Food Stuck to Cast Iron? Here is How to Clean It.
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- Опубліковано 7 чер 2023
- Food Stuck to Cast Iron? Here is How to Clean It.
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Yes, excellent tip. We used to clean stainless steel and aluminum fry pans in the restaurant this way and continue to use the cookware versus soap water and reseason.
( salt in oil is non dissolvable many probably don't realize)
I also keep a small pot of water on the stove when using cast iron, stainless and carbon to deglaze right after cookware usage.
✌😊
Instantly hit the subscribe button after this worked on my cast iron griller. Almost damaged my cast iron by brushing it with scouring pad and soap- still did not get rid of the build up. Tried to reseason but the building up started bubbling so i searched for a way to remove it and saw this video. Thanks for saving the day ❤
I thoroughly enjoy everything you teach me Helen. Beholden for your knowledge and time you take to teach us.
Genius, thanks for making a seperate video. Was at my wits end wondering how to clean them without soaking!
My mom taught me that trick ages ago, I had forgotten it until now. Thanks Helen!
What a terrific tip! Thank you so much. This is one I could definitely use too!
Thanks! This was a great share. I will try this tomorrow on my one favorite pan that gets "trashed" all the time.
Wow, thank you so much, this video is truly a hidden gem of information. From time to time I have struggled with cleaning both my Cast Iron pan and my Carbon Steel pan and there is always the threat of chipping or wearing down the coating and exposing the metal to water. It's just a fact of life that sometimes food gets stuck onto the pan and it can't be removed using conventional methods that work most of the time but not always and that's the problem. Your method addresses that exact issue and, it's so obvious that I'm ashamed that I never figured it out on my own.
This is so helpful! I can see doing this when a bit of oil leaves a sticky residue on my cast iron because I didn't clean well enough with the metal chain mail and hot water.
Thank you! That was a nice and short informative video, and one that I've needed.
The oil tip is genius, thank you
Awesome tip, Helen!
Brilliant tip! I’ve used salt for years but it always dissolves in the water. Never crossed my mind to use oil. THANKS!
Thank you, Helen! A big fan from Toronto 🇨🇦
Thanks, that makes all kinds of sense.
I usually have my cast iron pan clean even before I sit down to eat. The more I use it and clean it like this, the more non-stick it becomes. If things do stick, I heat it on the burner and simmer water, salt, and oil to deglaze it. Wipe it dry and smear a super thin coating of olive oil. Done.
Thank you, very informative and simple. I just started using a cast iron pan and it is intimidating!
Thanks, Helen, actually very helpful.
Thank you for this information! I unfortunately had cast iron pan with a food stuck that chain mail could not get off. I tried the oil and salt. It worked great! Did I say a big thank you!!
Thanks. Will try it.
My usual technic is different: pour in some whater, drop a bit of vinegar, turn the stove onto medium heat and when it starts to bubble, I use a cleaning brush and everything comes right out.
I do almost the same. I don't add any vinegar, just water. I'll let it boil for a minute or two and then sit while I finish the clean up. I then use a mild scrub brush to clean off any stuck food.
My favorite cast iron has some buildup around the outer edge. I think I'll try the salt and oil on that part to get an even coating on the pan.
Thank you so much! Greetings from Brazil to you. 😊
Thank You! This worked like a charm on my new griddle which had egg residue after first use!
Excellent tip. And yes, I did miss it in all your other videos I watched. Thanks.
Wow! I just sat down after a lengthy struggle to remove some stuck food from my cast iron griddle. Now I know what to do for next time! 🙂🙂👍👍
Works great for getting the coating off new woks, too!
I have used every method some with a little variation that is listed in theses comments. I do take one extra step if I use water or any cleaning agent ie; vinegar. I like to complete the drying by heating on the stove then I apply a very fine layer of oil to the interior. Occasionally to the exterior as well if it doesn't look quite right.
Thank you Helen, so helpful!!
Excellent tip, thank you!
Great tip! Thnx so much.
Thanks Helen, I bet your classes are fun to attend.
jesus what a GOOD IDEA! that's amazing! I'll make sure to do this.
I actually do the same thing but with dry salt and a paper towel, works like a charm. And in my experience it is also much better when it's heated up.
Perfect timing - I just got some gungalunga on my comal last night and was trying to figure out how I should approach cleaning it!
