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.
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Foods that are highly acidic, such as tomatoes, citrus fruits, and vinegar-based dishes, should be avoided when cooking with cast iron. The acidity can cause the iron to leach into the food, resulting in a metallic taste.
Nothing. A well seasoned cast iron pan will not be hurt by detergents or a scrub brush. The only thing that will hurt a properly seasoned pan is steel wool.
They are most likely carbon deposits. This happens due to overheating of fats and oils.
Eggs fall into the category of sticky foods that are not ideal for cast iron skillets that haven't built up their seasoning yet. While cast iron can become non-stick with sufficient use over time, a newer skillet will almost certainly cause your eggs to stick to its porous surface.
Common cooking oils like olive oil will gradually produce seasoning, but won't be as effective as grapeseed oil. Canola, other vegetable oils, and shortening are a little better.
Never cook acidic foods in a cast iron skillet.
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.
Cracks also harbor bacteria because they're more difficult to clean. Cooking with cracked cast iron pans increases the risk of bacteria and iron particles leaching into your food. Rather than take that risk, replace your pans when they start cracking.
The disadvantages of cast iron
One of the main drawbacks of cast iron pans is their weight. Cast iron is significantly heavier than other types of cookware, which can make handling and maneuvering them more challenging, especially for individuals with physical limitations.
Caring for Cast Iron
Wash your pan — yes, wash it. With soap if it needs it. Scrubbing with the rougher side of a sponge if it needs that to remove food particles. Don't use steel wool, and do dry it completely.
If a crack appears in your cast iron pan, it's time to ditch it. Even a hairline crack will expand and contract when heated and cooled, and ultimately the pan will split—a potentially dangerous situation if it happens during cooking! Plus, cracks are difficult to clean and may harbor bacteria and rust.
Cast iron is harder, more brittle, and less malleable than wrought iron. It cannot be bent, stretched, or hammered into shape, since its weak tensile strength means that it will fracture before it bends or distorts. It does, however, feature good compression strength.
The seasoning will only burn off at about 800°F, so don't worry that you will damage your pan by cooking with high heat. Cast iron can, however, easily get too hot for the dish that you're trying to cook.
Oil, especially canola oil (bad, unhealthy oil), should not be used. If a quick oiling (not seasoning) in between is desired, it's best to use a high temperature oil like avocado. A quick rub can do the trick, if your pan looks a bit dry. I have one pan that is about 100 years old!
Bake your cookware upside down at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for one hour. Allow the pan to cool down completely, and repeat three more times.
Best High Smoke Point Oils
Refined Avocado Oil - The smoke point of refined avocado oil is between 480 to 520 degrees Fahrenheit. Canola Oil - All canola oil is refined and has a smoke point between 400 and 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Grapeseed Oil - Grapeseed oil has a high smoke point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
With proper care cast iron cookware can withstand a lifetime of use. Actually several lifetimes as these cast iron pans and dutch ovens are often passed down from generation to generation. Taking care of cast iron cookware is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3.
Since olive oil is such a pantry staple, many people naturally wonder if they can use olive oil to season cast iron. You can use olive oil to season cast iron, but you need to choose a high quality extra virgin olive oil, which should have a smoke point close to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Flaking occurs when you have thick layers of seasoning build up without having the time and use to properly bond to the iron. This is why we recommend building up seasoning through cooking; it creates thin, interlocking layers of seasoning in different areas of your pan, which are much less likely to flake off later.