Cast iron is my favorite cookware by far. Growing up we had a wood stove in the house as well as our gas range. All we ever used on the wood stove was cast iron. (Side note – gas is the best way to cook. You rarely, if ever see anything but a gas range in a professional kitchen.) Cast iron doesn’t contain any harmful elements to leach into your food. If cleaned properly it is naturally non-stick. And it’s a great conductor of heat. It’s better than copper in my humble opinion.

Since we used cast iron so much to cook, I had to learn how to keep it clean. Over the years I’ve learned that the old ways are the best ways. My grandparents taught me how to properly care for and clean cast iron so it would last forever.

Seasoning Cast Iron

When you first get a new cast iron pan you need to season it before you use it.  Lodge™ cast iron pans that are made in the USA, come already seasoned but you’ll still want to wash it in hot, soapy water and oil it before you use it the first time.

• Wash the pan in hot soapy water
• Dry it completely (I like to place it on a burner on low and let it sit for a few minutes to be sure all the water is out.
• Oil it with a light coating of bacon grease or olive oil.  I prefer bacon grease. Wipe out any excess oil.
• Put it in the oven and turn the oven on to 350°F and bake the oiled cast iron pan for 1 hour.  Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the oven until it has cooled down to room temperature.
• Repeat this process whenever you notice food sticking on the pan or it becomes discolored. 

Some recommend never washing cast iron with soap and water. However, washing with mild detergent and hot water is fine to remove cooked-on food. Never use harsh abrasives. They can remove the seasoning and may pit or damage the smooth surface of the cast iron. 

 If cooked on food is a little tough to remove, use salt with and bacon grease and rub it across the surface of the pan with a half potato, rather than using metal scrubbing pads.  Dry the pan thoroughly after cleaning and oil again with cooking oil before you use it again. 

Anytime you notice food sticking to your pan, simply oil the pan again. I like to cook some bacon in it and then slip it into the oven when I am cooking something else. Cast iron is really simple to care for, and once you get the hang of it your cast iron pans will last generations, just like grandma’s.

I’ve cooked many a fried chicken and corn bread in this pan. When it was given to me by my father it was covered in rust and filth. She’s gorgeous now!

The more you use a cast iron pan the better it cooks, so don’t leave your cast iron pans on the shelf, collecting dust. Get them out and use them like Grandma did.

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