How to Clean A Cast Iron Skillet And Care for It (Or How I Learned To Love Cast Iron)
Have you ever wondered how to clean a cast iron skillet? Or maybe you’ve been curious about how this versatile kitchen tool can replace your nonstick pans. In this guide on cast iron care and cleaning I share my journey and #1 tip from stuck-on food to throwing away my non-stick pans – and how to keep cast iron well-seasoned, too. If you’ve had a love-hate relationship with your cast iron, join me in saying goodbye to rust and stickiness and hello to delicious, evenly cooked dishes!
✩ What readers are saying…
“THAAAAAAAANK YOU!!!! I am one of those who heard how great they were, bought them, got frustrated and put them in the back of the pantry. This post gives me new hope!! Again…. THANK YOU!!!!!!” -Mackenzie
I cannot tell you how excited I am to write about my success with using a cast iron skillet because for many years I was not successful. How many? Twenty years – and I wish I were joking.
I acquired a cast iron pan shortly after I was married- I think it came from Brian’s grandma, or maybe a thrift store, but it had definitely been used. I didn’t grow up using cast iron, but I had heard people tell me all the reasons they loved their pans: they were naturally non-stick, last more than a lifetime, heat evenly, and so on. So I was was looking forward to trying it in my new household.
And try I did. But everything stuck- eggs, meat, you name it. Then I’d shove it to the back of the cupboard, eventually bring it out to try again with the same results, until it got permanently relegated to our little vintage trailer. Perfect for vintage cast iron, right? Plus, that meant there were only a few days each summer that I had to use it- and invariably curse it.
(I know now that when we scrubbed the dickens out of it to get all the stuck things off we were just perpetrating the cycle – hindsight is 20/20, right?)
However, after a number of years of marriage when my third set of non-stick skillets started peeling, I realized I didn’t want to keep buying new pans every few years so I needed to figure this cast iron pan thing out.
How to Clean a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet
By this time my sad, neglected skillet was rusty, but thanks to the internet (not around during my first attempts), I found out how to clean the rust and re-season the pan fairly easily. I basically followed steps similar to this technique:
- Gently scrub off any rust with a steel wool pad (plain, not the kind with cleaners in it).
- Wash and thoroughly dry the skillet – I set it on the stove for a few minutes on medium heat.
- Coat the inside and outside of the pan with your choice of oil/grease (see below!).
- Place the pan upside down in a 350 degree oven for one hour and then let cool in the oven.
- Repeat as needed (I did two rounds of oiling and heating on my rusty pan).
My #1 Tip To Finally Loving Cast Iron
There was one major thing I did differently, though, when it came to coating the pan from what I read online and had done in my previous attempts. I did a lot of research and what I read over and over again was to use this to season the pan:
Not canola or a vegetable oil as I had always used, but bacon grease!
You can also use lard or coconut oil (but NOT olive oil as some sites state, since olive oil has a low smoke point and shouldn’t be used in applications like this). I prefer bacon grease for a simple reason – it’s free after cooking bacon, unlike coconut oil, and lard isn’t easy to come by.
(Oh, and side note that has to be mentioned: the fact that I am using something we regularly used to throw away? You know I love that!)
Why is what you coat cast iron with so important?
The short answer? Industrial oils.
You know that sticky coating that you can feel on old pans, cookie sheets, muffins pans, and other baking pans? This comes from using the industrial vegetable oils (corn, vegetable, canola) that have only been consumed regularly since the 1950’s (and we know cast iron has been around a lot longer than that).
They are called industrial oils because they cannot be made without a factory and machines – think about how you would get oil out of corn in your kitchen. It can’t be done, unlike rendering lard, collecting bacon grease, or even cooking coconut meat to extract the oil.
Thinking about how unnatural these oils are led our family to give up all industrial oils as a part of eating real, healthy foods.
The other thing I discovered was that awful “old oil” smell I had notice was also a direct result of using industrial oils. I have found that I don’t get that smell at all when I use a bit of bacon grease to season our pans.
But won’t food cooked in the pan have a bacon flavor? Does it smell like bacon when heating the pan?
I wondered this too! While it did smell like bacon a bit during the re-seasoning process, I’ve learned it doesn’t smell much like bacon in normal usage and has never made our food taste like bacon.
I think it’s because you use very little grease on the pan to maintain the seasoning – less than 1/8 of a teaspoon. It may also be because it’s best to use only the clear part of the grease (which is, in fact, like rendered lard). Whatever the reason, there’s no noticeable smell or flavor.
