Caring for your cast iron

Here's the honest truth most articles bury: caring for cast iron takes under a minute, and it's nearly impossible to permanently ruin. If the fear of maintenance is what's holding you back, read this once and you'll never worry again.

The everyday routine

1. Cook. That's it — using the pan is what maintains it.
2. Rinse with hot water while it's still warm. A little dish soap is fine; the "never use soap" rule is a myth from the harsh-lye era.
3. Scrub stuck-on bits with the chainmail scrubber from the Care Kit or a stiff brush. For baked-on food, add a splash of water and simmer a minute to loosen it.
4. Dry completely. This is the only step that matters for rust. Towel it, then set it on a warm burner for a minute to drive off the last moisture.
5. Oil. Rub in a thin film of oil — a thumbnail's worth — and wipe out the excess. Done.

Re-seasoning (every few months, or as needed)

If the surface starts looking dull or gray, or food begins to stick more than usual, give it a fresh seasoning layer:

1. Wash and dry the pan fully.
2. Rub a very thin coat of oil — the seasoning wax in the Care Kit, or flaxseed oil — over the whole pan, inside and out. Thin is the whole secret; a thick coat turns sticky.
3. Wipe it back until it looks almost dry.
4. Bake upside down at 450–500°F for an hour, then let it cool in the oven.

The deeper how-and-why is in Seasoning 101.

Rescuing a rusty pan

Left it wet? Found rust after a trip? Don't panic and don't throw it out — rust is cosmetic and reversible.

1. Scrub the rust off with the chainmail scrubber. Steel wool works too. Go down to clean gray metal on the affected spot.
2. Wash, dry thoroughly.
3. Re-season as above.

A rusted pan is never a ruined pan. If it's badly gone, send it to us — we re-season pans for free, for life.