With the proper care, cast iron cookware will last a lifetime.
Cast iron has been used for centuries as a naturally nonstick cooking surface. Its durability allows you to use cookware that is decades old, as long as it isn't cracked. Even if it has signs of age and rust, cast iron can usually be restored to its original luster. The act of "seasoning" your cookware, or heating it with shortening or oil, will prepare it for cooking and create the nonstick surface cast iron is famous for. Cast iron contains no chemicals and requires very little cleaning. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Restoring cookware
1. Inspect the cookware for cracks. Rust can usually be scrubbed away, but surface cracks will render a piece of cast iron unusable.
2. Use steel wool, salt and a little warm water to scour away rust.
3. Rinse lightly with water and dry completely with paper towels. Alternatively, dry your cookware in an oven set to 150 degrees F; check your pan every 10 minutes until it is completely dry.
Seasoning
4. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Oven temperatures can vary from 250 degrees to 500 degrees for this step, but 350 degrees is a standard medium baking temperature and is sufficient for this purpose.
5. Smear the inside of the cookware with a thin layer of solid fat. Rub lightly with a paper towel to remove excess.
6. Bake the cookware upside down in the oven for one hour, then turn off the oven and wait until it has cooled completely. The surface should be very smooth and have a light sheen. Food should not stick; if it does, reseason your pan. Seasoning more than once won't hurt it --- in fact, it will make the surface more durable.
Cleaning
7. Allow the cast iron to cool until it is safe to touch, then scrape off excess food with a soft, heat-resistant spatula.
8. Use a little water and scrub very lightly to remove stubborn food particles. Add mild soap, if desired; but since high cooking temperatures will kill any bacteria, it is not necessary. Do not use harsh detergents or clean cast iron in the dishwasher: It will remove the oils, and you will have to reseason your pan.
9. Dry thoroughly using paper towels or the oven method described in Section 1. Water will cause cast iron to rust.
Tags: cast iron, cast iron, cast iron, lightly with, oven degrees, paper towels
