I don't know how UA-cam knew I needed this, I wasn't actively hunting for help with my castiron skillet, but it's been on my mind. I have one that I bought brand new, I think I cooked in it once, then I let it sit, and sit... and sit. Depression doesn't care about stuff like that, and so it sat, with water in it, for longer than I care to mention. As it's coming up on New Years, I've been trying to come up with some resolutions that I felt like I could successfully tackle. Saving that skillet it the first thing I wrote down. Then, same day, I see another of your videos showing up in my feed for no reason. It was how to clean the skillet. I liked your presentation, and decided to see if you could help me. I went to your channel, and in the search box, I just typed in "rust" and this video came up. I've watched it three times now. First time I wanted to see what you had to say. Second was to soak the information in. Now I'm taking notes and going through the steps. I have to tell you, before this, I was preparing myself to toss it. I did NOT think it could be saved. Now, I'm thinking I got this. Going to take me a couple of days, but I feel good about the skillets chances. I know this is an old video, and no one will likely see this, but I wanted to thank you anyway.
I want to add American skillets didn't say made in USA until 1960s. I once saw these two 10 inch skillets on the curb wasting away. They were three notch lodges (made in Tennessee) from the 30s or 40s only marking on it was a number 5.Lady said she had evicted some renters and they had left those two skillets out hoping somebody would take them. Looked worse than the ones in your video. I restored them, gave one to a friend. The one I kept has this beautiful spiral grain milling marks on the cooking surface. I fry eggs in it almost every morning. When is the last time you heard of somebody picking up a teflon skillet off the street! Cast iron is wonderful.
Those iron skillets came from my mom and dad. They were old looking and after they passed, I was evicted by my sister, so I left them on the curb for someone who collected junk, no knowing they still could have been used Came back and they were gone to a new home. Thanks.
I was iron deficient as a child and my doctor had me eating out of cast iron all the time... it worked wonders. My granny passed a few stored (rusty) pieces down to me and this video came in handy. Thank you Sir!
That's a 100% fantasy. That's like finding iron ore and chipping off a piece, consuming it thinking it is increasing your iron. That is absolutely NOT how your body works!!! In order for you to assimilate minerals, you need FOODS high in iron or potassium or copper... etc. The plants or animals that we eat must have good diets too. Healthy, rich in nutrients soil and animals eating foods such as vegetation that is again rich in nutrients. Cattle for example, high protein beef has 9 amino acids, B6 & B12, iron, niacin, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
One of the greatest abilities of a teacher is to fascinate his/her student. I had no idea how interesting cast iron cookware could be. My Grandma and Mom and all my aunties used to cook with cast iron and none of us kids were allowed to wash it, and I never understood the big deal. I'm rewatching all of these tutorials and I'd like to personally thank you for teaching me. This is important. It needs to be passed down.
I grew up all over but my Dad was from Texas, he could cook anything on a stove top, but his weapon of choice was a 10" Cast Iron skillet. After my Dad pasted on I tried my hand at cooking, but I never Got a chance to ask my Dad how he cleaned his cast Iron. You have filled in the gaps in my learning . Thank you Kent for your insightful videos this is what I am going to pass on to my daughter on our upcoming camp out.
Kent, I just wanted to tell you, my 17 year old son found a 10 incher on the side of the road during a city wide clean up two years ago. He looked to see where it was made and brought it to me to show me his find. Now keep in mind, he was 15 at the time. Well he put it underneath the kitchen sink inside the cabinet. We promptly forgot about it until about a week ago. It had a fair amount of rust but it doesn't appear to be pitted or deep rust. He has been bugging the soup out of me (in a good way) to help him clean the skillet. I pulled up your video here and he was as happy as a billy goat with two billy sticks in mating season after watching the video. It had no sooner stopped playing that he grabbed his skillet and said, "WoW!, I just learned something useful and valuable and bolted down the stairs and into the kitchen to start cleaning his road treasure. We have a city-wide clean up here each spring where citizens can toss out ANYthing they want to get rid of. It's a funny site watching scavengers of all kinds roam the community looking for treasures. My boys look for cast iron pots (for their mom) tools and things of that nature. The 17 year old asked me twice what your channel is called while watching it. I told him and have subscribed to it and he will be subscribing as soon as he can get to his login. Keep up the wonderfully helpful videos. I am my sons have learned much from you.
I have many GRISWALD and WAGNER cast iron pieces I bought in the late 40s and 50s . they were rusted from slightly to seriously . Using the heat,scrub, method over and over, then 4/0 steel wool and elbow grease, then seasoned properly in the oven, They are still perfect. NO food is better than that cooked in cast iron. Thanks for this REMEMBERING SESSION.
Thank you Mr. Rollins for putting this out. I used your instructions in restoring a 12" skillet, a dutch oven and cover and a grill. You have saved my wife and I a few hundred dollars in replacement costs. I found all of these in an area of our house I hadn't been in a while. We are wanting to transition to cast iron cooking. The only things we did buy were a 10" skillet, and a griddle. Like you said in the video, just a little time and elbow grease.
Inherited a vintage piece from my Grandmother. I noticed a soft, sticky spot on the bottom. Using dish soap didn't resolve it. Didn't want to season the pan until I resolved it. Grateful I found you. Have watched several of your cast iron care lessons. This one seems to have just the information I will need to bring this well loved piece of cookware back to life. Thanks so much for sharing.
Helped clean out a garage that my husban's family had for 4 generations. It was a gold mine in old cast iron and all have rust. Thanks you for the help.
I am a reseller. I found three cast iron pieces (2 Griswold/1Wagner) that I wish to fix up and resell. I came across this video. You are amazing! Thank You! I cannot wait to fix up these skillets based on your advice.
November 2021 Kent your still the best. All it takes is time, patience and a little hard work. Elbow grease we call it. Every highschool student should spend a day doing this. It would give them a sense of accomplishment and pride when they finish. Ya.....I'm deamin
@Robert Mustain I think the intention was to point to the immediately-repellent, sensory-offensive type of chemicals as opposed to table salt or water. Also- not "Everything is a chemical." Don't be a pedant and also wrong at the same time.
The oven cleaner is for removing the old seasoning. It's lye based, and nutrualizes in vinegar. Give vinegar bath for a day after you scrubbed off the oven cleaner to remove the rust and it will be as bare as the day it was cast. When you buy an old skillet it's always a good idea to remove the old seasoning unless you know who owned it before and that it was only used for cooking. It is always a good idea to lead test pieces that you find out in the wild as well as many old timers used cast iron cookware to smelt lead to make bullets and fishing sinkers.
I bought a Wagner Ware Drip Drop No.9 Cast Iron roaster last weekend at a yard sale for $8. It needs work, but it seems to be well within the bounds of redemption. I just needed to come back here for a refresher on the processes I previously learned from your videos. Thank you for the value you are giving through your UA-cam channel.
THAT SALT TRICK BASICALLY DID THE JOB!!!! Its LIKE EXFOLIATING! I WAS SATISFIED SEEING THE RUST LIFT UP!! THANK YOU SO MUCH I HAVE SO MANY CAST IRON PANS THAT I CANT LET GO TO THE TRASH💯 I BROUGHT A CAST IRON “ERASER” AND THAT DID NOTHING I WISH I WOULD HAVE SAVED MY MONEY AND WATCHED YOUR VIDEO
I just revisited this video for working on a Wagner peice with rust I got cheap on Ebay... I was prepared to work my ass off today to get the rust off... The white vinegar and baking soda thing worked like a charm!!! Unreal how cleaned down to the metal it got my pan! Did two treatments so I could get the inner sides better... just rubbing the back side of the pan with a scrubby sponge wet with vinegar and baking soda (and a small amount of elbow grease) worked... Awesome!! Thank you again sir for being here!!! second round of seasoning under way!
