How to Remove Exterior From a Cast Iron Frying Pan

If you treat your cast-iron cookware correctly, it will be your best friend. Many people use their cast-iron pots and pans to cook everything, with good reason. They give your body a good source of iron. When you purchase a new cast-iron pot or pan, the exterior needs to be removed. Imagine sanding down a piece of wood until it is extremely smooth. The same principal applies with new cast-iron cookware. Because cast-iron pans have a porous surface, they need to be seasoned. This will fill the cracks in the cast-iron and smooth the surface of the pan so food will not stick to the bottom and sides of the cookware. The seasoning process is simple. Do it periodically to keep your cookware in good shape.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Water
• Dish soap
• Cooking oil
• Paper towel
• Oven
• Oven mitts

1. Remove the label if the pan is new. Remove all adhesive glue from the pan.

2. Wash, rinse and dry the pan. Wash new cast-iron cookware with dish soap and water, but do not use dish soap after you season the pan. Doing so will remove the seasoning, and you will have to restart the process of seasoning.

3. Lightly grease the cast-iron cookware with cooking oil, using a paper towel. Use a small amount, about the same amount you would use to grease a cake pan. Place the pan upside down and bake it in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the pan, using your oven mitts and let it cool. This process is known as "seasoning" your cast-iron pan. Repeat this step several times to remove the porous exterior that causes your food to stick to the pan.

4. You should be able to fry an egg without it sticking to the bottom of your pan. If food still sticks to the pan, repeat the previous steps.

5. Until your cast-iron cookware is completely seasoned, do not cook food that is high in acid content, such as tomatoes. The acid in such foods will not react well with a pot or pan that is not completely seasoned. When your pan is seasoned appropriately, these foods will not harm your cookware.

References

• How to Love Your Cast Iron Skillet

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