Husbands great grandmother passed and left a slue of extremely old cast iron skillets, pots how can i restore?
Question:Several have a black crust on them
Answers:
number 1 do not wash them. that crust that you refer to is what is refered to as the season coat. If it is very thick and full of holes ,scrape it off. soap or detergent can collect in these holes and cause problems. when you have it where you want it cive the pan a light coat of vegatable oil and put it in a 400 degree oven for about 30 min. when you cook in it wipe it out with a bit of veg.oil and put it away . if you start cooking wipe it off inside with little veg. oil and go to it.
I have griddles, dutch ovens,pots and pans that in some cases i bought new and have never been washed. some are over 50 years old. eggs and pancakes slither across them like a snake on a hot sidewalk. I know that they will out last me and some lucky person ,who hopefully knows about cast iron ,will get them.
They're supposed to have a black crust on them.
It's called: "seasoning"
If these skillets qualify as true antiques, leave them alone and sell "as is". Remember, cast iron skillets need to be "seasoned" so food won't stick. That's why skillets that have been used a lot are better for cooking than brand new ones.
Or, you could try putting them in the oven when you run it on self-clean, and see if that burns off the crust. Do it with one to see what happens; then you won't risk ruining the whole batch.
Cast iron should have a black crust on them - it's called seasoning. When cast iron utensils are used, a coat of oil is put on them and "baked" on. Sometimes this is repeated several times before use. This seals and protects the cast iron from the food and also keeps the food from absorbing the taste of the iron. Cast iron should never be cleaned in a dishwasher or by scrubbing with heavy abrasives. As long as they're not rusted, merely clean them in mild soapy water, dry them thoroughly, and place a light coat of cooking oil on them.
use steel wool or have them sand blasted, than heat in oven to 200 degrees and season with mineral oil
There supposed to be a little black because that means they are "seasoned", But if you wanna clean them a little better but a good amount of salt in the pot and then wipe it out with oil, lard is the best. That should clean it a little better and put your mind at rest about it being "clean" enough to cook on. Hope this helps!
Cast iron skillets and pots rust very easily. If these utensils are dirty, wash them in hot, soapy water to remove dirt and old grease. DO NOT put them in the dishwasher, ever! Dry them throughly with a dry cloth. If there is surface rust and crust, clean it with steel wool, but no water. After the utensils are cleaned, they must be seasoned. This prevents future rust and makes them virtually non-stick. Coat them inside and out with a thin layer of vegetable shortening (no oil) applied with a paper towel. Place them in a 200 to 250 degree oven for at least three hours. If they are in really bad shape, you may have to repeat the steel wool and seasoning steps. Once they are seasoned, wash them after use with only hot water--never any soap. some old skillets are quite valuable, especially those marked "Griswold". At any rate they are great to bake and cook in if properly maintained.
I never mess with the outside.The inside needs to be black in color so that it is seasoned.The way to get the black crust off would be to put them in a bonfire and it will burn off.i love mine, some are 30 years old.Remember to never scrub your skillets with brillo,just put water in it and put on the stove to heat,then scrap away any food with a spatula,then rinse well and dry.I leave mine in my oven upside down...
My father also has a slue of cast iron pans. He never ever washes them, just wipes them out very well with a papertowel or regular towel. He also coats them with veggie oil after every use. The black crust is called seasoning and is a very good thing. It helps to protect the pan (and the food).
Enjoy your wonderful new treasures.
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