Probably the most educational video for dealing with rust i've seen because it doesn't just use extreme examples it starts with the minor to moderate level most newer owners like myself might encounter, so thank you for the help!
I have my great grandmother’s cast iron skillets and her tortilla griddle. My grandmother inherited them, and she passed them to my mom and my mom to me. I’m 66 now and I will pass them to my oldest daughter. I ended up with them because neither of my sisters were interested in cooking with them. There are 5 skillets and the griddle in all, and they were made in the 1870’s. I had to take rust off of one of them when I first got them. It wasn’t bad so it was pretty easy. They.cook better than any modern pan or skillet. My favorite is my 16” wide, deep skillet. Best chicken fryer there is.
Another great video....I'm cooking on cast iron pans and a large dutch oven handed down through the years from my great grandmother...they are all over 100 years old and look fantastic. I make "Cracklin' cornbread" in my deep skillet just like my granny did when I was growing up. My dutch oven puts out incredible beef stew or homemade "chicken and dumplins"
My husband's from Baton Rouge and ya' can't cook Cajun without cast iron! Thank you for the tutorial on how to reclaim badly used pieces. I'm taking a solemn vow to treat my cookware more tenderly. It serves me well, and I need to return the favor. Ya' done good, Kent.
I pulled out my Mom's old cast iron pan from the 80s. It had about an inch of rust in the bottom. I did the rust removal wrong. This video helped me know what to do about it and remove the rest of the rust. I really appreciate this video. I think I'll sell it at a garage sale and get a stargazer, though, once I've seasoned it properly and cooked some bacon like you said to do. It will make a good, skillet to learn the basics before I go buy and expensive one. i can't wait to finish cleaning and seasoning it and cooking some cornbread in it.
I truly love your videos, I don't know what it is about you but you make me appreciate a big chunk of what I think is missing from our country. Thanks for the hard work that you put into these videos please continue to make them.
We once had a foundry in Sheffield, Alabama. I have lots of cast iron pieces. But, I have only been able to find the one skillet made here. It is said that their cast iron is one of the best . They also made wood stoves and heaters. Gone now , but just wanted to share. I have mom-in-laws and mom's passed down to me. One Wagner and I love them all. Not just skillets..dutch oven, roaster, etc. Love you video...just found you ...will look for more.! God bless !
Opps! Need to correct myself ...went to look at my skillet from "Sheffield"..it is actually from Florence Ala. as the two cities are separated from each other by the Tennessee river , I probably made a mistake. Mom is gone and I am 66 years young.. Ha, so to me it's all the same ..we are known as the Tri- Cities and including Florence ..Quad- Cities. Sorry, the foundry in Sheffield did make stoves and things and I believe they also made some skillets..I am now on a course for research of our cast iron. I really enjoyed learning from you and the Mrs. Rollins.
I've bought rusty cast iron skillets CHEAP, and took them home and restored them. I am still using them today. Bacon grease works well to restore them. You can also boil water in them, mixed with grease. The old cast iron is the best.
I LOVE cast iron cooking on a gas stove..................have a few dating back to the 1930's or earlier. Using these brings back fond memories of family. These pans are like old friends. Thanks for more info about caring for 'em. My Mother taught me a few tricks but your will help me keep them in even better condition!
Omg this was so helpful 😩 My mother threw two of her cast-iron skillets away because they were really rusty. I purchased her another one and we used it for a Baked Macaroni & Cheese and my sister had it soaking overnight and when I woke up it was rusty. After this video it looks brand new. Thank you so much
I really like your channel. I am from Boise, ID... camping, fires, cast iron and BBQ is no strange thing to me. Idaho is covered in farms, and i was a kid before California discovered us. Outside life was a thing, growing up. It is real good to see a more refreshing and sensible way of cooking. Thanks for spending the time Kent
Love it Kent! I'm reworkin my small amount of Lodge cast iron. I really got after it with my 1/4" die grinder to slick it up inside, but not too much. 100 grit, followed with 150 grit. But still left some toe holds So I'm back reviewing your video's, while my pieces are cooling from a second day of seasoning. You give so much great info in your teaching presentations. My Daughter cooks in her cast iron danged near daily, and has most of her 32 years of marriage, and 5 youngins. She won't allow anybody to touch her cast iron. LOL! We gave her my Mother's Cast Iron many years ago now. Thank You for your time and for Sharing your Knowledge. (And chuckles are much appreciated, too.)
Thank you Kent Rollins! I am going to be restoring a rusted out Lodge Dutch oven. Very excited. ITts gonna need to go in the oven. I am ever so thankful for your videos and all the hard work you and your wife put into it. God bless you and your family brother :)
Good tips Kent! I've loved my cast for all my life. Probably have at least 150lbs of it. For those that might decide to power sand their cast iron - please be very careful of the sanding dust. I once power sanded a skillet to smooth it out and breathed a bunch of the dust. Oh my gosh, it was worse than CS/tear gas. For a while, I seriously wondered if I needed to go to the ER. I don't know if it would affect everyone that way, it's just my experience. So, work outdoors, and wear an appropriate mask.
Great channel. Love all the tips and info. I’m in Australia and have been cooking in camp ovens for many many years. A method I’ve used for restoring cast iron is by submersing a piece in a mixture of 1 part molasses to 9 parts water. Let the piece soak in there for a few days or more. Hell I’ve even been really busy at work and left them in there for 3 weeks or more. Just have to stir the mix or turn the pot every day and top up with water if necessary. The cast iron will come out looking brand new and then just re season it.
Maybe 13 years ago, this video could have saved me a lot of trouble. I bought several very rusty cast iron pots at the local flea market. Most of them so old that "made in USA" had not been thought of when they were made. Everything was "made in USA" in those days, so nobody thought it necessary to stamp it into the mold. It was hard work to restore them but worth it afterward. Would have been half the work if I knew these techniques.
Mr Rollins just wanted to say thanks again. I followed your step by step instructions for seasoning. I seasoned them 4 times today with olive oil. Cooked super in two of them tonight they worked great. I'm going to try to tackle that bad pitted Wagner tomorrow evening. Thanks again.
The vinegar and soda mix looks good to me. I'm going to try it. I have 3 cast iron pans that are 70 yrs old. My mom gave to me and I've had for 50 yrs. But somehow they got caught in a storm and rustle badly 10 years ago. I truly want to revive them. Thank you so much.
I was told my grandmother would throw her cast iron skillet in the wood burning stove every couple of years to get the burnt on grease off of the outside. Then re-season it. This would have been about 100 years ago(I'm 70). The old ways still work.
Oh goodness, Thank you. Just ordered some OLD cast iron pieces from Ebay that need love and tenderness. I'm so grateful for your know how. God bless you, Shan and the dawgs!! ♡
I've always used salt to clean my skillets like my Moma taught me. I have her 70 year old Wagner that is still cooking. However, when I was a little girl, there was an old Oakie that used to come work for us on the farm. He rarely ate in the house with us. He cooked in cast iron and I used to watch him use coarse sand to clean out his skillet before he put it away.
Actually, pioneers DID use sand to clean with - gave me the notion to try using coarse salt - I had nothing else and whaddya know, it worked -- hadnt seen anybody else using that method til Kent doing it.
An old lady's daughter who was a family friend gave me two cast iron pans that belonged to her mom (passed away). When I got them, I thought they were pretty cool. I later did a little research and it turns out she gave me two American made collectible pieces: 1. Griswold #5 2. Wagner #8. After learning more about them, I'm in love with them and the history they hold. Some of the only cool and free things I've ever gotten in my life. I'm a happy camper.
