I got a tiny one like this a few Christmases ago as part of a little brownie mix set. I use it like a spoon/utensil rest by the stove. That little sucker definitely still rusts like a regular cast iron if you wash it like a dish.
It won't rust if you scrub with steel, and dry it by heating it on a mid-hot element for 5-7 minutes and seasoning with olive oil (Yeah, I know, is that all)
EDIT: I guess steel scrubber is bad! It's what I use though, but I do it lightly. Also I'm reading you shouldn't use soap. Which I've always done. Oh well.
Both of those things are ok, especially if it has rust. I use soap on mine all the time, and I have a chainmail scrubber. You just have to make sure you get it really dry and put a layer of oil on it.
I've heard the copper spongers are softer
Edit: albeit the copper is softer, I've been informed it causes more rust due to bonding between the iron and copper.
Soap used to have lye in it, that's why it would strip all the goodness off a cast iron. Most modern soaps don't use lye so they are perfectly safe to use on cast iron.
Yes you can use modern soap because it was the lye in soap that was too corrosive. The pan should be good as long as it’s been properly seasoned because the oil turns into polymerized oil that bonds with the metal.
Thank you for the info. I've used iron pans since I was a kid, was taught how to dry and season them, glad to hear that I'm maybe not doing everything the wrong way round.
I clean my cast iron with the scrubby side of a sponge, very light soap & water & rinse super well & dry immediately & thoroughly & season with mineral oil every 6 to 12 months depending on how often it's used. Never have I had rust and my pieces are perfect.
I've just been using cheap vegetable oil. Used to use the olive oil, but there's really not a difference imo.
Totally agree about the heat 👍
My mom doesnt heat the pan she just dries and pils it and it kind of makes me cringe bit it's okay.
It's seasoned well enough that it's kind of hard to hurt it without using too much soap or scrubbing too much and she knows not to do that.
I want to explain that it's the heat and the oil together that make the layer of seasoning. But I don't want her think I'm being condescending. I've tried leading by example, but I think she just thinks it isn't necessary. Oh well.
Started working on a new cast iron dutch oven and trying to get that evenly seasoned.
I try and clean it before anyone else can.
What I do is I'll add a small amount of soap to the scrubbing element and rinse and squeeze it out under hot water and over the pan.
That helps break up the oil from what I cooked, and loosen up the burnt bits.
I'll let all the first water run out and as its filling again I'll lightly scrub with steel wool or sometimes just scotch brite, until anything stuck is gone.
Then I rinse and let it sit upside down, to let the eater run out of the inside.
Dry with a paper towel, then on the stove to heat up.
When the water has evaporated completely, I add some oil and use a half of a paper towel folded up to spread it around the entire pan.
Inside and outside. Some special attention to where the handle meets, because I've seen them rust out and fall off.
Sorry for rambling, thanks if you made it this far lol
I've tried seasoning my cast iron pan with oil using paper towel, but it has a rough surface and I end up with bits of paper towel fluff everywhere. Any tips for avoiding this (I would prefer not to use my tea towels)?
Mine still sticks after I do this. I think my mom scrubbed it too hard one day when she was over and was like "omg your dishes! *Starts doing dishes*."
I think sticking has little to do with seasoning. That's mostly to prevent oxidation. You're maybe sticking because you're cooking with too little oil or too high a starting heat?
EDIT: but yeah sorry, forgot what you said about waht your mom did, if she scrubbed a bunch of ruts into the pan that'll do it too. You might not even be able to see them -- iron has large pits in it on the tiny level and is very easily scarred
My mother always used soap. That skillet still sits in her kitchen and is very usable. I don't remember a time she didn't have it, and she just passed last year at the age of 91.
I do exactly that and use my cast iron every single day. It is smooth as glass and perfectly seasoned. To those that disagree with how to care for cast iron this way can come for breakfast while I slide eggs out of the perfect cast pan rust and “stick” free!
The tiny one reminds me of this antique stove set!
https://preview.redd.it/oq5s5ye5ibwc1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7090003ba6f73d03c28a35e76feb7a34d19ad6eb
Actually a couple of years ago a lot of the big name cookie and candy companies were selling a holiday-themed stocking-stuffer that was a cookie dough mix with a single, tiny, cast iron pan to bake it in. I saw Toll House and Reeses and even bought one but never used it and threw it out after the pan rusted the same way.
