I have several pieces of cast iron cookware. They all need some help and reconditioning. I saw an item on the 'net that says you have to use "kosher salt" to recondition and clean a cast iron pan. Why kosher salt? Why not just plain Morton salt? I would be grateful for any help on this. I have a recipe I'm dying to try, but need a cast iron pan for it. Thank you!
Cast Iron Care
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Try this link to Lodge Cast Iron cookware. We have several pieces, but have never had to try this method of reconditioning. Ours is used almost daily. Hope this helps.
Lodge Cast Iron | Refurbish Your Finish
Lodge Cast Iron | Refurbish Your Finish
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We only cook with cast iron except for a few pots. We don't use any soaps. Kosher salt works well as an abrasive to clean and helps keep the seasoning. After we use the cast iron we put hot water in it then scrub with a crumpled up piece of tinfoil. The put a 1/2 of water in it, bring to a boil and cover for 30 seconds to sanitize. Pour out water and then put a little oil in while hot and wipe all around. Stays perfectly seasoned. They are at the point they are so well seasoned they are non stick. Our cast iron set was passed down to us by my grandfather. My mother says they are about 60 years old.
This works well for us. Seems like a lot of work but it's not, it's very simple.
This works well for us. Seems like a lot of work but it's not, it's very simple.
AFAIK, kosher salt is used because it lacks iodine that could affect the metal over long periods of time.
Salt is used, in general, as a natural abrasive that won't harm the iron but will scrub away whatever was cooked.
As for reconditioning rusted cast iron that's lost its season, that takes a bit more effort than just salt scrubbing.
Salt is used, in general, as a natural abrasive that won't harm the iron but will scrub away whatever was cooked.
As for reconditioning rusted cast iron that's lost its season, that takes a bit more effort than just salt scrubbing.
Thanks to you all. I wondered if it was the iodine in regular table salt that was the reason why I would have to use Kosher. Does Sea Salt have iodine? I was told to use the coarsest salt possible. Not quite softener salt, ha ha, but maybe sea salt. Thanks for all the help!
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I have a 12"x24" cast iron grill, 8-10-12 inch frying pans, two Griswold dutch ovens plus two cast bacon presses.
Coarse sea salt, SS scouring pad, boiling water are used when needed.
The grill gets done with a grill brick and oiled while hot.
Dried over heat and wiped down with canola oil and kept heated till dry.
The frying pans were handed down, were rusted and coated with crud.
They were cleaned with a combination of caustic soda and sandblasting.
After leaching out by boiling whatever had filled the pores,
they were given many coats of canola until a sheen started to appear.
I have never seen iodized sea salt, just table salt, it is marked as such and should be used as table salt.
Coarse sea salt, SS scouring pad, boiling water are used when needed.
The grill gets done with a grill brick and oiled while hot.
Dried over heat and wiped down with canola oil and kept heated till dry.
The frying pans were handed down, were rusted and coated with crud.
They were cleaned with a combination of caustic soda and sandblasting.
After leaching out by boiling whatever had filled the pores,
they were given many coats of canola until a sheen started to appear.
I have never seen iodized sea salt, just table salt, it is marked as such and should be used as table salt.
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Mrs Slippy washes the hell out of our Lodge Cast Iron with detergent and I go behind her and season them correctly. Scrub the cookware, coat with cooking oil and bake in oven at 400 for an hour. Let cool in the oven and your good to go.
I wish I had built a nice rack to hang all of our cast iron cookware but for now we simply store them in a cabinet wrapped in paper towels.
To wash them correctly (Not like Mrs Slippy) use Kosher salt of sea salt, scrub lightly using a soft bristle brush and HOT water. Dry thoroughly and coat lightly with cooking oil or an even spray with PAM when the cast iron is still warm.
I wish I had built a nice rack to hang all of our cast iron cookware but for now we simply store them in a cabinet wrapped in paper towels.
To wash them correctly (Not like Mrs Slippy) use Kosher salt of sea salt, scrub lightly using a soft bristle brush and HOT water. Dry thoroughly and coat lightly with cooking oil or an even spray with PAM when the cast iron is still warm.
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We often visit there location in pigeon Forge TN. When riding there. man they have a lot of stuff.
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I do something similar, sort of. I like using steel wool and hot water. Pat dry and season with thin film of Crisco in oven at 200 for 6 hrs (as needed).
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Go a couple of hours south of Pigeon Forge outside of Chattanooga, TN and South Pittsburg is the Lodge home office and manufacturing facility. Cute little town near Nickajack Lake. I think its worth a visit to pick up a few Lodge Cast Iron pieces.
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I will be in that area end of May. Ride planned reservation made.
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Smitty,
I ain't sayin' its the best place but if you happen to come from Nashville on I-24, at the top of the Mountain is a town called Monteagle TN. It is near Sewanee, TN where the University of the South is located. Its a pretty cool place and there is a place called The SmokeHouse Lodge. Good eats and clean rooms at a nice price.
http://thesmokehouse.com/
Or you can stay at The University of the South's own Lodge called The Sewanee Inn. Very Cool Lodge but liberal idiots go to this college. Anyway, just an idea.
Sewanee Inn | Hotel in Sewanee | Boutique Hotel Sewanee TN
I ain't sayin' its the best place but if you happen to come from Nashville on I-24, at the top of the Mountain is a town called Monteagle TN. It is near Sewanee, TN where the University of the South is located. Its a pretty cool place and there is a place called The SmokeHouse Lodge. Good eats and clean rooms at a nice price.
http://thesmokehouse.com/
Or you can stay at The University of the South's own Lodge called The Sewanee Inn. Very Cool Lodge but liberal idiots go to this college. Anyway, just an idea.
Sewanee Inn | Hotel in Sewanee | Boutique Hotel Sewanee TN
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Always interested in new places. When we head down we take it as it comes no real route planned. We ride until ready to stop. Get side track . One year we went east across KY. odd way to get to Gatlinburg but we did get did get there. Amazing how if you keep riding even without a map you will get there.
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A word on cast iron cookware and tomato-bases sauces...
They don't mix, unless you like your sauce tasting like cast iron.
I made a huge batch of tomato sauce years ago from freshly picked tomatoes in a dutch oven on top of the stove.
Had to throw the whole batch out as it tasted like....iron.
They don't mix, unless you like your sauce tasting like cast iron.
I made a huge batch of tomato sauce years ago from freshly picked tomatoes in a dutch oven on top of the stove.
Had to throw the whole batch out as it tasted like....iron.
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That is because of the high acid content of the tomatoes, etching the iron.
It will blacken carbon steel blades in a few minutes, salt mixed in will accelerate the process.
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All of my cast iron are so used and seasoned that I have not had anything to stick that wouldn't come off easily in water for years. After washing them, I dry thoroughly and place it in an oven at 200 degrees for about 10 minutes to make sure it is good and dry and then put a light coating of oil on it inside and out while it is still warm...JM2C
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Excellent point. When I make Gumbo I often make two batches. One in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven and one in a Stainless Steel Stock Pot. The same recipe tastes very different in the Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
I believe the cast iron changes the taste of the Roux.
I believe the cast iron changes the taste of the Roux.
I use an enamel coated Dutch oven for acid sauces. I get the benefits of the even cooking from cast iron without the funny taste!
Droid did it!
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Yup...I do now. I have two of them in different sizes and love 'em.
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