I've used green scrubbers and dry salt as an abrasive for mild rust. I went to a vinegar bath for heavier rust after firing the pans. (put on high a high heat burner until the majority of the crud was burned off, allowed to cool then scrubbed again. In the end, I had black hands/fingernails for a week, but I had beautiful vintage Wagners from the 60's and a BSR from the 50's as well as two small lodge pans. Spectacular. They all work like new, are well-seasoned and non-stick. I loan a few things out, but NEVER my cast iron.
Kent I grew up on a farm my grandmother used cast-iron all the time decided to give it a try thank you for all your knowledge will keep watching God bless
About the vinegar and baking soda thing; vinegar is acidic and baking soda is alkaline, and the bubbling is from them neutralizing each other. It'd probably work better to just use one or the other. If you need it to be a paste, probably add the vinegar to cornstarch or flour, or just water to the baking soda. Using them *together* probably largely defeats the purpose.
Kent, one of the skillets in our troop trailer was sitting there all rusty, I brought it home and then back to life. It cooks great. Very smooth. When I was looking at the bottom, it had the name WAPAK on it, did a Google search, found out it was a company that went bankrupt in 1926! That means this great skillet is no less than 93 years old! WOW.
My brother and I have been restoring some iron my mama been collecting over the yrs and didn't get around to restoring herself. Some are wagner's and some are very old. I had to and I do mean had to put them in my self cleaning oven or I would have really been in for it, lol. Now, when I was growing up she used to boil apples til all that gunk came out but I just can't afford $100 worth of apples as I have around 10 skillet to restore. We have been using the vinegar but didn't know about the baking soda. Kent you're a treasure 😌. Tyfs God bless you
Thank you Kent, I have passed up many pans at garage sales cause they were so rusted. Now I know what to look for, and how to fix them. Keep up the good work and thanks a lot.
You are the best and I love your accent an your honesty Just so you know I did the self cleaning by mistake and that pan came back as good as new then I seasoned it ,it belonged to my grandmother and I still use it nearly every 2-3 days . I am 72 years old a little younger than the pan haha Thank you and God bless you and your wife
Kent, There is one more method that you may not have heard of. I learned this one from Shopsmith. Yes woodworkers use cast iron too! For a really really bad skillet, get a tub or bucket big enough for the skillet with a lid. Put in the skillet and fill with enough water to cover the skillet. Take one large potato, dice it, and put in the water. Let sit for a week. Hold your nose and remove it from the water, brush and rinse it off. You should have no rust at this point. Respectfully, Kevin
I have used this method with a very rough piece of cast iron from Walmart. It did such a good job my wife said I didn’t need to get a Field skillet because it had been refurbished so well.
Holy my goodness, you speak only the truth, Mr. Rollins! Thanks to your wisdom, a slightly rusted skillet from the Salvation Army has become my favorite cooking pan, from filet mignon to chicken stir fry. That season-every-time-you-use-it advice is key. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this. The seasoning tips I got years ago weren't good enough for the FL humidity and I didn't know how to remove a few tiny rust spots. Now, I'll be able to use my favorite pans again
Thank you for the information. I just inherited my grandmother's old Lodge cast iron. I got a deep skillet with lid and a regular skillet. I hope I can bring them back to a usable state. They are all rusted. At least maybe I can clean them up well enough that they can look okay on my rack with my current collection.
About 2 yrs ago I bought my first pots and pans set because we had just recently moved out of our in-laws house and into our own space. A small cast iron skillet came with it. I never cooked with one before and didnt know how to take care of it, I didnt even know you had to season it.. obviously because of the rust I wanted to throw it away but I couldn't bring myself to do so, so I saved them. Now I kinda wanna use them but they are rusty and I came across your video. I was so happy and it gave me a "homie" feel. At the end of the video I realized why lol. You look like a white version of my dad lol. He has the same body built, wears the exact same clothing style, has his mustache styled the same way, sombrero, boots, and even has a (mexican) country accent lol.. he loves cooking outside in his makeshift iron grill thing... Loved the video btw great information. Earned a new subscriber today
Awesome video you two. I only cook with Cast Iron go figure a girl from California. Thank you for the lesson today I learned alot. God bless you two and the dog's ❤.
I'd like to say thank you for all video's, I just joined the cast iron cooking family. I'v learned alot from you and can't wait to try some of your recipes. My new lodge cast iron is all smoothed out and reseasoned. Fried some bacon for breakfast. Clean up was easy and fast.
Thank i so much !!!! I had been given a old old piece from my great grandmother... im sure it didn’t look like this when she had it... but it was in boxes out in the barn for yrs.. so im determined to save it !!! Im Fixn to put all ur knowledge u share to use 🤠😇
I'm glad you posted this. I ran across an old Wagner that needs to be brought back to life. If it survives the fire, ill go ahead and show it some love :)
Kent, your method makes more sense to me. And, safer. I’m trying restore two little skillets (No 3 and 3 G), and a large skillet, which has “Made in USA” on bottom and No 8 10 5/8”. I can’t identify them, as there are no other markings anywhere. I used the self cleaning method yesterday and I can still see rust in the bottom cooking surface. I’m going to try baking soda and vinegar next. Thanks so much! You and Shannon do an excellent job together!! 💔🐾💔
I have some of my mamaw’s cast iron skillets that need cleaned. I also have a cast iron Dutch oven that we found sitting in the back screened porch that is RUSTY!!! I’m not physically able to do all the scrubbing. I do however have a self cleaning oven! Never heard of this method so discovering your channel is a godsend! Can’t wait to try some of your recipes in my skillets 😍🥰
I did last method.I had old Swedish cast iron skillet ,more then 50yo and it was in bad shape.I just toss it in campfire until it got red hot then let it cool just a little then used wire brush.it turn out great after seasoning.my friend says he don't remember that pan ever being so nice like new.he said he remembers his mom (which is gone now)cooking on it when he was little boy scout .he was happy I just didn't throw it to scrap.(which was his plan)I used welding gloves I bought in home depot to handle it hot .
+bicanroman.....Caution!....NOT good to let cast iron get 'red hot' unless you know the proper ways to cool it. You may end up with something that looks good, but may be brittle.
I did the same thing like Kent,but I did it at night so I see it turn red .I bet after 30 minut in Berta it was red too.I don't know what proper way of cooling of cast iron is but I just let it sit till next day.(in summer) .it is nice thick Swedish cast iron.not Paula Deen's one 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄now I was googling about cooling hot cast iron and I can say I did good .but thanx for comment ,it made me actually interested enough to learn about it more .
Great video, thanks. I normally use the self clean and if there is stubborn rust, soak it overnight in white vinegar. Rinse and season. I find and re-sell a lot of cast iron this way and it always looks great. Once I bought an old Wagner Ware at an auction and the seller had tried to remove the gunk by soaking in (hang on to your hat) kerosene. Lord what a stink. Using the self clean and vinegar took care of it, but that was about the worst we have dealt with. I appreciate your videos - thanks again.
Kent I have to admit you speak a language an style I understand. I live here in Texas. a lil ole spot called Abilene , grew up on horseback...fixing fence post an chasing pigs. while being careful to side step rattler in your path. You are a true COW-BOY... Thank you for you video's
Visiting my grandparents in the summertime we'd always go swim in the creek and have a weenie roast. My grandmother would often bring a cast iron skillet and place it in the coals of that fire to 'clean it up good'. Great videos Kent
Thank you, Kent! I found a nice old 9 inch Griswold at the antique store today. It's in pretty good shape. Looks like just a little bit of surface rust. I hope to be baking cornbread on Sunday.
