QUESTION: cast iron

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 06:49:00p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly and
apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the bottom
of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the other
side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_ the
blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light reflects
off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet, since
it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Matt

Really hard to say without seeing it, but why invite trouble? If it cooks
well and the surface is well-seasoned, I would try anything else with it.
When you've cleaned off the rust on the bottom, why not coat the entire pan
with solid shortening or oil and bake it in a slow oven. You might want to
repeat this several times. I don't think you need a new pan.

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 06:49:00p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly and
apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the bottom
of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the other
side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_ the
blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light reflects
off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet, since
it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Matt

Really hard to say without seeing it, but why invite trouble? If it cooks
well and the surface is well-seasoned, I would try anything else with it.
When you've cleaned off the rust on the bottom, why not coat the entire pan
with solid shortening or oil and bake it in a slow oven. You might want to
repeat this several times. I don't think you need a new pan.

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly

and

Quoted message said:

apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the

bottom

Quoted message said:

of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the

other

Quoted message said:

side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_

the

Quoted message said:

blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light

reflects

Quoted message said:

off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet,

since

Quoted message said:

it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

A pan that old cries out for reseasoning. Could well be badly rusted
below a thick layer of burned on food... only way to know if the pan is
worth salvaging is to totally remove everything down to bare metal. If
badly pitted it's not worth saving, use it for a door stop. Like you
said, cast iron cookware is very inexpensive, get a new one.

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly

and

Quoted message said:

apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the

bottom

Quoted message said:

of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the

other

Quoted message said:

side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_

the

Quoted message said:

blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light

reflects

Quoted message said:

off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet,

since

Quoted message said:

it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

A pan that old cries out for reseasoning. Could well be badly rusted
below a thick layer of burned on food... only way to know if the pan is
worth salvaging is to totally remove everything down to bare metal. If
badly pitted it's not worth saving, use it for a door stop. Like you
said, cast iron cookware is very inexpensive, get a new one.

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 08:01:07p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

LOL! Then do both! One cast iron pan is never enough anyway. <g>

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 08:01:07p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

LOL! Then do both! One cast iron pan is never enough anyway. <g>

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

In Wayne Boatwright said:

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 08:01:07p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

LOL! Then do both! One cast iron pan is never enough anyway. <g>

Oh yeah, first the pan and then the pot...

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

In Wayne Boatwright said:

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 08:01:07p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

LOL! Then do both! One cast iron pan is never enough anyway. <g>

Oh yeah, first the pan and then the pot...

--
Cheers

Dennis

Remove 'Elle-Kabong' to reply

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly and
apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

Substitute Olive oil...

If I wash and dry my skillet and don't oil it, then and only then does
it get a few rust spots. If I oil it after I dry it with a moderate coat
of olive oil, it does just fine!

Quoted message said:

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the bottom
of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the other
side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_ the
blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light reflects
off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

It's not going to rust under the seasoning. ;-)
Quit obsessing and enjoy the pan!

Quoted message said:

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet, since
it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

Thoughts?

There is NO substitute for an old, well loved, well seasoned pan!

A little rust here and there is also not going to hurt anything.
Just wipe it off before you cook anything.

Use a good coating of olive oil between uses and it won't rust anymore!

Quoted message said:

Thanks,
Matt

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

Quoted message said:

,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&include=0&userid=katra

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sheldon said:

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly

and

Quoted message said:

apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the

bottom

Quoted message said:

of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the

other

Quoted message said:

side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_

the

Quoted message said:

blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light

reflects

Quoted message said:

off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet,

since

Quoted message said:

it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

A pan that old cries out for reseasoning. Could well be badly rusted
below a thick layer of burned on food... only way to know if the pan is
worth salvaging is to totally remove everything down to bare metal. If
badly pitted it's not worth saving, use it for a door stop. Like you
said, cast iron cookware is very inexpensive, get a new one.

Philistine!!!

That's blasphemy!
--
K.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

Ok!
Send me your old pan. ;-)
I'll even pay for postage!

I love old, antique pans...
All of the new Lodge [censored] on the market is no
comparison to old antique pans!

I'll treasure it like your grandmother did!

Remove the "mungbean" and this e-mail address works!

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

Quoted message said:

,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&include=0&userid=katra

In article <[email hidden]>,

Wayne Boatwright said:

On Wed 30 Mar 2005 08:01:07p, wrote in rec.food.cooking:

Quoted message said:

well, maybe i should add that my secret reason is that i want to
'start' a cast-iron pan so that it will be _my_ baby, not my
grandmother's, and i am looking for an excuse 😉

thanks for your help.

