How to Care for Cast Iron Cookware
Cast iron cookware are great for cooking because they are inexpensive, durable, and high heat resistant. If you are willing to spend time to care for your cast iron cookware, it will give you delight in cooking for generations!
Season it
When you get the new cast iron cookware, you’ll need to season it before the first use, unless it came pre-seasoned, like those by Lodge Logic.
Scrub the cookware thoroughly with soap water and an abrasive sponge. Dry it with a paper towel and then let it sit on a burning stove until it is bone dry. A simple way would be to pour a bit of cooking oil to coat the surface and leave it for a few minutes, then wipe off the excess oil with a paper towel.
If you want to be more thorough, coat the whole cookware with oil (take care not to burn your fingers if it’s hot), then place it in the oven bottom up, and switch on the oven to 350 degrees F. Let it bake for an hour and then leave it to cool in the oven before removing it.
Season your cast iron cookware regularly to keep it a better ‘non stick’ than coated cookware.
Avoid Rust
Iron will rust when it is exposed to water. But this doesn’t mean you cannot wash your cast iron cookware. You can wash with soap water and don’t use abrasive scrubbers unless you are planning to season it right after. Remember never to soak it in water, soapy or otherwise.
After washing, immediately dry it with a paper towel and let it sit on burning stove until it is dry all over. Store cast iron cookware without the lid on to avoid condensation which will cause rust. If you store them in a cabinet, I suggest storing them together with a roll of paper towel. The paper towel will keep the humidity low.
If you find rust on the cookware, scrub it off with shortening, and remember to season it afterward.
Don’t Do These
Don’t run a hot cast iron cookware under the tap. It’ll break! Always leave the cookware to cool before washing them.
Don’t store food in cast iron cookware. It’ll destroy the seasoning and the iron will leak into the food causing it to taste metallic. It’ll also cause rust.
Don’t use cast iron cookware to cook acidic foods like tomatoes and food with citrus fruit juice (lemon juice, etc.). The food acids will destroy the seasoning.
Don’t wash your cast iron cookware in a dishwasher. They cannot be soaked in water, remember?
Keep these in mind and your cast iron pans and pots will last you forever.
Other tips on cookware maintenance can be found in my Best Cookware Set blog, such as how to care for copper cookware and how to care for non stick cookware.