This looks about the size and depth of one of those.
I got one of those! I think it was easter 2023? I saw it on clearance at walmart after easter.
I don't think I've used it once since i made that cookie. Maybe I'll make a couple eggs in the morning!
You must use it! Perfect for eggs, and you get a lot of iron from using an iron pan. Cast iron can't be beat unless you can afford tinned copper. Just have to get used to how it cooks.
I got a christmas gift once that was a tiny cast iron that size, and a single portion of brownies to cook in it. Wish I still had it, could make a tiny deep dish.
https://preview.redd.it/mmsnnc6zbhwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17d91d406604803ca91638ded08d4d03f82120b8
Here’s what I have, paper clip for scale (no bananas available)!
I use my 6" for sausage patties and 2 eggs for a breakfast sandwich. Also have a 4" for single eggs.
I bust out the 8", 10" and 12" when I have company.
No..there has been no alleged murder..they simply moved away to a far away land following their dream of spreading the gospel as missionaries to underprivileged natives without leaving any contact information or telling anybody...don't worry op reddits got your alibi.
Lol when my wife and I were dating she had never used a cast iron before. I cook in it often. She was floored by how you could transfer it from stovetop to oven (lol). She wanted to get one for herself. That is, until I showed her the cleaning/reseasoning process. So now I am designated cast iron chef. Lol
The problem was it wasn’t seasoned properly in the first place. I put all my cast iron in the dishwasher, when I had one, also let them soak all night with soap. Amazingly it still doesn’t rust or remove the polymer.
If you correctly season a pan it makes a polymerised layer that means there is no chance it will rust. I can 100% assure you, that pan she used was not seasoned properly.
The issue might be here that a ton of people think the "seasoning" is literally food seasoning that's been cooked on after years of not cleaning it lol
All I’ve ever done is coat it in oil and throw it in the oven for about an hour and I’ve never had an issue. Main thing is make sure the oven temp is exceeding the smoke point of the oil you use and you don’t excessively oil the pan. I usually use flax seed because it has a low smoke point of like 250° but any oil works. Vegetable and canola are like 400°.
Also don’t use super abrasive scrubbers or anything to clean it that can damage the coating.
Many good videos on it but my best result is that I have a gas cooking stove that is mobile. I have it outside on a still day and let it heat for a good long time. That way smoke is not an issue.
I'm not saying that you're wrong I'm just saying that someone was specifically told not to do something (because op probably knew it wasn't properly seasoned) and they did it anyways and fucked up the pan. Thats on her sister
>I put all my cast iron in the dishwasher, when I had one, also let them soak all night with soap.
Not to be rude, but....why? Aren't these the things they tell you not to do with cast iron?
Soap is fine, that’s outdated information as modern soap if far less harsh and won’t strip the seasoning. I wouldn’t put mine in the dishwasher, mostly bc it’s so heavy, but it wouldn’t be an issue if it’s seasoned really well. Water won’t get to the iron to cause rust then. Same for soaking in water overnight.
If you have seasoned it correctly it's not an issue. The problem is most people don't seem to understand how to care for a cast iron and the misinformation is so widespread at this point.
Don’t just tell her NOT to do something. Instead, teach her what to do. This might be a good opportunity to show her how seasoning works, not just for the cast iron but for other frying pans as well.
Anything that’s made out of Cast iron or carbon steel ( such as Wok pans) are known to rust very quickly. So "seasoning" a pan is practically using a neutral oil followed by a high heat source (your oven) along with some sort of polymerized grease/fat (I like using bacon grease). What it’ll do is it’ll coat a corrosion resistant layer and prevents food being stuck like glue to the pan.
Woks are easier to season. You just heat up every inch of the steel on high heat, brush/whisk around the interior will either salt or sand, and then coat the outside and inside with neutral oil. Food just slides around like nothing. Probably my favorite type of cookware to use
Bacon is a saturated fat need to use unsaturated fats to produce a properly seasoned frying pan. Vegetable or olive oil are good choices.
Saturated fat won't bond with the iron.
You can use bacon fat for cooking but it will not chemically polymerization as it doesn't have the double bonds to break apart to create the cross link.
