Novel Cleaning Method

D

Dan Farmer

Member
I was talking to the guy behind the counter of an antique mall today. We were discussing cleaning methods. My jaw dropped when he told me that what he does is to bring it up to about 350, then pour cold water into it!! :shootself:

He insisted that he has never damaged one by doing that.
 
Yes, for the times I've burned my food, and it stuck, that has always worked for me, on any kind of pot, though I usually get it done before the pan has had time to cool in the first place. Stuff just scrapes right out with a spatula. :glutton:
 
T.Winchester said:
Yes, for the times I've burned my food, and it stuck, that has always worked for me, on any kind of pot, though I usually get it done before the pan has had time to cool in the first place. Stuff just scrapes right out with a spatula. :glutton:
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We weren't discussing cleaning after cooking when he told me that, though. We were discussing lye baths and e-tanks.
 
This works for cleaning the inside of a skillet, but I wouldn't want to try it on the outside. Don't think 350 is hot enough to remove any of the really crusty burnt-on gunk from the outside.

This is basically the same technique used in cooking called "deglazing" which is used in sauce making, such as after a steak cooks and you want to use all the delicious "fond" for the sauce, you pour a liquid into the hot pan to help break it up. You do however have the pan on the heat the whole time, so the shock shouldn't be too severe.

I would never take a hot skillet and just plunge it into a sink full of cold water. Too much chance of warping or cracking it.

For cleaning a cast iron skillet/pot/etc., for preparation for seasoning, I don't think it would be hot enough to clean off the old seasoning, or any really burnt on gunk on the outside of the pan.
 
Am I missing something? Are any of these methods easier than lye? I am far from being an expert, but in the 8 or 10 pieces I've done.I hardly have to scrub. The worst thing that happens is that my hands get all pruney from all the rinsing. Granted, it may take 3 tries. But this there is far less chance of damage with lye.
 
Stan D said:
Am I missing something? Are any of these methods easier than lye? I am far from being an expert, but in the 8 or 10 pieces I've done.I hardly have to scrub. The worst thing that happens is that my hands get all pruney from all the rinsing. Granted, it may take 3 tries. But this there is far less chance of damage with lye.
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You aren't missing a thing. I totally agree with you. If I find myself scrubbing too hard, back into the lye it goes.
 
CJMunnich said:
I just love the "I throw it on the camp fire till it glows" method that folks tell me about.
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Went to an annual flea market this weekend and while talking to the cast iron sellers, everyone did that out here! On one pan I asked the guy if he took a die grinder to a really nice #8 Griswold and he said "Oh no, those marks are from the serrated knife I used to scrape the old seasoning off when I got it out of the camp fire" I had to buy it off of him just to save it......
 
JustinR said:
Went to an annual flea market this weekend and while talking to the cast iron sellers, everyone did that out here! On one pan I asked the guy if he took a die grinder to a really nice #8 Griswold and he said "Oh no, those marks are from the serrated knife I used to scrape the old seasoning off when I got it out of the camp fire" I had to buy it off of him just to save it......
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Hi, Justin. Welcome to the addiction! He scraped the seasoning off with a serrated knife? I hope you bonked him over the head with that #8 Griswold! Please tell me that it was at least a small logo Griswold. :eek:
 
A beautiful large logo I took away from him for $20. I got to the flea market late. Surprised it was still there
 
I went to my local antique mart this week, and there was a very early "Wagner" pan that the seller had used the fire method, and then used a wire wheel on a grinder. It looked horrible. The inside of the pan was salvageable, but the outside was ruined.
 
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