How do you clean your cast iron skillets?

[Rizo-UK]

Just interested really, When I got mine I properly seasoned it etc and its great now, no sticking/burning. Eggs cook brilliantly on it.

Everyone I speak to thinks I'm mad in that I never ever wash it. I wipe it out whilst still warm and when it's clean I put a drop of olive oil in, rub round and just leave it at that. Perfect for the next use.

What do you all do?

 

[div0]

Allow pan to cool slightly, but while still warm
Rinse and wipe in warm water
Dry thoroughly
Re-oil with a paper towel
Store with a paper towel on top

 

[cainer]

mine goes into hot soapy water and gets a proper clean, i know its not a great thing to do with it but it doesnt get used much at all, maybe once every 2-3 months

 

[lookitsjonno]

dishwasher, probably not the best but it's only a cheap one anyway.

 

[Jonny69]

Scour it in hot soapy water. Apart from the griddle pan, I find cast iron skillets pretty disgusting when people just wipe them out. Nightmares from my friend's mum's one when we were teenagers and you'd get all sorts of black residue end up in your fry up and it would taste of whatever was cooked in it before because she just used to wipe it out and oiled it. Gross

 

[j.col]

i also give mine a good wash in soapy water, dry it, then oil it a little before storing

 

[Razor-BladE]

What does rubbing oil on it after you've cleaned it, and not just before use do?

 

[Rich_L]

I normally wash it out with hot water and a sponge, pop it on the hob for a couple minutes to get it nice and dry then rub on a spot of oil with a paper towel.

 

[lord filbuster]

What does rubbing oil on it after you've cleaned it, and not just before use do?

Helps stop it rusting i think.

 

[jimmy321]

Wipe with paper towel then wipe with a sponge and hot water.

If its really dirty I heat it up till its just started smoking then pour boiling water in to it, this will lift any residue but will also effect the seasoning a little it will still be non-stick though.

And I'm not taking the comments about using soap seriously

 

[doyll]

Wipe out and lightly oil. If need more use salt to scrub out with.

 

[charlaph]

My Mum taught me to use newspaper. That might have worked in ye olden times when newspapers were printed differently, but nowadays I use paper towels like others have said.

 

[DirtyJester]

I tend to keep my heated and add warm water from the kettle, boil it for a short while then rinse and wash with soapy water. This way you get most of the gunk off

 

[Craig1981]

I just lick them clean.

 

[boxman2000]

I normally wash it out with hot water and a sponge, pop it on the hob for a couple minutes to get it nice and dry then rub on a spot of oil with a paper towel.

This is what I do, seems to work well.

I just lick them clean.

When they're screaming hot of course

 

[SkeeterUK]

Are CI pans really that good to have if there so troublesome to clean and prevent rust and all that. Sure they can go really hot but is that it, is it really needed apart from searing steaks?

 

[Gilly]

De-glaze and then wipe out afterwards with paper towel.

 

[jimmy321]

Are CI pans really that good to have if there so troublesome to clean and prevent rust and all that. Sure they can go really hot but is that it, is it really needed apart from searing steaks?

They are no problem if you season and clean without using soap or scrubbing in fact you will have a non-stick pan that you can cut bacon in the pan without worrying about damaging the surface make great stir fries, cook eggs and on top of that make great steaks.

 

[mikester]

Wipe out and lightly oil. If need more use salt to scrub out with.

That's exactly the way to do it. No soap, ever. Oil to loosen bits of food, paper towel to wipe. Salt to scrub. If you do this properly the skillets will last longer than you will.