The ultimate test for me? Scrambled Eggs.
For the first few months after re-seasoning, I cooked only things that were greasy like bacon, or things that don’t stick like sautéed mushrooms in order to build up more of the seasoning to be more “non stick.”
The ultimate test in my book was scrambled eggs – it’s where I had the most trouble before. Finally the weekend came to make scrambled eggs with cheese.
And all I can say is I’m glad there wasn’t a video camera around as I was jumping up and down in front of the stove saying “they’re not sticking!” over and over again. As if I was the first one to discover this, ha!
There were still bits of egg and cheese stuck to the pan in places (see an example below), but it wasn’t much and there wasn’t that full layer of stuck on egg I used to get. (Update: after years of proper use and seasoning, I don’t even have this much egg/cheese stick to the pan anymore – it really is almost non-stick!)
Of course I couldn’t keep this to myself. If you’re like me and have had trouble with cast iron – or think it’s too much work – I want to show you how simple it can be to clean and care for cast iron – and encourage you that it really can become your favorite pans with just a bit of your time and attention!
How to Clean A Cast Iron Skillet: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Remove any cooked on residue. TIP: After serving food, run a bit of water in the pan to sit on the stove until you’re ready to clean it.
Use a plastic scrubber, walnut scrubber, or other non-metallic option (metal can remove the seasoning).
TIP: Some people regularly use coarse salt, but that would be wasting something in my frugal world, ha! However, if you have really stuck-on food, it is a good option- I’ve used it successfully for the residue left after browning meat.
Step 2: Wash the pan with hot water only and no soap. Yes, it’s OK, it is getting clean, I promise (though you can occasionally use a bit of soap if you need). I do use the scrubber side of my sponge (though now I only use a walnut scrubber sponge) and haven’t found that it takes the seasoning off, like some sites warn against. Your call.
Step 3: Dry the pan thoroughly on the stove. Heat it for just a minute or so on medium-high heat – not high and don’t walk away! (Yes, this has happened to my daughter and the pan got almost red with heat, but luckily didn’t ruin it – whew.)
Step 4: Season. Remove the pan from the burner and turn it off. Using a cotton rag (or paper towel, though they can leave paper residue) grab a smear of bacon grease and rub it all over the inside of the warm pan. Occasionally add it to the outside of the pan, whenever it seems to be looking ‘dry’ and like it needs it.
Step 5: Let cool. Set the seasoned pan back on the still warm burner and let the pan cool there before putting away. This helps seal in the seasoning.
That’s it! Yes, it takes a few minutes more than a regular skillet to dry, add the grease, and then let cool, but it’s small potatoes in the big scheme of things, right? Especially it means you won’t have to be replacing skillets in the future!
Here’s a common question I’ve been asked often since first publishing this:
“I just starting using a cast iron skillet and every time I clean it and re-season it with oil, the paper towel is gray and ashy looking. I can’t get it to come clean. Is that normal?”
That is normal – it’s not dirty, that’s the iron (and what causes the food cooked in it to be a good source of iron in our diet!) and also some of the seasoning – you don’t want to rub it all off as that’s what gives the ‘non-stick’ surface.
Tips to Maintain Cast Iron
- Do these same cleaning steps every time you use your skillet and you will keep a nice gleam on the pan that tells you it’s seasoned enough to meet all your non-stick needs.
- It’s also a good idea to regularly cook things in it with more fat, like bacon, browning ground beef, or cooking vegetable fritters or zucchini feta fritters in avocado oil.
- If it seems like the seasoning is wearing off, simply go through the steps to re-season the pan again.
- Remember that acid foods like tomatoes and lemons can remove some of the seasoning, so long cooking of these things (like sauces) should be reserved for a stainless steel pan.
While the steps to clean and care for cast iron may have a few more than non-stick coated pans, it’s well worth it and becomes second nature after awhile. And then you may be like me in saying goodbye to non-stick pans forever!