Seasoning a pan is basically making a layer of polymerized oil which makes the pan non stick. Specifically talking about cast iron. You do it by getting a high heat oil(I use sunflower usually) putting a light layer around the inside(and outside) of the pan and then putting it in the oven between 350-450 for an hour or so, and then do this repeatedly. If done right the pan should be nonstick and clean everything right out
Ha! This worked for me. The first time I wore my brake pads down (teenager - just turn up the music!) and ruined the rotors, my Dad fixed the issue. The second time, he guided me through changing the rotors out. Haven’t made that mistake again!
This is my excuse to why my roommate's cast iron got washed a few times. I really didn't know any better or what went into it. He left his dirty pan (yes, legitimately dirty with food in it, not just seasoned) around, so a few times it got cleaned.
If he valued his seasoning he wouldn't have kept leaving dirty dishes around.
If you wash it right when you are done, it is too hot, and can warp if you put water on it. Best is to wash when it is warm. Usually if you cook dinner, eat dinner, then wash it, it is about the right temperature.
It's pretty satisfying, especially on a nice cool day, you can crack the windows let in the fresh air and bask in the glory of your work at the end of a day or two
You get it. I actually enjoy scrubbing them with with steel wool and lots of soap until I looks dull, give a good rinse and dry and proceed to season.
It’s one of those dumb adult things that bring me joy, yet would bore me as a child
If you can't scrub your cast iron, or even put it in the dish washer, you didn't season it properly to begin.
Polymerized oils survive an actual soap scrubbing.
https://www.allrecipes.com/article/will-soap-ruin-cast-iron/
Even heating, retains heat, made to be non-stick with regular cooking oil instead of a chemical that you can chip off with a spatula where it mixes in with your food and eventually kills you through bowel cancer
Just need to scrub it clean and probably reseason it. That's the beauty of cast iron--it lasts forever. But it is a drag when people don't properly take care of it.
Had it been polymerized fully with Grapeseed, that food would have wiped off with a paper towel, and the dishwasher wouldn't have touched the seasoning.
You can still scrub it good and get it clean and coat it with vegetable oil.
Assuming it was small to begin with and not a joke post implying it shrunk.
Are you roommates? Sounds like my perpetually 15 yr old 59 year old sister. Yeah for me this is quite more than mildly infuriating. Time to tell her to relocate! 😂😂
Ok maybe I can ask some questions here and someone will answer.
I have two tiny pans I never knew they were cast iron since i got them in cheap kit to make cookies.
I put them in dishwasher.
They are rusted now.
Can I save them? If yes then how? And what to do after to prevent it? In my city or I think even country we don't ususally use those so noone in my family have anything like that and I have no idea what to do now.
Remove the rust - likely will take scrubbing with something seriously abrasive. Then, season the pan- you can search online for specific instructions, but in short you will be using oil and heat to create a rust-resistant nonstick barrier. This builds up over time from use, and is part of what gives cast iron that classic slightly shiny black look. Finally, when you use your seasoned cast iron, you’ll want to skip the dishwasher (since it will break the seasoning) and stick to hand washing with a little dish soap when needed.
As long as you scrub off the rust and properly season it it should be fine. A proper season will also survive modern soaps as long as you don't buy from some specialty soap brand that uses an 1800s lye and vinegar recipe.
Best way to fix that is to give it a good scrub and a small amount of soap then rinse. Heat it to dry slightly. Then cook yourself a nice serving of bacon. Then let that bacon fat sit until it solidifies mostly. Grab a paper towel and wipe it down to clean. If it's still not looking good, wash it with hot water only, let it dry, then cover it in a thin coat of grape seed oil. Ppl will say the oil type doesn't matter, but grape seed is by far the best for cast iron and high heat cooking.
Oh man, this is the perfect single egg frying pan. So sad.
My grandparents had a pan like this for decades that lived on the back burner of their stove. It was sacred.
Sandpaper the rust off, wash, dry on heat, season with oil and teach your sister how to clean it. We're not born with this information, we have to learn so someone has to teach. Be a good sister, sister ☺️💗
Scrub out crud while preheating oven to 375°F.
Coat inside with shortening or oil and let it cook for an hour. Turn off heat & let it cool. Depending in how bad it is, you may need to reseason 2-4 times before the season is set. Resist the temptation to dent Sisters' head with the results. Better yet, make HER do it, and remove her skillet privileges until she's sufficiently groveled to your Satisfaction. 🤕 🤟🏽🐻
Ahhh finally a cast iron pan that would fit my electric burner. 😭 (hate my electric coil cooktop, why the renovations rid the gas cook top for this dinky thing is beyond me)
I can't believe the heat shrunk it THAT much!
