How to Properly Maintain a Cast Iron Skillet

Anyone who has tasted bacon and eggs prepared on a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet will tell you that it tastes better than anything else. That’s why the cast iron pan has become the kitchen tool of choice for millions of home cooks.

They are simple to use and maintain. They are cheap, they don’t chip, and they’ve been around a long, long time.

But the biggest reason people don’t use cast iron as much as they should is that you can’t put them in the dishwasher. Cleaning and maintaining a cast iron dish takes a tiny bit of extra effort.

With the amazing, yet simple recipes for cast iron skillets, that bit of effort is worth it every time.

Need some cleaning tips for your cast iron skillet? Keep reading below for the most important cleaning and maintenance tips for cast iron.

What Not to Do With a Cast Iron Skillet

Before you ever start using a cast-iron skillet whether it’s brand new, or you received your grandmother’s perfectly seasoned pan, there are a few things you should never do.

Number one is to never put the pan in the dishwasher. Cast iron can’t handle constant exposure to water or it will rust. Likewise, you can’t let a cast iron pan soak for long periods of time, even if there’s a lot of buildup from your cooking.

Lastly, don’t store your cast iron out in the garage, or in the basement where excess moisture might damage the pan.

Cleaning a Cast Iron

Cast iron is easiest to clean as soon as you are done using it. This is especially true for messier meals. You don’t want the food, oils, and grease to dry on the pan, or it becomes much harder to clean.

Rather, start washing your pan right away. To do so, all you need is hot water and some mild soap. Use a stiff brush for dislodging food particles. Then scrub the surface of the pan with soap, rinse with water, and hand dry immediately.

You can’t let cast iron air dry, or it will rust. Wipe it with a cloth or paper towel.

If you have time, place it on the stove on low heat for a couple of minutes to heat the pan up and evaporate any water.

Seasoning Cast Iron

The biggest benefit of cooking with cast iron is that pans get seasoned over time. As your pan ages, it developed a permanent, non-stick coating on the surface.

This makes it easier to cook with, especially sticky foods like scrambled eggs. Plus, it makes the food taste better when you cook with it.

To maximize seasoning potential, you’ll want to season your piece after each use. Once the pan is clean, place it on the stove and heat up some neutral oil for a few minutes. Use a paper towel to move the oil across the entire surface of the pan.

Once it starts to smoke, turn it off, wipe it down, and store the pan.

Make Cooking Great Again With Cast Iron

If you want to eat healthier, you need to learn how to cook. If you want your food to taste good, then you need to learn how to cook with a cast-iron skillet.

It’s surprisingly easy to make great-tasting food with a well-seasoned pan. Just make sure you never skip a step when it comes to cleaning and seasoning.

Looking for some more kitchen and cooking tips like this? Head over to our blog now to find other helpful articles.