Thank you Kent and Shannon! Ya'll have such a great channel! I hope a lot of young people see this and take heed. Cast iron is wonderful and will last for many years if you take care of it. But even if it wasn't taken care of, you can restore it most of the time. I have skillets, griddles (comal), and ovens that are at least 75 years old and been in my family for several generations. I love to cook with them and I know if the power ever goes out, I can still cook on a grill or campfire using my cast. :) Love your videos! Keep up the great work and God bless you both! :)
This is terrific, and is rock solid information. My granny taught me most of the things you demonstrate so well and this is like a much needed refresher course for me. Thanking you kindly.
I just absolutely love your channel💗 I found a dutch oven skillet in a free pile on my way home. The pot is not rusty but the lid is kind of rusty. Ill get the rust out and Im glad you showed me how. And that red shirt look so handsome on you. Thanks again😇
Found some old old cast iron handed down in my wife's family and is pretty rusty and i didn't know if it was able to be saved or not but after watching this im going to give it a shot
I have done that before it sure works a lot of people don’t no that I glad there’s a guy like you showing things like this my mother show me years ago After the salt treatments she always got hers you’re not really hot and put pig lard and aunts and took something and went in the circle always the same way and worked it into the metal and it didn’t stick or nothing you could cook really good food this is a great show thank you
Ellen; I agree,,, As they say; "out of sight, out of mind" I put a slightly dirty Griswold away for a while, it wasn't ruined, but it didn't help. I brought it back to life with 'Wet-or-dry' paper; 240 grit. I could have used, or followed up with 400 grit, but 240 made it look really spiffy. 'Wet-or-dry' can be found at any auto parts store, Just ask (it usually comes in sheets like sandpaper). Cut it, don't rip it. Good luck, and have fun
@@ellenarchambault8526 OMG!! I woulda lost my religion, and my shit over that!!! That's criminal!! I take my cast iron seriously since its been in my family for generations.. my great grandmother owned some of those pans..
My grandma's was in her cabinet for over 20 years unused. 2 of them, and not any rust at all whatsoever and we're used for many decades. I snatched them when I went over to keep some of her belongings before house was sold. I still never used them for years. Still were great. Then I brought them in my camper van doing a few years of travel and Florida's heat etc freaking ruined them with rust. I was jaw dropped when I saw them. The rust is 10 times worse than those in this video. I'm going to try to save them. I just regret not ever cooking on them before, but it creeped me out having childhood memories of her making my bacon and eggs on them amongst other things and she's deceased now. I'm just sensitive that way
I have used the sea salt and tater trick works awesome . Its a real small old pan someone was throwing away. I use it on my BBQ grill to Cook Bacon for burgers.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you so much for this! I'm new to cast iron. I purchased an old one with rust and crud all over it. I was debating on oven cleaner, but I'll keep it safe and do it this way instead.
Thank you for sharing this process, my son set my cast iron skillets outside, some were my grandmother's, dad's and mine, I want to revive them, could not remember how till I saw this process again, thanks again, not all is lost
Well, I had a vintage bean pot that needed this treatment and I really didn't want to go the sand blast route. Again, thank you kindly for the tips. - Marc Stauffer Enterprise, Oregon
THANK YOU, I just wanted to ssy, this has to be the the most thorough video I've have yet seen on cast iron skillets. Very wel done, and you discussed the pros and cons of sand blasting. Again thank you.
Kent, Thanks to you, I just saved a made in the USA Lodge brand pan! I thought it had terminal rustitus, but it was healed and lives anew. Appreciated. Keith
Thanks again Kent and Shannon for another great tutorial. You're my Go-To channel for anything related to cast iron cooking or maintenance. I've tried your methods and they work. Nuff said. I've got three pieces of brand new Lodge cast iron cookware. The inside finish is nothing like my much older Lodge, Wagner and Griswold pieces sooo, I'm going to take my time and follow your advice three more times because I want all of my cast iron to be in the best possible shape. God Bless. Stan
I am a machinist by trade, and the metal we make in the USA is of a lot higher quality than overseas stuff. I'll make the same part with imported v USA steel and you can tell a HUGE difference in the way it cuts and how the stuff comes out. I'm a liberal city dweller so no bias here. Cast iron pans are super cheap lol, just buy a new one if its so rusty 30 mins in Bertha won't save it hehe. The Lodge brand ones are like 15 bucks i think. Ooo I never though of sandpaper. That's a really good idea. Cowboy Kent, you are like the Southern Mr. Rogers. Especially for people that like to cook yummy food for their families.
Kent, well heeled aren't ya? After 35 yrs faithfully married, I never argued with her! I learned in our 1st year married, "If momma ain't happy - nobody's happy!" and besides women know their men while we go on about our business of knowing how to provide! They learn how to win an argument, it's one of the first things they study! hahaha
I don't know how UA-cam knew I needed this, I wasn't actively hunting for help with my castiron skillet, but it's been on my mind. I have one that I bought brand new, I think I cooked in it once, then I let it sit, and sit... and sit. Depression doesn't care about stuff like that, and so it sat, with water in it, for longer than I care to mention.
As it's coming up on New Years, I've been trying to come up with some resolutions that I felt like I could successfully tackle. Saving that skillet it the first thing I wrote down. Then, same day, I see another of your videos showing up in my feed for no reason. It was how to clean the skillet. I liked your presentation, and decided to see if you could help me. I went to your channel, and in the search box, I just typed in "rust" and this video came up. I've watched it three times now. First time I wanted to see what you had to say. Second was to soak the information in. Now I'm taking notes and going through the steps. I have to tell you, before this, I was preparing myself to toss it. I did NOT think it could be saved. Now, I'm thinking I got this. Going to take me a couple of days, but I feel good about the skillets chances.
I know this is an old video, and no one will likely see this, but I wanted to thank you anyway.
How'd it go?? Were you able to salvage the skillet? Inquiring minds need to know 😁
@@rosemarie7959 I actually did! It took several days worth of dedicating time to it, but it's usable now.
I want to add American skillets didn't say made in USA until 1960s. I once saw these two 10 inch skillets on the curb wasting away. They were three notch lodges (made in Tennessee) from the 30s or 40s only marking on it was a number 5.Lady said she had evicted some renters and they had left those two skillets out hoping somebody would take them. Looked worse than the ones in your video. I restored them, gave one to a friend. The one I kept has this beautiful spiral grain milling marks on the cooking surface. I fry eggs in it almost every morning. When is the last time you heard of somebody picking up a teflon skillet off the street! Cast iron is wonderful.
My #5 doesn't have company marking, but 3 dots at base of handle & no ring. $3 but needs restoration.
Probs cuz b4 then everything wz made in the USA & didn't have 2 identify 'emselves among a bunch of cheap imports :)
Those iron skillets came from my mom and dad. They were old looking and after they passed, I was evicted by my sister, so I left them on the curb for someone who collected junk, no knowing they still could have been used
Came back and they were gone to a new home. Thanks.
@@taylorwilliams4131 Hmm what r the odds...
I clean mine with vinegar and water soaked 3 days does wonders
I was iron deficient as a child and my doctor had me eating out of cast iron all the time... it worked wonders. My granny passed a few stored (rusty) pieces down to me and this video came in handy. Thank you Sir!
That's a 100% fantasy. That's like finding iron ore and chipping off a piece, consuming it thinking it is increasing your iron. That is absolutely NOT how your body works!!!
In order for you to assimilate minerals, you need FOODS high in iron or potassium or copper... etc. The plants or animals that we eat must have good diets too. Healthy, rich in nutrients soil and animals eating foods such as vegetation that is again rich in nutrients. Cattle for example, high protein beef has 9 amino acids, B6 & B12, iron, niacin, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.
