Your traditional cast-iron skillet may get extra-dirty after a night of use, or your enameled cast-iron skillet might appear stained. Dont be alarmed! We have the solutions for all that and more.
How to Clean an Extra-Dirty Skillet
If your skillet has stubborn stuck-on food or is a little rusty, the best fix we’ve found is to scrub it with kosher salt. Start by rubbing the pan with fine steel wool (we normally don’t use steel wool on cast iron, but it’s necessary when you’re dealing with serious grime). Wipe out the loose dirt with a cloth and pour in vegetable oil to a depth of 1⁄4 inch, then heat the pan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1⁄4 cup of kosher salt. Using a potholder to grip the handle, scrub the pan with a thick cushion of paper towels (hold the paper towels with tongs to protect yourself). The warm oil will loosen any remaining crud, and the salt will have an abrading effect without posing any danger to the pan’s seasoning. Rinse the pan under hot running water, dry well, and repeat, if necessary.
Im having a problem seasoning my cast iron skillets and Im hoping you can help. I have both and 8 and a 10-inch Lodge skillets and once they start to look dull, and as though theyve lost their glossy finish, I re-season them. I follow the instructions on the lodge.com site yet they never come out of the oven looking right! They still have dull, blotchy spots and I cant figure out what Im doing wrong. I make sure to first scrub them with hot, soapy water and a stiff-bristled brush before drying them completely with paper towels. Ive tried canola, vegetable and even unrefined coconut oil.
Im really hoping you can help me and shed some light over what Im doing wrong!
Why Is My Seasoning Splotchy?
Why is my cast iron seasoning splotchy?
An uneven seasoning issue on cast iron is really annoying. You may have given your best to season it properly. Chances are, you’ve tried everything, but nothing seems to work. Even after seasoning the pan many times, the surface still has an uneven finish. The food sticks, and it results in cast iron seasoning splotchy.
Why is my cast iron pan splotchy?
Uneven cast iron seasoning will make your pan look splotchy or patchy. Some areas may appear shiny and black while others are dull and gray. You may also notice sections that feel rough, sticky, or raised, instead of the whole surface of the pan being smooth and uniform. Here are some examples of cast iron pans with uneven or splotchy seasoning:
Why is my cast iron sticky after seasoned?
Another reason your cast iron may be sticky after you’ve seasoned it is because the pan did not accept the seasoning. If you try to season a cold pan, it will create a sticky residue rather than allowing the oil to soak into the iron as it would if the pan was hot.
Why does my cast iron pan keep flaking?
To fix this problem, make sure the entire pan has a very thin coating of oil on it and wipe off any excess. Re-season one or two more times at the appropriate temperature for the oil used (see chart above) for an hour. Why Is The Seasoning Coming Off My Cast Iron Pan? Sometimes, you might notice bits of seasoning flaking off your cast iron pan.