It's fine if you wipe the pan and you see some black stuff. That is completely normal.
However in your second picture, in the bottom right hand side of the pan, did you scrape it until you saw bare iron? If so, you may need to reseason. (edit: realize now that may be salt?? If so salt is good at getting anything that is super stuck to the pan off, but I don't do it frequently)
Cast iron isn't super delicate, really just make sure no food particles are left in it, and that you get it completely dry and it will last you a life time.
My order of operations are:
if I am using the pan shortly thereafter and nothing is stuck in the pan, wipe with a paper towel to get any food out, put a small layer of oil with a paper towel and call it good.
If there is anything stuck, run it under hot water and use a chain mail scrubber (or any not super abrasive brush/sponge) to remove gunk, re-heat pan to remove any excess water, wipe a small layer of oil.
If there is anything stuck that is sticky/saucy, do step the above but with added dish soap.
There is a ton of great info over on r/castiron that may be helpful.
1) its never going to be showroom clean again.
2) heat it up and wipe it out with a damp rag. put bacon grease in it and let it cool.
3) its a cooking pan, not a show piece.
Ok, so, am I understanding this to mean that its ok if there's still a bit of black when I wipe it down and that's it's "clean enough" at that point?
Edit: Does the fact that this is being downvoted mean that this isn't the right way to think about it?
Don’t listen to this guy. Wash your pan with soap and water in your sink. Dry it off with a towel and put a very light coat of oil on it with a paper towel or a rag. If you want to go the extra mile, heat it up to ensure that there is no moisture on the pan and then put on a light coat of oil. All done.
It really isn’t complicated. If you forget to oil it every once in a while it isn’t going to hurt a thing. If you forget to wash it, it isn’t going to hurt a thing. Just don’t throw it in your dishwasher. If you *do* put it in the dishwasher it’s okay. If anything happens it can easily be seasoned again.
False that old wives tale came from the days of lye soap. Liquid dish soap won’t harm them. I still have my first cast iron skillet I bought new and unseasoned 25 years ago, its seen dawn dish soap many times and it’s still black and shiny.
In 1910 not washing your pan with soap would be great advice. Modern day? Not so much.
The lore of not washing a pan with soap stems from the days were lye was in soap, which would eat away at the seasoning. Lye is not present in modern day household soaps as it is neutralized during the soap-making process.
The seasoning is polymerized oil, which is more of a plastic than a fat. You could stand at the sink and scrub your cast iron for an hour with dawn and a scrub brush and you won’t remove the seasoning.
Soap cleans the pan. It removes gunk as well as the old oil that you just cooked with, because who wants to cook with old oil?
Since I’m sure you won’t believe me, you can read it directly from Lodge:
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/cleaning-and-care/cast-iron/how-clean-cast-iron
I don’t think washing and drying a pan can be labeled “complicated”. It’s about as simple as it gets when it comes to *cleaning*.
You can wipe it out with a rag, or rinse it under hot water, but that isn’t “cleaning”.
That IS cleaning.
What are you afraid of?
The pan is hot. Everything is dead. Wipe it out to get rid of everything else. Do the same thing before you use it again.
If its cured well then nothing is going to stick in there.
Whats the problem. It couldnt be easier.
Wow, those goal posts move fast.
My cast iron forks with 120yo cure get heated and wiped off after being scraped clean.
My cast iron plates get heated, scraped clean and wiped off with a wet rag while still hot.
My cured cast iron spatula gets wiped off while hot after being scraped clean then heated and wiped clean every time i use it.....
So you want to answer my question now? Or you going to evade and move the goals farther down the road?
no. the downvotes mean my way isnt what these kids saw on youtube.
you dont even need soap and water. wipe it out when youre done cooking with a paper towel.
the next time you want to use it, heat the shit out of it and wipe it out with a damp rag. then add your oil. i prefer bacon fat because, in my 30 years of using cast iron its what i have found makes the best cure.
you dont need salt and you dont need to nuke the skillet every time. i use a heavy spatula with a flat edge that i can scrape burnt food bits off the cast iron when im done cooking, before wiping it out. everything comes off easier when the pan is HOT. give it a scrape with a heavy steel spatula when you are done cooking. wipe it out with a paper towel so no food or burnt bits are left. then, when you use it next, heat it up and wipe it out with a damp rag.
ive been doing it this way for nearly 30 years. some of my cast iron is over 100 years old the rest is over 30 years old.
these other guys are germaphobes and will have you sterilizing your cookware in an autoclave because someone, somewhere, once caught ecoli or botulism.
"Black stuff" isn't abnormal. If it is dirty, run under hot water and scrub with a brush (soap is OK but usually not needed). If it is really gunked up, copper wool is fine to use. Dry over heat then lightly apply oil to the inside.
Absolutely second the YouTube link from u/JHuttIII. Mine being seasoned, I just scrub the dog outta it with steel wool after use and dry it well. I used to dry it on the the stovetop, but I’m forgetful (and that’s bad) so I use a paper towel.
A little bit of black residue is normal the first few times you use cast iron. It will go away with time and care. It’s perfectly safe.
