How to Clean a Cast-Iron Skillet

By Hklbrries

Dear Heloise: I have an old cast-iron skillet, but it's dirty. I know you're not supposed to use soap and water on it, so what's the best way to remove the old grime? Also, what is the best way to re-season it for future cooking?

Dolores King, Grand Rapids, MI

Heloise: Dolores, you are right - for general cleaning, the combination of dish soap and water is not recommended!

So, if you're just cleaning it after cooking, use only hot water, and NEVER put it in the dishwasher. Use a nylon scrubbie or plastic brush only, and dry completely. Dry with a cloth, DON'T air-dry, because this could cause rust. When dry, put in a little bit of solid vegetable shortening or oil and wipe it around the skillet until the surface is completely covered.

If your skillet needs to be re-seasoned because food is starting to stick or the skillet is gummy, here's what you need to do:

Use hot, soapy water and give the skillet a good scrubbing. Then rinse and dry completely, and season it with some melted solid vegetable shortening on the inside and the outside. Set the oven temperature to 350 to 400 F. Place the skillet upside down on top of a cookie sheet. It needs to "bake" for an hour. Then turn off the oven and let the skillet cool completely before removing it from the oven.

P.S. A good cast-iron skillet is worth its weight in gold! Cornbread tastes like your grandmother's when baked in one.

Heloise

Ingredients

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Preparation

Step 1

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