 👏
Olive oil works really well to. Kind of deep fries everything right off.
Did should have recieve a like from epicurious
Never soak cast iron with water or in water. The best thing to do is to put the hot water in the pan and then use a plastic or wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, rinse it and season it.
What about deglazing with a little vinegar? Overkill? Good idea? Bad idea?
Vinegar will strip the seasoning. So it's a bad idea.
Thank you, Chef. This was very helpful in learning the proper way to clean and maintain my iron skillets.
Thank you! I watched a different tutorial that required more than eight hours of work, including baking the cast iron two or three times, letting it cool, oiling, baking etc. This is much easier.
I'm glad I was doing something right -- cleaning the pan with salt after use! I need to get better at sealing the seasoning in the oven. Thanks for the tips!
Thank you, Chef Frank! I have a huge cast iron pot sitting around for months - I'll use your tips to get it back to shape!
I love any video from a cast iron lover. Flaxseed oil makes a helluva shell to season with.
I keep it simple. Well, the pan is still warm. I clean it with soap and water. Dry it with a towel. Heat the pan back up. Rub some cooking oil and store. Done. I've been doing like this for 25 years and it works like a charm.
One thing that I find really helps is cleaning your pan after usage. When its still hot I use the plastic spatula to loosen anything stuck , and I wipe it down with some paper towels and it's good to go again. Takes like 30 seconds to clean if you do it right afterwards versus waiting till it cools down (if you can)
Zactly
This is how I was taught to do it. I don't use a plastic spatula but the metal one. Put it under the hot water, swirl it, dump it and wipe away with a paper towel.
A solid metal spatula is better
A wooden spatula might be better.
Wood won't scratch off your seasoning like metal can.
@@Gutslinger Wood or plastic is too soft to remove burnt gunk, it needs to be metal. And don't worry about the seasoning
I use hot water (no soap here) and a hard plastic scraper to get the food bits off after each use, then re-oil the inner surface, and heat on the stovetop until the oil just starts to smoke. Move it off the heat, and after it's cooled down, it's good to go for the next use.
Cool, you do it wrong... And you taste every meal you've ever made because you don't use soap... But at least you're confident enough to admit that you do it incorrectly on the internet lol
@@godlygamer911 special needs person detected
@@godlygamer911 the way he does it is standart, frank is right and if you do it properly you can use soap but for most aplications you wont need too.
@@godlygamer911 It doesn't leave a lingering taste of every meal made, and you don't risk ruining the seasoning (which has happened when my mother-in-law visited and cleaned it with soap and water and didn't re-season it).
@@godlygamer911 There is more than one way to clean a cast iron. They're not wrong. So rude.
Thank you, thank you so much. I just got my new set of cast iron pans. First time ever using cast iron. I used them and wiped clean with a paper towel but, I can still smell the food that I cooked in my pan. I was told never to use water and soap in my cast iron. I am so glad I searched and found you. Now I know what to do.
All the good tips. Nothing's better than a cast iron where you put some love into, it brings the love back to you.
Perfect timing! Totally needed this.
This is by far the simplest cast iron tutorial I’ve seen. Still team enameled cast iron for the ease of it, but uncoated seems a bit less intimidating now!
IKR, I always thought you had to apply oil, wipe off oil, cook high hot and long, repeat 99 times.
@@bendadestroyer because that is what you have to do. This guy put on way too much crisco the result would've been sticky/uneven. If you don't believe me you can try it yourself with a non seasoned cast iron. There's a reason why the tutorials are long and complicated that's because it is.
@@bendadestroyer i’ve had two skillets for years now and I only season it once in a while. I simply seasoned it a few times when it was brand new and just cooked normally with it from then on. People just make it out to take a lot more effort than it needs to. Remember that as cook with it, the oil from your cooking also turns into new layers of seasoning. Just make sure to wash your iron with hot water and light soap after cooking and never leave it soaking in water for too long or it’ll rust.
@@zoulzopan confidently incorrect.
@@TheRaptor700Rider you don't have to believe me you can do exactly what this cheff did yourself. Trust me I've done it and it did not come out good.
Best video I’ve seen! Thank you Chef!
Thank you for these thorough and simple instructions! They were so helpful!
Hooray!!! Thank you, Chef Frank! My newly bought/already seasoned (!) cast iron pans rust even before I use them-- high humidity in SE Louisiana! You are right on time! ❤️
Older Emeril copper core stainless steel pans might be a better option for any climate. They hold heat just as well and disperse it evenly, they don't need to be seasoned, they do not rust and look good when you serve things in them. Get older ones off of Ebay with the thick copper disc in the bottom. My family has had a set used daily for over 16 years, and they still look new. You can buy them used.