LOL! Then do both! One cast iron pan is never enough anyway. <g>

<snicker> Too true...

I have a #8, #10, #12 and a #14 Griswold.
I use the #14 for roasting! It fits a 20 lbs. turkey
and is a breeze to clean!

I also have a little 6" pan of unknown origin.
It's great for omelets.

--
K.

Sprout the Mung Bean to reply...

There is no need to change the world. All we have to do is toilet train the world and we'll never have to change it again. -- Swami Beyondanada

Quoted message said:

,,<Cat's Haven Hobby Farm>,,<Katraatcenturyteldotnet>,,<

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&include=0&userid=katra

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hello,

I inheirited a very black cast-iron pan from my mom. I enjoy cooking
in it--it is very nonstick and it seems easy to clean by simply
deglazing with hot water and scrubbing well with my regular nylon
dish-cleaning brush. After each use, I dry the skillet thoroughly and
apply a thin layer of canola oil. In fact, I'm a bit obsessive about
this.

My problem is this: I keep getting rust spots developing on the bottom
of the pan. I can always remove them by scrubbing the spots with a
mixture of salt and oil, but they keep coming back. Also, on the other
side (the cooking side), it _looks_ like there may be rust _under_ the
blackened patina. It's very hard to tell--it's not obviously dry,
powdery rust like I get on the bottom, and the way that light reflects
off the surface, the redness may be a figment of my imagination.

I do not know how well the pan was treated before I got it, but I am
guessing not very well. It was sitting in my parents' basement for
years before I rescued it. They probably got it from my grandma, who
was a notoriously bad cook.

My question is: could there be rust _underneath_ the seasoning/patina
layer? If there is, I think I'm just going to buy a new skillet, since
it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason when I can get a new, preseasoned
skillet for twenty bucks at Amazon.

always a dilemma.
One thing I would suggest is not to scrub with salt, it may well be the salt
which is causing the rust. The chloride in th salt combines with hydrogen in
the water to form hydrochloric acid which dissolves some of the iron forming
iron chloride, which hyrolyses forming iron oxide (the rust) and more
hyrochloric acid, ad infinitum. So, do not use salt. Nearly all my
pans/skillets are cast iron. I find I can use mild detergent and still
retain the non-stick surface patina, evindenced by the way the water forms
small droplets after rincing. I would say, like you, thorough drying is very
important.
HTH
cheers
Wazza

Wazza said:

The chloride in th salt combines with hydrogen in
the water to form hydrochloric acid which dissolves some of the iron forming
iron chloride, which hyrolyses forming iron oxide (the rust) and more
hyrochloric acid, ad infinitum.

Howdy,

'Sorry, but when salt is mixed with water, there is no
hydrochloric acid formed.

All the best,
--
Kenneth

If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."

If that were true then we would have nasty acid burns from canned soup
and vegetables! When you dissolve salt in water, you get salt water.
Both H2O and NACl are very stable compounds and it would take quite a
lot of energy to make them separate into their elements (H and O or NA
and Cl) which is what would be required to enable them to recombine in
to HCl.

What's happening is the iron is oxidizing when exposed to the air
(which has O2). The salt is acting as an abrasive and removing the
surface rust and exposing iron that hasn't corroded.

I would suggest oiling the surface that is rusting. And not using salt
because it's abrasive properties may remove the oil.

Heidi

Heidi said:

If that were true then we would have nasty acid burns from canned soup
and vegetables! When you dissolve salt in water, you get salt water.
Both H2O and NACl are very stable compounds and it would take quite a
lot of energy to make them separate into their elements (H and O or NA
and Cl) which is what would be required to enable them to recombine in
to HCl.

What's happening is the iron is oxidizing when exposed to the air
(which has O2). The salt is acting as an abrasive and removing the
surface rust and exposing iron that hasn't corroded.

I would suggest oiling the surface that is rusting. And not using salt
because it's abrasive properties may remove the oil.

Heidi

Not only that - salt water gargles for sore gums, etc. would light you
up like a burning bush were it HCl.

jim

Far as I can tell said:

it does not seem like it's worth it to remove all the seasoning, then
remove all the rust, then reseason

Blasphemy!

Why not buy some newly made antiques while your at it...?

Just wash it thoroughly in very soapy water. Maybe twice. It'll take ten minutes.

Dry immediately.

Coat the entire thing with olive oil and stick it in the oven for two hours at 300 or
so.

Done. Like new.