Reader Raves
“You are far from alone! I have two cast iron pans that are currently sitting in my pantry shelf. I have baked/caked on who knows what and rusted yuk on mine. This has given me the gumption to drag them out clean them up and season them! Thanks for the quick tips and I also never gave the bacon grease thing a thought! Makes a ton of sense! Wish me luck! Thanks again for the great info!” -Sue
“I am totally with you. I started off many years ago, trying to season and use a cast iron pan, but with no luck. I gave up and switched to non stick, but now, after reading your blog, i’m going to give it a try again.” -Erika
“Ha! My husband wanted to season our cast iron skillet with bacon grease much to my dismay. ‘Won’t that make it sticky? Surely we can use something else?’ He insisted and now it’s amazing! Clean up is a breeze and nothing sticks!” -Kylie
Have you ever had issues with cast iron (tell me I’m not alone!)? Do you use it or want to use it? Leave a comment and let me know!
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How to Clean and Maintain Cast Iron
Materials
- Any type of cast iron skillet, pot, or pan
- 1 rubber scraper or any other non-metallic scraper
- sponge or dish cloth
- 1/8 teaspoon bacon grease or lard, or coconut oil
- small cotton rag or paper towel
Instructions
- Step 1: Remove any cooked on residue. Use a plastic scrubber, walnut scrubber, or other non-metallic option (metal can remove the seasoning). TIP: After serving food, run a bit of water in the pan to sit on the stove until you're ready to clean it.
- TIP: Use coarse salt, rubbed all over with a sponge or dish cloth if you have really stuck-on food, like after browning meat.
- Step 2: Wash the pan with hot water only and no soap, preferably. You can use a bit of soap every now and then, but detergent is harsh and may remove the seasoning.
- Step 3: Dry the pan thoroughly on the stove. Heat it for just a minute or so on medium-high heat – not high and don't walk away! TIP: set a timer.
- Step 4: Season: Remove the pan from the burner and turn it off. Using a rag (or paper towel) grab a smear of bacon grease and rub it all over the inside of the warm pan. Occasionally add it to the outside of the pan, whenever it seems to be looking 'dry' and like it needs it.
- Step 5: Let cool: Set the seasoned pan back on the still warm burner and let the pan cool there before putting away.
To Maintain Cast Iron
- Do these same cleaning steps every time you use your skillet and you will keep a nice gleam on the pan that tells you it's seasoned enough to meet all your non-stick needs.
- Regularly cook things in it with more fat and avoid long simmering acid foods like tomatoes and lemons.
- If it seems like the seasoning is wearing off, simply go through the steps to re-season the pan again.
To Re-Season (and remove rust, if needed):
- Gently scrub off any rust with a steel wool pad (plain, not the kind with cleaners in it).
- Wash and thoroughly dry the skillet – I set it on the stove for a few minutes on medium heat.
- Coat the inside and outside of the pan with bacon grease, coconut oil, or lard.
- Place the pan upside down in a 350 degree oven for one hour and then let cool in the oven.
- Repeat as needed.
More Reader Tips
Note: This article was originally published in March of 2011 and became one of my first viral posts. For me, it was simply a matter of sharing my excitement over finally figuring out how to use my cast iron pans so I could throw out the non-stick pans for good. I just had to overlook the fact that thousands of people were seeing my dirty egg pan, lol!
Here are just a few other tips readers have shared in the 100+ comments:
- To renew an old, rusted cast iron pan:
Option 1. “Just spray the piece all over, inside, outside and handle with oven cleaner. I usually do this outside. Close it up in a trash bag, place it outside in the sun, let it sit for 24 hrs. Rinse with the hose. Repeat if necessary. Bring it inside, wash with hot water, rinse with straight white vinegar, (to neutralize the oven cleaner) rinse with hot water, season. Voila. Like new. Every single time.”
Option 2. “You can also just leave it in a self cleaning oven. That will turn everything to ash! Then, re-season.” - Using only oil to clean:
“Once pan is seasoned, you do not have to use water to clean it in many instances. I use olive oil for my cooking, don’t let it burn. After cooking scrambled eggs, put a bit of olive oil (Jami here: please don’t use olive oil – it has a low smoke point!) in pan to wet the surfaces, use little spatula or paper towel – I use spatula to rub paper towel around not my fingers. After that, if anything still sticks, I may put a bit of hot water, but never leave it soaking with water.” - Not using oil each time:
“I don’t find that I need to oil my pan every time though, maybe because I use plenty of butter to cook my eggs, and it’s so well seasoned the surface shines. I have a small ancient cast iron pan and nothing sticks to it.” - Tip for more non-stick:
“…one thing you should ALL be doing is PREHEAT THOSE PANS!!!! This gets the old seasoning in shape for new oil to be added and fill in all those micro grooves that are what makes food stick! There are few things–other than maybe warming a tortilla or such–that don’t need SOME oil to cook (even in a non-stick!!!) and cast iron has more little grooves and spots than other material by it’s nature. Don’t put it on HIGH and wander off; just use a low or medium flame to get to temp and THEN add your oil.”
