Witch Tip Wednesday 3.28.28
Cast Iron Care
I grew up in what I call a cast iron family. All the pans were cast iron, we had a few enamel pots for pasta, and one beat up copper bottomed pan for boxed mac and cheese. My mom cooked most days and when she didnât, it was mac and cheese or pasta because we werenât allowed to cook with her pans unless she was there.
Cast iron has some mixed reviews, some (me), swear by it and some, think itâs difficult and impossible to cook withâŠand theyâre right to a degree (get it, degree, cooking, farenheit, celciusâŠsorry), if you donât know how to care for cast iron, itâs a hassle and a mess. Thatâs what this post is for though!
Seasoning
Seasoning is the term used to treat and clean cast iron. Even when you buy a new âpre-seasonedâ pan, youâre going to want to season it yourself. A major benefit of cooking with cast iron is that it retains flavor, and makes its own seasoning for your foodâŠlike magic!
Step 1: Clean your pan with HOT water and a scouring brush, rough side of a sponge, or steel wool. Nothing elseâŠjust water and something rough.
Step 2: Dry it completely with paper towels, and then place it on a lit stovetop burner for a minute or so to make sure itâs completely dry.
Step 3: While the pan is warm, probably 10-20 minutes after you remove from stove, (because it retains heat like no oneâs business, and I donât want you to burn yourself) pour some oil* into the pan and spread it around, completely coating the inside. Wipe off excess.
Step 4: Place in the oven set to 200Âș F, Upside Down for 2 hours
BOOM! Your pan is seasoned and ready to cook with.
*But Barber, what kind of oil? Thatâs mostly up to you, but canola is the classic standard (vegetable oil) but I use olive oil or canola, depending on what I used last. You can use any vegetable oil you want, whether thatâs grapeseed, sunflower or flax seed, but thereâs no reason to go crazy and buy a âCast Iron Care Oilâ because thatâs literally just a marked up bottle of canolaâŠNo Lies.
NEVER USE SOAP WHEN CLEANING YOUR CAST IRON,and hereâs whyâŠ
Soap is great for clothes, and your body, and even your car, but not for Cast Iron. Cast iron is a porous metal, so when you put something in, it absorbs. When you cook with it regularly, and oil it regularly, it creates its own nonstick surface! Itâll absorb the taste of herbs and spices you cook with regularly, and everything gets a mild flavor boost from whatever you cooked in it previously. When you use soap, it removes that surface and flavor; soap can absorb and flavor your food, and no one wants soapy fritatas.
Now, the seasoning steps above are used when you get a new pan, or need to re-season a rusted pan. Itâll restore it like new. But what about cleaning after cooking something tastey?
Cleaning and Upkeep
Step 1: While the pan is still warm, take rock salt and/or a non-metal brush (like the one above that I use) and go crazy scrubbing it.**
Step 2: Rinse with warm water, and dry with a paper towel (I say paper towel, because itâll actually raise up some iron, and turn your towel blackâŠbetter use a disposable towel, or risk staining your nice linens) after that, feel free to put on the stove top for a minute to make sure itâs all dry
Step 3: Coat with a little oil, wipe up excess, and store in your oven or broiler.
Special notes: The heat, salt you use to scrub, and iron itself all equal one great big anti-bacterial surface, so no worries about not using soap and feeling like youâll get salmonella. Because itâs a porous surface, air drying is a no-no. Itâll lead to rust, and then youâll have to scrub it off and completely re-season it (refer to first seasoning process).
**When you scrub with salt, it starts picking up iron particles and oil. Itâll start turning black and you can keep it in a jar until youâve got a good amount, bake it on a sheet to dry it, and there you have classic Black Salt! For more banishing oomph, I scald pepper in a fry pan, and add incense ash to the mix.
