Clean cast-iron skillet after every use Wipe interior surface of still-warm skillet with paper towels to remove any excess food and oil. Rinse under hot running water, scrubbing with nonmetal brush or nonabrasive scrub pad to remove any traces of food. (Use small amount of soap if you like; rinse well.)
Wash your cast iron cookware by hand. You can use a small amount of soap. If needed, use a pan scraper for stuck on food. For stubborn, stuck-on food, simmer a little water for 3-5 minutes, then use the scraper after the pan has cooled.
Will soap ruin cast iron? Using soap will not ruin your pan. It is totally fine on enameled cast iron, and on plain cast iron, too. It's not going to destroy your seasoning.
Clean cast-iron skillet after every use
Wipe interior surface of still-warm skillet with paper towels to remove any excess food and oil. Rinse under hot running water, scrubbing with nonmetal brush or nonabrasive scrub pad to remove any traces of food. (Use small amount of soap if you like; rinse well.)
Cast iron is porous, meaning that long exposure to water can cause it to soak up the moisture and eventually rust. While a short soak won't do much harm, I avoid soaking the thing for fear of forgetting it and ruining the cure I've worked so hard develop.
And in case you slept through chemistry, putting your pan in the dishwasher will cause your cast iron to rust over time. “Water and cast iron are not friends. Even the smallest amount of water will cause rust, which is why it's important to immediately dry cast iron after washing,” La Forge says.
What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
You should clean a cast iron skillet immediately after use to maintain the pan's seasoning. Acidic foods like tomatoes can remove the seasoning if they remain in the skillet for too long and letting grease stand overnight can result in unpleasant flavors.
Dry thoroughly right after you clean—do not let your cast iron air dry. Thoroughly coat with vegetable oil inside and out. Use a little more oil than you would for seasoning after cleaning.
You can boil water in cast iron for cleaning.
Soaking the pan will wear down the seasoning and can cause rust to form. But, you can boil water for up to 10-15 minutes to loosen up baked-on food. Sometimes you can even use the liquid for a sauce – as long as you don't clean with soap! This process is called deglazing.
Don't ever store food in a cast-iron skillet
Additionally, although the idea of getting iron toxicity overload from cooking in cast iron pans has been mostly debunked, (via Livestrong) any food sitting in the pan for a prolonged period of time can develop an off, metallic flavor.
When cooking in cast iron, you should add a little oil to the pan before adding your food. This helps ensure the food doesn't stick, and it helps build layers of seasoning. You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil.
The vinegar solution will dissolve the rust, but once that's gone, it can penetrate further and start eating away at the original cast surface of the pan, the ultimate death sentence for your skillet. If that happens, retire it to a piece of farmhouse-chic kitchen decor.
Flaxseed oil is often considered the best oil for seasoning cast-iron cookware because despite having a low smoke point. Other oils, such as vegetable, canola, or grapeseed, can also work well for seasoning cast-iron cookware but need a couple of rounds of seasoning to build up an excellent non-stick coating.
So, Is Cooking in Cast Iron Healthier than Cooking in Other Pans? In short: No. You'd have to be mouse-sized to see quantifiable health benefits from mineral intake exclusively with cast iron. Because mineral transfer happens at such a small scale, it's safe to say that cast iron is not any healthier than other pans.
The type of iron that comes from cast iron cooking is nonheme iron and is safe to consume. It is the same type of iron as found in plant sources such as beans, spinach and tofu. Children one to three years old only need 7mg iron daily, so if it's best not to cook every meal for children this age in cast iron cookware.
Daily Upkeep
Gently clean your skillet after each use with water and very little soap, if necessary. Use the firm scrubbing side of a two sided sponge rather than an abrasive metal scrub. After you finish washing and rinsing the cast-iron, dry it thoroughly with a towel and return it to a warm oven for 10 minutes.
Clean the pan just after use, while it is still warm or hot. Avoid placing the pan into the sink or letting it soak, as this may also cause rust to start to form. 2. Wash the skillet using warm water and a stiff brush or sponge.