Cleaning Your Cast Iron Frying Pan

It is the age old question. "Should I clean my cast iron pan?"

The fear people have is that once you clean a cast iron pan with soap and water food will stick since soap removes the oily sheen. This leads people to only use their cast iron to cook certain foods. They don't want the taste of other foods to stick in the pan.

Pan Fried Chicken

The simple truth is that if you have a well cured pan to start with cleaning it lightly with soap and water is perfectly fine. How do I know? I have used the same cast iron pan for over twenty years. It get cleaned in the sink every time I use it.

So the key to using cast iron is to have a good quality pan and to have it well cured. There are cheep cast iron pans that are no good at all. Look at the name "cast" iron. The casting process provides a rough pan. These are sometimes sold and bargain camping stores. They are complete junk since the cooking surface is rough like 100 grit sandpaper.

A good quality pan has been machined after the casting process and has a smooth cooking surface. This is the only type of pan to buy. It might cost you but will be well worth it.

To cure a new pan, heat it up on the stove just until it is too hot to touch, handle and all. This will open up the pores in the steel. Remove from heat and while wearing oven gloves wipe the whole pan with vegetable oil. Let cool and wipe any extra oil off with a dry paper towel. Don't make the pan super hot because the oil will burn. Just make it too hot to pick up by the handle.

I use my pan for all kinds of food from eggs too bacon to burritos. I clean the pan in the sink and to remove the flavor in the pan I warm it on the stove and rub the cooking surface with vegetable oil and about two tea spoons of salt.

The important thing to remember with cast iron cookware is to keep it well oiled and avoid leaving wet. Rust is a killer for a cast iron pan. Also, avoid using the dishwasher to clean the pan.

Cleaning Your Cast Iron Frying Pan

Simple cooking is best. You can create a complex looking meal with far less effort then your guests will think. For more great cooking tips and free recipes visit http://kitchen-helper.com.

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