NEVER Clean Your Cast Iron Like This Again, Try This Old Southern Trick

📖 Get Cora-Lee’s Table — every recipe and measure from my kitchen written down in one book: mrscoralee.com ⭐ CORA-LEE’S CAST IRON CLEANING METHOD WHAT YOU’LL NEED: • Water • Stiff brush or scrubbing pad • Coarse salt for stubborn food • Paper towels or a clean cloth • A small amount of cooking oil METHOD: 1. NEVER LET IT SOAK. Water can touch my cast iron, but I don’t let water sit in it. That’s when rust becomes a problem. 2. BOIL THE STUCK FOOD LOOSE. If something is really stuck, I put the skillet back on the burner, add 1–2 cups of water — just enough to cover the bottom — and bring it to a boil. I let it boil for 10–15 minutes to help loosen the cooked-on food. 3. SCRUB IT WHILE IT’S WARM. I pour out the water and scrub the warm skillet with a stiff brush or scrubbing pad. 4. ⭐ TRY COARSE SALT FOR STUBBORN SPOTS. If something still won’t move, I add about a tablespoon of coarse salt and scrub it around with a folded paper towel. Then I dump out the salt and give the skillet a quick rinse. 5. DRY IT ON THE BURNER. This is one of the most important steps. After towel-drying, I put my skillet back over medium heat for a few minutes until every last bit of moisture is gone. 6. OIL IT THIN. While the skillet is still warm, I add just a few drops of oil and rub them over the cooking surface. Then I take a clean towel and wipe the oil back off until the pan looks almost dry. I want a very thin coating — not a greasy skillet. 7. STORE IT DRY. I like to put a dry paper towel inside my skillet before storing it, especially if another pan will be stacked on top. I also don’t seal it up with a lid where moisture can get trapped. CORA-LEE’S TROUBLESHOOTING: Already rusty? I scrub the rust away, wash and thoroughly dry the skillet, then give it a very thin coat of oil before reseasoning it. Sticky after oiling? I used too much oil. The coating should be so thin the skillet almost looks dry. Food keeps sticking? The seasoning may need some attention. I keep cooking with the skillet and maintain that thin protective layer. Can I use dish soap? A little modern mild dish soap can be used on a well-seasoned skillet when needed. I just don’t soak the pan, and I always dry it thoroughly afterward. And here’s the part worth remembering: I don’t treat cast iron like something fragile. I keep it dry, keep a thin layer of oil on it, and keep cooking in it. Take care of a good skillet and it can still be frying chicken for somebody who hasn’t even been born yet.