Friday, February 15, 2013

SEASONING CAST IRON POTS AND PANS

 
In answer to the requests, I am telling my way to season cast iron pots and pans.  There may be other ways, but this is the way that I have used since I got mine 60 years ago. 
 
If the pots and pans are used and have rust on them or food cooked to them, you need to clean them before seasoning them.  This will mean taking a SOS pad or some other scrub pad and scrubbing the rust and cooked food off the pans.  DO NOT try to scrape it off with a screw driver or anything sharp like my husband  was about to do after buring something on the stove.   I came in and caught him just in time.  You MUST clean down to the surface-as I say until it shines inside and out.  Get everything off of it.  Remember you will be cooking and eating the food that comes out of these pots and pans-you want them completely clean.
 
Once you have all the rust and food off or if they are new pots and pans, wash them in hot water with a little detergent.  Don't use a strong detergent.  Remember that you want these pots and pans clean almost steralized.  Wipe it completely dry with an old, clean kitchen towel because the pans will leave a stain.  I have a set of kitchen towels that I use just for my cast iron pots and pans.  After I clean and or season the pots and use the towels, I throw them in the wash.  When the towels are clean, they are used strickly on the cast iron pots and pans the next time. Also note that if the pots and pans are not completely dry-they will rust again.  So make sure they are completely dry.  If they are still not dry after your wipe then, you can either put them on a burner and turn it on low for a few minutes or put then in the oven set at low for a few minutes.  Before the seasoning they must be completely clean and  dry..
 
Season them immediately.  Don't put the pots and pans away and say you will do it another day.  This could cause rusting or dirt on the pots and pans which means you would have to clean them again.  It could be rust or dirt that you can't even see-so season immediately.
 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and put a LIGHT coating of lard (that's what I use) but you could also use shortening on the pots and pans covering them completely inside and out. Do not make it thick as I knew someone that set the pots and pans on fire in the oven because of the thick grease.  Also you do not want the pots and pans greasy after you get done.  Next put the pans up side down on the top shelf of the oven with a cookie sheet or baking pan underneath on the bottom shelf to catch any dripping grease.  I leave them in the oven for two or three hours, but I know some people only use one hour.  Then you shut the oven off and leave the pots and pans in until the oven and pans cool. 
 
Over my years, I have heard many ways of cleaning the pots and pans after they are seasoned.  I use a light soap and water to clean them and wipe them dry immediately.  I don't let them sit in the dish drain.  As soon as I wash and rise them I  get out my kitchen towels for the cast iron pots and dry them immediately.  I have heard of people never using soap and water on them just running water in them and drying them.  I don't think that gets them clean and you must also consider food poisoning if the pots and pans are not clean for the next cooking.  That is my view. 
 
How often to reseason them depends on how much you use them.  I don't use them every day, but I still season them at least twice a year.  When I had the farm with the children I did it about every two or three months. 
 
I have received some questions already and will try to answer as best I can.  I have never put cast iron frying pan in the fireplace to clean it.  Over the years people have told me lots of ways of cleaning them: using oven cleaner (just the thought of that in food upsets me), put them in camping fires, using soft drinks and more.  I have never tried any of these and don't plan on it.  The way I gave is the way I use-I am sure people have other ways , but I worry about some of those other ways of cleaning the cast iron pots and pans.  
 
Follow God,
Olive
 
 
The picture at the top I took of my cast iron frying pan on my modern electric stove.  As you can see it needs seasoning.  I thought it would be nice to have some cast iron in the picture.
Marilyn
 
TOMORROW IS SNOW ICE CREAM RECIPE
 
MONDAY JEAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS
 
WEDNESDAY IS LOWELL'S RECIPE
 
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY ARE OF AN OLD ORDER AMISH AUCTION
 
 
 
 
 
.   
 
 
 
 
 
 

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Olive
I have really enjoyed your post-so detailed and informative-I don't like the thought of oven cleaner for the pan cleaning either-there would almost certainly be a residue left from all the chemicals

Looking forward to your memories post

Your pan looks a nice size Marilyn

Fionalina

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Fionalina,

I will tell Olive what you said. The thought of oven cleaning doesn't appeal to me either. Olive's memories is coming on March 8th.

Marilyn

Chasity said...

Hello Olive,
Thank you for sharing your way of seasoning cast iron.

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Chasity,
I will pass your message on to Olive.
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Olive and I fianlly met. We had met before but just in passing. Anyway she showed me her stainless steel pots and pans. They are 60 years old and shine like they were brand new. I told Olive I had some old kitchen items and brought them to show her. She thinks I should put them on New York State of Mind. So Olive and I are getting together. Some she knows more about than I do. I don't know when it will be on. There are kitchen items, laundry items and I don't remember them all. It will take a couple of posts to get them on.

Marilyn

Gerritje H. said...

Hello Olive,
thank you for this post.I have some cast iron pans that are rusted and had no idea how to fix it.I will use your method because it makes the most sense from what I've read about cleaning and seasoning. I really enjoy reading your posts and those of Jean,Martha and Marilyn.
God bless
Gerritje

New York State Of Mind said...

Good Morning Gerritje,
I will forward your message to Olive. Thank you for the compliments.

God Bless You and Yours,
Marilyn

kymber said...

hey Marilyn - please thank Olive for sharing her methods of seasoning cast iron pots and pans. my husband has been collecting cast iron from goodwill stores and he seasons them just like Olive recommends. and please tell Olive that the readers are really enjoying her posts and hope for more!

(p.s. - i just sent you an email regarding the snow ice cream post! i hope that your readers will enjoy it!)

your friend,
kymber

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Kymber,
I saw your other email before I saw this and answered it. I will pass your message on to Oliver. I will have to check out goodwill stores. Somewhere in my movings I lost my Mom's big stew making pot and I would like another one. Olive said she would season it for me plus the frying pan in the picture if I could find pot. So I will check out goodwill. That's where I got the TV for my bedroom after my old one died.

Marilyn

sheila said...

Thank you, Olive, for the very informative post. My Aunt Lucy always cooked with her cast iron dutch oven and skillets. In fact, my parents did too, yes, Dad cooked too. Mine have been in retirement for way too long, as I seldom cook that much anymore. But your post brings back good memories. Thank you.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hello Sheila,

I will forward your message to Olive. I don't come much, either. But, every one in a while I get the urge and cook.

Marilyn

plaingrl said...

Hi,
Thank you for this post. May I ask, who is Olive?
I have always read/heard to not use soap to clean them. and also to season them to use veg oil. Never heard of using lard or shortening before, good idea!

Can u please give me the link for AMish Stories?

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi plaingrl,
Olive is Jean's grandmother. As she said, this is the way she has done it for 60 years. There may be other ways, but this is what she has done. My Mother use to do it the same way Olive does it. I will have to get the link to Amish STories for you. It's on my favorites list, so all I have to do it hit it. I'll let you know.
Marilyn

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi plaingrl,
Amish stories is :

www.AmishStories.net

I am not saying you are wrong on seasoning pans. You are probably right, but Olive has on her way of doing it.

Marilyn

April said...

Your photo made me laugh. I have the same pan, same teapot, same spice rack and a very very similar, if not the same egg timer.......

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi April,
Oh, that is funny. I guess we have the same taste in kitchen buying.

Marilyn

Melissa said...

Great post! Thank you for the information, Olive!

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Melissa,
I will pass your ocmment on to Olive, I am sure she will appreciate it.

Marilyn

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.