Preseasoned pans are heated at very high temps for very short period of time, because it's more economical, even though less effective. Heat the pan to 200°, coat right over the factory seasoning with a very thin layer of Crisco at 500° for an hour. Let it cool in the oven, and repeat. That will cause polymerization of the oil and create a much better finish.
@@firedo_g6268 I have a pre seasoned pan , should I do ur method before the 1st use or is this something u do after each cook.
@@michaelastuto8003 Just before the first use. Also, always heat your pan till you can feel it in the top of the pan edge, THEN put your oil in it and food will be much less likely to stick to the pan.
Honestly, the best way to clean your dirty cast iron pans is to boil water in them and scrape with a wooden spoon. Works like a charm
This is great advice! Boiling waters will break the bonds by reheating the polymer layer, works great. I do this immediately after removing the cooked contents.
This was very helpful, I have my very first cast iron and didn't know how to clean it, now it looks brand new!
Ive always cleaned my cast iron while it was still hot, like as soon as whatever I was cooking came out I hit it with water and a scraper. Basically deglazing the pan but with water. Then heat it back up and give it a real light coat of avocado oil and let it cool. Ive got a nice hard shiny season on that pan that is wonderfully nonstick
Exactly!~!
Amen. I was horrified when he showed that pan.
Great comment. This is the easiest method and really makes keeping cast iron well-seasoned and clean, with little fuss. I use grapeseed or safflower seed oil for the quick re-season, but really anything with a high smoke-point makes for a great seasoning oil.
I use this method also. And the avocado oil works great. Nothing sticks to my pans!
Great video! For the general cleaning of my cast iron pans after cooking I use steam. Works great for any stuck-on bits, I heat the pan to a medium heat then run some hot water (not cold to avoid possible damage to the pan) then gently run a little hot water into the pan and scrub it with a good bristle brush and a plastic scraper if necessary using caution not to get your hand to close to the steam because it will burn.(Repeating may be necessary for bits that are really stuck and the pan has cooled enough that the steam isn't effective anymore.) Then when the pan is clean, I move it back over to the stove which is still on from heating it and set it on it to dry, only takes about 30 - 40 seconds meanwhile since the pan is hot, I'll apply a thin layer of oil and let it cool. This method has worked great for me.
That’s the exact same way I’ve done mine the only time I’ve ever used soap was when I was preparing to re season
Same here , sometimes I do favor scraping pan bottoms wirh something made of wood , spatulas etc.
I am so glad you used some soap. It ensures the pan is clean. Love your tips.
You are an awesome teacher!!
I’ve had amazing luck cleaning my pan with a plastic-bristled dish brush. It’s not abrasive to the seasoning surface and cleans very well. Also, there are Lodge Pan Scrubbers that are made to scrape cast iron; they work very well for stubborn chunks of food stuck to your pan and only cost five bucks.
One thing I was taught that works REALLY well is to take the plastic circular lid off of a spice container. You can then use the hollow side of the lid to scrape off any burnt-on gunk from the pan. Works much better than salt or any brush for me as it's really firm and doesn't scratch the pan. Just make sure to clean and dry the lid really well before you put it back on the spice container.
And I guarantee it’s cheaper than using salt to clean it Every time 😂 great tip! I’ll have to find one
I'd say repeat the seasoning process like 3 times when you buy a new cast iron before starting to use it. And then onwards you can do it just once every now and then.
I'm probably an idiot, but when I bought my relatively inexpensive cast iron pans I used sand paper to get all the rough bits in the pan out. I then use Crisco to season and go through that process a few times. I just figured the flat surface is better to cook on than the rough surface they come with.
I season about once a year for my pans. I can fit 3 of 5 in my oven at at time so there is a rotation between the 5 I regularly use. My main pan is crazy good looking at this point having been seasoned and used for about 15 years. Given my father accidentally washed it with soap twice in that time(huge fight ensued as a result).
@@deep6188 I think the roughness creates that char marks like a grill. I usually use the cast iron to grill chicken and make pancakes and even pizzas turn out great since you can transfer it straight into the oven.
