How clean is clean enough?

[Stacey Spears]

Hello everyone,

I just purchased my first cast iron pan, so I am not an experienced cast iron cook. My pan is a basic one from Cabella's. It came pre-seasoned, but I seasoned it again with vegetable oil. I was waiting to use it until I received the chain mail scrubber that I ordered. Meanwhile, my daughter used it without my knowledge to bake a batch of meatballs - no parchment paper. I have used a wooden spatula followed by a plastic scrubby with coarse salt to remove most of the residue, but some reddish rings where the meatballs sat remains (more like staining, not raised bits). I am concerned about putting another coat of oil over the top because the meatballs were spicy and the red hue is from gochujang paste. I worry about what that does in terms of flavoring future meals. I am now also worried about the fact that I left the second batch of coarse salt in the pan overnight - dry, but still, overnight, with the idea of scrubbing some more today, which I have already done, to no avail. Have I ruined my pan with either meatballs or salt? Is it clean enough? I appreciate any advice. Thank you!

Stacey

 

[Doug D.]

Consider that carbon residue from cooked food (along with polymerized fat) is a large part of what constitutes seasoning. What a manufacturer puts on a pan is largely rust-proofing, in the form of a polymerized oil. What we ourselves put on a pan with a manual seasoning is largely the same, but we often apply multiple coats to give things a better head start towards the "non-stick" properties we're after. The stains left by the meatballs will blend in with use. I doubt you'll detect any flavoring imparted from them. Dry salt shouldn't be an issue, either. Often, just leaving a pan sit with a half inch of warm water for a half hour will soften and release anything stuck on, no salt or scrubber or chain mail necessary,

Cast Iron Maintenance & Storage - The Cast Iron Collector: Information for The Vintage Cookware Enthusiast

The Cast Iron Collector: Information for the Vintage Cookware Enthusiast. Learn how to identify, clean, restore, season and use collectible antique cast iron cookware.

www.castironcollector.com

 

[SeanD]

I soak my pans if they need it. Ive left taco meat in one by mistake, but it was an easy clean up. I doubt salt will do anything, cause we put it on food right? A plus is you are on the right site for sure....youll learn a LOT real quick!