I can't get my cast iron griddle clean!?
Question:I used it yesterday to grill peaches. Now all the burnt parts are stuck on. I tried scrubbing with the green scrubby part of a sponge, used hot water, baking soda, coarse sea salt, I feel like I've tried everything. How can I get this thing clean?
Answers:
Don't scrub it. Just place the griddle in hot water and let it soak. Get a bamboo brush designed for cleaning a wok and after about an hour just scrub with the bamboo brush and they should lift right off. Next time you grill something that is burning flip over a metal spatula while whatever it is is still hot and scrape it off right away. Letting the pan cool basically lets the burnt stuff set.
Pu them in your outdoor grill and turn it up full blast and burn the residue off.
Try spraying it with oven cleaner and letting it set for an hour or more. Then you still might have to use a scrubby pad. Finish with hot water and dishwashing liquid. You also will probably have to re-season it, by rubbing it with vegatable oil and letting it set in a low oven for overnight. (Oven at the lowest setting).
Use a wire brush.
I use one for my cast iron grilling pan, then I rinse it in hot water, dry it off and spray a light coat of Crisco non-stick cooking spray and wipe off the excess with a paper towel.
It's ready to go whenever I need it again.
Don't put it in the dishwasher.
Soak it in a sink full of hot soapy water for a few hours or overnight and then scrub with a steel wool or metal scrubber. Then dry so it doesn't rust. This is cast iron so you don't have to be delicate.
When you cook with a cast iron pan without coating, you must use oil or at least cooking oil spray, and if you bake foil. They can take a lot of abuse.
Heat it to 350 degrees fahrenheit, use club soda on it. Wear an apron and long gloves- it WILL SPATTER.
My mother taught me this and she had cast iron skillets that were older than me. Pour enough pickle juice in pan to cover burnt parts and bring to boil. Should be able to scrape off with a spatula. Wipe off with damp cloth. Of course her pans were propery seasoned - that's the secreat of cooking with cast iron. Maybe plain vinegar would work, but she always used the pickle juice.
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