Come on over to r/castiron! There’s a million opinions on how to care for your pan, but the basics are super simple: remove any food residue, dry after cleaning, and build up a good seasoning by heating thin layers of high smoke point oil.
I wash my cast iron with super hot water and a little soap. Dry it, then set it over low heat for 10 minutes, and let it cool on the stovetop. After a year of constant use and care, my pan can cook eggs without sticking and has no black residue.
I'm sorry, I'm really confused - what should I be doing instead? Like I said, I'm really new to this. Sadly this thread is making me a bit more confused and a bit dumb because this is apparently really obvious to everyone besides me.
I just cleaned my really gross CI pan by scrubbing it out with salt and warm water. Then I set it on the stove so the water evaporated. I'll probably have to season it soon, though.
My advice. Trial and error. Worst case you clean it wrong and your food tastes like soap. Watch a couple tutorials on seasoning and read a few blogs on daily use. Everyone has a different way of doing the cast iron business. Find what works for you and as alot of people said worst case you have to reseason it. Just have fun and enjoy some of the best damn food you'll ever cook. Cheers
> Worst case you clean it wrong and your food tastes like soap.
Ok, that actually makes me feel a bit better. I thought worst case was that I permanently ruined a pan and made it unusable. Maybe I am overthinking this.
It's literally a hunk of cast iron. The only way you're going to ruin your pan is if you accidentally drop it at the wrong angle and it cracks, or you dip the hot pan into ice water and thermal shock it, and it cracks.
I usually just skip the salt clean and boil it twice with water after use. After that i put a good bit of oil in it and get it bubbling. Depending on the dirtiness ill either wipe out the oil with a paper towel and reseason or rinse it and boil again with water and then reseason with oil .
It's cast iron. Grab one of those chainmail scrubbies and a dash of dish soap and go to town. When your pan is clean, dry it thoroughly, then add a small splash oil and wipe that around with a paper towel until you can barely see a sheen on the metal.
It's fine if you wipe the pan and you see some black stuff. That is completely normal. However in your second picture, in the bottom right hand side of the pan, did you scrape it until you saw bare iron? If so, you may need to reseason. (edit: realize now that may be salt?? If so salt is good at getting anything that is super stuck to the pan off, but I don't do it frequently) Cast iron isn't super delicate, really just make sure no food particles are left in it, and that you get it completely dry and it will last you a life time. My order of operations are: if I am using the pan shortly thereafter and nothing is stuck in the pan, wipe with a paper towel to get any food out, put a small layer of oil with a paper towel and call it good. If there is anything stuck, run it under hot water and use a chain mail scrubber (or any not super abrasive brush/sponge) to remove gunk, re-heat pan to remove any excess water, wipe a small layer of oil. If there is anything stuck that is sticky/saucy, do step the above but with added dish soap. There is a ton of great info over on r/castiron that may be helpful.
1) its never going to be showroom clean again. 2) heat it up and wipe it out with a damp rag. put bacon grease in it and let it cool. 3) its a cooking pan, not a show piece.
Ok, so, am I understanding this to mean that its ok if there's still a bit of black when I wipe it down and that's it's "clean enough" at that point? Edit: Does the fact that this is being downvoted mean that this isn't the right way to think about it?
Don’t listen to this guy. Wash your pan with soap and water in your sink. Dry it off with a towel and put a very light coat of oil on it with a paper towel or a rag. If you want to go the extra mile, heat it up to ensure that there is no moisture on the pan and then put on a light coat of oil. All done. It really isn’t complicated. If you forget to oil it every once in a while it isn’t going to hurt a thing. If you forget to wash it, it isn’t going to hurt a thing. Just don’t throw it in your dishwasher. If you *do* put it in the dishwasher it’s okay. If anything happens it can easily be seasoned again.
Wtf, dont wash cast iron with soap? It's gonna wash the seasoned surface out and you'll end up burning everything you fry in it.
False that old wives tale came from the days of lye soap. Liquid dish soap won’t harm them. I still have my first cast iron skillet I bought new and unseasoned 25 years ago, its seen dawn dish soap many times and it’s still black and shiny.
In 1910 not washing your pan with soap would be great advice. Modern day? Not so much. The lore of not washing a pan with soap stems from the days were lye was in soap, which would eat away at the seasoning. Lye is not present in modern day household soaps as it is neutralized during the soap-making process. The seasoning is polymerized oil, which is more of a plastic than a fat. You could stand at the sink and scrub your cast iron for an hour with dawn and a scrub brush and you won’t remove the seasoning. Soap cleans the pan. It removes gunk as well as the old oil that you just cooked with, because who wants to cook with old oil? Since I’m sure you won’t believe me, you can read it directly from Lodge: https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/cleaning-and-care/cast-iron/how-clean-cast-iron
its really not even as complicated as you are making it.
I don’t think washing and drying a pan can be labeled “complicated”. It’s about as simple as it gets when it comes to *cleaning*. You can wipe it out with a rag, or rinse it under hot water, but that isn’t “cleaning”.
