Preparing a cast iron frying pan before first use. How to properly heat a cast iron frying pan to make it durable? Using a New Cast Iron Frying Pan

Cast iron cookware has a number of advantages over the rest. You can cook delicious stewed and fried dishes in it, it is durable and has good quality. Although such dishes take a long time to warm up, they will still allow the dish to “cook” after being removed from the stove. Therefore, many housewives prefer cast iron for cooking. But in order to preserve it and prolong its service, it is necessary to properly prepare it for the first use.

How to heat a cast iron frying pan - why do it

When purchasing a cast iron frying pan, it is often indicated on the label that it must be seasoned before cooking with it. This is where the entire instruction ends. But experienced housewives know several ways of this process and never neglect them with new dishes.

Each manufacturer, before sending their products for sale, treats them with a protective layer - a special lubricant. First of all, it prevents corrosion. Heating the dishes will help remove this layer so that it does not get on the food. The quality of the prepared dish will depend on how correctly you do this.

How to heat a cast iron frying pan - what does it give?

Cast iron itself has porous structure. If you do not prepare it for use, food will fill its pores and decompose in them over time. This will lead to the formation of not only an unpleasant odor during cooking, but also the formation of rust on the surface of the cookware. As a result, the food will burn and the taste of the finished dish will deteriorate. Calcination will create a protective layer on the metal.

Calcination also checks the quality of cast iron cookware. If cracks and chips appear on its surface during heating, this is a good reason to return the product. This is a 100% manufacturing defect or low-quality product. Sellers who care about their reputation will replace your dishes with new ones.

How to season a cast iron frying pan with salt

Before attempting any roasting method, wash the pan thoroughly with detergent. Do it in warm water, using soft sponges. Be sure to rinse off any remaining dishwashing gel and wipe the entire surface dry. Paper towels can help you with this.

Also, with any method of calcination, be prepared that the kitchen will be filled with smoke. Therefore, turn on the hood at maximum power and open the window. Or carry out this procedure outdoors, for which use an electric stove.
For calcination with salt, a regular product without added spices is suitable. Break large pieces of it until a powder forms and pour into a frying pan. The salt should completely cover the bottom of the pan.

Place the pan over high heat and wait until it warms up well. Leave it on the stove for about 12-15 minutes. Hot salt perfectly absorbs foreign odors and substances, leaving the surface clean.
When the salt darkens, this will indicate the end of the calcination process. Remove the pan from the heat and let the product cool slightly. Then salt the sides of the dish while it is not completely cool. Use half a potato for this.

After this treatment, carefully collect the salt and throw it away. Do not wash the pan. Grease it with a thin layer of vegetable oil, then warm it slightly on the stove.

How to season a cast iron frying pan with oil

For this method, use refined vegetable oil. Some housewives replace it with fat or lard. The choice of product for calcination is not important; the main thing is to create a layer on the surface.
Pour into a clean and dry frying pan a large number of oils Place on the fire and warm the dishes well over high heat.

Important! The oil will be very hot during this procedure, so proceed very carefully. This way you can avoid burns.

After 15 minutes of baking, remove the pan from the stove. When the oil has cooled, pour it out and wipe the surface of the cookware with a soft cloth.

How to bake a cast iron frying pan in the oven

This option for preparing a frying pan will be appreciated by busy housewives who have no time to wait for the dishes to heat up on the stove.
Rinse the pan well and dry it with paper towels. Then grease with a cloth soaked in vegetable oil or fat. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees, place the dishes in it.
After an hour, turn off the oven and leave the dishes in it until they cool completely. This roasting method is also ideal for grill pans.

The fact that it is necessary to heat the frying pan is not controversial. At the same time, which option to choose for this is up to you to decide. You can use all three methods, but only separately.

Proper preparation of dishes will not only remove industrial grease, but will also create a protective layer on it. Thanks to this, food will not stick during cooking and will not absorb unpleasant odors and harmful substances.

To learn more about how to heat cast iron cookware before use, watch this video:

By purchasing new dishes made of cast iron, it is not recommended to cook on it right away. It is important to know how to calcinate cast iron frying pan for her long and faithful service. I'll tell you how to do it.

