Technique: How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet

Is there a step missing in this? It looks like you are supposed to have the pan in the oven with some oil/fat…that is then wiped out later..leaving the coating of oil?

I changed it around. Hope that helps Brenda!

My skillet is a lodge. I notice the patchy black even on the bottom of my cornbread. It doesn’t cover the entire bottom, but is scattered about on the surface.

I’ve never run into problems with the black flaking off like that either. DO you use something abrasive, like a steel scrub-pad to clean the skillet? I could imagine a situation like that where the scrubber would loosen flakes of the seasoning.

This is essentially how I clean my skillet too, but I’ll often throw a handful of kosher salt into the pan while it’s still warm and use a paper towel to wipe it clean. The salt adds a nice abrasive to the wipe and helps get it cleaner with less scraping beforehand.

I do that too. Works like a charm.

Love this ongoing dialogue. Wish I had a cast iron skillet to clean. :)

I adore my cast iron skillet! Great cleaning tips, Molly :)

I bought a cast iron pan that has a grill bottom. When I cleaned it the way the instructions said as it dried it looked like it was rusty. The directions were similar to yours the only difference was to dry it in a preheated oven at 200 degrees. Has this happen to anyone and what do I need to do to fix this.

@Babs: we only used cast iron skillets growing up. When we did have to use soap and water to clean the skillet, Mom taught us to dry the skillet on a very low flame on the stove top just till it dried. Always worked like a charm! Nothing like a meal cooked in cast iron.

I had a large skillet that had been passed down from my great grandmother. It had a tremendous build-up on it and once using high heat it all came off in my food.

I’ve seen the black stuff before long ago. I think it’s built up junk, possible from improper cleaning. I have two lodge pans, no problems. Sometimes I dip em in the sink water and wipe out quickly then dry and oil. What I find works best is to scrape them while still hot wipe with the was cloth then rinse and return to stove top. If its still warm it will dry fast, otherwise kick on that burner for a few seconds then wipe some fresh oil even sometimes on the bottom to prevent rusting. Great tip on keeping them upside down. I always rinse with hot water to get the bugs and dust out.

I have a cast iron double sided griddle/grill. Would the cleaning technique be the same? I don’t like using the grill side (groove-like) as food gets stuck more.

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Jim

HI! I have a wonderful very old cast iron skillet, while visiting us my son in law put it in the dishwasher..now it is very rusty. suggestions??? Thanks!

my old and wonderful cast iron pan is well seasoned, so I boil some water in the pan to get the cooked on bits out, wipe it clean and set it back on a low flame to dry. I season my pan every spring before taking it summer camping. when camping, I just throw the entire pan right into the campfire to burn off any bits of food.

My father grew up in South Carolina and said you should always clean a cured cast iron skillet with sand. That being said, I clean it the way you recommend here . . . unless I’m camping.

I use Kosher Salt. Works like a charm.

We use a stainless chain mail like scrubber in our Lodge pots and pans. Works great! See at Amazon search:
Knapp Made CM Scrubber™ – Chain Mail Scrubber for Cast Iron Cookware