How to Clean and Season Cast Iron Cookware

Cast iron cookware is a wonderful way to cook and will last forever if treated properly. If you recently received a new cast iron pot, check out these tips to keep your cast iron working for many, many years to come.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cast iron cookware
• oil
• an oven
• paper towels

1. Before you use your cast iron pot for the first time, you will need to remove the factory protective coating used to keep the pot from rusting before purchasing. This is the one and only time you should use soap on your cast iron pot. To remove the protective coating, use a scouring pad, hot water and soap.

2. Some things you should not do to your cast iron pot are (1) never let it air dry, (2) never use standard dish soap to clean it and (3) never let it soak in a sink full of water.

3. To season a cast iron pot properly, warm the pot by filling with hot water. The pot should feel warm to your touch when you are done. Now dry the pot thoroughly. Then coat the inside surfaces of the pot with a layer of lard, shortening, canola oil or safflower oil.

4. Once the inside of the warmed pot is coated, bake the empty pot in the oven at 300 degrees for 15-30 minutes. At the end of the baking time, pour off any excess oil or lard remaining in the pot and then return the pot to the oven and bake the empty pot for 2 more hours at 300 degrees.

5. At the end of the 2 hour baking time, wipe the pot dry with paper towels and store it in the cupboard with a clean coffee filter or fresh paper towel sitting in the pot. This is to absorb any moisture in the air and keep you new pot from rusting.

6. Each time you cook with your pot, clean it with hot water and scour it clean. Do not use soap. The idea is to remove the food particles but not the oil coating. Once all the food particles are remove, pour a teaspoon of clean oil in the pot and wipe the pot down thoroughly. Over time, it is this coating of oil that will "season" the cookware and create a non-stick surface.

Tips & Warnings

• If you feel you must use soap to get the pot clean, you will need to "season" it again with clean oil before you put it back in the cupboard. If you do not coat the pot with oil, it will easily rust while sitting in the cupboard.

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[dorigillman]

on 7/12/2009 cast iron pots are the best!

[jskains]

on 3/8/2009 This is very helpful! Thank you...

[FrazzledNanny]

on 2/17/2009 My husband loves cooking in a cast iron pan. Thanks for the useful article. 5*

[wltw]

on 2/15/2009 Good info - Thanks!