Cast iron

They way they clean them in the cooking school my friend attended was as follows:

• Wipe out remnants of cooked food with paper towels
• Coat the inside of the pan with oil
• Heat up the pan with the oil
• remove from heat and pour in coarse salt (kosher salt or rock salt)
• using paper towels, scrub with the rock salt until any stuck on food is gone
• discard rock salt and wipe clean with a paper towl

steps are the same for seasoning a new or seldom used pan minus the first step. This works well for me and nothing ever sticks in any of my cast iron pots/pans.

 

I only use mine for camping (griddle) so it goes rancid. Had it happen last time I was camping and it ruined a pound of bacon Ive seen some pretty wasted cast iron be "brought back" from the dead on Youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs

 

I've never had my skillet go rancid and I also cook on a glass top. Of course I use it almost every day. I leave a coating of butter or oil in the pan and when I done using it just wipe it clean with a paper towel, you will leave enough oil to protect it and it will be ready to go the next day.

 

I tired this not too long ago. Best steak I've ever made.

Involves a beer cooler and a cast iron skillet. Can't lose with that recipe.

Check out the video in the link.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2013/06/video-how-to-cook-your-steak-sous-vide-in-a-cooler.html

 

Here's some cast iron cooking and care info

http://www.lodgemfg.com/

I use mine on the glass top

 

This. Although I like to use finer table salt. The salt serves as an abrasive to clean the pan but also combines with the oil and fills small pits in the metal making it smooth and non-stick. I've never had an issue using the salt/oil method.

 

I think I'll give the table salt a try tonight. Kinda makes sense.

 

i use water, no soap..and just scrub the thing.

if i really blasted it with some sticky food, i put water in it and get it boiling. whatever is stuck on, just floats up and i scrub it..again, no soap.

my pans are seasoned super well, and slick as snot.

i've tried that salt and oil method. works pretty good, but it is a waste of salt, oil and paper towels.

oh, after washing. i heat the pan up and wipe it with clean oil.

 

I did try that, but used about a teaspoon of salt, and a dish towel. Not very wasteful IMO, and it worked pretty well.

 

Your dish towel survive it?

 

Yeah, but it may now have a sole purpose in life.

 

In my experience (and on my wife who is an expert and competition winning cast iron cook) you will only have a problem with rancid grease/oil IF oil or grease is left on the utensil when storing. If you have seasoned your cast iron properly you should have a super-hard, baked-on carbon layer that will not go bad or rancid. Once properly seasoned, wash out the pan/skillet/dutch oven, wipe it completely dry and store with a folded paper towel between the lid & pot (this helps wick moisture out & can help prevent rust to exposed iron). Again, many differing opinions, but this is the one that has always worked best for us when camping, cooking at home or competing.

 

I use mine on a glass top. No issues.

I'm pretty new to cast iron cooking, but an super happy with results. Food is amazing!

I worked in a good season and try to avoid "washing". So far I have been able to wipe clean will pan is still hot. I let it cool and wipe again. Bring it up hot remove from heat, oil and let cool. Wipe it slightly dry and put it away. I don't use olive oil in it or any other grease. I use the best high smoke oils I can.

 

What are the best high smoke oils?

 

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/collectedinfo/oilsmokepoints.htm

 

I've been using a lot of safflower oil lately. Doesn't a great job, and obvisoly doesnt smoke or burn at the med-high temps I usually cook at. I still use olive oil, but I've found on a glass top, it's tougher to control the heat, so to be safe I stay with the safflower oil.

 

cast iron is the swiss army knife of the kitchen..it can do almost EVERYTHING.

 

I just got mine, a 5 pc set... 2 pans, a skillet pan and a dutch oven with lid... then i bought a meat weight thing and the pot holders to go with it... all in all $103.00 out the door are rural king.

I just started seasoning the 2 pans on sat. i washed them first then wiped with veg oil. We went out to dinner and i came back and cooked a pack of bacon in them to get things going... of course i saved the bacon grease! But now i cant think of what i should cook in it next... maybe burgers since im out of charcoal...

 

I found this gadget, looks effective and simple. I may have to get one & try it out.
http://www.cleaningcastiron.com/

 

looks like chainmail...