I grew up with cast iron and never had any trouble!! I (big mistake) gave all my cast iron to a friend years ago!! I bought two lodge pre-seasoned skillets because I wanted them for searing steaks. I followed instr and have the biggest burned on mess!! I ended up using the self cleaning in my oven last week and have been seasoning them all day!! The first time I took them out of the oven they had large bumps all over!! They weren’t smooth to start with but not anywhere as bumpy as they are now!! I used crisco and wiped off any extra to make sure the coating wasn’t to thick!! Going to use for steaks tonight!! Any ready planning to self clean them again then try coconut oil!!
I just starting using a cast iron skillet and every time I clean it and re-season it with oil, the paper towel is gray and ashy looking. I can’t get it to come clean. Is that normal? Do you have any suggestions?
That is normal, Rachel – it’s not dirty, that’s the iron (and what causes the food cooked in it to be a good source of iron in our diet!) and also some of the seasoning – you don’t want to rub it all off as that’s what gives the ‘non-stick’ surface. 🙂
Thank you for the quick reply, I really appreciate it! I really enjoy your blog, it’s full of great information – thanks for your hard work on it!
My pans have a crust on the bottom. How can I get it off?
Try scouring with salt, Pat, and a plastic scraper. You’ll need to re-season in the oven afterwards, but it should be good then!
First let me say I enjoyed your blog and all the comments associated with cast iron pan woes! We too have turfed out many a non-stick pan over the years. We have several cast iron frying pans, all sizes, as well as pots and griddles which I love. I was raised in a home where cast iron, that had been handed down from my Grandmother, was used daily. I, (and eventually my husband, who loves nothing more than a sink full of hot soapy water to wash dishes, and my cast iron pans! in), learned how to clean stuck on food by putting just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan; then sprinkle salt, regular table salt will do, liberally in the bottom; put the pan on the burner to heat up the water and “cook” the coating to loosen it from the bottom. You can use a spatula or scraper to loosen the food as it warms on the burner; scrape residue out and clean any remaining residue before seasoning according to the tips you, (Jami), gave and your pan is good as new! I hope this option helps and I look forward to learning/sharing more through your blog! 😀
Great tips, Nancy- thanks!
THAAAAAAAANK YOU!!!! I am one of those who heard how great they were, bought them, got frustrated and put them in the back of the pantry. This post gives me new hope!! Again…. THANK YOU!!!!!! 🙂
I’m finally ready to dive into the world of Cast Iron and have put a few pieces on my Christmas list. I will definitely be bookmarking this page for all of the wonderful tips. I do have one question though… What recipe is everyone using to make the cornbread??? 😉
Love this post! I haven’t quite gotten comfortable with my cast iron pans. I received them as presents new so they came with the Lodge seasoning on them. Mine aren’t smooth like yours, they’re a little bumpy. So, I can’t use paper towels on them because they shred it and I end up with white puffs all over my pans. When I tried seasoning with bacon grease, they ended up with a thick layer of grime even after having them in the oven upside down for a couple hours. I’ve got rust in one – trying the wiki how vinegar/water soak now. And my dutch oven one is just sticky and always has been. I’ve scrubbed it and never been able to get the stickiness off. I’ve re-seasoned it after scrubbing and it’s still sticky. I so want to use them everyday but am losing my patience! Coconut oil seems to keep a nicer finish on them and they do heat evenly… those about my only positives so far 🙁
Oh, that’s too bad, April! I haven’t had experience with a bumpy surface, so I’m not sure how to car for that. 🙁 Maybe find a thrift store one to use and compare?
I have a cast irón pot rusting away in the garage. I Hope i can
Still save it!!! Thanks!
The beauty of cast iron is you can always save it! I bought a badly rusted pan at a thrift store, took it home and found a tutorial online that said to spray it with oven cleaner and tie up in a trash bag, leave it sit over night, take out the next day and scrub clean. Then you have it down to bare mental and can begin the conditioning process stated here. It works!!
I had heard that, too, Peggy, but hadn’t tried it – good to know it works! I also used Bar Keepers Friend on one for my daughter recently and it worked wonders at getting the old seasoning off (no rust was present).
