Newbie cook with some Cast Iron questions:

[Katie H]

The best way I've found is to scrub it really well with a wire brush, then wash and dry thoroughly and season immediately. The pan rusted because the iron wasn't protected by a good seasoning.

Seasoning isn't a one-shot process, though. It takes time, but is more than worth it when you end up with a pan that performs as if it was coated with Teflon.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I stumbled onto these forums and I am hooked! My first question of many to come. How can I remove rust from a cast iron pan?

Depending on the severity of the rust, anything from steel wool to an orbital sander....There are chemical rust removers, but caution must be exercised when using them...They will/may/can burn you...

Welcome to DC

 

[Bigjim68]

If there is enough old crud on the exterior of a CI pan to catch fire, I would just toss it on the grill and leave it until it no longer burned. Steel wool, or, my favorite, a disc sander, would then easily remove the ash. Reseasoning is not that hard, With old CI, I generally clean and reseason anyway. Cleaning with steel wool is often a long process. One note on chemicals. Know what you are using, and if in doubt, use it outdoors, as Bob said, chemicals can be dangerous. Personally, I use as few as possible around my kitchen. Rust on CI is usually easily removed. Use steel wool, or a sander.

 

[PanchoHambre]

I stumbled onto these forums and I am hooked! My first question of many to come. How can I remove rust from a cast iron pan?

White vinegar is good for rust. Use it with a plastic or steel scouring pad. If it is really heavy rust you many need something like naval jelly but that is nasty stuff to use on cookware so I would make that a last resort.

 

[DaveSoMD]

Wondering if anyone uses cast iron on a glass top stove? And if so what type of results compared to gas or electric burners?

Yes. All the time. Works great.

When I was looking at getting a glass top stove the salesman told me that I could not use my CI on it becasue it would scratch the surface and ruin it. Now I'm really confused...

 

[sugarx2]

When I was looking at getting a glass top stove the salesman told me that I could not use my CI on it becasue it would scratch the surface and ruin it. Now I'm really confused...

If you are worried about scratching any surface, get a diffuser plate, and that sits atop the burner and the CI goes on top. Nothing to scratch!!! William Sonoma has them in large and small, and once you get the name of the brand you can probably get it online cheaper.

ENJOY.

Those usually scratch and turn colors from oil spots anyhow. Even the newer electric rangetops have the same glass infused over steel and also have those problems. I use BON AMI to remove the oil spots from both the range top and the enamel cast iron!

Candy

 

[Emil]

Thanks for the tips! I'm gviing the steel wool and reseasoning a try.

 

[n2cookin]

If you are worried about scratching any surface, get a diffuser plate, and that sits atop the burner and the CI goes on top. Nothing to scratch!!! William Sonoma has them in large and small, and once you get the name of the brand you can probably get it online cheaper.

ENJOY.

Those usually scratch and turn colors from oil spots anyhow. Even the newer electric rangetops have the same glass infused over steel and also have those problems. I use BON AMI to remove the oil spots from both the range top and the enamel cast iron!

Candy

I want to caution using a diffuser plate on a glass top stove. If you do not use a flat bottom pan with direct contact you run the risk of damaging your glass top stove elements. I had a tea pot with a bottom that had two rings that were recessed which meant the bottom was not entirely flat. It would leave dark rings on the glass top after using from trying to heat evenly. I managed to clean them off with scrubbing. If you do not use flat surface pans the heating element can not heat evenly and can cause damage to the heating element.

From posts and more of my own research I have decided I will use CI on my glass top as long as it is flat, and I won't drag or slide it across the glass top. I may try to use enamel coated on the outside of CI to eliminate scratch worries. I have an enamel coated grill pan that is CI on the inside and am going to give it a try.

 

[PanchoHambre]

I can not speak from experience but I have seem many reports of people successfully using CI on glasstop stoves.

Good luck

 

[DaveSoMD]

Thanks for the input on Ci and glass tops. Think I am going to go with the standard coil electric when I replace this one. I do have pots and pans that are not completely smooth and I'm not willing to give them up.

 

[Leolady]

My sister had a glass top stove in my dad's house. She got ticked off cause his CI kept causing scratches.

Dad said, "then take the g......d.... thing out of here then!"

Dad got his old coil electric stove back, and no more problems.

 

[Bigjim68]

Fathers know best

 

[Erinny]

As everyone knows I have a wood cookstove so I use CI for everything of course. The important part is the seasoning like everyone said and be sure not to store it anywhere near any kind of moisture or steam source because it can rust. Don't panic if it does rust, just take a wire brush to it then use steel wool and reseason it. One mistake is washing them in harsh detergents like Dawn. I use plain castile bar soap when washing mine but not much of it.
I find that CI makes up for a lot of issues like uneven heat that can plague a wood stove and don't cook anything with a high acid content in it like tomatos. I use heavy stainless steel for that because acid will eat the seasoning coat on the pan.
Lodge is a great brand and it's found everywhere, even Wal-Mart carries it.

 

[GuaranteedGF]

Why ci?

So in what areas would you recommend I try a CI skillet?
They are so cheap so I figured i'd try one; any particular brand to look at?
Can someone explain the seasoning process?

Thanks!

Not only do I cook a lot, I work P/T at Williams-Sonoma. I had to learn a LOT about cookware - especially for the store I'm in here in NY.

CI is best for grilling applications and braising. Properly seasoned, they can be used for just about everything perhaps except crepes. That said, I don't use mine for everything.