@@sing2mebut his doctor told em to
One of the greatest abilities of a teacher is to fascinate his/her student.
I had no idea how interesting cast iron cookware could be.
My Grandma and Mom and all my aunties used to cook with cast iron and none of us kids were allowed to wash it, and I never understood the big deal.
I'm rewatching all of these tutorials and I'd like to personally thank you for teaching me.
This is important.
It needs to be passed down.
I grew up all over but my Dad was from Texas, he could cook anything on a stove top, but his weapon of choice was a 10" Cast Iron skillet. After my Dad pasted on I tried my hand at cooking, but I never Got a chance to ask my Dad how he cleaned his cast Iron. You have filled in the gaps in my learning . Thank you Kent for your insightful videos this is what I am going to pass on to my daughter on our upcoming camp out.
Thank you for watching
Kent, I just wanted to tell you, my 17 year old son found a 10 incher on the side of the road during a city wide clean up two years ago. He looked to see where it was made and brought it to me to show me his find. Now keep in mind, he was 15 at the time. Well he put it underneath the kitchen sink inside the cabinet. We promptly forgot about it until about a week ago. It had a fair amount of rust but it doesn't appear to be pitted or deep rust. He has been bugging the soup out of me (in a good way) to help him clean the skillet. I pulled up your video here and he was as happy as a billy goat with two billy sticks in mating season after watching the video. It had no sooner stopped playing that he grabbed his skillet and said, "WoW!, I just learned something useful and valuable and bolted down the stairs and into the kitchen to start cleaning his road treasure. We have a city-wide clean up here each spring where citizens can toss out ANYthing they want to get rid of. It's a funny site watching scavengers of all kinds roam the community looking for treasures. My boys look for cast iron pots (for their mom) tools and things of that nature. The 17 year old asked me twice what your channel is called while watching it. I told him and have subscribed to it and he will be subscribing as soon as he can get to his login. Keep up the wonderfully helpful videos. I am my sons have learned much from you.
Tom thanks so much for sharing and that does sound like a good scavenger, treasure hunt for sure, Be sure and tell your son thanks also
I have many GRISWALD and WAGNER cast iron pieces I bought in the late 40s and 50s . they were rusted from slightly to seriously . Using the heat,scrub, method over and over, then 4/0 steel wool and elbow grease, then seasoned properly in the oven, They are still perfect.
NO food is better than that cooked in cast iron. Thanks for this REMEMBERING SESSION.
Our pleasure
The 40’s omg how old are you 😂😮
@@lolitadiaz0113
She's probably 90 to 100! That's from the iron ya get from cooking in cast iron!! 😂😁🤣
Thank you Mr. Rollins for putting this out. I used your instructions in restoring a 12" skillet, a dutch oven and cover and a grill. You have saved my wife and I a few hundred dollars in replacement costs. I found all of these in an area of our house I hadn't been in a while. We are wanting to transition to cast iron cooking. The only things we did buy were a 10" skillet, and a griddle. Like you said in the video, just a little time and elbow grease.
Glad to help Greg
Inherited a vintage piece from my Grandmother. I noticed a soft, sticky spot on the bottom. Using dish soap didn't resolve it. Didn't want to season the pan until I resolved it. Grateful I found you. Have watched several of your cast iron care lessons. This one seems to have just the information I will need to bring this well loved piece of cookware back to life. Thanks so much for sharing.
So glad you found us, and it will help for sure
Wanted to say thank you for the tip. Sanded the bottom of my 10” pan and re-seasoned. What a difference it made, thank you again for the tip.
Glad to help
Helped clean out a garage that my husban's family had for 4 generations. It was a gold mine in old cast iron and all have rust. Thanks you for the help.
Sounds like you got the treasure
I am a reseller. I found three cast iron pieces (2 Griswold/1Wagner) that I wish to fix up and resell. I came across this video. You are amazing! Thank You! I cannot wait to fix up these skillets based on your advice.
November 2021 Kent your still the best.
All it takes is time, patience and a little hard work. Elbow grease we call it.
Every highschool student should spend a day doing this.
It would give them a sense of accomplishment and pride when they finish.
Ya.....I'm deamin
Totally agree with you on chemicals. Never put nasty stuff on your food utensils.
@Robert Mustain I think the intention was to point to the immediately-repellent, sensory-offensive type of chemicals as opposed to table salt or water. Also- not "Everything is a chemical." Don't be a pedant and also wrong at the same time.
The oven cleaner is for removing the old seasoning. It's lye based, and nutrualizes in vinegar. Give vinegar bath for a day after you scrubbed off the oven cleaner to remove the rust and it will be as bare as the day it was cast. When you buy an old skillet it's always a good idea to remove the old seasoning unless you know who owned it before and that it was only used for cooking. It is always a good idea to lead test pieces that you find out in the wild as well as many old timers used cast iron cookware to smelt lead to make bullets and fishing sinkers.
No idea about the lead thanks
I bought a Wagner Ware Drip Drop No.9 Cast Iron roaster last weekend at a yard sale for $8. It needs work, but it seems to be well within the bounds of redemption. I just needed to come back here for a refresher on the processes I previously learned from your videos. Thank you for the value you are giving through your UA-cam channel.
Glad to help
"yarn't not"........You are taking me back to my Ozark hillbilly roots. Don't stop because you are one of my favorite UA-cam channels.
Thanks Bud
hillbillys from the boyou or the mountains. this man looks like a desert born cowboy. little different
...Not Pennzoil.
I'm from Alabama but I now live in the Ozarks hills. Liked your comments
THAT SALT TRICK BASICALLY DID THE JOB!!!! Its LIKE EXFOLIATING! I WAS SATISFIED SEEING THE RUST LIFT UP!! THANK YOU SO MUCH I HAVE SO MANY CAST IRON PANS THAT I CANT LET GO TO THE TRASH💯 I BROUGHT A CAST IRON “ERASER” AND THAT DID NOTHING I WISH I WOULD HAVE SAVED MY MONEY AND WATCHED YOUR VIDEO
Thanks Kent! I bought a rusty lodge brand Dutch oven at a flea market for $12 and this video did the trick. You made a subscriber out of me!!!
I just revisited this video for working on a Wagner peice with rust I got cheap on Ebay... I was prepared to work my ass off today to get the rust off... The white vinegar and baking soda thing worked like a charm!!! Unreal how cleaned down to the metal it got my pan! Did two treatments so I could get the inner sides better... just rubbing the back side of the pan with a scrubby sponge wet with vinegar and baking soda (and a small amount of elbow grease) worked... Awesome!! Thank you again sir for being here!!! second round of seasoning under way!
Wagner is good iron and will make you a fine skillet
Probably the most educational video for dealing with rust i've seen because it doesn't just use extreme examples it starts with the minor to moderate level most newer owners like myself might encounter, so thank you for the help!
I have my great grandmother’s cast iron skillets and her tortilla griddle. My grandmother inherited them, and she passed them to my mom and my mom to me. I’m 66 now and I will pass them to my oldest daughter. I ended up with them because neither of my sisters were interested in cooking with them. There are 5 skillets and the griddle in all, and they were made in the 1870’s. I had to take rust off of one of them when I first got them. It wasn’t bad so it was pretty easy. They.cook better than any modern pan or skillet. My favorite is my 16” wide, deep skillet. Best chicken fryer there is.
