Get the Most Out of Your Cast Iron Skillets

The wedding present I remember most, and still appreciate the most, was four cast iron skillets in graduated sizes. Even then, I knew it was a great gift. Over the years, I gave up those skillets for more trendy cooking equipment. Bad idea. I'm now happily back to cast iron.

Granted, I use a bamboo steamer in the wok for vegetables. Rice, soup and pasta are about all that my saucepans and stock pot ever see. Almost everything else you can cook on or in the stove will do better in cast iron. Quiche, bread, and casseroles all go in the oven in cast iron which holds and distributes heat quite nicely. I don't need special pans for corn bread, biscuits or pizza.

The secret to keeping your skillets happy and helpful is to retain their seasoning. This means the metal's surface pores are filled with oil (fat, grease) which forms a slick surface to keep food from sticking. There are several methods for seasoning, most involve using the oven. Mine is simpler.

Put a clean skillet on high heat, dry and empty. Once it is smoking hot, turn off the heat and spray the skillet lavishly with cooking spray. Or you can rub it generously with oil and a paper towel. Beware of getting burnt. Immediately douse it with cold water and dry it with a paper towel. Repeat two or three times. Hereafter, NEVER use any kind of soap or detergent on any iron utensil.

Every time you use an iron skillet, first spray it completely with plain cooking spray, not heavily, just leave no spot dry.

For cooking on the stove top, heat the skillet until a drop of water dances in it. If your recipe calls for oil or some liquid, add it now and proceed with the dish. If searing meat, wait until the sprayed skillet just begins to smoke to add the meat.

For baking, add the food to the skillet cold just as you would any baking dish/pan.

Here's the big one: A skillet should be clean before it gets cool. As soon as it's empty, get that skillet into the sink and fill it with hot water. DO NOT get soap of any kind near it!

Use a natural bristle brush (the hot iron will melt plastic bristles) and brush the skillet out under running hot water. Most food will come out easily. Yes, I know it's hot. Use a potholder but keep it dry, or it won't fend off the heat anymore. Rinse the skillet well and turn it upside down to dry on a heat proof surface. Go have dinner.
If any burned on crust refuses to brush out easily, fill the skillet with hot water and leave it in the sink. Go have dinner. When you return, the skillet should readily give up that last crust. If it doesn't, scrape it with a sturdy metal spatula.

I repeat, do not resort to soap or kitchen cleanser. For truly serious burnt on deposits, fill the skillet with hot water and put it back on the stove. Dump in about a quarter cup of baking soda and simmer for an hour. Let it cool. Now the burnt stuff should scrape out with that spatula. No? Repeat the soda treatment and this time dump the soda water without letting it cool. The burnt crusts should curl up and off.

The baking soda will probably spoil the seasoning, so you will have to season the skillet again. Try saving fancy cookware this easily.