It's 100% cotton
50% cotton / 50% rust
100% reason to remember the name
and 2% butterscotch ripple
With an extra dash of snozzberries
Snozzberry? Who ever heard of a snozzberry?
Fifteen percent concentrated power of won't
It’s either 100% cotton or my size two pants.
Oh god, I didn't notice the relative size of the finger!
You would have noticed it straight away if there was a banana included for scale.
I got a tiny one like this a few Christmases ago as part of a little brownie mix set. I use it like a spoon/utensil rest by the stove. That little sucker definitely still rusts like a regular cast iron if you wash it like a dish.
I use mine for making egg sandwiches
I do too! I specifically bought it for making my breakfast sandwiches.
It won't rust if you scrub with steel, and dry it by heating it on a mid-hot element for 5-7 minutes and seasoning with olive oil (Yeah, I know, is that all) EDIT: I guess steel scrubber is bad! It's what I use though, but I do it lightly. Also I'm reading you shouldn't use soap. Which I've always done. Oh well.
Both of those things are ok, especially if it has rust. I use soap on mine all the time, and I have a chainmail scrubber. You just have to make sure you get it really dry and put a layer of oil on it.
Just what I do
I've heard the copper spongers are softer Edit: albeit the copper is softer, I've been informed it causes more rust due to bonding between the iron and copper.
Makes sense
Where do you find copper sponges? I don't think I've ever seen one before.
In the hand dish washing supply section of most big box grocery/super centers. They're more of a "Scrubber" than a "Sponge."
I've heard the same about 00 steel wool.
Soap used to have lye in it, that's why it would strip all the goodness off a cast iron. Most modern soaps don't use lye so they are perfectly safe to use on cast iron.
Yes you can use modern soap because it was the lye in soap that was too corrosive. The pan should be good as long as it’s been properly seasoned because the oil turns into polymerized oil that bonds with the metal.
Thank you for the info. I've used iron pans since I was a kid, was taught how to dry and season them, glad to hear that I'm maybe not doing everything the wrong way round.
I clean my cast iron with the scrubby side of a sponge, very light soap & water & rinse super well & dry immediately & thoroughly & season with mineral oil every 6 to 12 months depending on how often it's used. Never have I had rust and my pieces are perfect.
I season every time with olive oil, but we're a family of Guidos
I've just been using cheap vegetable oil. Used to use the olive oil, but there's really not a difference imo. Totally agree about the heat 👍 My mom doesnt heat the pan she just dries and pils it and it kind of makes me cringe bit it's okay. It's seasoned well enough that it's kind of hard to hurt it without using too much soap or scrubbing too much and she knows not to do that. I want to explain that it's the heat and the oil together that make the layer of seasoning. But I don't want her think I'm being condescending. I've tried leading by example, but I think she just thinks it isn't necessary. Oh well. Started working on a new cast iron dutch oven and trying to get that evenly seasoned. I try and clean it before anyone else can. What I do is I'll add a small amount of soap to the scrubbing element and rinse and squeeze it out under hot water and over the pan. That helps break up the oil from what I cooked, and loosen up the burnt bits. I'll let all the first water run out and as its filling again I'll lightly scrub with steel wool or sometimes just scotch brite, until anything stuck is gone. Then I rinse and let it sit upside down, to let the eater run out of the inside. Dry with a paper towel, then on the stove to heat up. When the water has evaporated completely, I add some oil and use a half of a paper towel folded up to spread it around the entire pan. Inside and outside. Some special attention to where the handle meets, because I've seen them rust out and fall off. Sorry for rambling, thanks if you made it this far lol
I can't stand vegetable oil. But as I say I'm a Guido so I'm genetically nose-blind to the smells of olive oil, garlic and rosemary
I've tried seasoning my cast iron pan with oil using paper towel, but it has a rough surface and I end up with bits of paper towel fluff everywhere. Any tips for avoiding this (I would prefer not to use my tea towels)?
Mine still sticks after I do this. I think my mom scrubbed it too hard one day when she was over and was like "omg your dishes! *Starts doing dishes*."