That old iron is the best
Another great video....I'm cooking on cast iron pans and a large dutch oven handed down through the years from my great grandmother...they are all over 100 years old and look fantastic. I make "Cracklin' cornbread" in my deep skillet just like my granny did when I was growing up. My dutch oven puts out incredible beef stew or homemade "chicken and dumplins"
That old iron is the best
My husband's from Baton Rouge and ya' can't cook Cajun without cast iron! Thank you for the tutorial on how to reclaim badly used pieces. I'm taking a solemn vow to treat my cookware more tenderly. It serves me well, and I need to return the favor. Ya' done good, Kent.
Best cast iron care ever! I grew up with cast iron but never got seasoned pans so starting from scratch. your videos are great!
I pulled out my Mom's old cast iron pan from the 80s. It had about an inch of rust in the bottom. I did the rust removal wrong. This video helped me know what to do about it and remove the rest of the rust. I really appreciate this video. I think I'll sell it at a garage sale and get a stargazer, though, once I've seasoned it properly and cooked some bacon like you said to do. It will make a good, skillet to learn the basics before I go buy and expensive one. i can't wait to finish cleaning and seasoning it and cooking some cornbread in it.
I truly love your videos, I don't know what it is about you but you make me appreciate a big chunk of what I think is missing from our country. Thanks for the hard work that you put into these videos please continue to make them.
Thank you for watching
What is missing is right there in his title....cowboy and for what it stands
We once had a foundry in Sheffield, Alabama. I have lots of cast iron pieces. But, I have only been able to find the one skillet made here. It is said that their cast iron is one of the best . They also made wood stoves and heaters. Gone now , but just wanted to share. I have mom-in-laws and mom's passed down to me. One Wagner and I love them all. Not just skillets..dutch oven, roaster, etc. Love you video...just found you ...will look for more.! God bless !
Thanks Wanda and God bless you as well
Opps! Need to correct myself ...went to look at my skillet from "Sheffield"..it is actually from Florence Ala. as the two cities are separated from each other by the Tennessee river , I probably made a mistake. Mom is gone and I am 66 years young.. Ha, so to me it's all the same ..we are known as the Tri- Cities and including Florence ..Quad- Cities. Sorry, the foundry in Sheffield did make stoves and things and I believe they also made some skillets..I am now on a course for research of our cast iron. I really enjoyed learning from you and the Mrs. Rollins.
I've bought rusty cast iron skillets CHEAP, and took them home and restored them. I am still using them today. Bacon grease works well to restore them. You can also boil water in them, mixed with grease. The old cast iron is the best.
I LOVE cast iron cooking on a gas stove..................have a few dating back to the 1930's or earlier. Using these brings back fond memories of family. These pans are like old friends. Thanks for more info about caring for 'em. My Mother taught me a few tricks but your will help me keep them in even better condition!
Best thing to cook with
Omg this was so helpful 😩 My mother threw two of her cast-iron skillets away because they were really rusty. I purchased her another one and we used it for a Baked Macaroni & Cheese and my sister had it soaking overnight and when I woke up it was rusty. After this video it looks brand new. Thank you so much
Glad to help. Thank you for watching
I really like your channel. I am from Boise, ID... camping, fires, cast iron and BBQ is no strange thing to me.
Idaho is covered in farms, and i was a kid before California discovered us. Outside life was a thing, growing up. It is real good to see a more refreshing and sensible way of cooking. Thanks for spending the time Kent
Thanks so much for watching and Merry Christmas to you
Merry christmas to you, as well
Love it Kent! I'm reworkin my small amount of Lodge cast iron. I really got after it with my 1/4" die grinder to slick it up inside, but not too much. 100 grit, followed with 150 grit. But still left some toe holds
So I'm back reviewing your video's, while my pieces are cooling from a second day of seasoning. You give so much great info in your teaching presentations.
My Daughter cooks in her cast iron danged near daily, and has most of her 32 years of marriage, and 5 youngins. She won't allow anybody to touch her cast iron. LOL!
We gave her my Mother's Cast Iron many years ago now.
Thank You for your time and for Sharing your Knowledge. (And chuckles are much appreciated, too.)
Glad you enjoyed Sonny
Thank you Kent Rollins! I am going to be restoring a rusted out Lodge Dutch oven. Very excited. ITts gonna need to go in the oven. I am ever so thankful for your videos and all the hard work you and your wife put into it. God bless you and your family brother :)
Good tips Kent! I've loved my cast for all my life. Probably have at least 150lbs of it. For those that might decide to power sand their cast iron - please be very careful of the sanding dust. I once power sanded a skillet to smooth it out and breathed a bunch of the dust. Oh my gosh, it was worse than CS/tear gas. For a while, I seriously wondered if I needed to go to the ER. I don't know if it would affect everyone that way, it's just my experience. So, work outdoors, and wear an appropriate mask.
Great channel. Love all the tips and info. I’m in Australia and have been cooking in camp ovens for many many years. A method I’ve used for restoring cast iron is by submersing a piece in a mixture of 1 part molasses to 9 parts water. Let the piece soak in there for a few days or more. Hell I’ve even been really busy at work and left them in there for 3 weeks or more. Just have to stir the mix or turn the pot every day and top up with water if necessary. The cast iron will come out looking brand new and then just re season it.
Maybe 13 years ago, this video could have saved me a lot of trouble. I bought several very rusty cast iron pots at the local flea market. Most of them so old that "made in USA" had not been thought of when they were made. Everything was "made in USA" in those days, so nobody thought it necessary to stamp it into the mold. It was hard work to restore them but worth it afterward. Would have been half the work if I knew these techniques.
Mr Rollins just wanted to say thanks again. I followed your step by step instructions for seasoning. I seasoned them 4 times today with olive oil. Cooked super in two of them tonight they worked great. I'm going to try to tackle that bad pitted Wagner tomorrow evening. Thanks again.
Our pleasure Chad, thanks for watching
This is what I love about knowledge, spread it like a flame and it will never die.
Thanks Dan for watching
The vinegar and soda mix looks good to me. I'm going to try it. I have 3 cast iron pans that are 70 yrs old. My mom gave to me and I've had for 50 yrs. But somehow they got caught in a storm and rustle badly 10 years ago. I truly want to revive them. Thank you so much.
I was told my grandmother would throw her cast iron skillet in the wood burning stove every couple of years to get the burnt on grease off of the outside. Then re-season it. This would have been about 100 years ago(I'm 70). The old ways still work.
That they do
Oh goodness, Thank you. Just ordered some OLD cast iron pieces from Ebay that need love and tenderness. I'm so grateful for your know how. God bless you, Shan and the dawgs!! ♡
I've always used salt to clean my skillets like my Moma taught me. I have her 70 year old Wagner that is still cooking. However, when I was a little girl, there was an old Oakie that used to come work for us on the farm. He rarely ate in the house with us. He cooked in cast iron and I used to watch him use coarse sand to clean out his skillet before he put it away.
At least sand is better than penzoil haha
That's neat. As I was watching him, I was actually wondering if sand could be used in place of salt.
I've also seen sand used... pretty cool memory - comment by the way. ♡
Actually, pioneers DID use sand to clean with - gave me the notion to try using coarse salt - I had nothing else and whaddya know, it worked -- hadnt seen anybody else using that method til Kent doing it.
An old lady's daughter who was a family friend gave me two cast iron pans that belonged to her mom (passed away). When I got them, I thought they were pretty cool. I later did a little research and it turns out she gave me two American made collectible pieces: 1. Griswold #5 2. Wagner #8. After learning more about them, I'm in love with them and the history they hold. Some of the only cool and free things I've ever gotten in my life. I'm a happy camper.
I've used green scrubbers and dry salt as an abrasive for mild rust. I went to a vinegar bath for heavier rust after firing the pans. (put on high a high heat burner until the majority of the crud was burned off, allowed to cool then scrubbed again. In the end, I had black hands/fingernails for a week, but I had beautiful vintage Wagners from the 60's and a BSR from the 50's as well as two small lodge pans. Spectacular. They all work like new, are well-seasoned and non-stick. I loan a few things out, but NEVER my cast iron.
