Cast iron pan care

Cast iron pans have not lost their popularity for many years, despite the emergence of new types of coatings for cookware. The popularity is due to the high quality of the material and ease of use.

However, it should be remembered that the taste characteristics of the prepared dishes, as well as the longevity of the frying pan, largely depend on the care of it.

Cast iron is an alloy of iron with carbon and other carbonaceous substances. The material is heated evenly.

Thanks to this property, it is convenient to cook food in a cast-iron dish, since the heat will pass into the food with the same intensity.

Such pans can also be placed in the oven, provided that the handle is made of heat-resistant material or is removable. Cast iron retains the temperature for a rather long time, and therefore food in such dishes remains hot for a long time under the lid.

However, this material also has its drawbacks. First of all, this is a rather high weight, which in some way can complicate the cooking process.

Uncoated dishes can quickly rust if not properly cared for and used.

As for the coating, it often begins to crack. The material is highly porous, and therefore has the ability to absorb aromas and preserve them for a long time. For this reason, it is recommended to store food in another container after cooking.

Despite the fact that cast iron is heavy and visually strong, it is in fact a brittle material. It is necessary to use a frying pan from it rather carefully, since it can crack from a blow or fall.

The process for preparing a new cast iron skillet for further use depends on its type. If the dishes have a protective non-stick coating, then you just need to wash the product well with dishwashing gel. It is best to use a soft sponge for this.

It is not recommended to clean the surface with a wire brush.

If an uncoated frying pan was purchased, then the preparation process for use will be more difficult. The essence of the preparation is to form a non-stick layer.

Since manufacturers rub cast iron with special agents and oils for better storage, the dishes must first be rinsed well.

After cleaning the surface, it must be well wiped dry with any soft cloth. To give the product non-stick properties, it is necessary to clog the pores and heat the cast iron well.

There are several methods to properly heat cast iron.

• If the handle of the frying pan is also made of heat-resistant material or is removable, you can heat the product over an open fire. It is most convenient to do this on the grill, placing the product on the grill. At the very beginning of the incandescence, black smoke should go out, and the surface of the dishes will change color. After a while, there will be no dark spots on the cast iron. At this moment, the pan is removed from the grate, cooled and washed off the soot.
• You can use the oven for calcination (provided that the handle is removed from the pan or it is made of heat-resistant material). The oven is preheated to 200 °, after which cast iron dishes are placed in it. During the ignition process, dark gray smoke will come out of the oven. After 3 hours, the smoke should disappear, which will be a signal to complete the procedure. The pan is cooled and washed under running water at room temperature, after which moisture is removed from the surface with a soft cloth.
• To ignite the dishes on the stove, table salt is poured into it to the very edge of the walls and put on high heat. The salt must be constantly stirred with a spatula made of wood and periodically added with a new one. After about an hour, the white crystals should have a brown tint, after which the procedure can be completed. Cool the pan, rinse well and wipe dry.

The burnt and dried product must be additionally treated with oil or fat.

The inner surface of the dish is rubbed with margarine or melted animal fat. It is advisable to re-heat the product on the stove, but not more than 20 minutes.

After heating, the excess oil is drained, and the cooled surface is wiped with a soft cloth.

It is worth considering that after heating and polishing the pan, the surface will acquire a brown tint, but over time the material will become completely black. The artificially created coating will prevent food from burning, and will also significantly increase the life of the utensils.

During operation, the characteristics of a cast iron pan may deteriorate. The most common problem is that food darkens during cooking or sticks to the dishes.

You can reanimate the product in the same way that was used to prepare the pan for use.

Thus, the non-stick layer is restored.

Over time, a fairly thick layer of fat can accumulate on the walls of the dishes. To remove it, place three large tablespoons of fine salt and a teaspoon of vinegar in the pan.The contents are poured with warm water, mixed and the dishes are put on fire.

After boiling, add 4 large tablespoons of baking soda to the pan. At this stage, you need to be very careful not to get burned by the vapors released after the chemical reaction. The contents of the pan should boil completely, after which it is washed in warm water and dried.

If there is heavy dirt or rust, you can sand the surface with an iron brush.

After such a procedure, be sure to wipe the dishes with oil. During operation, carbon deposits accumulate on the cast iron. For cleaning, you can use special household chemicals, following the instructions on the package.

You can also place the skillet in vinegar essence and leave to soak for a couple of days.

After firing, the carbon deposits can be removed with a knife. After the procedure, it is necessary to restore the artificial non-stick layer by heating the surface and rubbing it with oil.

Daily care of your cast iron cookware is very important as it ensures the product's longevity. Cast iron pans without additional coating are susceptible to corrosion. To prevent the appearance of rust, empty, clean dishes should be periodically heated on the stove.

After washing these items, it is important to dry them thoroughly. To completely remove moisture, it is advisable to dry the pan on the stove over low heat for several minutes.

Otherwise, the odors will quickly be absorbed into the material, which will not have the best effect on the taste characteristics of dishes that will be cooked later.

It is impossible to store the prepared dish in such a container, as the food may darken.

It is also undesirable to use standard dishwashing detergents. It is best to wash cast iron products with soapy water or plain warm water.

It is also not recommended to use a dishwasher to clean a cast iron pan.

Too hot water and cleaning chemicals will quickly deteriorate natural or man-made non-stick coatings. And also the likelihood of corrosive processes is high.

In high humidity, the product may rust. And also in the storage place there should be no foreign odors. Otherwise, the material will easily absorb them.

How to properly care for a cast iron frying pan, you can learn from the video.