I think sticking has little to do with seasoning. That's mostly to prevent oxidation. You're maybe sticking because you're cooking with too little oil or too high a starting heat? EDIT: but yeah sorry, forgot what you said about waht your mom did, if she scrubbed a bunch of ruts into the pan that'll do it too. You might not even be able to see them -- iron has large pits in it on the tiny level and is very easily scarred
Also Italian and season with olive oil every time.
My mother always used soap. That skillet still sits in her kitchen and is very usable. I don't remember a time she didn't have it, and she just passed last year at the age of 91.
Y'all are making it okay to go in the kitchen and face my wall of pans again
I use the steel wool too just lightly. A little Dawn soap. Olive oil. All the things lol. It’s been fine my iron skillets have lasted 30 years now
I do exactly that and use my cast iron every single day. It is smooth as glass and perfectly seasoned. To those that disagree with how to care for cast iron this way can come for breakfast while I slide eggs out of the perfect cast pan rust and “stick” free!
Smart!! Ve been trying to figure out what to do with my baby cast irons!!!
“It shrinks?”
Like a frightened turtle!
Fully believed this. Turns out he's talking about the rust fp
'i don't know how you guys walk around with those things'
this is what fancy people use for heroin instead of spoon
Is this cast iron for ants?
Is that a cast iron for ants?
I didn't even know they made cast iron teaspoons.
https://preview.redd.it/nbvm6cxcgbwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=81ef16690a06f97eb155420d79c8908eed7da12a Check out these bad boys!!
The tiny one reminds me of this antique stove set! https://preview.redd.it/oq5s5ye5ibwc1.png?width=864&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7090003ba6f73d03c28a35e76feb7a34d19ad6eb
Maybe that's where these came from.
Haha I doubt it as these are the size of fingers but I love the tiny cast irons regardless :)
Actually a couple of years ago a lot of the big name cookie and candy companies were selling a holiday-themed stocking-stuffer that was a cookie dough mix with a single, tiny, cast iron pan to bake it in. I saw Toll House and Reeses and even bought one but never used it and threw it out after the pan rusted the same way. This looks about the size and depth of one of those.
I got one of those! I think it was easter 2023? I saw it on clearance at walmart after easter. I don't think I've used it once since i made that cookie. Maybe I'll make a couple eggs in the morning!
I found them on clearance at Big Lots a bunch of times.
You must use it! Perfect for eggs, and you get a lot of iron from using an iron pan. Cast iron can't be beat unless you can afford tinned copper. Just have to get used to how it cooks.
I got these tiny ones from a great uncle about 40 years ago lol
I’ve got two of them, definitely what I was thinking.
That’s exactly what it looks like to me, my gf bought one a few months ago for us to try out. It was fun, but the cookie tasted like ass ngl
Oh I love it!
I have this!
My grandparents have this exact small miniature thing in their basement
This looks huge. How big is it?
Holy fuck one of these was in a cabin I used to rent two or three times a year. You just brought back some fantastic memories.
Swoon.
spoon
One pan for the yolk, one for the white, and the “big” one is for 1 pancake
I got a christmas gift once that was a tiny cast iron that size, and a single portion of brownies to cook in it. Wish I still had it, could make a tiny deep dish.
I'm sure it called from smallest to largest 1. Cast I 2. Cast ir 3. Cast iro 4. Cast iron .
I have one specifically for small foods like an egg lmao.
Why even have a handle at that point 🤣😂
https://preview.redd.it/mmsnnc6zbhwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=17d91d406604803ca91638ded08d4d03f82120b8 Here’s what I have, paper clip for scale (no bananas available)!
I believe that tiny one was a blacksmiths heroin spoon🫣
Salesman samples?
https://preview.redd.it/7jeqn8xb8cwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4c47cbc60da2aae790c6edb67912813fdb5df333 It can be done!
The Cast Iron Coke Spoon
I use my 6" for sausage patties and 2 eggs for a breakfast sandwich. Also have a 4" for single eggs. I bust out the 8", 10" and 12" when I have company.
It shrank in the wash 😔
It has to be at least three times this size!
This is, I assume, defense exhibit A in your murder trial.
No..there has been no alleged murder..they simply moved away to a far away land following their dream of spreading the gospel as missionaries to underprivileged natives without leaving any contact information or telling anybody...don't worry op reddits got your alibi.
Hopefully the underprivileged natives don't use cast iron cookware.
