Cast Iron Excellence

Scott and I are in love with our cast iron skillet. It keeps getting better and better with age and use, and I can't imagine breakfast without it. For me, cleaning it is akin to bathing a baby. It's our special time together. There may even be some bonding.

Because I've heard some horrible things people have done to their own skillets, I've created a little tutorial on how to properly love your skillet. Rule number one: NO FREAKIN' SOAP. A cast iron skillet will absorb the flavors of whatever goes in it, so unless you like your bacon with a side of Ivory, don't use soap and water.

Here is my skillet after a delicious breakfast of bacon and eggs this morning:

The first step is to gather the following:

Kosher salt, oil (I like olive), a dishrag (or several paper towels, if you hate the planet), and maybe a stainless steel scrubby thing or steel wool.

Step 1. Use the (dry!) rag to wipe out any food in the skillet. Don't go nuts, just get the big stuff out. Shake off the rag into the sink or garbage, refold so the icky side is on the inside, and set aside.

Step 2. Add a tablespoon or two each of salt and oil.

Step 3. Spread around the salt and oil, and use this to scrub the skillet clean. If there is any food really baked on, use the steel scrubby and elbow grease.

Step 4. Wipe out as much of the salt as you can with your hands (this makes the next step easier).

Step 5. Using the (still dry!) rag, wipe out the rest of the salt and oil.

And that's it! Yay! Clean happy skillet!

To ensure your skillet remains happy, coat in oil (inside and out) and bake it in the oven every once in a while to keep it from rusting. If you find a rust spot (check early and often) scrub it off with steel wool, coat with oil, and bake. We bake it at 300 degrees for about an hour. Watch as your skillet develops a patina over time... it's a thing of beauty. And remember: Soap tastes terrible, and water causes rust. Those two things shouldn't go on your skillet.