Helen, you're the GOAT.
Cookware therapy rocks.
Cookware therapy?! That's exactly what I need lol!
Thank you!!!
Thank you!
Thanks for the great tip! I have a new carbon-steel wok that needs to be well seasoned and this should help!
You shouldn't clean the wok like this. Watch how Chinese cooks handle their Wok.
I clean my cast iron griddle by sprinkling a generous amount of baking soda on it, letting it sit overnight then just adding dish soap and gently scrubbing with a sponge. Baking soda works wonders on all kinds of surfaces.
Brilliant!
Thanks! 😊
Thanks for this.
Any thoughts on using steel wool to smooth a rough pan?
I saved a la cruset from a rubbish bin.
Great THANKYOU!!!!!
I start with a grill scraper to get the bigger chunks off. I use a plastic dollar store scrub brush and scrub it out with dawn power wash. If that food is really stuck on I use a stainless steel wool and scrub lightly. If it's really really stuck on I scrub hard with the wool which will sometimes take the finish down to gray metal. I cook with my cast iron 5 days a week.
No offense but I had used to use the salt trick for a few years and found it ineffective and messy.
I season every time over my range by wiping a little oil on and letting it smoke off with the range hood on. I'll send you a pic of my cast irons if you want to see the finish.
Also, for mild stuck on food, you can use a scraper made by Lodge and some hot water!
For mild stuck on food, I put a 1/4" of water in the pan and let it boil for a minute. I then let it sit, usually while I finish the other dishes and other cleaning chores. It will almost always come off with just a mild brush.
Do not add soap to the water. Just plain tap water is all that is needed. If that doesn't work, you probably need to give an extra Hail Mary or two and repeat the process.
Salt is great for scrubbing anything. You can use salt and just a bit of water to get coffee stains off the inside of a coffee pot too. Totally clean and no soap taste in the coffee!
thank you, xo
Hello
@user-dc6yt5fi7y
"Salt does not desolve in oil"
Ohhhh. Yeah, that makes sense. And I, the Dingus I am, tried salt with very little water and wondered that it didn't work.
By my beard, thank you kindly.
Great tip. Bal'shoye Spasiba.
Also soap works great if you use non abrasive sponge
Yay!
Interesting, I've never tried using oil with salt. When salt alone doesn't work, I heat some water in the pan and scrape with a bamboo spatula. If that isn't enough, then I use warm water and chainmail. I also try to scrape the pan with a diner spatula as soon as I'm done cooking, while the pan is still hot.
I prefer using a chain mail scrubber on CS, cast iron and stainless on a warm pan under warm running water.
Does this work with stainless steel pans and carbon steel woks?
Helen: the start of so many dishes begin with onions. Maybe you could explain why that is. What is it about onions that make them so universal?
I've got a lot of sticky cast iron and never knew this!
Does this work on aluminum pan?
I'm about 3 times meaner to my cast iron, and I even use steel wool on it. It is still more non-stick than my carbon steel. :)
@Helen Ronnie I realize physical beauty is skin deep and all, but I must say that you remind me so much of Ingrid Bergman! Perhaps a perfect cross between she and her daughter Isabella. My Mom loved to watch her movies back in the day. Mom was born in 1920, so Mom was only 5 years younger.
Anyway, thanks to seeing your video, I think my husband (of almost 43 years) and I will watch an old movie tonight!
Does a pan scraper take off the seasoning? That’s what I use to get rid of burnt on bits when I don’t want to deglaze the pan
You can, in theory, chip away parts of the seasoning when it is not solid enough. But with enough layers that problem becomes obsolete. Honestly, I do the same with a metal spatula, because I can't be bothered otherwise. But Helen's tip I surely try.
Is the paper towel really necessary? Couldn't one use a simple sponge instead? (One without any harsh scrubbing side, of course)
Great tips I love your accent and your easy on the eyes keep up the good helpful videos thanks
I recommend using a cotton cloth instead of paper towel. Tougher and won’t shred.
what about cooked rice thats almost impossible to get out?
Would sand work too? I can see the point of oil on a cast iron, but I'm not sure what salt adds to this method beside being an abrasive.
if you have some sand sitting around in your kitchen, go for it ;) salt is just an abrasive
That's actually genius, I didn't know salt doesn't dissolve in oil!
