Now, various devices are being produced very often, which, according to manufacturers, have previously unheard of advantages. The most interesting thing here is that this progress has even reached ordinary dishes. Today, there are many non-stick pans that are considered much better than their predecessors. However, not all people prefer new dishes. They don't forget the good old cast iron pans. In many kitchens, you can still find such dishes today. The fact is that with proper care, cast iron pans also have a high degree of non-stick.
Processing before first use
Almost everyone associates such utensils with the Soviet Union, burning and heaviness. Despite this, today it is quite easy to purchase a new cast-iron pan in any cookware store and use it quite successfully. To do this, you need to know that the preservation of non-stick properties is possible only with proper processing of utensils after purchase. In this regard, questions often arise about what to do with new dishes.or how to season a cast iron skillet before first use.
So, as we know, cast iron has a porous surface. To get rid of all kinds of pores and cracks, you need to follow these simple steps:
- wash the pan from the factory grease;
- put it on fire and pour a thick layer of s alt;
- heat for an hour, stirring frequently;
- wipe off the remaining s alt with a paper towel;
- rub a small amount of vegetable oil into the surface of the pan.
If after a while the food burns in a cast-iron pan, the indicated procedure must be repeated.
Daily Care
Next, let's take a closer look at how to care for a cast iron pan on a daily basis, and not just before the first use. Fortunately, everything is quite simple here, and caring for cast-iron utensils is not much different from washing pans made of other materials. It is enough after each use of the dishes to remove food debris, wash the fat and pour boiling water over the surface of the pan. After that, it is necessary to grease the surface again with vegetable oil to restore the non-stick properties.
If you have run your kitchen utensils a little and there is already grease on the walls, which is very difficult to wash by hand, you must do the following:
- pour three tablespoons of s alt and a little table vinegar into the pan;
- fill it all with water and bring to a boil;
- add four tablespoons of soda, wait until the water has completely evaporated;
- Wash the pan thoroughly.
During this procedure, you need to be very careful, because the solution will emit burning steam, which can be very dangerous to your he alth.
As we have seen, daily care is not difficult at all. The main thing is not to be lazy.
If soot appears
Even despite following the above rules, it often happens that carbon deposits form on a cast-iron pan, which causes certain inconvenience when using it. Today, many housewives rely on dishwashers because they are said to be able to handle even the toughest dirt. All you have to do is put the pan in the dishwasher and turn on the appropriate program.
Unfortunately, not every carbon deposit can be removed with a dishwasher. Most often, you have to repeat cleaning sessions over and over again in order to achieve the desired cleanliness.
In connection with the above, many people have a question: how to care for a cast iron pan if there is no dishwasher? In this case, the cleaning process must be carried out manually using various household chemicals.
Today you can find a large number of all kinds of detergents that will help you cope with even a fairly strong soot. Most often they are applied to dishes, after which the pan itself is tightly wrapped in polyethylene. Another very interesting fact is that carbon deposits can be removed withthe use of means to combat blockages in sewers. To do this, place the contaminated pan in a solution of such a product, then, wearing rubber gloves, carefully wash off the soot and chemical residue so that it does not get into the food.
If you have allergies
Unfortunately, there are times when a person has an allergy and cannot use certain household chemicals. However, this does not mean that he is forced to use a dirty frying pan. There is an "old-fashioned" method for removing soot from a cast-iron pan. It is as follows:
- Take a large container of water and put it on fire.
- Add grated laundry soap and a pack of soda to the water.
- Place a frying pan in boiled water and "cook" it for two hours.
- Take out the pan, cool it down and clean off any carbon deposits with a stiff metal brush.
Immediately worth noting: such a solution will smell very unpleasant, but no one promised that it would be easy and pleasant to care for a cast-iron skillet.
Stronger measures
In addition to the methods above, there are even tougher ways to clean a cast iron skillet. The first of them is suitable for those who want to take a frying pan with them to nature. Further, everything is very simple: you need to put the utensils in the fire, after which all the soot will fall off by itself. The main thing here is not to leave the pan in the fire for a long time, as high temperatures can cause the kitchen utensils todeformed.
The same result can be achieved without leaving home. To do this, heat the stove and put a cast-iron pan upside down on it. Under the influence of high temperature, the soot will begin to fall off the pan. The remaining pieces can be removed with a knife.
How to remove rust
Very often, when people learn how to care for a cast iron skillet, they are worried about rust. Like any other metal, cast iron is subject to this negative effect. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the dishes, because with improper care, the cast-iron pan rusts very quickly. If rust has appeared, then you should not panic. It can be removed fairly easily from a cast iron skillet with regular dishwashing detergent, baking soda, saline, or speci alty chemicals. The choice of option depends on the type of rust.
Conclusion
The main ways to care for a cast iron pan have been described above. Summing up all the above, we can conclude that the care itself is not very difficult or extraordinary. Just a few simple steps will help you keep both imported kitchen utensils and Russian-made cast-iron pans in excellent condition and clean.
