Caring for cast-iron pots & pans
We had a request from Farley regarding what to do about her cast-iron pan that got yucky and flaky on the bottom.
So I took the request to my husband, our resident expert of sorts on cast iron, who said,
“What you’ve got there is a case of crud buildup. This happens a lot on these pans, because you’re not washing them, so the crud stays. It takes a long time to notice this, usually.
What I do is take the pan outside to the grill, and let it get red hot, like you would if you were making a blackened steak. Then I put on my heavy oven mitts, and take the pan over to a stump, a rock, or some other stationary object, and tap it until the crud falls off. Let it cool before you take it back into the house, re-season the pan, and you’re good to go.�
He also noted that you should not try this indoors, as there’s too much potential for accident due to the high heat levels involved.
When I asked what one would do if there was no grill available, I got a blank look in reply, as Paul is the Grill Maven of the Sonora, and can’t imagine anyone not having access to a good outdoor grill. My best guess on that would be soap&water, a metal scrubbie (maybe even a Brillo in a pinch) and plenty of elbow grease. You’re going to re-season it anyway, right?
There’s more on general care of cast iron pots & pans here.
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