..and smoking a sliced onion on it afterwards to re-coat the steel? I saw a chef doing this once after cleaning the griddle, and wonder if this is a legit step. I assumed that the juices from the onion re-converted the damaged parts...
How did you know I was dealing with this issue??
Wouldn't it be easier and less messy to simply use a chain mail scrubber? Contrary to what some believe, it doesn't ruin the seasoning.
I use the chainmail scrubber and love it, but I could definitely see this being helpful for those who don't have one or if you're really cautious about the seasoning wearing off.
Salt is a finer abrasive and works better for me. The paper towel cleans as you go. Chainmail gets you started if you have a lot of buildup and salt would take too long. Fine chainmail is too delicate.
I use a plastic scraper, then chain mail with hot water followed by salt method if necessary. Then rub oil on surface.
Instructions unclear. My hauberk now smells like chili oil.
I use steel wool, detergent and hot water from the tap. It's fine. Unless, of course, you soak the pan in water and detergent. Afterwards I dry the pan with paper towels, put it on the stove on medium for ~10 minutes, turn off the stove, add a splatter of oil and rub it in with a paper towel, and then leave the pan to cool down completely. One of the cast iron pans I've got I've inherited and it's like 100 years old, no rust, no anything, perfectly non-stick and works like a charm.
I do the same. It’s so much easier and makes it mostly like cleaning any other pan. Nothing wrong with the salt method, but if I have to do that consistently, it’s way too inconvenient. I would stop using the pan.
@@shigemorif1066 Yup, it's like a minute or two of hands-on time, the rest is just waiting. I've tried salt and it works well as well, but this is easier and works fine.
I deglaze the pan with hot water and then after dinner, wash the pan in hot water & very mild dish soap, rinse, heat pan on stove to dry, turn heat off and rub with a tiny bit of oil, same as others. Glad to know the oil & salt method for occasional use.
I use the exact same method - ours pans are 100 yrs old, too & one in particular gets almost daily use - this works like a charm. Salt method is great, but too intensive for daily cleaning, IMO.
chainmail and soap work just fine for me
I just boil water and scrub a bit.
Its didn't work on my grill pan cast iron
Definitely a great tip!
I definitely do not recommend salt becase it will create ionization points and increasing the speed of rust on your cast iron pan. Thats why iron and steel structure rust faster the closer to the ocean they are.
Well, but the cast iron is seasoned and that makes a barrier and prevents ionisation, right?
@@TheAllMightyGodofCod to some extent yes but you would be using the salt to sand it down essentially opening up small pockets of ionization
@@ElementalRadiation I am taking her word that the salt doesn't compromise the seasoning... If you look in the comment section, you will see that I use a diferente method
@@ElementalRadiation The salt is an abrasive. However, it is much softer than the cast iron or cast steel and harder than the cooked on food. it won't scratch the base metal.
Oxidization requires air (oxygen) in order to rust. By seasoning the pan, that acts as a barrier to the base metal to prevent any oxidation. If there is any salt residue between the oil seasoning and the base metal then O2 can not reach the metal and the salt can not act as an electrolyte. However, as with any cleaning agent, it should be cleaned off with plenty of water and dried before seasoning the pan.
In theory, you might be right, in practice; this is clearly a non-issue. Mechanistic speculation isn't real world evidence.
Here's a tip: Don't buy lodge pans or skillets.
They claim their rough finish is to help the seasoning stick better. In reality it's just that they moved to a cheaper casting sand a decade or two ago, and to keep costs down they don't properly finish the pan by sanding.
Smithey makes amazing skillets, if expensive ones.
I have a lodge and stargazer. Both work fine. I think lodge is a fine choice.
In reality every serious review and user of Lodge cast iron say they work just fine. In the end it doesn’t matter what spin lodge has for the rougher surface, or what actual reason there is for it. So, here’s a tip, If you need cast iron in any of the myriad shapes and sizes available from Lodge, but not from Smithey (or other high end cast iron makers), just get the size and shape you need from Lodge. If you are in the market for a pan in one of the sizes offered by Smithey, et al, go ahead and buy one from them if your means and budget allow, but if not, go a head and buy that perfectly serviceable pan from Lodge (or Victoria) and don’t give it another thought. Unless you are like me enjoy obsessing over such matter. Then buy the Lodge, and enjoy obsessing over that Smithey (or Stargazer, etc).