I might loan out my truck but never my iron
Kent I grew up on a farm my grandmother used cast-iron all the time decided to give it a try thank you for all your knowledge will keep watching God bless
Glad we could help and Hope you enjoy
About the vinegar and baking soda thing; vinegar is acidic and baking soda is alkaline, and the bubbling is from them neutralizing each other. It'd probably work better to just use one or the other. If you need it to be a paste, probably add the vinegar to cornstarch or flour, or just water to the baking soda. Using them *together* probably largely defeats the purpose.
Kent, one of the skillets in our troop trailer was sitting there all rusty, I brought it home and then back to life. It cooks great. Very smooth. When I was looking at the bottom, it had the name WAPAK on it, did a Google search, found out it was a company that went bankrupt in 1926! That means this great skillet is no less than 93 years old! WOW.
It will out last us all if taken care of, Thank you for watching
Shared this to my brother who was asking me how to clean his rust up. I love the work you guys put in as a team keep it up!!!
Thanks so much
My brother and I have been restoring some iron my mama been collecting over the yrs and didn't get around to restoring herself. Some are wagner's and some are very old. I had to and I do mean had to put them in my self cleaning oven or I would have really been in for it, lol. Now, when I was growing up she used to boil apples til all that gunk came out but I just can't afford $100 worth of apples as I have around 10 skillet to restore. We have been using the vinegar but didn't know about the baking soda. Kent you're a treasure 😌. Tyfs God bless you
Thank you Kent, I have passed up many pans at garage sales cause they were so rusted. Now I know what to look for, and how to fix them. Keep up the good work and thanks a lot.
Found a lot of bargains that were rusty
You are the best and I love your accent an your honesty Just so you know I did the self cleaning by mistake and that pan came back as good as new then I seasoned it ,it belonged to my grandmother and I still use it nearly every 2-3 days . I am 72 years old a little younger than the pan haha Thank you and God bless you and your wife
Thank you Linda and God bless you
Kent, There is one more method that you may not have heard of. I learned this one from Shopsmith. Yes woodworkers use cast iron too! For a really really bad skillet, get a tub or bucket big enough for the skillet with a lid. Put in the skillet and fill with enough water to cover the skillet. Take one large potato, dice it, and put in the water. Let sit for a week. Hold your nose and remove it from the water, brush and rinse it off. You should have no rust at this point. Respectfully, Kevin
What??? Why does this happen?
@@OneOfTenVirginssuper potato I guess lol. I’d try this but my skillet isn’t that badly rusted.
@@OneOfTenVirginsif I had to guess I’d say the starch bonds to the water and the acid breaks down the rust
I have used this method with a very rough piece of cast iron from Walmart. It did such a good job my wife said I didn’t need to get a Field skillet because it had been refurbished so well.
Great info. I found 3 old cast iron skillets small, medium, and huge. I am so excited to get them clean
Holy my goodness, you speak only the truth, Mr. Rollins! Thanks to your wisdom, a slightly rusted skillet from the Salvation Army has become my favorite cooking pan, from filet mignon to chicken stir fry. That season-every-time-you-use-it advice is key. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this. The seasoning tips I got years ago weren't good enough for the FL humidity and I didn't know how to remove a few tiny rust spots. Now, I'll be able to use my favorite pans again
Glad you enjoyed and thanks for watching
I lost my grandpa at a very young age. I always wonder what words of wisdom he would had passed down . I absolutely love this man ❤️
“Have a great day, above the grass!” Love it.
I just came across some Griswold cast irons, with maybe medium rust. Your channel was the first one I came to looking for tips.
Thanks for watching and glad we can help out
Thank you for the information. I just inherited my grandmother's old Lodge cast iron. I got a deep skillet with lid and a regular skillet. I hope I can bring them back to a usable state. They are all rusted. At least maybe I can clean them up well enough that they can look okay on my rack with my current collection.
With love and care and a little elbow grease they will work just fine
About 2 yrs ago I bought my first pots and pans set because we had just recently moved out of our in-laws house and into our own space. A small cast iron skillet came with it. I never cooked with one before and didnt know how to take care of it, I didnt even know you had to season it.. obviously because of the rust I wanted to throw it away but I couldn't bring myself to do so, so I saved them. Now I kinda wanna use them but they are rusty and I came across your video. I was so happy and it gave me a "homie" feel. At the end of the video I realized why lol. You look like a white version of my dad lol. He has the same body built, wears the exact same clothing style, has his mustache styled the same way, sombrero, boots, and even has a (mexican) country accent lol.. he loves cooking outside in his makeshift iron grill thing... Loved the video btw great information. Earned a new subscriber today
Thanks so much and I'm honored
Awesome video you two. I only cook with Cast Iron go figure a girl from California. Thank you for the lesson today I learned alot. God bless you two and the dog's ❤.
Thanks Tanya and God Bless you as well
McClary Driptop Spiders - made in Canada - are well made! I use my grandmother’s 1927 version every week.
That old iron is the best
I'd like to say thank you for all video's, I just joined the cast iron cooking family. I'v learned alot from you and can't wait to try some of your recipes. My new lodge cast iron is all smoothed out and reseasoned. Fried some bacon for breakfast. Clean up was easy and fast.
Best thing to cook with, Thank you for watching
Thank i so much !!!! I had been given a old old piece from my great grandmother... im sure it didn’t look like this when she had it... but it was in boxes out in the barn for yrs.. so im determined to save it !!!
Im Fixn to put all ur knowledge u share to use 🤠😇
I'm glad you posted this. I ran across an old Wagner that needs to be brought back to life. If it survives the fire, ill go ahead and show it some love :)
Kent, your method makes more sense to me. And, safer. I’m trying restore two little skillets (No 3 and 3 G), and a large skillet, which has “Made in USA” on bottom and No 8 10 5/8”. I can’t identify them, as there are no other markings anywhere. I used the self cleaning method yesterday and I can still see rust in the bottom cooking surface. I’m going to try baking soda and vinegar next. Thanks so much! You and Shannon do an excellent job together!! 💔🐾💔
Thanks Judy for watching
This motivates me to clean up my old cast iron skillet.
I have some of my mamaw’s cast iron skillets that need cleaned. I also have a cast iron Dutch oven that we found sitting in the back screened porch that is RUSTY!!! I’m not physically able to do all the scrubbing. I do however have a self cleaning oven! Never heard of this method so discovering your channel is a godsend! Can’t wait to try some of your recipes in my skillets 😍🥰
I did last method.I had old Swedish cast iron skillet ,more then 50yo and it was in bad shape.I just toss it in campfire until it got red hot then let it cool just a little then used wire brush.it turn out great after seasoning.my friend says he don't remember that pan ever being so nice like new.he said he remembers his mom (which is gone now)cooking on it when he was little boy scout .he was happy I just didn't throw it to scrap.(which was his plan)I used welding gloves I bought in home depot to handle it hot .
+bicanroman.....Caution!....NOT good to let cast iron get 'red hot' unless you know the proper ways to cool it. You may end up with something that looks good, but may be brittle.
I did the same thing like Kent,but I did it at night so I see it turn red .I bet after 30 minut in Berta it was red too.I don't know what proper way of cooling of cast iron is but I just let it sit till next day.(in summer) .it is nice thick Swedish cast iron.not Paula Deen's one 😄😄😄😄😄😄😄now I was googling about cooling hot cast iron and I can say I did good .but thanx for comment ,it made me actually interested enough to learn about it more .
