Wednesday, August 8, 2007

How To Cure A Cast Iron Skillet

A properly cured cast iron skillet will have a jet black sheen, unlike the gray metallic color when purchased new. To get optimum cooking results, you must take certain steps to ensure the cookware will cook properly, especially if you plan to use it for cooking Cornbread.
First of all, buy a good quality solid cast iron skillet which measures 9 inches across the top rim. Wash the skillet with plenty of warm water and a small amount of liquid soap. Rinse thoroughly under running water to remove all traces of the soap. Dry with clean paper towels and let stand until the skillet is completely dry. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees F. Using a basting brush, lightly and thoroughly cover all surfaces (including the handle) of the skillet with vegetable oil. Oil should not drip from the outside and must not form puddles on the inside of the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven for 5 - 7 hours. During this period, if any surface area appears to have dried up, brush on another light coat of oil. When the process is finished, inspect all surfaces to see if there is a light (usually brown colored) coat everywhere. If not, another curing is needed. With use, a properly cured skillet will develop a black sheen.

Never use the skillet for anything but cooking cornbread and it should never be washed. After each use, clean it thoroughly with clean dry paper towels. Be careful to remove all excess cooking oil and any all bread crumbs. Store in a dry place. You can store, wrapped in a clean dry towel and before each use oil the inside surface. Pre-heat the skillet. The cornbread batter should only be added to a hot skillet.

1 comment:

Oscar1986 said...

cool blog, interesting. check out my ancient worldz blog if you get a chance.