Just boil some water in it and then wipe it off and reseason.
Never. Never. Never. Never. NEVER use salt to clean cast iron at home.
Using salt is a restaurant trick to clean carbon steel pans BECAUSE the pan will be used again almost immediately.
(You don't believe me? Check the dishwashing station to see if they have a box of salt.)
If you store your cast iron with a coating of salt, it may react with other pans it touches & become pitted.
Don't use scouring pads or harsh chemicals to clean cast iron.
I prefer a stiff nylon kitchen brush & water.
Brush until you can no longer feel anything on the bottom of the pan.
MAKE A DECISION HERE: If you can still see a bit of oil on the surface of the pan, then dry the pan. You're done.
If it needs more cleaning, follow further directions...
Yes. You can use dish soap. It is an old wives tale not to use soap on cast iron.
If it is a choice between using soap or everything you cook tasting like fish, use soap.
Rinse. Drain.
Place on the burner and heat just until all the water is dissolved.
Turn off the heat. The pan is hot enough to season, but not hot enough not to smoke.
Add 1/2 tsp oil and spread over the surface of the pan with a paper towel.
When I say 1/2 tsp oil, I mean 1/2 tsp oil. You need a microscopic layer of oil. Too much oil will make the surface tacky.
You are looking for a matte finish, not a glossy finish.
Yes, you are reseasoning the pan, but you are an adult and you want your next dish to taste good, don't you?
Remove the pan from the hot burner and place it on a cold burner to cool.
Store when cooled.
Allow me to correct two lines:
Place on the burner and heat just until all the water EVAPORATES.
Turn off the heat. The pan is hot enough to season, but not hot enough to smoke
You would use soap but not salt? That must be why you have to use 1/2 tps of oil to season. When I season, I add a small amount of oil to a piece of paper towel and wipe it on*. I then bake the pan in the oven at 350 to 400 for 10 minutes. I then wipe out the pan with a clean dry cloth. I do that maybe every 10 or 12 uses.
*Lately I've been using avocado oil. Before, I would use beef tallow (hamburg drippings). The trick is to just wet the surface, not coat it. That is why 1/2 tsp is overkill. When using tallow I just wipe it with the paper towel. It melts into the paper as you wipe the hot pan. Too much oil leaves a sticky residue that will allow food to stick to the pan, regardless of how much oil you use in your cooking.
@@alanmcentee9457 That is an excellent way to season a cast iron pan the first time, but you should also occasionally season as you use the pan. You have found that it needs it every 10 to 12 uses.
Yes. Use soap.
If you make a milk-based sauce or cook a rice dish in your cast iron pan (rice LOVES cast iron) you will have to use soap to clean the pan.
Know how to touch up your pan's seasoning without having to bake it.
@@MM_Sheehan Soap (detergent) works on oils, not food. Boiling water in the pan will loosen any cooked on food better than any soap will. And it won't destroy the protective seasoning. The hot water helps the baked on food absorb the water and soften. Soap doesn't do that.
If you find your food sticking to the pan it probably isn't seasoned enough. Rice doesn't do well in cast iron because it is pure starch. It needs a constant movement to prevent the starch from drying out and sticking. Potatoes do the same. A liberal oil bath will prevent sticking, but rice tends to absorb the oil.
@@alanmcentee9457 I'm not going to fight about it. Keep doing what you're doing.
Ehh, don’t baby cast iron. I use steel wool practically every time I wash it. Just don’t go crazy scouring.
Not table salt - Kosher salt works MUCH BETTER.
Steam works best. Heat pan till it just starts to smoke, then run it under water as hot as your tap can get it and lightly scrub with a soft bristle brush. 1:05 You can literally see dull spots where you removed seasoning. Abrasives are abrasives, salt will strip your seasoning and the fact you think it won't demonstrates a lack of critical thinking on this issue, which is a shame because usually you don't just repeate standard information like it's law.
I bought one of these pans thinking it would be a good way to cook, what an absolute nightmare they are. You can't just clean it like a normal pan, which means it requires its own separate cleaning. All this nonsense about seasoning? I just want to cook food and eat it without all of this horse sh*t, I feel like throwing it away and buying a normal frying pan.
Отвратительный акцент. Училка английского в русской школе
Don’t put barkeeper’s friends in your video thumbnail if that’s actually what will strip away the seasoning.
That's salt!