The Truth About Cast Iron

[Fgl28]

A way to clean that works for me when I cook with mine is after pulling meat out and, if I am doing a pan sauce, after is take immediately washing the pan with very hot water and a stiff brush. It seems to keep the salt paste away. An addition, it gives the meat a chance to rest.

To re-season I use my cooking of Kale or other healthy greens.

Take 6-8 slices of bacon
one bunch of cleaned, chopped kale or other healthy greens

Cook bacon in cast iron skillet.
Remove bacon keeping grease in skillet
Take greens, and throw in trash can
While eating bacon wipe out grease with paper towels covering the inside of the skillet until it is dry.
Put in low oven 200 for an hour, wipe again with paper towels any residue.

 

[Donnchadh_Sempill]

SWMBO can destroy the seasoning on a cast iron skillet just by looking at it! She denies using soap...but I'm not sure I believe her...

 

[BubblesTGB]

A way to clean that works for me when I cook with mine is after pulling meat out and, if I am doing a pan sauce, after is take immediately washing the pan with very hot water and a stiff brush. It seems to keep the salt paste away. An addition, it gives the meat a chance to rest.

To re-season I use my cooking of Kale or other healthy greens.

Take 6-8 slices of bacon
one bunch of cleaned, chopped kale or other healthy greens

Cook bacon in cast iron skillet.
Remove bacon keeping grease in skillet
Take greens, and throw in trash can
While eating bacon wipe out grease with paper towels covering the inside of the skillet until it is dry.
Put in low oven 200 for an hour, wipe again with paper towels any residue.

 

[Romeo212000]

Having twice been a victim of food poisoning, I wash my iron with soap and hot water to get rid of any oil that hasn't been polymerized. I then dry the pan and put it away. Since I live in the desert, storing it in the broiler section of the oven keeps any rust away. If I ever move, I may have to consider oiling it after drying.

I've recently learned one excellent way to improve your seasoning. Cook lots of cornbread!

heating of the pan would kill any residual bacteria in it. Washing with soap doesn't make it any more safe.

 

[Kit Walker]

Perhaps you are unaware that some bacteria produce toxins as part of their metabolism? Clostridium botulinum is a case in point -- it's the toxin that kills, not the bacteria. You can kill all the bacteria and still die.

I routinely wash my cast iron with Dawn and have never observed any degradation of the seasoning as a result.

 

[Andy77]

I don't wash my cast iron pan unless I need to, but if I do I'm not afraid to use a soapy sponge. It doesn't affeft the seasoning and now I know the science behind that.

 

[sucker_dad]

I never touch my iron skillet with soap.

 

[YetiDave]

Perhaps you are unaware that some bacteria produce toxins as part of their metabolism? Clostridium botulinum is a case in point -- it's the toxin that kills, not the bacteria. You can kill all the bacteria and still die

Botulinum is a non-issue when it comes to cast iron as it can only thrive in anaerobic conditions with a pH neutral environment. The spores will also be killed off at the heat that cast iron cooking generally involves. In short, unless you're not cooking in your pan, frequently rubbing raw meat over it and storing it in a vat of oil, I wouldn't worry.

 

[Kit Walker]

Botulism is only one example, an example that I gather you missed. It's not the spores that kill you in this situation. It's the toxins that they produced BEFORE you killed them that will do so.

Insofar as soap damaging the seasoning, SOME modern soaps may, but none of the ones I've ever used have done so. The soaps used in your great grandmother's time that contained lye certainly did. However, a blanket condemnation of all soaps is merely another urban legend, backed by superstition.

 

[YetiDave]

The spores have to develop into bacteria first, which they can't do in the presence of oxygen. It's the bacteria that produce the toxin it's extremely rare and I can't conceive of a situation in which it would happen on an iron pan. Just sayin' that botulism is not an issue at all when it comes to your chosen method of cleaning cast iron

 

[Kit Walker]

What part of ONE EXAMPLE don't you understand?

 

[YetiDave]

But it's not an example of something you'll encounter with cast iron is my point No sense in scaring folk with talk of the dreaded botulism. But yes, you're right, you can kill the spores/bacteria and not destroy the toxin

 

[dpm802]

Anyone use their cast iron on ceramic HOB cooktops?

I have a ceramic cooktop, and I was never able to use cast-iron on it without a lot of fuddling with the temp control. It would take forever to heat up and often would get too hot and burn the meal.