I'm gonna use Crisco everytime now when I clean my cast iron skillet. The salt trick really works and my pan has never looked this good after using grapeseed oil
I found that washing the cast iron while it is still warm helps. Let it cool a little and run it underneath water while using a light abrasive to take off all the bits. If your pan is seasoned well, it should come off just fine. After that, I put it on the stove to heat and let the water evaporate and then hit it with a little oil to keep the seasoning good. This video is great for those just starting out.
This is EXACTLY how I do it. And you're the first person I've seen in the comments. It works great for me. I'm not sure how "seasoned" my skillet is... but it cooks food great and tastes great.
I love these teaching videos with Frank. I learn a lot and love the bad jokes, too
I'm getting used to them.
Thank you soooooo much for saving my cast iron pan.
Thank you for the video! I plan to get a cast iron pan, and this is very informative on how to properly clean it and care for it!
Every time I watch these there is a variation. I think it shows how amazing these pans are for cooking. It is really hard to ruin these pans if you give them plenty of oil. Oil your pan is the thread through everyones method. I will try your seasoning tip, I don't know why I haven't turned the pan over before, it seems so "common sense" after seeing it. Thanks!
I've never oiled the back either. Next time when I freshen up the pan.
Thank you so much for these tips. Now a cast iron Pan doesn't seem nearly as intimidating
Yeah, I have one that I have only used for cornbread because I know it's only going to leave some crumbs and not make a huge mess. I've just been afraid to use it for anything else because I'm afraid that I'm going to screw it up
Unless you break into his house.
This is awesome ❤just got my first cast iron so excited
I have a plastic scraper to remove chunks. It takes it down to the seasoned surface pretty easily. Then I wash with hot water only and scrub with a dish rag. When I'm done there's nothing left but seasoning, so I add a small amount of olive oil, spread it with a paper towel and I put it away.
Clean-up is less than 5 minutes and the seasoning stays just fine.
I've had the pan for 6 years and only had to reseason it a couple times.
I use your technique for cleaning and storing every single time. Went from a home with terrible cast iron experiences to a jealous husband asking me how I use the skillet so masterfully. 👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you, thank you!
I’ve been cooking on cast iron since I was a boy. I’ve got all sorts of sizes handed down from family. You can and should wash your pans occasionally with hot water and soap. It doesn’t harm them, that’s nonsense. Best pans ever. Great video.
I love this video. Thanks for all the extra uses for the pan and chain mail.
Thanks for clear/concise instructions
Cast iron for a weapon + chainmail for defense, who says cooking can't be dangerous
Truthfully the most dangerous things in the kitchen are using a sponge to wash dishes with ,they hold bacteria really well, even if you "sterilize them, and bagels! You read it right bagels, held in the hand or slipping off the cutting board while slicing,,,About using a cast iron pan for defense?? Uhuh! A wooden rolling pin and a strong arm, now that is defense! Honestly I have seen all of those "side effects " while working as a RN in Emergency Departments, many times over. Watch those bagels!!!
Technically speaking the kitchen, or more to say a professional kitchen is the most dangerous and hazardous places to work, blades and sharp objects, flame and heat, hot water, steel tables and countertops
The perfect setup for the next final destination movie.
If you’re concerned about throwing away all that salt, you can always use it in your garden on your weeds or icy paths!
Salt works really well to clean thanks for that tip!
I have watched quite a few videos on taking care of a cast iron pan. Obviously they were poor bringing me to your site. You were informative, instructive and followed through every step to make it clear. You're the best. Thank you!
I do not recommend this video for seasoning advice, as it will result in uneven and incomplete seasoning. The proper way to season requires you to wipe away as much oil/crisco as possible before putting it in the oven, which he does not do in the video.
Awesome. I literally have the same pan you have that I got at a yard sale. I'll be cleaning and seasoning it very soon.
I’ve heard you have to season a pan for five hours at 400 or 500° or some such thing. So refreshing that I can season my pan at a normal temperature for not too long and get the polymerization I need to get a well-seasoned pan. Thanks!
It does depend on the oil used - what's most important is that you get the pan PAST the smoking point for your oil to cause the polymerization
An hour is more than enough.
I was taught when scrubbing with salt to cut a potato in half and use it as a scrubber with the salt. Easy to hold on to and scrubs the pan up nicely
Bro, you do it just like my grandmother did. That's good enough for me.
Over 3 decades ago I found a heavily used cast iron skillet thrown out in the trash. It was probably used for deep frying and baking corn bread. I put it in the tub and sprayed it with oven cleaner and it rinsed everything off to the metal. Most wonderful find. I used flax seed oil and baked it on. Almost like a non stick skillet.