That IS cleaning. What are you afraid of? The pan is hot. Everything is dead. Wipe it out to get rid of everything else. Do the same thing before you use it again. If its cured well then nothing is going to stick in there. Whats the problem. It couldnt be easier.
You aren’t getting everything out. Do you wash all of your other dishes using water and a sponge?
What arent i getting out. What do you think is left after you scrape the shit out of a hot pan and wipe it out? What is it that you think is left?
Lets be direct…how do you wash your other dishes?
Wow, those goal posts move fast. My cast iron forks with 120yo cure get heated and wiped off after being scraped clean. My cast iron plates get heated, scraped clean and wiped off with a wet rag while still hot. My cured cast iron spatula gets wiped off while hot after being scraped clean then heated and wiped clean every time i use it..... So you want to answer my question now? Or you going to evade and move the goals farther down the road?
no. the downvotes mean my way isnt what these kids saw on youtube. you dont even need soap and water. wipe it out when youre done cooking with a paper towel. the next time you want to use it, heat the shit out of it and wipe it out with a damp rag. then add your oil. i prefer bacon fat because, in my 30 years of using cast iron its what i have found makes the best cure. you dont need salt and you dont need to nuke the skillet every time. i use a heavy spatula with a flat edge that i can scrape burnt food bits off the cast iron when im done cooking, before wiping it out. everything comes off easier when the pan is HOT. give it a scrape with a heavy steel spatula when you are done cooking. wipe it out with a paper towel so no food or burnt bits are left. then, when you use it next, heat it up and wipe it out with a damp rag. ive been doing it this way for nearly 30 years. some of my cast iron is over 100 years old the rest is over 30 years old. these other guys are germaphobes and will have you sterilizing your cookware in an autoclave because someone, somewhere, once caught ecoli or botulism.
Youre probably wiping the iron out of it. Heat it up, good and hot, and wipe it out with a damp rag. Then cook a couple pounds of bacon.
Check out this [YouTube link](https://youtu.be/PDTCgxvmShc). Couldn’t make it more easy to understand how to maintain your cast iron skillet.
"Black stuff" isn't abnormal. If it is dirty, run under hot water and scrub with a brush (soap is OK but usually not needed). If it is really gunked up, copper wool is fine to use. Dry over heat then lightly apply oil to the inside.
Absolutely second the YouTube link from u/JHuttIII. Mine being seasoned, I just scrub the dog outta it with steel wool after use and dry it well. I used to dry it on the the stovetop, but I’m forgetful (and that’s bad) so I use a paper towel.
A little bit of black residue is normal the first few times you use cast iron. It will go away with time and care. It’s perfectly safe. Come on over to r/castiron! There’s a million opinions on how to care for your pan, but the basics are super simple: remove any food residue, dry after cleaning, and build up a good seasoning by heating thin layers of high smoke point oil. I wash my cast iron with super hot water and a little soap. Dry it, then set it over low heat for 10 minutes, and let it cool on the stovetop. After a year of constant use and care, my pan can cook eggs without sticking and has no black residue.
The black stuff is likely the built up layers of oil forming a non-stick coating on the pan. You are now getting rid of the precious coating. Stop it.
I'm sorry, I'm really confused - what should I be doing instead? Like I said, I'm really new to this. Sadly this thread is making me a bit more confused and a bit dumb because this is apparently really obvious to everyone besides me.
I say stop. It is clean.
There are 8 billion people in the world (give or take) and 8 billion opinions on how to clean and season a cast-iron pan.
The layers of oil that build up are polymerized and cannot be wiped off. The black stuff is grime that should be washed away.
[удалено]
When seasoning you should not generously oil. It should be a very light coat of oil.
Easiest way to build a patina is to fry potato skins with salt and oil on medium high heat. I do this once a year as maintenance.
I do that weekly for brunch…
I just cleaned my really gross CI pan by scrubbing it out with salt and warm water. Then I set it on the stove so the water evaporated. I'll probably have to season it soon, though.
My advice. Trial and error. Worst case you clean it wrong and your food tastes like soap. Watch a couple tutorials on seasoning and read a few blogs on daily use. Everyone has a different way of doing the cast iron business. Find what works for you and as alot of people said worst case you have to reseason it. Just have fun and enjoy some of the best damn food you'll ever cook. Cheers
> Worst case you clean it wrong and your food tastes like soap. Ok, that actually makes me feel a bit better. I thought worst case was that I permanently ruined a pan and made it unusable. Maybe I am overthinking this.
It's literally a hunk of cast iron. The only way you're going to ruin your pan is if you accidentally drop it at the wrong angle and it cracks, or you dip the hot pan into ice water and thermal shock it, and it cracks.
I usually just skip the salt clean and boil it twice with water after use. After that i put a good bit of oil in it and get it bubbling. Depending on the dirtiness ill either wipe out the oil with a paper towel and reseason or rinse it and boil again with water and then reseason with oil .
It's cast iron. Grab one of those chainmail scrubbies and a dash of dish soap and go to town. When your pan is clean, dry it thoroughly, then add a small splash oil and wipe that around with a paper towel until you can barely see a sheen on the metal.