🎖️ How To Clean Cast Iron Pan Before First Use

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the lower rack to catch drips. Cover the cast iron -- top, bottom, and handle (s) -- with an oil that has a high smoke point. Canola oil is fine and likely the least expensive, but avocado, peanut, sunflower, and sesame oils will also work. Here are five non-negotiable rules of pan maintenance from McClellan, a bonafide cast iron expert. La Tourangelle Grapeseed Oil. $7.98. Amazon. Buy Now. Save to Wish List. 1. You barely need to clean it. McClellan uses his Smithey 10-inch skillet regularly for dinner. How to Use Cast Iron Cookware. A little work is required before you can use a new cast iron pan. Unless it comes pre-seasoned, you’ll need to do it yourself at home. Before first use, rinse with hot water and dry thoroughly. Do not use soap. Once the pan is clean and dry, rub on a thin layer of cooking oil, buffing until it settles into the Tip 3: How To Remove Leftovers. image via aspicyperspective. Deal with stubborn bits of food by pouring 1 cup of coarse kosher salt into the still-warm skillet. Use a folded kitchen towel or a non-abrasive cloth to scour. Discard salt and food bits, and rinse the skillet with hot water. 1. Make sure to preheat your skillet. Cast iron can take far longer to heat up compared to other types of materials. Hence you must sufficiently preheat your skillet first before cooking food with it. Remember: placing food on top of a cold pan almost always results in it being stuck on the pan. 1. There are two types of cast iron. (Image credit: Tom's Guide) Firstly, there are in fact two types of cast iron — traditional, or exposed, cast iron and enameled cast iron. We own the Le Start with your clean, rust-free pan, and apply a thin coat of vegetable oil to the whole pan—outside and handle included. Bake your cast iron skillet upside down in the oven at 350°F for 1 hour (lay a sheet of aluminum foil on a lower rack to catch potential drips). Once your timer goes off, leave it in the oven to cool. Let the vinegar and baking soda mix sit in the pan and work its magic for 10 minutes. Then, scrub the grime away using a nylon kitchen scrub brush. Safely discard the used cleaning mixture when finished scrubbing. Finally, rinse the enameled cookware with warm, soapy water or wipe clean. Do this by making sure all traces of moisture are gone before warming it on a low-medium heat. Add half a teaspoon of oil to the pan and, using a paper towel, spread the oil across the interior surface. The surface of your skillet or pan should now look dark and smooth. Let the pan cool before you put it away. After wetting your pan, thoroughly scrub your pan inside and out with your scrubbers until all rust and other cooking residue is removed. If needed, it’s okay to use dish soap during this process because you will be re-seasoning your pan next. After your cast iron is thoroughly cleaned, preheat your oven to 325° F. Just a quick note about cleaning cast iron frying pans. Using a wire wheel brush on a drill or other tool will clean rust and other “nastys” of the skillet very well. I use a bronze wire wheel, but brass works just as well. You cannot damage the pan as with sand paper or sand blasting. 1. Wash while it’s still warm. Start the process soon after cooking to prevent any food remnants from getting stuck as the pan cools. While your pan is still warm, take it to the sink and wash .

how to clean cast iron pan before first use