It's driven by two theories. The first is that since oil is used to season the cast iron skillet and create a nonstick surface, soap would effectively wash away the cure that you worked so hard to build. The second reason that this myth persists is that soap isn't the most efficient cleaner of cast iron.
"You can't clean cast-iron the same way you clean stainless steel," kitchen expert and author of "Kitchen Matters," Pamela Salzman says. "It's very porous," Rach adds. "That flavor will stay in there and literally bake into the pan."
Using soap will not ruin your pan. It is totally fine on enameled cast iron, and on plain cast iron, too. It's not going to destroy your seasoning. With enameled cast iron, you're done: Wash and dry.
Cooks for generations didn't use soap on cast iron pans because the soaps were made with lye and vinegar, two ingredients that will absolutely strip seasoning and can even damange the pan's iron. Today's aerosol oven cleaners are often made with lye, or sodium hydroxide.
Cast iron pans are sanitary if cared for properly. After each use, wipe or rinse out the skillet. Then, heat it on the stovetop or in the oven for three to five minutes to kill bacteria. Pre-heating cast iron pans to 160 degrees or greater prior to cooking will also kill bacteria and viruses.
If cast iron is left in the sink to soak, put in the dishwasher, or allowed to air dry, it will rust. It can also happen when you store your cookware in moisture-prone environments, such as a cabinet near a dishwasher, an open cabinet in a humid location, or stored outside.
Cast iron is porous, meaning that long exposure to water can cause it to soak up the moisture and eventually rust. While a short soak won't do much harm, I avoid soaking the thing for fear of forgetting it and ruining the cure I've worked so hard develop.
No! Soaking cast iron in water is a recipe for rust. If you need to remove sticky or stubborn stuck-on food, use a nylon scrubbing brush or a pan scraper and rinse under warm water. Be sure to thoroughly dry your pan.
Pour 1 cup kosher salt into a still-warm cast iron skillet. Use a paper towel or folded kitchen towel to scrub the pan with the salt until the pan appears clean. (The salt will be nearly black.) Rinse out the pan, and dry it.
They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food. While unappealing, they won't hurt you in such a small amount.
Cast iron pans can leach a sizeable amount of iron into your food, exceeding dietary intake in some cases. Acidic foods will contribute to much more leaching while an old, heavily-seasoned pan will leach much less iron than a newer one.
Newly seasoned cast iron may have a brownish tint to it. It's not rust, it's just the initial patina baking in. It can take a few coats of seasoning and some use to get a black finish. Don't worry about the brownish colour - go right ahead and use the pan.
Cast iron skillets should be cleaned after each use. The best way to care for your cast iron skillet is to clean it properly after each use.
Avoid using the dishwasher, soap, or steel wool, as these may strip the pan's seasoning. Scrub off stuck-on bits: To remove stuck-on food, scrub the pan with a paste of coarse kosher salt and water. Then rinse or wipe with a paper towel. Stubborn food residue may also be loosened by boiling water in the pan.
Dry your cast iron completely every time
After rinsing, dry your cast iron well with a clean cloth and then place it on the stovetop over low heat. Allow to dry for a few minutes, then use a cloth or paper towel to rub it with a thin layer of shortening, lard, bacon grease, or a neutral high-heat cooking oil.
Why can't you boil water in cast iron? When you have water at a constant boil in seasoned cast iron, the boiling causes the seasoning to release. This can leave patchy seasoning or an uneven layer of seasoning left on your cast iron.
How often to clean a cast iron is dependent on how dirty your skillet is. If it's only lightly soiled, then a quick wipe down or a quick wash with soap and water after use is plenty. If it's a little dirtier, or there's a little food stuck on then you may need to scrub a bit with some salt.
Don't ever store food in a cast-iron skillet
Additionally, although the idea of getting iron toxicity overload from cooking in cast iron pans has been mostly debunked, (via Livestrong) any food sitting in the pan for a prolonged period of time can develop an off, metallic flavor.
Non-Stick: Which is better for cooking? Non-stick utensils have harmful PFAs/Teflon coating, termed as forever chemicals and damage your health in the long run. Cast Iron utensils on the other hand not only give you a good surface to cook in, but are also 100% Natural and adds much-needed iron nutrients to your food.
Stainless Steel Conducts Heat Better And More Evenly.
Multiclad stainless — a term that indicates your pan has layers of different metals — does a better job of conducting heat because of its aluminum core. Cast iron, conversely, tends to get hot where it's directly heated and stay cold where it's not.
Acidic ingredients like tomatoes, lemons, and wine can be cooked in a well-seasoned cast iron pan for short amounts of time. You can sauté cherry tomatoes in cast iron, but don't try making a long-simmering tomato sauce.
Even though a rusted cast-iron pan doesn't necessarily present a health concern, it's still not recommended that you cook on it. The rust might add an unpleasant metallic flavor to your food. Plus, it makes using the skillet much more difficult.
With proper care cast iron cookware can withstand a lifetime of use.
Is salt bad for cast iron? First, let's address any concerns: is salt bad for your pan? (The answer is no, but let's dive a little deeper.) Although salt is hard, it's still softer than cast iron, so it doesn't risk scratching the surface of your skillet.