How to clean old cast iron dutch oven??

[Razorhunter]

Got an old cast iron dutch oven with lid that's been sitting in basement for years. There's a bit of mold growing inside, and spider webs etc. Slight bit of n surface rust on underside (underneath on the outside, no rust inside). Can this thing be salvaged? I mean, its cast iron, I would think so, but??? I only recently learned these things must be "seasoned", so I have no idea really. Thanks for any tips.

[fury413rb]

big electrolysis tank?

[Kenneth]

It's cast iron. It can be saved. There are plenty of tips from a google search. If you don't want it then send it my way.

[48J]

Start by removing the rust. Use a wire brush or good sand paper. Wash it down with soap and water and then dry it thoroughly. Wipe the dutch oven down with vegetable oil inside and out. Also, wipe the lid down with oil. Next, heat your oven to 350 or 400 degrees. Put the dutch oven in the pre-heated oven for about two hours. Let the dutch oven cool enough that you can rub another coat of oil on the interior and exterior surfaces and put it back in the oven. Repeat this four or five times. Include the lid in this activity. When this process is complete, you will have a well seasoned dutch oven. It will be almost as stick-resistant as a Teflon skillet.

After you use the dutch oven, clean it with a scrub brush designed to clean cookware. Wipe a light coat of oil on it and put it away until you are ready to use it again. Do not//not clean it with soap and water, only the brush and hot water.

You can re-season it any time using the method identified above. Cast iron skillets work the same way.

[aveisone]

Vegetable oil will work... if youre some sort of vegan hippy. Rub it with bacon grease or some other sort of delicious animal fat. Wipe it clean when you are done cooking with it. Never scrub with soap and water once the pan has been re seasoned.

[Zhurdan]

Easiest way to restore a cast iron pan? Scrub it, then put it in the oven and put your oven on the cleaning cycle. It works really well.

Then season as described.

[dmaxfireman]

After cleaning and once it is seasoned, when you are done cooking with it wipe out with a paper towel and use coarse sea salt and another paper towel as an abrasive cleaner to get all of the crusty grease out. Dump all the salt out once all of the crud is loose. Then heat up with some oil or animal fat and give it one final wipe. Then you are good to go for next time.

[llll1lll1]

I'll be trying the self oven cleaning method tonight!

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[Czecher]

Start by removing the rust. Use a wire brush or good sand paper. Wash it down with soap and water and then dry it thoroughly. Wipe the dutch oven down with vegetable oil inside and out. Also, wipe the lid down with oil. Next, heat your oven to 350 or 400 degrees. Put the dutch oven in the pre-heated oven for about two hours. Let the dutch oven cool enough that you can rub another coat of oil on the interior and exterior surfaces and put it back in the oven. Repeat this four or five times. Include the lid in this activity. When this process is complete, you will have a well seasoned dutch oven. It will be almost as stick-resistant as a Teflon skillet.

After you use the dutch oven, clean it with a scrub brush designed to clean cookware. Wipe a light coat of oil on it and put it away until you are ready to use it again. Do not//not clean it with soap and water, only the brush and hot water.

You can re-season it any time using the method identified above. Cast iron skillets work the same way.

That is pretty much my understanding of the proper sequence of events. Especially the part about not using soap to clean it later. I took a slightly different course by baking the item outside in my gas grill set at 400f. I discovered that the oil smoked up too much inside the house and the outdoor grill made more sense.

I'd be really curious to see how the self-cleaning cycle turns out. That should REALLY create some smoke but we'll see. Please report back.


Edit: I just remembered why I chose the grill idea....this link talks about all of the above and mentions the smoke factor.

[LMT Shooter]

Nothing seasons cast iron like a good fish fry. Tell us all when to stop by.

Some iron doesn't season well with certain methods, so don't get too upset if it ain't perfect after you use whatever method you choose. Using it REALLY seasons it. Like others said, no soap ever. I prefer the brush (really stiff bristles) & hot water for heavy messes & just wipe it out for light messes.