You mentioned All Clad. The All Clad SS is pricey, but I've used mine for years and they are still my go to pans. Learning the right technique is part of the equation. SS is harder than Alum but not a good conductor. All clad was the first company that figured out how to sandwich those materials all the way up the sides of your pan and not just pile up a "disk" at the bottom - which some companies still do. That technique is fine in a stock pot, but not for other pans where you might get sticking where the sides meet the bottom due to inconsistent heat distribution.

Now let's look at the other popular material - copper. The best at heat distribution and responsiveness but the most expensive and hardest to care for and it needs to be combined with other material since copper leeches ions into the food which over time isn't good for you. So copper pots are lined in tin or SS. SS being the best.

Cast iron retains heat best, but isn't responsive - once hot it stays hot. That is the perfect property for searing foods and for long braisings. I wouldn't use a grill pan that wasn't CI! It's great for steaks, chicken breast, butterflied chickens, pork and burgers. You can use it just on the stove top (after pre heating it) and for some recipes - it's great to use under the broiler or in the oven. I like the ones with the ridges for grilled items. I always recommend the Lodge brand. They are inexpensive and if you take care of it, it will last generations! Get preseaoned - the only kind we sell at WS. Baking in CI is also great. I make crisps and corn bread in my CI.

Braising - also a great place to use CI. I use a Staub covered baker for long braised items and even some roasting. The heat transfer is great. The only draw back is the weight!!

I hope this was helpful and not too confusing.

Stacy

 

[sugarx2]

I guess you CAN use cast iron for crepes, but you might break your wrist swishing the batter around in the heavy pan! LOL!

Great explanation of the products.

I also have a full set of RevereWare and they also had copper bottom as well as aluminum clad pans, and I have that old set, but I prefer cast iron for pan or skillet cooking on the range.

To new cooks, I have one thing to say.....The only thing different about cooking in Cast Iron is you need "patience", because it takes cast iron a while to heat up enough, so leave the temperature of the range on "low-medium" if you need it to be there, and WAIT! You will not be disappointed with the final product, it will cook beautifully and not burn.

(I have burned more food in Stainless Steel pans and saucepots. I have to stand over it and keep moving it around.) I much prefer the texture, flavor, and final blending of food in cast iron, or enamel covered cast iron.

I prefer the old DESCOWARE!

 

[sugarx2]

As everyone knows I have a wood cookstove so I use CI for everything of course. The important part is the seasoning like everyone said and be sure not to store it anywhere near any kind of moisture or steam source because it can rust. Don't panic if it does rust, just take a wire brush to it then use steel wool and reseason it. One mistake is washing them in harsh detergents like Dawn. I use plain castile bar soap when washing mine but not much of it.
I find that CI makes up for a lot of issues like uneven heat that can plague a wood stove and don't cook anything with a high acid content in it like tomatos. I use heavy stainless steel for that because acid will eat the seasoning coat on the pan.
Lodge is a great brand and it's found everywhere, even Wal-Mart carries it.

I have a FARBERWARE Cast Iron 12 inch skillet. I treat it much the same as you do your LODGE. I was at Marshall's this week and they had a 12 inch Lodge on sale half price for about $59. It looked much the same as my FARBERWARE, but when I tried to pick it up off the shelf, it was so heavy, I couldn't even lift it! I got mine on EBAY for under $30.

Some brands are lighter weight than others and they cook just fine. You may have to season them more often, if they aren't pre-seasoned, till they get really dark, but they are good to cook in.

Candy

 

[GuaranteedGF]

there's more to it than just type of metal

I guess you CAN use cast iron for crepes, but you might break your wrist swishing the batter around in the heavy pan! LOL!

Great explanation of the products.

I have enough issues with carpal tunnel without trying crepes in cast iron! I work at Williams-Sonoma part time, so I better know a little about the properties of different materials. Often it's not just about the pot, but the combination of many variables that should be taken into consideration.

(I have burned more food in Stainless Steel pans and saucepots. I have to stand over it and keep moving it around.) I much prefer the texture, flavor, and final blending of food in cast iron, or enamel covered cast iron.

SS shouldn't cause foods to burn. I caramelize onions in my All Clad all stainless saute pan. I certainly don't stir them the entire time it takes!

Stacy

 

[Leolady]

(I have burned more food in Stainless Steel pans and saucepots. I have to stand over it and keep moving it around.) I much prefer the texture, flavor, and final blending of food in cast iron, or enamel covered cast iron.

I prefer the old DESCOWARE!

Me too! I save the aluminum clad stainless steel for stock pots, double boilers, bowls, basins, and colanders.

 

[Easton]

So I am new to CI cookware and my CI grill has developed some rust because I didn't know the proper way to clean it. What should I do to remove the rust?

 

[GuaranteedGF]

How to care for CI cookware

So I am new to CI cookware and my CI grill has developed some rust because I didn't know the proper way to clean it. What should I do to remove the rust?

From Lodge Manufacturing's website:
"If for some reason your utensil develops a metallic smell or taste, or perhaps rust spots (maybe a well-meaning relative washed your utensil in the dishwasher or with soap thinking they were being helpful), never fear. Simply scour off the rust using a very fine grade of sandpaper or steel wool and refer to our section Re-seasoning Your Lodge Cookware"

I always refer people to their website for info on CI cookware because I think the instructions are well written and easy to understand. If you have any other questions, let me know.


Stacy
Enjoy your food - enjoy your life!