Great video, thanks. I normally use the self clean and if there is stubborn rust, soak it overnight in white vinegar. Rinse and season. I find and re-sell a lot of cast iron this way and it always looks great. Once I bought an old Wagner Ware at an auction and the seller had tried to remove the gunk by soaking in (hang on to your hat) kerosene. Lord what a stink. Using the self clean and vinegar took care of it, but that was about the worst we have dealt with. I appreciate your videos - thanks again.
Thank you for watching
You’re awesome sir. I loved you in the show Chopped as well.
Blessings to you, and your family from San Antonio, Texas. 😀
Thank you Jessi for watching and God bless you as well
Kent I have to admit you speak a language an style I understand. I live here in Texas. a lil ole spot called Abilene , grew up on horseback...fixing fence post an chasing pigs. while being careful to side step rattler in your path. You are a true COW-BOY... Thank you for you video's
Thanks for watching
I've used a few of your tips from older videos, they worked well. My cast is in good shape now, thanks to you!
Glad they helped
Visiting my grandparents in the summertime we'd always go swim in the creek and have a weenie roast. My grandmother would often bring a cast iron skillet and place it in the coals of that fire to 'clean it up good'. Great videos Kent
Thanks for watching
Thank you, Kent! I found a nice old 9 inch Griswold at the antique store today. It's in pretty good shape. Looks like just a little bit of surface rust. I hope to be baking cornbread on Sunday.
A treasure, hope you enjoy it
Thank you Kent and Shannon! Ya'll have such a great channel! I hope a lot of young people see this and take heed. Cast iron is wonderful and will last for many years if you take care of it. But even if it wasn't taken care of, you can restore it most of the time. I have skillets, griddles (comal), and ovens that are at least 75 years old and been in my family for several generations. I love to cook with them and I know if the power ever goes out, I can still cook on a grill or campfire using my cast. :) Love your videos! Keep up the great work and God bless you both! :)
Thanks Jerry and God Bless you as well
I've used the course sea salt and oil technique to clean stainless steel. Both a skillet, and pots that I burnt rice or beans in. It works well.
I don't trust anyone's advice on cast iron care more than yours. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks so much
This is terrific, and is rock solid information. My granny taught me most of the things you demonstrate so well and this is like a much needed refresher course for me. Thanking you kindly.
Glad to help
I just absolutely love your channel💗 I found a dutch oven skillet in a free pile on my way home. The pot is not rusty but the lid is kind of rusty. Ill get the rust out and Im glad you showed me how. And that red shirt look so handsome on you. Thanks again😇
Thank you so much for watching
Found some old old cast iron handed down in my wife's family and is pretty rusty and i didn't know if it was able to be saved or not but after watching this im going to give it a shot
If its not cracked and its good quality made iron then they will come back to life
I have done that before it sure works a lot of people don’t no that I glad there’s a guy like you showing things like this my mother show me years ago After the salt treatments she always got hers you’re not really hot and put pig lard and aunts and took something and went in the circle always the same way and worked it into the metal and it didn’t stick or nothing you could cook really good food this is a great show thank you
Best way to prevent rust on cast iron. Cook with it constantly.
Ellen; I agree,,, As they say; "out of sight, out of mind" I put a slightly dirty Griswold away for a while, it wasn't ruined, but it didn't help. I brought it back to life with 'Wet-or-dry' paper; 240 grit. I could have used, or followed up with 400 grit, but 240 made it look really spiffy. 'Wet-or-dry' can be found at any auto parts store, Just ask (it usually comes in sheets like sandpaper). Cut it, don't rip it. Good luck, and have fun
Thomas Gronek Thanks. About lost my religion when my roommate washed my grandfathers 16 inch skillet in the dishwasher.
are you wrestling with a rust issue?
@@ellenarchambault8526 OMG!! I woulda lost my religion, and my shit over that!!! That's criminal!! I take my cast iron seriously since its been in my family for generations.. my great grandmother owned some of those pans..
My grandma's was in her cabinet for over 20 years unused. 2 of them, and not any rust at all whatsoever and we're used for many decades. I snatched them when I went over to keep some of her belongings before house was sold.
I still never used them for years. Still were great. Then I brought them in my camper van doing a few years of travel and Florida's heat etc freaking ruined them with rust. I was jaw dropped when I saw them. The rust is 10 times worse than those in this video.
I'm going to try to save them. I just regret not ever cooking on them before, but it creeped me out having childhood memories of her making my bacon and eggs on them amongst other things and she's deceased now. I'm just sensitive that way
I have used the sea salt and tater trick works awesome . Its a real small old pan someone was throwing away. I use it on my BBQ grill to Cook Bacon for burgers.. 👍🏻👍🏻
Steve O good idea
Thank you so much for this! I'm new to cast iron. I purchased an old one with rust and crud all over it. I was debating on oven cleaner, but I'll keep it safe and do it this way instead.
yes better safe than sorry
You just helped me save my pan. I'm down to the silver in it. God bless y'all
Thank you for sharing this process, my son set my cast iron skillets outside, some were my grandmother's, dad's and mine, I want to revive them, could not remember how till I saw this process again, thanks again, not all is lost
Well, I had a vintage bean pot that needed this treatment and I really didn't want to go the sand blast route. Again, thank you kindly for the tips. - Marc Stauffer Enterprise, Oregon
Thanks Marc for watching
I agree with you about no oven cleaner. To toxic for cast iron. The self clean oven trick works great. Thumbs up, Lou.
Thanks Lou for watching
THANK YOU, I just wanted to ssy, this has to be the the most thorough video I've have yet seen on cast iron skillets. Very wel done, and you discussed the pros and cons of sand blasting. Again thank you.
Thanks for watching and they are the bet thing to cook with
Thanks Kent. Just used the oven and baking soda/vinegar method. Worked great. Now I'm off to the seasoning video. Thanks for being there.
Kent, Thanks to you, I just saved a made in the USA Lodge brand pan! I thought it had terminal rustitus, but it was healed and lives anew. Appreciated. Keith
Thanks Keith so much for watching
Thank you for this video, you helped me save skillets that have been in my family for 3 generations now. Keep 'em coming.
Glad to help and Thanks for watching
Thanks again Kent and Shannon for another great tutorial. You're my Go-To channel for anything related to cast iron cooking or maintenance. I've tried your methods and they work. Nuff said.
I've got three pieces of brand new Lodge cast iron cookware. The inside finish is nothing like my much older Lodge, Wagner and Griswold pieces sooo, I'm going to take my time and follow your advice three more times because I want all of my cast iron to be in the best possible shape.
God Bless.
Stan
Thanks Stan and that old iron is the best thing. Hope all is well my friend
I am a machinist by trade, and the metal we make in the USA is of a lot higher quality than overseas stuff. I'll make the same part with imported v USA steel and you can tell a HUGE difference in the way it cuts and how the stuff comes out. I'm a liberal city dweller so no bias here. Cast iron pans are super cheap lol, just buy a new one if its so rusty 30 mins in Bertha won't save it hehe. The Lodge brand ones are like 15 bucks i think. Ooo I never though of sandpaper. That's a really good idea. Cowboy Kent, you are like the Southern Mr. Rogers. Especially for people that like to cook yummy food for their families.
Great tips! Everybody should try to keep that old cast iron alive!
My wife tried the salt, oil, & potato on a rusty lodge Dutch oven and it worked great!
It does a great job, Thanks so much for watching
Kent, well heeled aren't ya? After 35 yrs faithfully married, I never argued with her! I learned in our 1st year married, "If momma ain't happy - nobody's happy!" and besides women know their men while we go on about our business of knowing how to provide! They learn how to win an argument, it's one of the first things they study! hahaha