Cast iron skillet is an important part of our daily life. We bake and roast vegetables, poultry products, breads in the skillet every day. The more we use, the dirtier it becomes and there is a need to clean cast iron skillet. The way we keep it is also a major reason of its dirt and rust. Read the article to know the methods to clean cast iron skillet.
Methods to Clean Cast Iron Skillet
1.) Potato and Salt to Clean Cast Iron Skillet
What You Require
- Salt
- Dry cloth or towel
- Cast iron Skillet
- Vegetable oil
- One Potato
- Sponge or brush
Steps to Clean Cast Iron Skillet
- Sprinkle a good amount of sea salt into the cast iron skillet. Use three large spoons of salt for 12″ iron skillet, and add more if required.
- Slice a potato into half that can easily fit in your palm.
- Scrub the potato on top of the salted skillet with cut side down.
- Rub the skillet in a circular motion, with a good amount of force.
- The potato when mixed with the salt removes the rust in a fast manner.
- Scrub the edges, sides, and the bottom of your skillet. Don’t forget to rub the handle with the potato.
- The white salt will get dirty very fast. Depending on the situation of your skillet, you may want to wash the dirty salt out and begin over with the new salt.
- Once the skillet is clean, wash it with water and softly dry it.
- Place the skillet on the flame over low heat for a few minute or to dry out any left-over moisture.
- Now, drop a small amount of vegetable oil in the skillet and rub it in with a soft cloth or paper towel until the sides and bottom of the skillet are coated.
- With the help of a clean paper towel to take away any extra oil.
- Keep skillet for 30 minutes over medium flame.
- Once your skillet has cooled, rub off any extra oil before storing away.
- Follow the same method of oiling the skillet every time you use and clean your skillet.
- This practice will maintain the life of skillet for a long time.
- If possible, place your cast iron skillet in the oven to keep away unnecessary moisture.
2.) Vinegar to Clean Cast Iron Skillet
What You Require
- Vinegar
- Dry cloth or towel
- Cast iron Skillet
- Water
- Tub
- Sponge or brush
Steps to Clean Cast Iron Skillet
- If the coating of rust on your skillet is quite high and it can be seen easily on the surface on which it is kept then treat it with vinegar.
- Mix some vinegar with lukewarm water in equal amount and soak the iron skillet in it.
- Soak in the tub for really big skillet; make sure the entire skillet is covered with the vinegar mixture.
- Soak it for at least eight hours, but you can inspect it earlier. The rust might not be present in one shot only.
- The vinegar will remove the rust, but once the rust is gone, the vinegar will help to clean cast iron skillet.
- This method has removed the seasoning of the skillet also.
- It is not the good idea to rinse it with soap water but it is needed to at this point of time.
- Use a soft liquid detergent and lukewarm water that dry quickly, and wipe down any lasting rust with a slightly abrasive sponge.
- Do not put your cast iron skillet in the dishwasher at any cost; it will harm the edges of the skillet.
- A steel wool or green scrub pad is a good way to rub the skillet, but do not try to use abrasive scrubs, like the copper scouring pads.
- Take a towel to dry it immediately to avoid the rust to come back again.
- It is important to season the skillet again as after rinsing the seasoning is not present.
- On the bottom rack of the pre heated oven laid a large piece of aluminum foil.
- Rub some vegetable oil with a high smoke point, all over the skillet especially inside.
- Bake the cast iron skillet to bake in the oven for half an hour, and then wait for half an hour to cool it down.
- Make sure after using the skillet clean it with another layer of vegetable oil.
- This will slowly build up a protective layers of seasoning inside the skillet.
