Deep Cleaning a Cast Iron Skillet
Brandon and I went to a campout back in October. We took a fold-out camper behind the motorcycle. When we got home, we never took out the items that stayed with the camper, like our bathroom stuff and kitchen equipment.
Nine months later, I needed much kitchen gear for Breanna and me to go on our twelve-day trip to see family. We were doing it budget-friendly, which meant we needed to cook for ourselves for at least a few days during the trip.
Our cast iron griddle was a wreck. One side looked good, but the flat side was very rusty. Naturally, I thought, “Okay, I’ve got to fix this, and I might as well tell others how to as well.” Here are my steps for cleaning a rusty cast iron skillet.
Just a heads up before you start: add tin foil to the bottom of your oven because, at the end, you will cook the cast iron upside down. You don’t want that grease getting on the bottom of the oven and causing your house to smoke!
Step 1: Scrub it down
I wet the Cast Iron, add soap, and then scrub it down thoroughly with steel wool.
Rinse afterward and check to see if there is any more rust.
Step 2: Dry Thoroughly
Dry with a towel- be it paper or hand towel.
Step 3: Keep Drying the Skillet
This time, I placed it in the oven at 350* F. and Let It sit for about ten minutes to ensure it was completely and totally dry, including any cracks.
Once you are finished here, turn the oven up another 100 degrees (to 450*).
Step 4: Reseason It
Add vegetable shortening in a thin layer to the cast iron. I use a paper towel for this.
Step 5: One Last Time in the Oven
Bake again for an hour this time. If you are cleaning a pot, pan, or Dutch oven, turn it upside down.
