Do not toss your rusty cast iron skillets! I’ll show you how to restore cast iron skillets to their beautiful shine in under 30 minutes!
Cast iron skillets are super porous so you never want it to soak in water. Don’t stress, food will stick to it, you’ll sit it in the sink to soak and forget about it. The next morning, give it a rinse and if you notice that it’s rusty, don’t fret, here’s how to restore cast iron skillets for their next shining moment!
Rust be gone!
Here’s what my pan looked like after a night of soaking (those pesky eggs), compared to a well seasoned pan.
Let’s Restore!
All you need to restore and re-season a cast iron is three household staples; kosher salt, EVOO and a potato.
Cut the potato so that you can get a good grip on one half.
I start with 1/4 cup of kosher salt in my pan. Then start working the potato in a circular motion. The water from the potato will add enough moisture to work the salt into the pores of the cast iron and start removing the rust.
Go up the sides and everywhere you see specks of rust. If your salt is getting really nasty, you can dump it, wipe the pan down and add fresh salt.
Time to Rinse!
Once you feel that you have all the rust out, give it a quick rinse with hot water. DO NOT use soap on your cast iron if at all possible.
Time to Season!
After you rinse your skillet, take a paper towel and dry it really well. Then place it on the stove and heat it over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons of EVOO (you can also use coconut oil or a little bacon grease). Spread the oil all over the pan with a brush or paper towel.
Let the pan cool, and you’ll be ready to cook up a fresh skillet of Healthy Breakfast Fried Rice! Time check…that was 20 minutes!
And that my friends is how to restore cast iron skillets! Of course if your skillet is an heirloom and hasn’t been used in quite while, it may take you a few rounds of salt restoration with heating and oiling. That’s okay, you’ll just continue to add more flavor every time you follow these steps. In the mood for a new skillet? I love this griddle skillet! Makes great panini’s, cheeseburgers or even veggies!
Enjoy!
xo, Tiff
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