How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet and Maintain It the Right Way

Spongy pancakes, crunchy grilled cheese sandwiches, and flawlessly cooked steaks are all made in cast iron griddle pans. Many reversible griddle pans, which come in various sizes, have one flat, smooth side for grilling sandwiches, pancakes, or eggs and one ribbed side for cooking meats and veggies.

How to clean a cast iron skillet key points:

• A Cast Iron Griddle's Cleaning Timing
• A New Cast Iron Skillet's Seasoning
• How to Cleanse a Cast Iron Griddle Following Cooking
• Cleaning and Restoring a Rusted Cast Iron Pan
• How to Maintain Your Cast Iron Griddle's Good Looks for Longer
• Cast Iron Skillet things to Avoid
• Avoid Keeping it in the Oven

A cast iron griddle can be used on a cooktop or outside grill and is strong and a great heat conductor, much like any other cast iron pan. Although simple to maintain, it needs to be appropriately cleaned to avoid corrosion and to keep the non-stick surface. Fortunately, maintaining cast iron so that it lasts for many generations simply requires a few simple pantry staples.

Understanding that cast iron griddles shouldn't be put in an automatic dishwasher before we proceed is crucial. Rusting and finishing destruction can be caused by using harsh detergents and too much time in the water.

1. A Cast Iron Griddle's Cleaning Timing

Every time you use your griddle, you should clean it. This will clear the pan of food residue, grease, or oil drippings. Your cast iron pan will stay in great condition if you clean it after each use. If you use the pan frequently, season it more frequently than twice a year. A cast-iron pan will last your entire life and even longer if properly maintained.

2. A New Cast Iron Skillet's Seasoning

Cast iron skillets need some preparation before you can begin cooking, no matter how tempting it may be to just chuck food in the pan immediately. Season your cookware for a clean surface to uniformly cook vegetables, meats, and desserts. Don't use pre-seasoned cookware unless you strictly adhere to this procedure.

Step #1: Washing

Use hot, soapy water to wash your new cookware (the only time you should). Dry it completely.

Step #2: The use of vegetable oil

Rub the pan's whole surface, including the exterior, using a cloth dipped in vegetable oil.

Step #3: The power of heat

For one hour, heat upside down in a 350°F oven. After the oven has been turned off, allow the cast iron inside to cool completely.

3. How to Cleanse a Cast Iron Griddle Following Cooking

It is crucial to remember that seasoning is a crucial component of cast iron upkeep in addition to cleaning. Suppose you frequently cook any acidic item in the pan, such as tomatoes. In that case, it's better to get into the routine of seasoning cast iron at a minimum every other time you utilize it until a thick coat of seasoning is accumulated. The best oil for seasoning is flaxseed oil because it produces the thickest, smoothest, and the most chemical-resistant layer of seasoning.

Step #1: Give the griddle time to cool

Always wait until the cast iron griddle is cool before cleaning it. A hot griddle may experience minor cracking and iron weakening if dropped into a sink full of water.

Step #2: Get Rid of Food Sparticles

Use a paper towel to clean away any food scraps, grease, or drippings from the griddle's surface while it's still heated. Use a plastic scraper to break up any stuck-on debris before wiping it away. Never use steel wool or a metal scraper since they can scratch the surface.

Step #3: Clean Immediately with Soap and Water

Add a few drops of liquid soap to a non-abrasive sponge dampened with hot water to complete the cleaning. Clean the griddle's whole surface. Never let the griddle soak in the water in a sink.

Step #4: Rinse and Dry

After thoroughly rinsing the griddle with hot water, dry the surface immediately with a soft dishcloth or microfiber towel. Never allow the griddle to "drip-dry" because cast iron rusts when water is left on it.

Step #5: Season as necessary

It could be time to reseason the cast iron griddle if you observe that food is clinging to it during cooking. After cleaning the griddle, before putting it away, do this. Use paper towels to apply one-half to one teaspoon of any vegetable oil uniformly. over the griddle's cooking surfaces. When the cast iron is glossy, rub the oil on the surface. Wipe off any extra oil.

