Cast Iron Clean-Up

You might recall that I posted awhile back about steps I used for seasoning my cast iron pan. Food-grade flaxseed oil, oven at 500 degrees, six times over and boom, a gorgeous finish. Since then I've been, you know, using the pan, and it so happens that I sometimes burn food onto it. It's not like I have time to stand there and watch my food closely. Whatever, man.

The result was some ugly marks on the bottom of my pan, and I honestly wasn't sure whether it was food burned on, or my seasoning flaking off. I hoped it wasn't the latter, obvs, but it wasn't getting much better when I scrubbed. Scouring with coarse Kosher salt was a help, and yes I even used water to rinse before and after the scouring, and then warmed it in the oven to make sure it dried thoroughly. I would also put another thin layer of the flaxseed oil on from time to time, since it's a relatively new seasoning. When I cooked with oil or grease, I tried to just wipe it out if I could rather than scouring, to add to the cure.

Last night, though, I cooked Italian sausage in there to go with mac 'n cheese because Thursday is kids' menu night, a.k.a. the one night of the week that my priority is not fighting with the kids about eating their dinner. And it may have gotten a little bit burned onto the bottom. I don't know how that happened, it's not like I had an eleven-month-old trying to escape down the basement stairs, or squawking like a velociraptor about wanting his dinner. And the big kids were totally chill and waiting patiently while I cooked.

Bahahaha.

And also, after dinner I had to run to ShopRite (read: got out of the house for an hour to preserve my sanity) while Joel got the kiddos ready for bed soooooo my poor cast iron pan sat and cooled, and the cooked-on gunk became cold, crustified, cooked-on brown gunk. It was so awesome, I did a little dance when I arrived back in the kitchen to finally clean it.

Kosher salt scrub - fail. Pan on a low burner followed by Kosher salt scrub - more fail.

A quick Google search, which I've found is always the best way to expand my repertoire of domesticity, suggested that I boil a small amount of water for a few minutes to loosen the gunk, and then drain, salt scrub as usual, and heat in the oven to dry thoroughly. I also added a little flaxseed oil and heated further, just to be safe. At 500 degrees. At noon on an 80 degree day. I always think through my plans very thoroughly and never have any regrets.

Guys, my pan looks flawless again! I would show you the difference, but I SERIOUSLY have a problem remembering "before" pictures.