OT - How to remove a smell/taste from cast iron?

[MickQuinn]

This morning I got ready to make my special puffy oven pancake and realized that my trusty old cast iron skillet was missing. DH found it in the camper. We fill the camper with Bounce sheets in the winter to discourage the mice, and the skillet smelled strongly of it. After a rinse and dry, I thought all was well and made the pancake. First bit... ughhh... this tastes like fabric softener (It even made my lip swell up a bit). The skillet is solid cast and well- seasoned.
How on earth can I get the smell/taste out of it without destroying the pan? It is my absolute favorite and we use it a ton when camping.

Any suggestions??? TIA

 

[bringmethathorizon]

and the only thing we can think of is reseason it.
put oil in it and heat it up ????
good luck hate to lose a good skillet

 

[busyshrew]

Heat up the pan with oil, then sprinkle it with coarse (kosher) salt. Using newspapers, scrub the pan all over with the oil/salt mix.

That should help with the smell.

 

[cerberus]

Clean the pan by heating up enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan then add some kosher salt to scrub it with....if that does not work another trick would be to reseason it using bacon grease (my grandmother says that should work if the other does not)...she said coat the pan with bacon grease a cook in oven for hour or two

 

[hsmamato2]

yeah scrub/soak with salt and then reseasoning? I think so- cast iron absorbs things, but it's worth restoring!

 

[disneymarie]

Sorry to hijack......Can I jump in a moment to ask those with cast iron how do I proper season the set I got for Christmas. How are they stored for long term use. I mainly wanted the set for campfire cooking next year. I may use for chile and homefries too.....

I have not used any in the last 40 years (Teflon was a heaven sent coating) and do not recall how to treat before using. You all seem to know pans.

My guess would have been baking soda to remove scent?
TIA,
di

 

[Sandy321]

Well this may make some yell - BUT...

we are serious cast iron users...

and if you cook something like onions - the smell does hang in there- use SOAP and water - yes, I know that you may hear it takes off the "seasoning" - but we tend to reseason...


Wash our cast iron - with soap (mild dishwashing detergent) to help diminish smells.... but dry by putting it back on the stove - heat it up - till dry - while it is heating take a paper towel and rub it in either veg oil, or crisco oil - and swab the cast iron... and I will scrub it if it feels sticky - yuck!!

remember cast iron can and will rust in water - dont soak in water - ever! (but if it rusts, you scrub it with steel wool.) After we cook something sticky or messy - we immediately pour water and boil it - then empty it and scrub...

once a month or so DH takes that crisco and rubs it around, then he puts it in the oven - maybe a 250 deg oven... for an hour..

do know that most cast irons today come already seasoned...

but if you want to be sure - just swab it with oil - place it in a hot 250 deg oven for an hour, turn off the heat, and let it cool naturally!

 

[Leader of the Club]

When I season new cast iron, I try to simulate the way my grandmother did it. I rub it all over with a layer of lard--yes, lard! and then I build a nice hot charcoal fire in my grill, put the pan upside down on the rack, close the lid and let it sit there until everything is cool. Pans come out perfectly, beautifully seasoned.

(my grandma would have stuck hers in the fire)

 

[The Moonk's Mom]

Just to add my two cents also....


Storing mine I rub with crisco and place a paper towel between the pans. It helps them stay nice and "dry" and not collect moisture that might be around and they will not rust.


To those that got new pans...check and see...I "think" that some new pans come pre-seasoned now days...I still re-do mine anyway...like my own taste I guess.

I too wash mine after a onion or garlic cooking because that is just not the flavor I want mine to have...then I re-season too.

 

[tam626]

Great thread. I am getting my Grandma's cast iron skillet that's been sitting in my mom's basement for years & I was wondering what to do to clean it but not hurt it.

 

[disneymarie]

Yep new set is preseasoned.
So when I make the fried potatoes in the AM; I take kosher salt on a oily paper towel and rubbing it how? no water needed right?

For CHili, the pot will be good and sauce covered......is it OK to use a foam type Dawn on the sponge, rinse, dry good and oil up again? Do you have to bake it?

I thought we use to just wash ours, dry with a towel and rub, wesson oil on?

 

[Bitsmommy]

Yep new set is preseasoned.
So when I make the fried potatoes in the AM; I take kosher salt on a oily paper towel and rubbing it how? no water needed right?

For CHili, the pot will be good and sauce covered......is it OK to use a foam type Dawn on the sponge, rinse, dry good and oil up again? Do you have to bake it?

I thought we use to just wash ours, dry with a towel and rub, wesson oil on?

When ever you wash a cast iron skillet, which is sometimes necessary, don't just dry it with a towel, ALWAYS either stick it on the eye of the stove and heat it until it is totally dry OR bake it in the oven at between 250-300. Then, rub a little oil in the pan to ensure that it remains seasoned. The reason for heating it to dry is that you want to deter rust by making sure all of the moisture is off of it. I am from RURAL Tennessee and have been cleaning them like that since I was able to pick one up! Good luck! Enjoy!

 

[disneymarie]

When ever you wash a cast iron skillet, which is sometimes necessary, don't just dry it with a towel, ALWAYS either stick it on the eye of the stove and heat it until it is totally dry OR bake it in the oven at between 250-300. Then, rub a little oil in the pan to ensure that it remains seasoned. The reason for heating it to dry is that you want to deter rust by making sure all of the moisture is off of it. I am from RURAL Tennessee and have been cleaning them like that since I was able to pick one up! Good luck! Enjoy!

Thanks so much.....