Just ordered my first one. First question says it is "seasoned", but is it really? And what should I do to get it going? Second, how do you clean yours after each use?
I would season it myself, even if it says it's seasoned. Coat it with vegetable oil or lard, then bake at 350 for an hour or so. Pull it out and wipe it clean Lodge is Easy - How to Clean Cast Iron - YouTube
My great grandmother never washed her Cast Iron pans she would just rinse them and wipe them off. Never used soap she said it would affect the flavor.
I would tend to agree with this post. I know they show using soap in that video, but we don't use soap. Basically we just wipe it clean. Helps keep it seasoned. I think the soap would adversely affect the seasoning by removing the oils.
Also clean it while its still hot don't let it sit too long. You can soak if need be but usually if seasoned right it will clean up pretty easily.
Rules for cast iron Never EVER use soap to clean it. Never leave it wet without drying (it will rust!) And greasing again. If you find it rusting, your wife has used soap on it and left it wet without greasing it. Threaten her with the skillet if it happens again after you clean it and grease it again. Animal fats are preferred for greasing it. Vegetable oils can work in a pinch, but they can congeal into a rubbery mess if left on it. To clean Use hot water and scrub with a metal or plastic scratcher. Rinse & scrub again if need be, heat on the stove to dry and grease it again with bacon grease. Now you know why your grandmother had a can of bacon grease in her kitchen. If I had a new cast iron skillet I would probably cook nothing but bacon in it the first several times. Rinse & scrub clean and cook more bacon... You like bacon right? You're saving the grease right? Acidic foods like tomatoes will destroy the finish. Grease heavily and heat on the stovetop after making spaghetti sauce etc When I first got married my wife ran my great grandmother's skillet through the dishwasher. I thought I would either be divorced or in prison before the aftermath settled. We had iron skillet care lessons. Good thing she likes bacon... Good luck!
I love cooking on all my lodge pans! They are the only ones that I really use. I do the same thing baking it in the oven and it works great!
I use a cast iron wok. Far superior to the steel ones. You never use soap on the cast iron. If I make something that might leave a little in the wok, like egg or some batter, I just wipe it out with a paper towel when it cools down. I don't think I have ever had to use water to clean it. We have a cast iron skillet too. If you fry sugar cured bacon, it will stick and you will have to use water to clean it, never soap though. Use the bacon that is not sugar cured and it will never stick. I love the cast iron because it stays hot when I put in the food so it cooks quickly. In my cooking, everything is in small pieces so I can cook one thing and then the next while the first is still hot.