The oiled cast iron should be heated for five to ten minutes on a medium-low stovetop element or in a warm oven set to 250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Before storing, let the griddle cool.

Step #6: Correctly Store the Griddle

Whenever a cast iron griddle gets even slightly damp, never store it. Place the griddle over a medium-low heat stovetop heating element or in a heated oven set at 250 to 300 degrees F for five to ten minutes before storing it to ensure it is dry. Especially if you don't use it every day. Before storing the cast iron, switch off the heat and give it time to cool completely.

4. Cleaning and Restoring a Rusted Cast Iron Pan

Regardless of the severity of the rust, cast iron that has rusted can still be used. When the surface of the cookware is severely rusted.

Step #1: Remove all of the rust

To eliminate rust from afflicted areas, use fine steel wool. Clean the skillet thoroughly until the cast-iron surface has returned.

Step #2: Clean the skillet thoroughly.

Use warm water and mild dishwashing liquid to clean the cast iron. If necessary, scrub with a bristle brush, a soft scouring pad, or a mesh sponge.

Step #3: Dry it

Dry the cast iron immediately with a fresh dish towel or microfiber towel.

Step #4: Put oil on the pan and coat it

Use your preferred cooking oil or a tiny bit of vegetable oil to coat the entire piece.

Step #5: Keep in mind the handle and bottom

Don't forget to grease the bottom and handle. To prevent a sticky surface, only use a minimal amount.

Step #6: Put the skillet in the oven.

Set the cast iron upside down on the oven's top rack. To catch any oil drips, use a layer of aluminum foil or a baking sheet lined with foil on the bottom rack. Cast iron should be heated for an hour at 350°F.

Step #7: Allowing the pan to cool before use

Turn off the heat, allow the cast iron to cool, and resume cooking.

5. How to Maintain Your Cast Iron Griddle's Good Looks for Longer

Step #1: Maintain Seasoning

The quickest route from the store to the stove is to purchase cast iron that has already been seasoned. If your cast iron wasn't pre-seasoned, don't worry. Cast iron may be easily seasoned, which sets it apart from other cookware. Once seasoned, it retains its flavor for many years.

Step #2: Clean it well

Because cast iron can rust, periodic maintenance is required.

Step #3: Use It Often

Cast iron works like an oiled machine when it is kept clean and used regularly. Cast iron's oily composition helps prevent rust and gives the pan inherent nonstick properties and gradually improves the flavor. Cast iron's oil can age and acquire an "off" odor if left unattended for an extended time.

6. Cast Iron Skillet things to Avoid

Step #1: Soaking in the sink

The myth that "never cook acidic food in your cast iron" is widely spread among cooks. Letting your cast iron soak in the sink is far worse than soap or tomato sauce. Because cast iron is porous, prolonged contact with water may cause it to absorb moisture and ultimately rust.

I put just a few cups of water in the pan and heat it to a boil for truly stuck-on messes. Then I use warm water to scrape the muck off. Afterward, clean, dry, oil, and store the skillet as usual. Dump the warm water and debris.

Step #2: Using a scouring pad on it.

They are the misery of my cast iron-loving existence, those green and metal scrubbers. Although some people are never been afraid to use a metal spatula when cooking, those steel wool scrubbers are horrible for a good cure. Instead, you can get cast iron as clean as a whistle with only a little kosher salt and a splash of oil.

7. Avoid keeping it in the oven.

When you use that heavy pan frequently, the oven appears like a very good place to store it because it is close to the burner, dry, and somewhat warm. Except that you gradually remove the remedy every time you unintentionally preheat the oven while the cast iron pan is inside. 

Instead, keep your skillet in the same cabinet as the rest of your cookware. And remember to place a paper towel in between the skillets to shield the cure from moisture in the air and friction.

Conclusion:

Keeping your cast iron adequately seasoned should keep it in good shape, but accidents may happen, and your pan may rust. Simply scrub the rust, rinse, dry, and wipe a small amount of vegetable oil if there are only a few rusty places. If the rust issue continues, use the instructions above to restore the cast iron cookware's finish.