Help! Is my Dutch Oven ruined?

[CraigC]

If you have access to a bead blaster, your cleaning job will generally be a quick one. Sand blasting, even with a super fine grit, will probably be too harsh and leave deep pits.

Craig

[Andy M.]

As others have suggested, getting the CI clean (I mean bare metal) is key. Using the oven cleaning method works. If you have a gas grill, you can use that too. Put the CI in the gas grill and turn it on full blast all burners and leave it for an hour or so until EVERYTHING is burned off except the handle.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Another trick for cleaning both cast iron, and stainless steel is to place the items to be cleaned into a large, plastic garbage bag along with a bowl full of ammonia. Put it outside and let it sit overnight. In the morning, all food residue easily wipes off. Then just rinse and for cast iron, re-season.

There, you have multiple options. Choose one and your cast iron will be saved. Hurrah!

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[Bigjim68]

I don't think your pot is ruined. I buy a few each year and restore them. If it sits level and is not cracked, it is restorable.

With your pot, I would put it on the outdoor grill for a couple of hours, let it cool, remove the resulting carbon with steel wool and water, and reseason. Put it on the cold grill, and let it cool without opening the grill. There is a risk of warping or cracking if it is heated or cooled too quickly.

The cleaning cycle of the oven will also work, but the fumes will vent into the house.

I would stay away from blasting or sanding. Both remove too much metal and there is the risk of driving the offending residue into the pores. Too aggressive use will result in a rough surface.

If that should fail, then there is the lye tank. That is a 5 gallon bucket full of lye water. Also an outdoors job. I cover the pail with a piece of plywood weighted with a concrete block to keep the critters out. Read the instructions on the lye container. Lye goes into the water slowly, not the other way around. Put the pot in the tank and forget for a week or so. Longer does not hurt. Rinse well and you are ready to reseason.

[Bubbles]

My son cleaned up some old cast iron by putting it in the chiminea with a roaring fire for several hours. They are now beautiful.

[buckytom]

your son and the cast iron? all moms think the first part...

i wonder if edie will ever return or will she be a 2 post flash in the cast iron pan?

[letscook]

I do all my reseasoning on my gas grill so the house isn't smokey or smelly.
Works great.