Here’s How to Effortlessly Clean Your Cast Iron Cookware

From the fireplace to the stove, from the barbecue to the oven, cast
iron is the ideal conductor of heat. Find out how to clean cast iron with our tips!

Cast iron is a ferrous alloy with high carbon content. Compared to
mild steel – where the carbon content is lower – cast iron is harder and more
resistant to abrasion and rust, but at the same time less resistant to impacts.
Despite this, cast iron also has many advantages, including resistance to high
temperatures; being an excellent heat conductor – which holds and then
gradually releases heat – it is the preferred material for the construction of
chimneys, stoves and radiators, barbecues, grills, and hobs. If you want to
know how to clean cast iron, follow our suggestions; although cast iron is very
resistant, keep in mind that since it has a porous surface, you need to take
some precautions to avoid damaging it in depth.

How to clean your cast iron cookware

First of all, here’s all you need to clean your cast iron cookware
properly:

1.Cast iron pan;

2.Sponge or stiff brush;

3.Clean, dry cloth or paper towels;

4.Vegetable oil or shortening (plus, kosher salt if you want an even
shinier pan)

Cast iron cookware is not procrastinators’ best friend. You should
clean it right after cooking, and you can’t leave it in the sink soaked in
water for days. Sorry to inform you of that, but that’s what you should avoid
doing to not end up with a rusty cast iron pan.

What you can do, instead, is to wash the cast iron pan by hand using
hot water and a sponge or stiff brush while it’s still hot or warm. Remember to
use tongs or wear gloves if either the pan or the water are still extremely
hot. Keep your pan away from the dishwasher, soap, or steel wool; they will
damage its seasoning and consequently impact its unstickiness.

If you want to remove stuck-on food, you can scrub the cast iron pan
with a paste made of coarse kosher salt and water and then rinse or wipe it
with a paper towel. Boiling water in the pan is a great idea to loosen and
easily remove stubborn food residue.

What to keep in mind when it comes to cast iron cookware

The Internet is flooded with all sorts of tips and tricks on how to
take care of your cast iron cookware. If you’re like us and want to get
straight to the answer you are looking for, we have summarized here below some
of the main points you should remember when it comes to cleaning your cast iron
cookware:

A. Wash your cast iron pan by hand with a nylon bristle scrub brush.
If needed, use a pan scraper for stuck on bits;

B. Dry your cast iron pan promptly and thoroughly with a dry cloth
or paper towel;

C. Rub it with a very light layer of vegetable oil or shortening, better
if the cast iron cookware is still warm – this will partially restore its
seasoning;

D. Hang or store this type of cookware in a dry place;

How to clean rust off your cast iron pan

Like all metals, cast iron also oxidizes in contact with oxygen in
the air. The rust that is created on its surface due to oxidation alters its
resistance; therefore you should remove it as soon as possible. If on your cast
iron object – be it a pan, a grill or the round plate of a stove – there are
only a few rust spots, then the job is simple. Put a little baking soda
directly on the part to be treated and add a few drops of vinegar, leave for at
least an hour and then remove the rust with a spatula. Alternatively, leave the
object submerged overnight in a solution of warm water and baking soda: the
morning after removing the rust will not be a great effort. Here is how to
clean the cast iron from rust without resorting to abrasive tools!

After washing or treating with vinegar and baking soda of any cast
iron kitchen utensil, you should always pass a sheet of absorbent paper greased
with olive oil over its surface: it will protect the cast iron pan from future
damages. If the rust has already abundantly corroded the cast iron, then you
will have to use an abrasive cloth to remove it. In this case, after vigorously
rubbing the part, you will also have to re-season your cast iron cookware, but
that’s another story.

How to save time and money with cast iron cookware

If you’re new to cast iron cooking, here’s where we are glad to introduce you to pre-seasoned cast iron cookware. Pre-seasoned means that a coating of vegetable oil or animal fat has been applied to prevent the cast iron cookware from rusting while it sits on store shelves or in your kitchen cabinets. This type of cookware is ready to be used straight out of the box. However, once the food starts to stick, you’ll need to season it again. When you buy a pre-seasoned cast iron pan, casserole, or wok, you will have plenty of time to learn how to season them by the time their seasoning will have started to fade away. In particular, we highly recommend Velosan’s cast iron cookware, which comes pre-seasoned with a natural layer of fat. This natural fat layer not only gives a unique aroma when cooking but also forms a natural protective film over time. That’s one of the reasons why Velosan is one of the most beloved cast iron cookware brands both by professional chefs and fledgling cooks.

Last modified: April 11, 2019