I now just use my ceramic cooktop as extra counter-space and I got an induction hotplate to cook on. It heats up very quickly, temp control is exact and precise, and the built-in timer makes cooking a breeze without having to stand there and monitor it constantly.

A good entry-level induction plate can be had for well under $100.
http://www.amazon.com/Burton-6200-1...83990&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=max+burton+6200

 

[paintflinger]

What part of ONE EXAMPLE don't you understand?

Unfortunately your "ONE EXAMPLE" is the only one you've given. Give a couple other examples of toxin producing bacteria that can thrive outside of an anaerobic environment and build enough surface toxins on or in the pan that wouldn't be rendered safe by heating the pan and your argument may hold somewhat.

Just washing the pan with some dish soap is not going to prevent bacteria from taking hold on the pan. Furthermore, Dawn doesn't kill the bacteria, it just makes the surface slippery so the bacteria washes off. This probably doesn't work so hot for something like cast iron with tons of tiny crevices.

I'm am not against washing cast iron with dish soap if you need to, but your going to get far more germ killing from heating the pan then you are from washing it with soap.

If it makes you feel better to wash things with soap, then by all means, but be conscious of the fact that it isn't doing much for you with regards to the pan.

 

[Haggises]

The point of using soap is to wash off the fat that the bacteria can lodge in. Not to slide the bacteria off.
Not sure what's hard to understand about this.

 

[SanKaloon]

Yeah, I just use course salt to wash mine. If you want to use detergent, then by all means, use detergent. Some salt and a scrubby pad works fine for me. Unless someone comes up with a deadly bacteria that lives on cast iron with a thin coat of oil, and produces a deadly toxin in oxygen that pre-heating won't kill, then I will use dawn I guess.

If such a bacteria ever shows up we're all doomed anyway, so there's that.

 

[dpm802]

I clean mine after each use by allowing the fat and oils to cool down and congeal, then I scrape off the bulk of it with a silicon spatula.
Then I heat it up until the rest of it melts, and wipe the inside with a paper towel.

About once a year, I will give it a deep cleaning by filling it up with cold water and bringing it to a rolling boil. Just water. No salt or chemicals or anything. The grunge gets released from the pores of the cast iron, and rises to the top of the water. Pour the dirty water down the sink, and I repeat this process 3 times. Then I re-season it.

 

[YetiDave]

I just pour boiling water into mine and leave it to soak for 10 minutes. Then just pour out and give the pan a scrub under running water. Wipe off any excess grease with a paper towel and heat until just smoking

 

[Kit Walker]

Unfortunately your "ONE EXAMPLE" is the only one you've given. Give a couple other examples of toxin producing bacteria that can thrive outside of an anaerobic environment and build enough surface toxins on or in the pan that wouldn't be rendered safe by heating the pan and your argument may hold somewhat.

Just washing the pan with some dish soap is not going to prevent bacteria from taking hold on the pan. Furthermore, Dawn doesn't kill the bacteria, it just makes the surface slippery so the bacteria washes off. This probably doesn't work so hot for something like cast iron with tons of tiny crevices.

I'm am not against washing cast iron with dish soap if you need to, but your going to get far more germ killing from heating the pan then you are from washing it with soap.

If it makes you feel better to wash things with soap, then by all means, but be conscious of the fact that it isn't doing much for you with regards to the pan.

Detergents break down the grease and fats so that they can be washed away from the surface. There would be little point in using them if they didn't.

Also, a layer of grease can create an anaerobic environment.

 

[morgantruce]

I bought a 10" Griswold cast iron pan in 1965 and have used it daily ever since.

Once a year I put it in a big zip-lock bag, add a bit of ammonia, and seal it up for two days. (Caution: Carefully avoid breathing ammonia fumes!) After several washings and a bit of fat rubbed inside, the pan is absolutely clean of any built up burned on gunk on the outsides and is ready for use. The ammonia treatment also makes ANY Revereware copper-bottom pot look like brand new. I used to use all sorts of specialty cleaners and an abundance of elbow grease --- all to no avail. Household Ammonia really does all the work, but you have to be very careful when using the stuff... it'll kill ya'.

I've never noticed any damage from using dishwashing soap; it's the water that'll rust the pan! After washing, I dry the pan and then put a burner flame under it for a short time---just to drive off any moisture that would otherwise cause the pan to rust.