Thank you for the inspiration to get my cast iron out of the cabinet and back on the stove. I adore your blog!
Angie in Tennessee
Thank you so much, Angie!
Wow–Can’t believe how many comments! LOL!!!!
But–one thing you should ALL be doing is PREHEAT THOSE PANS!!!! This gets the old seasoning in shape for new oil to be added and fill in all those micro grooves that are what makes food stick! There are few things–other than maybe warming a tortilla or such–that don’t need SOME oil to cook (even in a non-stick!!!) and cast iron has more little grooves and spots than other material by it’s nature. Don’t put it on HIGH and wander off; just use a low or medium flame to get to temp and THEN add your oil.
For eggs–most people do NOT add enough oil or bacon grease–we cook in at least a 1/4″ pool of oil and trust me–nothing will stick! You can just re-cycle it into your container anyways! IF you did not just fry the bacon use a bunch. heat the skillet first. and when you add your ROOM TEMP EGGS then let them set for a few secs and then spoon some hot fat over the top of them–helps them set and not break. Turn ONCE unless you don’t like them turned. This gives them that crispy lacy edge but the middles will be as done as you want them to be—you will see what they are doing and take them out a few secs BEFORE they get the way you want them–they will keep cooking for a few secs.
For seasoning a waffle or ridged pan–melt the oil or grease FIRST and then use a PASTRY BRUSH (I love the silicone ones) to get in every nook and cranny.
When you finish cooking get the food out and add HOT water to your pan–NEVER add cold water to ANY hot pan as it WILL warp them–and there is no fixing that. We always have a hot kettle of tea water handy for this but hot tap is fine as long as it is HOT. You don’t need to fill over the line left by the food and you don’t have to boil right then==you can go eat and chances are most of the debris will be off by the time you are done.
The reason you do the “Upside down” method is to avoid any “puddle” of oil making a thicker coat on one spot if your pan is at all uneven or your oven is! USe an old sheet pan or a foil lined pan under–and a rack if you have one–even the rack from your broiler pan is OK. This way any excess oil also drains off.
For serious cases of old rusty and icky pans an old timer gave me the treatment he uses for the serious collections he collects and sells (quite nicely I might add!) He makes a heavy LYE solution and lets them sit in there until ALL of the gunk inside and out comes off–this can take a few days and you want to make SURE no one goes near them who doesn’t know what you are doing—under lock and key in the shed maybe. I have heard of the grill and self cleaner method but I would worry about warpage. I also had someone who claimed they used a power grinder but—sounds a bit harsh to me!
And–some iron just seems to NEVER season properly. I duuno why but suspect it is lower quality and that it has too big grooves and micro surface issues and the oil can’t “bridge” those gaps to make one solid surface. I had a “corn dodger” pan and have currently a muffin pan I have this issue with–the muffin pan I can line but the dodger pan I gave away to someone who wanted it as decor. I have thought tho of trying the muffin pan as a Yorkshire Pudding pan to see if that heavy grease (beef drippings) will help! Maybe its not a muffin pan after all!
I have several cast iron skillets–one was my great great grandmothers!–and a comal (which I LOVE) a ridged griddle that I have to have some one else get off the pot rack it is so heavy!–the cute muffin pan and many Le Crueset pieces (and similar European brands) and I go-to those for all cooking needing even heat or oven use–for the “fast boil” pasta etc the OLD Revere Ware or Farberware is STILL the best—and when I find extra pieces at yard sales I sell them quite nicely!
Wow, thanks for all these suggestions, Comet!
Okay, so my brand new Lodge Logic 12″ cast iron skillet came nubbly. I mean there’s bumps and crannies all over the surface and yours is completely smooth. I thought it was seasoned but after trying to cook bacon and having it stick, reread the package and it doesn’t mention this at all. So finally, I put it in the oven with crisco and it was a bit better. There are still discolored bits and bumpy parts. I’m not doing this right! Also, I used olive oil and omgosh! SO STICKY. How do I get this nasty sticky feeling off of my cast iron and make it smooth? Help..
I haven’t had experience with that, Jasi, but if seasoning it in the oven helped some, I’d keep doing it until you get a surface you like. It should not be sticking with bacon – goodness, that isn’t right, is it? If olive oil made it sticky, I can only think the pan got too hot and olive oil doesn’t do well at super hot temps – stick to coconut oil, lard, or bacon fat then. I’ve never had those get sticky at all. Hope that helps some!
