Follow these tips and your cast iron pots and pans will last forever.
#1 Use it often – Unlike so many other types of cookware the more you use cast iron the better it will work. Amazing.
#2 Show some respect – If you take care of your cast iron you will end up handing it off to the next generation in the same condition in which you received it.
#3 Clean after each use – Don’t throw it in the sink and forget about it. You need to cleanup afterwards, right after cooking. Rinse with hot water while the pan is still warm/hot.
#4 Don’t do it! – Never wash cast iron with soap and never put it in the dishwasher.
#5 Scour when needed – Use as stiff bristle brush and/or some course salt to scrub when needed.
#6 Water works – When you have grime and caked on food just add a bit of water and place the cookware back on the hot burner, bring to a boil. This will usually get rid of any food debris and you don’t even need to scrub.
#7 Dry & oil – Don’t throw these in the dish rack to dry or put them away when still slightly wet. Dry them completely off after washing put them back on the burner for a couple minutes. Use a towel to rub a thin layer of vegetable oil on the inside.
#8 Store them right – Keep cast iron in a cool dry place with good air flow. For pots and pans with lids a thin towel placed between the pan and the lid will allow for air flow.
#9 Keep it seasoned. Cast iron creates it own no-stick surface via seasoning. To season, coat the pan well with vegetable oil and bake at 400 degrees for one hour. Re-season as needed. Seasoned cast iron is shiny, smooth and non-stick!
#10 Get rid of rust – If you were neglectful and your cast iron got rusty or you pickled it up secondhand looking sad just use steel wool to scrub away rust and re-season when completely dry.
Happy cooking!
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