Forget all the myths. Follow these tips and your skillet will last forever. Yes, forever.

Cast Iron Care

The 11 Commandments of Cast Iron Care

1. Respect it. You are it's steward, and it's your duty to pass it on to the next generation.

2. Use it often. The more you use your cast-iron skillet, the better it will work, and the more you'll care for it. 

3. Save this page. Tear it out and stick it to the inside of your pantry door. 

4. Clean cast iron after each use. Wash with hot water while the pot is still warm.

5. Don't use soap, ever. And no matter what, don't put cast-iron pot in the dishwasher.

6. Scour smartly. Use course salt like Morton's Kosher Salt for scouring stubborn bits of food without damaging the seasoning. Use a paper towel to rub the salt into the bottom and around the inside edges of the pan. A stiff bristle brush also works well. Still sticking? Loosen residue such as caramel by boiling water in the pan. 

7. Dry it immediately. Wipe dry after washing and heat over low flame for 2 minutes to open the pores of the iron. Use a paper towel and thongs to apply an even, light film of vegetable oil or flaxseed oil on the inside of the pan.

8. Store in a cool, dry place. For pans, with lids, add a paper towel wad, and keep ajar to let air flow.

9. Understand Seasoning. For cast-iron cookware, this is the polymerization of fat bonded to the surface of the pan. In layman's terms, seasoning is the glossy sheen that gives cast-iron cookware it's non-stick properties and keeps it from rusting. Protect and maintain the seasoning and your skillet will last forever. See below to learn how. 

10. Bust the rust. Rub cast-iron with steel wool.  For the seriously stubborn rust on old, neglected pans, take the cast-iron to a machine shop and ask someone to pressure blast it with air or sand. then start the seasoning process (see below) to build a protective coat. 

11. Re-season it. Here is the best way to re-built your seasoning and bring your skillet back to life. Wash vigorously. After busting the rust, wash cast-iron with warm and - just this once - soapy water. Dry well. Rub with vegetable oil. Use a paper towel to rub oil inside, outside and on the skillet handle. Wipe away any excess. Bake at 400° degrees for an hour. Place upside down on oven rack; line bottom rack with foil. Bake. Repeat oiling, and baking until seasoned.