Some time back I obtained some antique cast iron cookware. Unfortunately the cast iron was horrible neglected and covered in rust. I remembered how beautiful, black and slick my Mother's cast iron cookware appeared; it still looks new to this day and I know it is at least 100 years old. Mother would prepare anything in just one 8 inch skillet. Mom would make bread pudding, hamburgers, hotdogs, pies and even cakes in her skillet. Remembering all the great things I ate that were prepared in that skillet I went to work immediately removing the rust and restoring my "new" cast iron cookware pieces.
Careful inventory revealed that I had several nice pieces all with a different function and with a different size. I had a griddle, two skillets, one large and one small and one really deep heavy 12 inch fry pan. The fry pan could easily destroy whatever it was dropped on! This would be my favorite because that skillet would fry perfect Southern Style chicken. I also had a neat cornbread mold for great presentation for individual corn stalk shaped corn muffins.
I first had to get over my fear of spiders and cob webs so that I could even think about how to tackle the rust. I wanted to just start with the basics and go from there so I grabbed the Brillo pads and went at it. After several hours of scrubbing and removing the layers of rust, the cookware didn't look too bad. I went through just about of a box of Brillo pad. If the rust is minimal, a quick scrub with fine sandpaper and steel wool may be all that's necessary. If the rust is significant, like some of mine, I had to borrow my husband's wire brush attachment for use with an electric drill. I had to attach the brush to a drill. I used his heavy-duty, corded drill; a 7-volt Black and Decker might not have done the job. Wearing safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask, I began to remove the rust. I worked slowly and was careful not to dig into the surface, which would compromise its ability to heat evenly.
After the rust was gone I needed to eliminate all the germs and bacteria that must have been collecting on the cast iron cookware. First I applied coarse salt onto the pieces and began to give them a good scrubbing. I used paper towels but a sturdy cloth would do the job, too. This made them look much cleaner and quite smooth. Although it was time consuming the difference was obviously worth it. Finally I placed more salt on the pieces and enough water to cover the bottom and then some antibacterial soap. I heated the water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and using a long handled nylon brush. I gave each piece another scrubbing just to insure they were germ free. That was the last time soap and water touched my cast iron cookware.
Satisfied with a job well done I only had to season each piece. I seasoned each piece 3 times both inside and out so any spilled or splattered food would never stick to it. My cast iron cookware looked like new again. The best thing about cast iron cookware is that it only gets better with age. The time and energy investment was well worth it. I saved and restored a bit of the past and was able to gain quality cookware that will last well into the future.
Careful inventory revealed that I had several nice pieces all with a different function and with a different size. I had a griddle, two skillets, one large and one small and one really deep heavy 12 inch fry pan. The fry pan could easily destroy whatever it was dropped on! This would be my favorite because that skillet would fry perfect Southern Style chicken. I also had a neat cornbread mold for great presentation for individual corn stalk shaped corn muffins.
I first had to get over my fear of spiders and cob webs so that I could even think about how to tackle the rust. I wanted to just start with the basics and go from there so I grabbed the Brillo pads and went at it. After several hours of scrubbing and removing the layers of rust, the cookware didn't look too bad. I went through just about of a box of Brillo pad. If the rust is minimal, a quick scrub with fine sandpaper and steel wool may be all that's necessary. If the rust is significant, like some of mine, I had to borrow my husband's wire brush attachment for use with an electric drill. I had to attach the brush to a drill. I used his heavy-duty, corded drill; a 7-volt Black and Decker might not have done the job. Wearing safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask, I began to remove the rust. I worked slowly and was careful not to dig into the surface, which would compromise its ability to heat evenly.
After the rust was gone I needed to eliminate all the germs and bacteria that must have been collecting on the cast iron cookware. First I applied coarse salt onto the pieces and began to give them a good scrubbing. I used paper towels but a sturdy cloth would do the job, too. This made them look much cleaner and quite smooth. Although it was time consuming the difference was obviously worth it. Finally I placed more salt on the pieces and enough water to cover the bottom and then some antibacterial soap. I heated the water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes and using a long handled nylon brush. I gave each piece another scrubbing just to insure they were germ free. That was the last time soap and water touched my cast iron cookware.
Satisfied with a job well done I only had to season each piece. I seasoned each piece 3 times both inside and out so any spilled or splattered food would never stick to it. My cast iron cookware looked like new again. The best thing about cast iron cookware is that it only gets better with age. The time and energy investment was well worth it. I saved and restored a bit of the past and was able to gain quality cookware that will last well into the future.
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Learn more about seasoning cast iron cookware, stop by Trella Dutton's site where you can find out all about cast iron skillets and what they can do for you.
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