Restoring cast iron

[Irving]

We've talked a lot on here about cast iron cookware and how to build up a seasoning and general care. I've got a pan where the seasoning has "chipped" off, and I didn't know what to do about it, so I set it aside for about a year. I remember AlohaShooter saying that he used to throw cast iron pots in the camp fire to reset them. I wanted to verify for myself that this actually works, and I'm happy to report that it worked and did exactly what I needed.

You can see how the seasoning was coming off. I don't know that it made this skillet unusable per say, but looking at it, no one wanted to use it.






Here you can see the seasoning coming right off. It looks pretty similar to the way impurities flake off of iron when blacksmithing.


I took it out when it looked like this.


Immediately out of the fire, it looks pretty gross and I wasn't confident at this point.


Cleaned up with a wire brush. You can see several dark spots on both sides of the pan. In the photos it may look like that is left over seasoning, but everything is very smooth. It is just discoloration that is not noticeable when feeling the surface.



Here it is next to my "antique" skillet. You can tell that it has grayed out quite a bit. I vaguely remember all these cast iron pans looking more gray when I first got them and cleaned them with the wire brush. That deep black color comes back with use.


It took some rinsing, both with water, and rubbing in oil to get the dull red rust out, but eventually it stopped turning the paper towels red. Here it is with a good layer of oil on it, and it already looks a bit darker.


I coated the pan in oil and put it in the oven at 350 for about an hour to restart the seasoning. The virgin run was some Costco hashbrowns and everything worked great. Those dark marks are in color and do not extend above the surface. I've made a few eggs, bacon, and more hashbrowns in the skillet and each time everything slides right out as intended and the pan cleans up very easily. This was a big success. Thanks AlohaShooter for the idea.

[JohnnyEgo]

Very nicely done. Putting them in the oven and then running 'Self Clean' will also do it if you don't have a campfire handy.
If you hadn't already started the seasoning process, I would have hit it with 220 grit sand paper in an electric sander.
Old school cast iron was usually ground or polished smooth, which made things stick even less. Lodge doesn't do this, and I don't blame them for the ridiculously low price they sell their skillets at. But 15 minutes with a sander can make a $25 Lodge smoother then a $250 Le Crueset.

[Irving]

That's a great tip! The "antique" skillet in the pictures is very smooth and wonderful to use.

[fly boy]

We just dug out our skillet from the panty and are going to start cooking on it more. I only cooked up some sausage in it, didn't season the pan or anything. I will have to try sanding it tonight and make it super smooth before I start cooking with it.

What's the best method for after use cleaning? Clean immediately after cooking, after dinner with some soap and water, dishwasher, let dry over night and wipe out? how do I keep it clean?

[Irving]

You're not supposed to use soap, but some will argue that detergents are so weak today that it doesn't matter.
Water is okay, use a scoring pad (not one with soap). For light duty cleaning, I just wipe out with a paper towel. If there is light gunk stuck to pan, shake some salt in the pan, then scrub with a towel and oil. Then just wipe the salt and crud out and you are done. The salt acts as the scour pad.

Olive oil stays to burn at around 200 degrees, so while it's more healthy, it burns off before it can really help season your pan.

[00tec]

I use hot water and a brush on mine. If something is stuck on, I dump in some salt to brush around.
No soap or dishwasher.

[CS1983]

High temp applied rapidly (like throwing it in a fire) can warp pans and change tempering to where they crack. Self-clean can work, but again... high heat. The key with that is to put them in the oven with gradual temp increase and then let them cool down naturally, not rapidly from oven to air.

I personally just take a wire brush attachment to them w/ the cordless drill, clean well with soap and water and or a vinegar solution, and repeat if necessary. I then season.

Some folks find electrolysis works well. Others use vinegar solution.

[CS1983]

When I buy new or used cast iron I take out a grinder and grind the entire thing smooth. Every surface I can hit. Then I use a mandrel on a drill. Then I use a palm sander with varying grits. Finally I use my bench buffer to buff any surface I can get with it. We use cast iron everyday for cooking. Ours is slick like store bought teflon cookware. Without the teflon in your food. They also clean up much easier since I sand the outsides as well, very little sticks.

This is why I have several older pieces. The machining on the old ones was immaculate. Smoooooooooooth. Lodge is like a gravel road compared to the old stuff.

[Monky]

I was on Amazon last night and for some reason a 'chain mail' cleaning 'rag' popped up for cast iron. When food bits get caked on, I typically use coarse salt and water.. but this chain mail thing might be something to try.

I don't have much luck with cast iron.. I can't get them to stay seasoned and I don't use soap on them.. I'll have to try the reset thing with a camp fire... that or self clean in the oven.. those are about the only things I haven't tried.

I don't even try to do eggs in the iron.. My pans hate me.

[CS1983]

What are you doing for seasoning?

Bacon fat works nice. Seasoning is a multi step process. Also, what are you using for a spatula? A good, flat spatula works well to keep from scraping up the seasoning.

ETA:

On electric ranges, lower heat is better. In fact, always start lower than you might think. One thing I've noticed is that lower heat = less sticking and still cooks well.