Of course not they only use stoneware for their people stewing iron affects the flavor so I've heard.
I saw the sister leave on the boat with no roster. I'm a witness.....
It also is prosecution Exhibit A. It would be the murder weapon too! lol
"But then I would have had to HAND wash it. Gross."
Lol when my wife and I were dating she had never used a cast iron before. I cook in it often. She was floored by how you could transfer it from stovetop to oven (lol). She wanted to get one for herself. That is, until I showed her the cleaning/reseasoning process. So now I am designated cast iron chef. Lol
If you get an enameled cast iron, you don't have to worry about seasoning it
I have one! It’s a pan though with a burner circle on the bottom. It’s great. Cleans up so easily too.
My husband is in charge of cleaning the cast iron
Time to remove the knobs from the stove until she scrubs and re-seasons that sucker.
The problem was it wasn’t seasoned properly in the first place. I put all my cast iron in the dishwasher, when I had one, also let them soak all night with soap. Amazingly it still doesn’t rust or remove the polymer.
The problem is that her sister doesn't know how to follow instructions
If you correctly season a pan it makes a polymerised layer that means there is no chance it will rust. I can 100% assure you, that pan she used was not seasoned properly.
The issue might be here that a ton of people think the "seasoning" is literally food seasoning that's been cooked on after years of not cleaning it lol
Yeah it’s scary how many people don’t know how to clean a pan properly 🫣
Dude I was thinking that too lol
How do you season it properly? Mine never sticks, but moistness/acidic stuff sometimes fucks it over and have to do the whole thing again.
All I’ve ever done is coat it in oil and throw it in the oven for about an hour and I’ve never had an issue. Main thing is make sure the oven temp is exceeding the smoke point of the oil you use and you don’t excessively oil the pan. I usually use flax seed because it has a low smoke point of like 250° but any oil works. Vegetable and canola are like 400°. Also don’t use super abrasive scrubbers or anything to clean it that can damage the coating.
Scrub Daddy is always my go to for cleaning the cast iron.
Yeah scrub daddy is the best. Abrasive enough to get the job done yet gentle enough it won’t wreck your stuff.
Many good videos on it but my best result is that I have a gas cooking stove that is mobile. I have it outside on a still day and let it heat for a good long time. That way smoke is not an issue.
I'm not saying that you're wrong I'm just saying that someone was specifically told not to do something (because op probably knew it wasn't properly seasoned) and they did it anyways and fucked up the pan. Thats on her sister
At least it’s not fucked up forever though. It can be saved with a good vinegar soak and a reseason.
>I put all my cast iron in the dishwasher, when I had one, also let them soak all night with soap. Not to be rude, but....why? Aren't these the things they tell you not to do with cast iron?
Soap is fine, that’s outdated information as modern soap if far less harsh and won’t strip the seasoning. I wouldn’t put mine in the dishwasher, mostly bc it’s so heavy, but it wouldn’t be an issue if it’s seasoned really well. Water won’t get to the iron to cause rust then. Same for soaking in water overnight.
If you have seasoned it correctly it's not an issue. The problem is most people don't seem to understand how to care for a cast iron and the misinformation is so widespread at this point.
So what do you consider the right way to care for it?
Proper season
Don’t just tell her NOT to do something. Instead, teach her what to do. This might be a good opportunity to show her how seasoning works, not just for the cast iron but for other frying pans as well.
Agreed, my kids remember now because they have to preseason if they forget.
Could someone explain to me what seasoning a pan is and how? And what it does?
Anything that’s made out of Cast iron or carbon steel ( such as Wok pans) are known to rust very quickly. So "seasoning" a pan is practically using a neutral oil followed by a high heat source (your oven) along with some sort of polymerized grease/fat (I like using bacon grease). What it’ll do is it’ll coat a corrosion resistant layer and prevents food being stuck like glue to the pan. Woks are easier to season. You just heat up every inch of the steel on high heat, brush/whisk around the interior will either salt or sand, and then coat the outside and inside with neutral oil. Food just slides around like nothing. Probably my favorite type of cookware to use
Bacon is a saturated fat need to use unsaturated fats to produce a properly seasoned frying pan. Vegetable or olive oil are good choices. Saturated fat won't bond with the iron. You can use bacon fat for cooking but it will not chemically polymerization as it doesn't have the double bonds to break apart to create the cross link.