Oven cleaner? 😬 On porous metal? Yikes.
Vinegar apparently works.
He ded 🙁
@@Gutslinger never stripped cast iron in bulk I take it? Oven cleaner is the professional method, works better than anything else.
I like to get the chunks out by stir frying complementary vegetables or fruit in the pan after I'm done. That's pretty much my preferred method of deglazing all my pans because I hate wasting flavor.
Appreciate your good vibes and weapon suggestion.
Thanks for the humorous cast iron skillet lesson!
I find that coconut oil is a great choice for storage because it doesn't go rancid.
@@v.crowley Oh I don't mean I had a problem with the pans I seasoned going rancid, I'm recommending it because it has a property that I find very appealing as a general choice for storage, particularly if someone doesn't use them often. It's just something kind of neat about coconut oil that I think makes it a superior choice for a lot of applications.
I use soap and water with gentle scrubbing with a standard dish sponge and my seasoning comes through intact just fine. I dry the pan immediately, and give it a light coat of oil. The salt abrasion technique always seems like overkill to me and I feel like it dissuades people from using these pans, because they think you have to baby the seasoning. You really don't... Just my two cents.
yep! a well seasoned pan is coated with an impermeable coating that a single washing won't penetrate. Nobody wants botulism from a pan that hasn't been cleaned 😉
True, I would never buy a cast iron pan if I would have to clean it with salt each time
Thanks for this! Just bought my first cast iron skillet & have been dying trying to figure out if its okay to use dish soap or not!
There are actually cast iron specific soaps you can get! I think the one I use is castor and coconut oils. I do still scrub with salt or a chainmail scrubber before I use the soap.
Ive been using cast iron and in last 5 yrs converted to carbon steel.. I have approx 7 old cast iron collectibles i only use for baking cornbread now. Everything else now CS. Trust me when I say you will learn to skip the step of after cleaning your pan then drying pan on stove, you definitely dont add oil to that hot pan. it will often get sticky. wait for your pan to cool then add oil if you want, but there is no need to add oil. if you were going to store the pan for months without use in a humid environment, maybe. I have maybe 12 CI items hanging on a ceiling rack stored w/o oil and have zero rust (but they all are covered w seasoning. I use a #8 carbon skillet every day and never season it after drying. Why use carbon over cast iron? basically all the same attributes but wont break if dropped (i've damaged 2 CI pans over the years. I like the gradual tapers of the carbons over the 90 degree straight walled CI Buy a heavy carbon skillet and you will never use CI again. all of my cast irons are collectibles hanging from a pot rack and seldom to ever used. Many rookie CI users freak out a little over sanitary concerns. You will learn that you always preheat a CI pan every single time just prior to cooking to prevent food sticking and this preheating sanitizes your pan
Wow, so much information in 6 minutes! Thank you.
Right on! Salt & Crisco! (And hot water rinse) - When I buy rusty cast iron I soak in vinegar overnight and it comes right off - then salt, crisco, etc. THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO!!!
I love my cast iron! Definitely key to clean after use, but use hot water so it doesn't warp. I also use pretzel salt for scouring if anything is caked on. And I do use a *little* bit of soapy water from time to time to decontaminate because it's pretty well seasoned.
cast iron doesnt warp from temperature shock. youre thinking of carbon steel. cast iron may CRACK, though, from temp shock. cast iron is brittle but not malleable. carbon steel is the opposite.
@@AnythingLoud Yes, crack, not warp. But if I corrected my grandma who told me that I'd get slapped ;)
I have one of my grandma's Wagner skillets. It's a little over 100 years old, and is in great shape. Yes, I use dish detergent, especially (like you said) if I've made fish. I season and coat after washing with flax seed oil. Don't know what Grandma used, but my mom either used Crisco or bacon grease on it.
Just a tip- flaxseed oil is one of the worst oils to use if you’re using the skillet for cooking because it has a very low smoke point and tends to chip and flake off very easy.
Now, if you are using flaxseed oil to season it just to make it look black and pretty to hang up as a decoration then that’s fine. It does look nice.
Just wanted to share this info because it has happened to me and many other folks. Crisco works just fine and is inexpensive.
Good luck 🍀
Thank you for your videos. They're very informative and entertaining as well. I watched a video that said the best way to clean a cast iron skillet is after getting out all the bigger chunks of food, heat it until it starts to smoke then hold it under very water. The steam produced along with scrubbing it with a wood spatula will clean it. I also read that it's not a good idea to cook tomato based dishes because of the acidity. Thoughts?
