If you use regular dish soap (i.e. dawn), you most certainly can (and should) wash it. However, the trick is that you absolutely must dry it, put a light coat of oil, and then bake it to keep it from rusting. I preheat the oven to 450°F and then turn off the oven, and let the pan sit until it’s cool enough to the touch to put away.
Sameish. I thought soap was supposed to damage it. I boil water, use a metal spatula to help lift anything stuck on there, dump the water, wipe it dry, then add oil and wipe it one more time and leave it on the stove so it’s ready to use again.
I’ll be honest, I still don’t really understand what “season” means, but I’ve been doing that several times a week for like ~7 years now without any issues (that I’m aware of, I guess).
My - admittedly naive - understanding of seasoning is that you’re creating layers of dried oil that a) protect the pan, 2) make the pan nonstick without having to always use excessive amounts of oil, and iii) depending on what you’ve cooked in the past (i.e. bacon or other flavorful foods) will leach into your food and give it a yummy unique flavor.
Personally I usually just clean it with a paper towel, and put it away. Mine is almost exclusively a cornbread pan, though, so I’m mostly cleaning excess oil unless I fucked up and it stuck.
Occasionally I do give it a proper wash like you’ve said, but not very often.
If you use regular dish soap (i.e. dawn), you most certainly can (and should) wash it. However, the trick is that you absolutely must dry it, put a light coat of oil, and then bake it to keep it from rusting. I preheat the oven to 450°F and then turn off the oven, and let the pan sit until it’s cool enough to the touch to put away.
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This is the way. People make cast iron sound hard to maintain, but I’ve been doing this for a decade or more and it works great
I just cook bacon any time I need to re-season it. Lol.
I just wash with water and stove-dry it
Sameish. I thought soap was supposed to damage it. I boil water, use a metal spatula to help lift anything stuck on there, dump the water, wipe it dry, then add oil and wipe it one more time and leave it on the stove so it’s ready to use again.
I’ll be honest, I still don’t really understand what “season” means, but I’ve been doing that several times a week for like ~7 years now without any issues (that I’m aware of, I guess).
My - admittedly naive - understanding of seasoning is that you’re creating layers of dried oil that a) protect the pan, 2) make the pan nonstick without having to always use excessive amounts of oil, and iii) depending on what you’ve cooked in the past (i.e. bacon or other flavorful foods) will leach into your food and give it a yummy unique flavor.
I’ve been a lazy ass and just leave it dirty until I’m gonna use it again, wipe it down with soap then cook. Prevents it from staying wet at least.
Personally I usually just clean it with a paper towel, and put it away. Mine is almost exclusively a cornbread pan, though, so I’m mostly cleaning excess oil unless I fucked up and it stuck.
Occasionally I do give it a proper wash like you’ve said, but not very often.
Yeah just wipe it with a damp paper towel and it’ll be good. People overcomplicating things.
I just dry and lightly oil mine. I only bake them if they need it.