The need for calcination is due to some features of cast iron cookware:

A new cast iron frying pan is processed in production with special materials that protect the metal and give the cookware a marketable appearance. At the same time, the substances that act as a protective layer are not always safe, and sometimes emit a pungent odor when evaporating.

It is necessary to heat a cast iron frying pan after purchase, since the protective industrial lubricant can ruin the taste of the prepared dishes.
The properties of cast iron allow it to absorb substances with which the metal comes into contact over time. Microscopic food debris gets clogged into the pores, which spoils appearance, gives a specific color and smell. This may promote rust. To avoid this, you need to heat the cast iron frying pan.

Calcination before first use will allow you to check the quality of your newly acquired utensils. Dishes Low quality may crack, become deformed, or bubbles appear on its surface.

That is why the key to a long and reliable service of a vessel is its proper calcination.

At the first signs of deformation and damage to the surface of the frying pan, you should remove it from the heat and file a claim with the store where it was purchased. A decent seller will definitely refund its cost or replace the damaged item with an equivalent item.

There are three ways to treat a cast iron frying pan before first use:

using vegetable oil;
using salt;
in the oven.

Each calcination method is effective in its own way, and combining several methods will achieve the best effect.

Salt treatment

For processing you need regular table salt, preferably coarsely ground, you can also use rock salt:

Image	Instructions
	Step 1 Wash the container in warm water with soap solution or use detergent. Rinse thoroughly.
	Step 2 Dry the washed cast iron skillet using a paper towel or regular kitchen towel.
	Step 3 Place the pan over medium heat and wait until it warms up and the remaining droplets of water evaporate.
	Step 4 Pour a layer of salt so that it completely covers the bottom and leave on the fire, stirring occasionally.
	Step 5 It is likely that when the surface of the frying pan is heated, bad smell, however, there is no need to be afraid. You can tell that the process is coming to an end by the salt changing color: it will be yellowish-brown.
	Step 6 When the salt turns yellow, it must be removed and the utensils rinsed hot water, but without detergent. Then wipe dry.
	Step 7 Grease the surface with oil and heat the pan again.

Oil calcination

How to prepare a cast iron frying pan before first use? Using vegetable oil to solve this problem is very popular and effective:

Image	Instructions
	Step 1 Wash the frying pan you just purchased using dish soap. Wipe dry.
	Step 2 Place the container on the stove and heat it for 3-5 minutes.
	Step 3 Carefully pour in vegetable oil so that the bottom is completely hidden underneath (as in the photo). Leave for 20–30 minutes.
	Step 4 Drain off the used oil, let the pan cool slightly and wipe it dry with a paper towel until all greasy marks are gone.

To properly heat the vessel, it is advisable to use olive oil, but since its price is significantly higher than sunflower, its use is not prohibited.

Processing in the oven

How to prepare a new cast iron skillet for use in the oven? Yes, it’s very simple: just grease the entire inner surface of a clean frying pan with oil and load it to simmer in a hot oven for an hour or two.

In this case, you need to place the dishes upside down, and place baking paper under it so that the oil drains.

By the way, ignite aluminum frying pan can be done in a similar way, as well as by the methods indicated above. It is important that the oil, after calcination, forms a special protective film, protecting the surface of the cast iron product from rust and food particles.

Conclusion

Before first use, a cast iron frying pan must be calcined using high temperatures and oils. This will allow you to remove the industrial protective layer and reliably preserve the utensils for further use.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this process and you can easily repeat it yourself. The video in this article will clearly help you understand all the intricacies of the process. Questions and suggestions can be expressed in the comments.

Manufacturers coat cast iron products with a special lubricating compound, which is designed to protect cookware from corrosion - this lubricant has an unpleasant odor and interferes with the quality of cooking, and only calcination will help get rid of it.
After the calcination procedure, a non-stick film is formed on the surface of the cast-iron frying pan, thanks to which nothing sticks to the pan.
Cast iron has a porous surface that actively absorbs food particles and fat, which subsequently leads to the formation of a layer of burning. In order to avoid such consequences, you need to increase the protective properties of the frying pan - this is where calcination will help.

