Have you ever cleaned an old cast iron pan that has begun to rust?

[barbara-in-va]

I have found a semi old one packed away. I Googled several different options but I do not know which one to pick or if there is an even better way that I did not read about.

I read:

1. clean in self cleaning oven

2. wash with hot water and a scouring pad, use a sander if necessary

3. heat and scrub with kosher salt

Any suggestions please?

 

[marsha-tbay]

I've done 2 and now they're wonderful now. First I clean them with real hot water then I

coat them with crisco and bake in a 400 oven and just left in there til the oven got cold.

then every time I use them, I clean them with hot water first, then put them back on the hot stove and use Crisco to finish cleaning. After I get them clean, then I use my final coat of Crisco and let it stay on the warm element til it gets cold, then I put it away.

The worst one I had was from my mother in law after she died. I really didn't think I'd get it useable; it was pitted and king 'crusty' but now you'd never know it.

I've also done a small griddle the same way, it's also in great shape now.

 

[joe]

I've done it too. Just wash with soapy water and dry, rub with oil, and heat.

Afterwards, use it for frying only for a while, and try not to wash it--just wipe it out. It will get re-seasoned.

I have one cast iron pan that I use when I make bread. I heat it on the bottom of the oven and throw water into it to make steam. After years of abuse, it has rusted beyond recognition, but I bet if I had to I could get it back in shape.

 

[shaun-in-to]

How timely! I have a crusty, pitted one as you desribe and was looking for remedies. How long do

you bake it at 400?

 

[marsha-tbay]

I usually do it an hour or two. You can do it once, if you feel you want to do it again, you can.

When I first heard this method the person said to stick the pan in a fireplace and get it red hot. That's really hot, so this is not a firm method as to degrees, length of time, etc.

I just get the pan hot, 400, 450.. let stay hot a good long time, at least an hour or two....then, as I said I just keep coating it with Crisco on a warm element. The more times you do this, whether you use it in the interim or not, the nicer the pan gets.