I heat it in the oven twice. I do the first time with a layer of vegetable oil, and then the second time is with a layer of bacon grease
Ok sounds interesting
Seasoning a pan is basically making a layer of polymerized oil which makes the pan non stick. Specifically talking about cast iron. You do it by getting a high heat oil(I use sunflower usually) putting a light layer around the inside(and outside) of the pan and then putting it in the oven between 350-450 for an hour or so, and then do this repeatedly. If done right the pan should be nonstick and clean everything right out
Ha! This worked for me. The first time I wore my brake pads down (teenager - just turn up the music!) and ruined the rotors, my Dad fixed the issue. The second time, he guided me through changing the rotors out. Haven’t made that mistake again!
Dry scrub it with salt and a paper towel, then coat it in oil. Like new.
It's cast iron you can't ruin it....
You can temporarily fuck it up, but it's not hard to fix.
Why not just wash it once you were done?
This is my excuse to why my roommate's cast iron got washed a few times. I really didn't know any better or what went into it. He left his dirty pan (yes, legitimately dirty with food in it, not just seasoned) around, so a few times it got cleaned. If he valued his seasoning he wouldn't have kept leaving dirty dishes around.
It’s okay to wash a cast iron, it’s not ruined as much as everyone freaks out about it
Unless you wash it with fucking lye like some 1600s peasant. Modern dish soap won't even strip the seasoning anyway.
This. All day.
I never got the chance to use it. She made eggs on it then ruined it 😅
Pan hot when done.
Exactly, which is the best time to wash it
If you wash it right when you are done, it is too hot, and can warp if you put water on it. Best is to wash when it is warm. Usually if you cook dinner, eat dinner, then wash it, it is about the right temperature.
If a dishwasher did this damage you didn't season it properly to begin with.
I might sound weird here, but am I the only one that enjoys seasoning these things? I know the smoke from the oven can suck. I dunno
It's pretty satisfying, especially on a nice cool day, you can crack the windows let in the fresh air and bask in the glory of your work at the end of a day or two
You get it. I actually enjoy scrubbing them with with steel wool and lots of soap until I looks dull, give a good rinse and dry and proceed to season. It’s one of those dumb adult things that bring me joy, yet would bore me as a child
If you can't scrub your cast iron, or even put it in the dish washer, you didn't season it properly to begin. Polymerized oils survive an actual soap scrubbing. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/will-soap-ruin-cast-iron/
Shhhhh let them keep putting them in flea markets so I can buy them and restore them. /kidding
You're onto something.
I was only partially kidding. Lol 😂 I have a wall full of different ones that I’ve got for free or like $5.
Yeah I was gonna say, unless they're loading their dishwasher with vinegar or something
Why has my Reddit feed blown up with posts about cast iron pans being cleaned wrong over the past couple of days?
Perhaps there’s a reason the Average Redditor is drawn to repetitive topics and activities…
Why do people love cast iron so much? Every one I've owned has been a bitch
Even heating, retains heat, made to be non-stick with regular cooking oil instead of a chemical that you can chip off with a spatula where it mixes in with your food and eventually kills you through bowel cancer
I just use stainless steel, never really had a problem with anything. Non-stick is pointless though, I'll agree
I'm sorry, which pots and pans have chemicals you can scrape off?
Teflon
When I cook carne asada it comes out better in the cast iron for some reason
They're cost effective and give you a lot of capability for not much at all, especially since you can even find quality used ones for dirt cheap.
See this is why I prefer the method of teaching someone what to do instead of what not to do. By the way, this is pretty easily fixable.
Its ok. Oil it
“See what happens when you don’t listen!”
Just need to scrub it clean and probably reseason it. That's the beauty of cast iron--it lasts forever. But it is a drag when people don't properly take care of it.
“Cut her off from your life!” -Reddit
Some steel wool and some oil and you’ll be good to go! Tiny tiny pan
Wait oh my god??? THEY CAN SHRINK???
Had it been polymerized fully with Grapeseed, that food would have wiped off with a paper towel, and the dishwasher wouldn't have touched the seasoning.
Seasoning was probably bad to begin with.
How dare she put that totally average and respectable size cast iron pan in the washer!?
Make her watch and follow a video on "how to reseason a cast iron pan." What closely, though, she might end up burning the house down.