Advice. Before direct calcination, it is recommended to rinse the cast-iron frying pan with hot water using a regular sponge or a soft non-metallic brush, but without cleaning agents - only laundry or cosmetic soap is allowed. After washing, the dishes must be dried thoroughly.

Calcination with salt

The simplest and quick way calcining a cast iron frying pan - using salt. Here you can use ordinary and familiar table salt. The sequence of actions is as follows:

Sprinkle a layer of salt on the perfectly dry bottom of the frying pan - at least 1 cm thick. The bottom of the dish must be completely covered.
Turn the oven burner to medium power.
Place the cast-iron frying pan on the fire and heat for 20-30 minutes - this time is enough for the salt to warm up properly and absorb foreign substances. In this case, the sorbent must be mixed regularly and thoroughly.
When the salt has noticeably darkened, you can complete the calcination.
Wait until the cast iron cookware has cooled somewhat and remove all contents.
Once the pan is completely cold, rinse it under running water. warm water and dry - the protected kitchen utensil is now ready for use.

Oil calcination

A more serious and labor-intensive option for calcining a frying pan is using oil.

First, you need to place any type of vegetable oil in a cold and dry pan - the composition should completely cover the bottom of the pan. Using the same oil, use a paper towel to lubricate the inner walls of the product. After a few minutes, use a new towel to remove any oil stains from the walls. Subsequent calcination can be performed in two ways:

On the stove: turn the burner to medium and heat the cast iron skillet for 15-20 minutes.
In the oven: preheat the oven to 150-180 degrees, turn the dish upside down and place it inside. Heat the product for 40 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the dish for another two to three hours.

Advice. Place some food foil on the bottom of the oven to protect it from getting dirty with oil.

In both cases, after baking is complete, wait until the pan is completely cool, wipe it with a paper towel, and then rinse with hot water and dry.

Thus, if you want the joy of buying a cast-iron frying pan to not turn into disappointment from a spoiled dish after the first cooking, the dishes must be calcined before use. This will not require much expense or specific knowledge: ordinary salt and vegetable oil are what will reliably protect your new kitchen tool from all troubles.

How to heat a cast iron frying pan: video

Almost every Russian family has at least one cast iron frying pan in their kitchen. Some people inherited it, others bought a new one. Compared to lightweight ceramic and Teflon frying pans, cast iron frying pans are very heavy. But they have one undeniable advantage - recovery non-stick coating at home without specialized equipment. An old cast iron frying pan can be brought into usable condition; you just need to heat it.

Why do cast iron frying pans need to be heated?

In order for your cast iron frying pan to bring only benefits and cope with its responsibilities, first of all it needs to be calcined. If the product is new, it is fired, getting rid of the layer of machine oil. They cover cast iron cookware at the factory to prevent it from rusting. Old frying pans are baked to remove many years of carbon deposits.

There are three main purposes of calcination:

Removing a layer of factory oil or carbon deposits from an old frying pan.
Creation of a non-stick coating on the inner surface.
Prevention of corrosion.

When heated, the pores of the material expand and particles of vegetable oil enter them. When the pan cools, the pores narrow and the oil creates a thin layer, which serves as a non-stick coating. It also performs an anti-corrosion function, protecting cast iron from rust.

During the calcination process, they use products that are always available in the kitchen: salt and vegetable oil.

You can use sunflower, olive, linseed oil. Some housewives replace them with animal fat or lard. There is no difference, the result is the same.

How to properly calcinate the product before first use

At home, pans are heated on conventional stoves or ovens.

Whatever method is chosen, it is advisable that you have the opportunity to ventilate the room well. A layer of machine oil that covers new frying pan, under the influence of high temperatures will begin to evaporate, smoke with a persistent unpleasant odor will appear in the apartment .

Adjust the gas so that the hood has time to cope with the smoke that will come from the heated frying pan.

