Am I taking off the season in my cast iron?

[bubbler33]

When I'm done cooking on my cast iron I usually see a little residue left from food. What I do is right after I turn off the stove, fill the skillet with hot water and bring it to a boil for about a minute then let it sit for about 10 and then clean it with a brush. After that, i'll rub some oil mixed with salt around the pan with a paper towel and just make sure there is no more residue.

Is this overkill? Am I scraping off some seasoning in my pan?

 

[Andy M.]

After removing the food, add some water and bring it to a boil. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up the remains. Rinse, dry on the burner and coat with a light application of oil. No salt.

 

[Mary Microwave]

I'd agree with the "no salt" recommendation, unless you have some really stubborn remains. But, I have occasionally used salt to scrub off such remains with good results and as we all know it's an abrasive one can use, since soap etc is taboo.

 

[jennyema]

It's perfectly OK to use soap on a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

I do it all the time when there's sticky gunk on them.

You must rinse very well and dry completely.

 

[Uncle Bob]

It's perfectly OK to use soap on a well-seasoned cast iron skillet.

I do it all the time when there's sticky gunk on them.

You must rinse very well and dry completely.

+1

IMO all of this "No Soap In Cast Iron" Phobia is a carry over from another time....a time when our Great (Great) (Great?)Grand Mother's used (Homemade) Lye soap which would deteriorate seasoning on cast iron...Modern day soaps are mostly wetting agents, and not as near as caustic as the old lye soaps of the past --- A quick swish around in some hot soapy water...well rinsed and dried will not hurt a well-seasoned cast iron pan.

 

[bubbler33]

Eh, I really wouldn't use soap. One of my other seasoned cast irons was accidently washed in soap and it left some kind of streaks on the inside of my cast iron skillet.

Back to the original topic, the salt was really the only thing that took off the residue left on my cast iron. I had let it soak in hot water for about 10-15 mins and then scrubbed it with a nylon brush, the residue still remained. The salt was the only thing that really took it off. I will definitely try to limit my salt cleaning if it deteriorates the seasoning.

 

[MJK]

If you really need something abrasive to clean off the gunk use a plastic scrub pad (without soap added) and some sand. Good old clean playground sand will work but if you happen to have any mortar sand around it will work better (angular edges versus rounded on beach and playground sand). Do not pour the mess down your drain though as you will eventually fill the trap.

Salt is hydrophilic and any residue will draw moistrure from the air and cause rust spots if not completely rinsed out.

Another option is sphagnum moss but most people don't have a supply of that growing in their back yards...or front yards for that matter. Down at the shore there are also scouring rushes but they contain salt.

Just some old homey remedies.

 

[Mary Microwave]

More thoughts on soap-

I always thought the point of avoiding soap was because the iron was somewhat porous and some soap residue or TASTE, could remain.

But if the iron has a nice season, then the iron wouldn't be so susceptible to retaining any soap.

Ironic, the pans that need it least can handle it best, and the ones that may need it the most are most vulnerable.

 

[jennyema]

More thoughts on soap-

I always thought the point of avoiding soap was because the iron was somewhat porous and some soap residue or TASTE, could remain.

But if the iron has a nice season, then the iron wouldn't be so susceptible to retaining any soap.

Ironic, the pans that need it least can handle it best, and the ones that may need it the most are most vulnerable.

Yes, exactly.

The truth is that soap won't hurt a well-seasoned cast iron skillet (or DO). Nor will it leave a taste or streaks unless the skillet isn't completely rinsed.

Hot water, dish soap and a plastic scrubby will take care of most any tough junk caked onto a skillet.

I'm not saying that one should use soap each and every time they clean up, but the fear of using soap on seasoned CI is unfounded.

 

[JohnL]

I mostly use hot water, but occasionally i will use soapy water for heavy build-up. Of course most of my cast iron is well over 50 years old with a good seasoning coat.

 

[bubbler33]

Dunno why but I was gonna season my cast iron some more so I rubbed it with a real light coating of vegetable shortening and put it upside down for 400 then 450 for an hour and a half, now there's spots all over the bottom of the skillet and streaks on the sides. The shortening seems to go into little individual puddles as it gets hotter. Dunno what i did wrong

 

[Andy M.]

Too much shortening. You are instructed to put the pan in the oven upside down so excess fat runs off rather than pooling. As a result, you are faced with the pooling problem on the bottom.

You could open the oven and blot up the excess after a few minutes in the oven or you could season the inside and outside at different times.

 

[bubbler33]

the coating was very light, barely any shortening really. It was also turned upside down. The very first few times I seasoned it that way it didn't make little mini puddles like that, only after a couple seasonings it starts to do that.

 

[Andy M.]

The puddling has to be caused by excess fat collecting in one spot. Perhaps, once the fat got hot and became more fluid, it collected in certain spots. I can't think of another explanation.

Once you've seasoned the skillet, the pan's pores are sealed and there is nowhere for the fat to go. Stop seasoning it and just cook with it.

 

[kennethcole]

I find the best way to clean my cast iron is the following and keep it seasoned well.

Hot water and scrape away food build up with plastic scrapper.
Dry completely
Put back on stove on medium heat for 5 min with some lard.
Let it cool a little and then wipe lard oil around in pan.
Bake in oven turned over on 300 for 2 hrs.
Let cool in oven.

Pretty simple.

 

[CeliaGates]

If you're worried about taking the 'seasoning' off - simply put it back on again!

Check out the reply I have just written to Julio: 'What does it mean SEASON in cast iron'

This will show you how to put it back on!

Hoping to have helped!

 

[Scotch]

+1

IMO all of this "No Soap In Cast Iron" Phobia is a carry over from another time....a time when our Great (Great) (Great?)Grand Mother's used (Homemade) Lye soap which would deteriorate seasoning on cast iron...Modern day soaps are mostly wetting agents, and not as near as caustic as the old lye soaps of the past --- A quick swish around in some hot soapy water...well rinsed and dried will not hurt a well-seasoned cast iron pan.

I agree completely. Modern dish detergents rinse easily and completely. Just be sure to use a lot of clean water to rinse your pan.