Thank you for the video. My dad got me a vintage / antique cast iron ebelskiver ( Æbleskiver ) so this helps a lot.
I've been using a cast iron pan for a few months now and I love it. One thing I can't find consistent info on: when doing those post-cook, "mini seasonings" (where you spread on a tiny bit of oil after cleaning the pan), should you then bring that light coat of oil past the smoking point or not? There seem to be two camps: those that say you SHOULD bring it past the smoking in order to polymerize the oil (and to prevent the oil from going rancid), and those that say you SHOULDN'T because it just burns off the thin coat of oil you just applied. In this video, Frank finished things up with a light coat of lard and a warm oven without mentioning the smoke point, so I'm guessing he doesn't think it's necessary.
Kent Rollins has quite a few videos on cast iron seasoning.
It's unnecessary. Unless you're suoer aggressive in your cleaning your actual seasoning is fine and you're just oiling it lightly to fill any imperfections. The thin coat will polymerize with the rest the next time you cook which further develops your seasoning. I usually apply oil while they're warm because it spreads easier but nowhere close to the smoke point. I've never had oil go rancid either
Honestly I never put any oil on my pans after each use. I don’t see the point? If your pan is properly seasoned and you fully dry it after using (leave on a burner for a few minutes) you should never get rust. Why is your pan rusting if it is seasoned? To me the idea of leaving a layer of “raw” oil on your pan is kind of gross.
@@yrureadingthisname How else is it going to collect dust particles for flavor if it's not oiled?
@@Gutslinger lol I just really need a nice sticky, gummy film to build up on my pan I only use twice a year.
some people soak a rusty pan in water and vinegar, letting the acid take away all of the rust, and THEN will rub it with something rough or clean it with water and soap.
Wiping while at least warm after cooking is a big help
I learned in boyscouts to scrub cast iron with a balled up sheet of aluminum foil and boiling water. It works really well.
why not just deglaze the skillet form all that bits that stuck to it by boiling water, and maybe use a wooden spatula for the more stubborn ones? Seems a lot more effort and waste of salt to use salt to remove that. Does deglazing damage the seasoned coating or somehting?
You have the right idea; it's WAY easier to clean a pan right after the cooked food is off of it. Frank mentioned that @ 4:56 - ( czcams.com/video/P4zW-C010oc/video.html ), and I totally agree with both him and you. I deglaze my pan with water just to make it easy to clean, then after a quick scrape-off, a little hot soap+water and a plastic version of his chainmaille scrubber takes only a minute. My lodge pan is still fantastically seasoned; I cook with it every day.
I think Frank is showing how to clean a dried pan, because most home cooks tend to leave cleaning the cookware for after a meal is over. I used to do that too, but found that the time saved by cleaning my things in between cooking and eating was well worth it.
This is for pans that maybe weren't quite dry when put away or pans that haven't been used in awhile and you live in a area that has high humidity. Both of these can cause an iron pan to rust.
It can damage it if it's not thoroughly seasoned and you boil it too long. But for the most part, a quick deglazing will be just fine for a well-seasoned pan. Just don't forget to oil it before putting it away.
That's what I do if I can't just wipe off the mess in my skillet. If things aren't too stuck on then I just scrape the bits with my wooden spatula and then wipe it off (deglazing with water if needed). I'll only use my chainmail scrubber if it's a really bad burnt on mess, but I've only had to do that twice when cooking lemongrass ribs or Korean BBQ.
I was expecting Frank to forge his own Cast Iron Pan. That would be IRONic. ;) Anyway, always like to see Frank taking the spot light on these videos because you can see how good a Chef he is by his sense of humour (every good chef has it). :D
I like the chef’s personality & humor…now onto cleaning :)
I have been cooking with cast iron all of my adult life. It is the best product out there when properly maintained.
Although I like some the ideas represented in this video I never use soapy water on my cast iron.
Once the pan has been used wipe out all of the large food items let behind. Then while the pan is still hot use warm to hot water with a nylon handle scrub brush to clean everything else out. If there are stubborn areas you can use a nylon scraper.
Once everything is out dry off the pan to remove all of the water. Then back on the fire to heat it up and season with whatever oil you use.
I like to use flax seed oil when I am creating the seasoning because it has a high smoke point. Then to maintain it I use EVOO.
"Don't cOme to my hOusE"
*Grab the cast iron 🤣😂