Thanks so much for this post! I have loved reading the stories of how everyone came to have their cast iron. I’m fortunate to have the ones my great-grandmother cooked in for decades. They are nicely seasoned, as you can imagine. 🙂 I am curious, though. How often do you re-season your pans?
I haven’t needed to re-season. I think the only time you’d have to do that is if the seasoning came off and things started sticking again. Which I think would only happen if you scrubbed it with soap a lot. 🙂 Taking care to season with the bacon grease/coconut oil after each use keeps them in great shape!
I just got my first set of cast iron skillets for my bridal shower and just used them for the first time today. They say preseasoned but the food still stuck to it. Any ideas or tips on what to do
You can try cooking only items that won’t stick (bacon, saute onions, burgers, etc.) for awhile before attempting something that is prone to sticking (like my eggs…). Remember to wipe out only if scrubbing isn’t needed and if it is, don’t use soap, just water. Liberally season with bacon grease or coconut oil. If that doesn’t work, I’d reseason in the oven. Have fun, Hope!
Thanks, Lisa, for that link – I found it very interesting and if I could afford $17 for a small bottle of flaxseed oil to season my pan, I would do it. But since the bacon grease is free and it works great, I’ll just keep doing what works for me. 🙂
We absolutely love our cast iron pans – especially the very shallow ones to fry eggs, pancakes and French toast – it’s easy flipping that way. Many times, I don’t even have to rinse with water . . . simply wipe out with a paper towel. We don’t add extra oil afterwards. I guess it’s just perfectly seasoned. : )
I had some trouble at first but now love cooking with it. My favorite thing to cook? French toast. I turn on my broiler, and warm my cast iron pan, put my thick bread (preferable that I let sit out for a couple of hours to become stale) into my batter (egg, vanilla, a little maple syrup, pinch of salt, dash of milk and sprinkle of cinnamon), allowing it to rest a little on both sides then place them into my cast iron pan in the oven. I wait until the toast is golden, then flip. Serve with fruit and syrup. Yum!
Thanks for all the great info and great recipes in the comments. I can’t wait to try some more recipes.
Bac’n dripp’ns were used quite a lot in the old days, but there was another secret of the old days that has been lost…bee’s wax. Yup, BEE’s WAX! It works better than anything I have used…and I’ve tried them all.
I’m giddy over my new Lodge bread pans from their store in GA! My husband was working in GA and I called to find out their hours… it turned out that the very nice guy Garrett stayed open a little late just so my husband could make it in time (traffic held him up and he got there just as they should have closed). I got two loaf pans and a large griddle and 8″ skillet. The griddle and skillet were seconds and a steal! The pans were a bit more, but they are smaller sized than the enameled stoneware I have and I am finding I LOVE them. Lodge still has their factory in TN and has 3 outlet stores in the south. I love supporting an American company and am quickly falling in love with all things cast iron!
I, too, have just begun using cast iron over the past year and LOVE it! I’m constantly on the look-out for more to buy at garage sales or thrift shops. I will share one thing that has worked wonderfully for me in cleaning my cast iron skillets (I read the tip somewhere on line and it’s been great). When I’m ready to clean my skillet, I fill it about 1/2 way up with water, heat it on the oven until it comes to a full boil, then I turn it down and let it simmer for about another 5 minutes while I’m doing dishes. I, then, remove it from the stove and pour out the water and scrub it with my hard bristled brush that was recommended for cleaning cast iron (I bought my on Amazon.com). I have to tell you that almost all of the time (regardless of what I’ve cooked in it), the stuff that had been stuck to the pan comes right out with very little scrubbing. If someone didn’t want to waste the water and electricity that that process takes every time, he/she might at least give this option a try after cooking the really messy/sticky stuff. Just an idea. Thanks for the great post!
Thanks for the tip- I’ll have to try that the next time I’ve got a sticky mess. Although it doesn’t happen much ’cause it’s so nicely seasoned with the bacon grease. 🙂
Old is better than new in my opinion. My newer lodge pan eats very unevenly
Well my grandpa always threw the skillets in the burn barrel when he burned trash. Cleaned off all the buildup. Brother law BIG cast iron collector uses Lyme dip.too caustic for me, put in the self cleaning oven cycle and be ready with the Cisco when they get done as the rust happens quickly