How to remove machine oil from a frying pan on the stove

Wash the pan with any detergent.
Place it on the fire and heat it until it stops smoking.
Remove from heat, rinse and dry.
Place the pan on the stove again, pour a 1 cm layer of salt.
Turn on the stove, heat the frying pan over medium heat for 25–30 minutes.
After time, the salt will turn yellow, which means that it has absorbed all the remaining engine oil.
Turn off the gas and let the pan with salt cool.
Pour in salt and rinse the surface thoroughly with water.
Place the wet frying pan on the heat. When all the moisture has evaporated from it, lubricate vegetable oil bottom and side walls.
Heat a frying pan with oil for 10 minutes.
Repeat the previous step twice more, changing the oil each time.
Rinse the cooled pan running water no cleaning products. To ensure that the resulting non-stick coating remains intact, do not wash it with caustic cleaning or abrasive substances.
Dry with a dry cloth or napkin.

Be sure to wipe the pan dry. If you leave it with drops of water after washing, rust may appear on the surface.

The mechanism for calcining a frying pan in the oven is almost the same as on the stove. This method does not use salt, you will need vegetable oil and foil.

Wash the new frying pan with detergent and dry thoroughly.
Grease the bottom and side walls with vegetable oil.
Place the pan upside down on a rack in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Place a baking sheet covered with foil on the bottom shelf to catch the oil.
Keep in the oven for 50–60 minutes at 18 degrees. To make the non-stick layer stronger, carry out this procedure for at least three times . You need to take out the pan, grease it again and put it in the oven again for an hour.
Rinse the pan under water and dry.

Heating a cast iron frying pan on the stove - video

How to sear an old cast iron frying pan

Some old cast iron frying pans collect dust at home on the principle of “it’s a pity to throw them away,” since they are unsuitable for cooking and are covered with a long-term layer of soot and rust. However, even such things can be put in complete order.

You can restore an old cast iron frying pan to excellent condition in three steps:

Firing to remove old carbon deposits. It is carried out in the oven, since it is necessary to maintain high temperature regime for a long time. Place the pan bottom up in the oven, turn on the self-cleaning function for 2-3 hours and leave to cool until room temperature. If your oven does not have this function, preheat it to 250 degrees and keep the pan for 2-3 hours under these conditions.
Removing rust. Dilute water and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio in a sink or basin. Immerse the pan in the solution, wait 30 minutes. During this time it will pass chemical reaction, air bubbles will rise from the surface (like in sparkling water). Then take out the frying pan and wash it under water with a sponge and detergent. Dry thoroughly and grease with vegetable oil.
Formation of a new non-stick coating. Place the greased frying pan in the oven at 180 degrees for an hour and let it cool there. Repeat the procedure twice more, each time lubricating the surface with vegetable oil to make the non-stick layer stronger.

Now your old cast iron skillet looks like new and is ready to use.

Old cast iron frying pan before and after calcination

it’s actually simple... 1. you need to wash the frying pan well with a stiff brush 2. dry it with a paper or simple towel 3. pour a few tablespoons of vegetable oil into the frying pan (depending on the size of the frying pan) 4. rub the oil well over the frying pan (along the bottom and sides) so that an oil layer is formed, but you don’t want the oil to flow down the walls, in general, without Wink fanaticism, some wipe it with oil even on the outside 5. preheat the oven to 250 C 6. put the frying pan in the oven for a couple of hours 7. remove from the oven, wipe off excess oil paper towel 8 that's all. If you wash the frying pan with strong degreasers, the operation will need to be repeated.

Lady Gray

Salt can also be used to heat dishes. Spread it in a layer of about 1 cm and heat over low heat for about an hour. Then pour out the salt and wipe the pan itself with a paper towel or cloth. DO NOT WASH, just dry.

AKSINHA
https://forum.say7.info/topic61206.html

A cast iron frying pan cannot be washed with any dishwashing detergent, only with water. After washing, immediately dry on the stove and grease with vegetable oil. After this, you can heat coarse salt in a frying pan. Detergents destroy the fat layer on cast iron cookware, which is necessary. You need to lubricate the pan with oil after each washing and drying. At first, a cast iron frying pan may be “cranky,” but over time, as the pores of the cast iron accumulate fat, you will probably enjoy cooking in it.