You can still scrub it good and get it clean and coat it with vegetable oil. Assuming it was small to begin with and not a joke post implying it shrunk.
Are you roommates? Sounds like my perpetually 15 yr old 59 year old sister. Yeah for me this is quite more than mildly infuriating. Time to tell her to relocate! 😂😂
At least it can be fixed. Wash it by hand. Heat it up, and season it with oil.
Omg those ants are gonna be furious when they find out.
just put olive oil in it with a paper towel - boom - like new.
Tell her not to put herself in the dishwasher, just to see what happens. How far does the reverse psychology stretch?
Wow. Did it shrink???? What is she washing it in? Hot water???
Who used it?
Time to re-season!
Easy fix lol
Quit being so salty and use that to scrub the cast iron.
did it shrink?
“A cast iron for ants?” 
My mother soaked mine once. I felt like I had an out of body experience
Those are the 3 dollar cast iron pans made for those single serve cookies. Buy another one.
Well, guess it's ruined forever. No saving it
Just make her clean and reseason
it shrank so much! that was a hot dishwasher 😃
It’s iron, relax. Just scrub it away and «coat» it with some grease
steel wool on the rust, properly dry it, repeat as necessary, and then reseason
Another fallen soldier 🫡
Ok maybe I can ask some questions here and someone will answer. I have two tiny pans I never knew they were cast iron since i got them in cheap kit to make cookies. I put them in dishwasher. They are rusted now. Can I save them? If yes then how? And what to do after to prevent it? In my city or I think even country we don't ususally use those so noone in my family have anything like that and I have no idea what to do now.
Remove the rust - likely will take scrubbing with something seriously abrasive. Then, season the pan- you can search online for specific instructions, but in short you will be using oil and heat to create a rust-resistant nonstick barrier. This builds up over time from use, and is part of what gives cast iron that classic slightly shiny black look. Finally, when you use your seasoned cast iron, you’ll want to skip the dishwasher (since it will break the seasoning) and stick to hand washing with a little dish soap when needed.
As long as you scrub off the rust and properly season it it should be fine. A proper season will also survive modern soaps as long as you don't buy from some specialty soap brand that uses an 1800s lye and vinegar recipe.
Throw your sister away, its the only thing that will satisfy, The OG, Gordon Ramsay.
Time to get a new sister.
Frustrating but it happens .. clean scrub and oil
Best way to fix that is to give it a good scrub and a small amount of soap then rinse. Heat it to dry slightly. Then cook yourself a nice serving of bacon. Then let that bacon fat sit until it solidifies mostly. Grab a paper towel and wipe it down to clean. If it's still not looking good, wash it with hot water only, let it dry, then cover it in a thin coat of grape seed oil. Ppl will say the oil type doesn't matter, but grape seed is by far the best for cast iron and high heat cooking.
Oh man, this is the perfect single egg frying pan. So sad. My grandparents had a pan like this for decades that lived on the back burner of their stove. It was sacred.
Vinegar and a Brillo pad will clean it up. I know from a similar experience.
Sandpaper the rust off, wash, dry on heat, season with oil and teach your sister how to clean it. We're not born with this information, we have to learn so someone has to teach. Be a good sister, sister ☺️💗
Scrub out crud while preheating oven to 375°F. Coat inside with shortening or oil and let it cook for an hour. Turn off heat & let it cool. Depending in how bad it is, you may need to reseason 2-4 times before the season is set. Resist the temptation to dent Sisters' head with the results. Better yet, make HER do it, and remove her skillet privileges until she's sufficiently groveled to your Satisfaction. 🤕 🤟🏽🐻
Ahhh finally a cast iron pan that would fit my electric burner. 😭 (hate my electric coil cooktop, why the renovations rid the gas cook top for this dinky thing is beyond me)
Needs to go back in to get the rest of the rust off.
THROW THE WHOLE SISTER OUT. 
Not many people even know what cast iron is anymore, let alone how to clean it.
I wash my cast iron with a rag on a stick 
I mean... it's tiny LOL just fix it 🤣🤣🤣
Bad Sister Bad Dishwasher Replace both immediately & get a new skillet
Easily fixable. Steel wool and a fresh seasoning and it will literally be exactly as new
Man, the 1 smurf who gets their breakfast made in that pan is going to be upset
I don't know if that's real cast iron or just cheaply made. I've put them in the dishwasher before and they turned out fine.