Whenever you're done cooking with your cast iron pots and pans, resist the urge to soak them in soapy water or even put them in the dishwasher. That's because water and soap can wear away the natural nonstick coating from the surface of cast iron pots and pans. To clean your cast iron pots and pans "like the pros," just follow these steps:
1. Soak in warm water
If you’re just frying an egg or heating up some chicken, you can probably just wipe it off with a rag dipped in warm water. But if something greasy and sticky has burned on, rinse the pot or pan in warm water.
What you need to do is add a little water to the pan as soon as it is removed from the heat and is still warm. This will help you minimize the time it takes to remove residue from the pan.
2. Scrub with a wooden spoon or soft bristle brush
Once the warm water has loosened any food residue stuck to the surface of the pot or pan, you can use a wooden spoon or soft brush to remove any remaining residue.
While you can still use soft sponges for this cleaning task, consider that this may be the last job it gets to do.
In particular, you should avoid using metal sponges to clean your pots and pans as they will damage the cast iron surface. Also be careful when using rubber and plastic spatulas to scrape as they may melt when in contact with hot metal.
3. Add a little salt to clean stubborn stains
If the residue on the surface of your cast iron pan is too sticky and difficult to scrub off, sprinkle some salt on it and continue to scrape gently with a wooden spoon and brush. You can also add salt and water to get things moving.
4. Dry immediately after scrubbing
Being an alloy of iron, rust is the most common problem cast iron faces but that can also be easily avoided if you dry it out immediately.
Instead of draining, the best way to dry a cast iron pot or pan is to wipe it dry and place it on the stove for a few minutes. This is enough time for the heat to dry it from the inside out.
You may see some steam and possibly some smoke before it stops - this indicates that your cast iron pan is dry.
5. Add natural non-stick layer
Once you have dried your cast iron pan, you can add a natural non-stick coating to it.
You can add a coat of oil-based wax specifically made for cast iron pots and pans, or make your own seasoning mixture using beeswax, canola oil, linseed oil, or some other high-simmering cooking oil before hanging it up for your next cooking session.
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