Shivaree
http://kuking.net/my/viewtopic.php?p=639204

Uniform heating, safety, and the ability to create a new non-stick coating are qualities of a cast iron frying pan that are valued by all people who know a lot about cooking. By completing a simple calcination procedure, you will receive a reliable and versatile kitchen assistant for many years. Cook with pleasure and bon appetit!

Having tested the newfangled “tefals” in practice, housewives often return to their old “grandmother’s” cast iron dishes. And if there is no such “inheritance” at home, they go to the store and buy a new one. And today we will tell you in detail how to properly heat a cast-iron frying pan after purchasing it, how to create a natural non-stick layer on the inner surface so that food does not stick when frying.

During the production of cast iron cookware, factory grease remains on its surface. The molding containers are generously lubricated with it so that finished goods they were easily taken out. And at the final stage, for safety, an anti-corrosion layer is applied so that the frying pan reaches the consumer in “marketable” form and without rust. These factory coatings must be removed or they will leach into the food you are cooking. Therefore, the new one is subject to mandatory processing.

First, you need to heat the pan. After all, cast iron is a porous material consisting of iron and carbon. And simply washing the cast iron surface with conventional dishwashing detergents is not enough. After all, lubricant microparticles remain in the pores of the alloy, and when heated during frying, they penetrate into the food being cooked.

In addition, calcining a cast iron frying pan will become a kind of test for the quality of the product. If, during the process of strong heating, obvious unevenness appears in the frying pan, this will indicate that it is of poor quality. Even worse, it may be an indication that the alloy does not match the composition of the cast iron. In both cases, you must boldly return the dishes to the seller with a clear argument – a manufacturing defect.

Before first use, a cast iron frying pan is calcined in several ways: with salt on the stove; With sunflower oil on the stove; in the oven, greased with oil. It also makes sense to make it a rule to regularly calcinate cast iron products after thorough cleaning, returning them to their natural non-stick layer.

Calcination with salt

The method of seasoning a cast iron skillet with salt is an old and popular one. After all, salt is an excellent absorbent created by nature. It absorbs all harmful and even dangerous substances, giving the cast iron surface an ideal cleanliness. Moreover, this method is simple and effective. So, how to properly season a cast iron frying pan?

Instructions:

Thoroughly wash the product to remove factory grease using any dishwashing detergent.
Dry by wiping or heating over a fire.
Pour a layer of salt, completely covering the bottom. Layer thickness 0.5 - 1 cm.
Place the product on hob over medium heat, stirring the salt occasionally (crackling may occur).
A change in the color of the salt will be a signal to turn off the fire.
The pan is cleared of salt and cooled naturally.
Products are rinsed with hot water without detergent and wiped dry.
The inner surface is thoroughly lubricated with vegetable oil, the excess is removed with a napkin.
The pan is heated over medium heat (5-7 minutes).
Lubricated again with oil and calcined again.

Calcination with sunflower oil

This method is much more extreme than the first. If you are distracted and watch over the boiling oil, it may burst into flames (it doesn’t seem like much!). But some are attracted by its speed and efficiency.

Performed in the following order:

Take a pre-washed and completely dry frying pan (without drops of water on the surface).
Oil is poured into the frying pan, covering the entire bottom. The thickness of the coating is 1-2 cm. The inner walls that remain uncovered with oil are also generously lubricated. For this procedure, refined vegetable oil is usually used; it has no odor even while boiling.
A frying pan with oil and greased walls is placed on the fire.
As soon as the oil begins to smoke, the fire is reduced.
Hot oil, heated over low heat, remains in the pan for about half an hour. Then the fire turns off.
The pan with the contents is cooled a little, then everything is poured out.
Excess oil is removed with a napkin.
The product can be washed with warm water and wiped dry, or left as is.

Calcination in the oven

This method is ideal for those people who do not like to do a lot of manipulation with dishes. True, the method is not as effective as the first one, and takes much longer. But it can be called “passive”.

How to heat a frying pan in the oven?

The product is thoroughly washed using any dishwashing detergent.
Wiped off dry.
The entire internal surface is generously lubricated with vegetable oil (including the walls). After 3-5 minutes, the excess is removed with a napkin.
The oven is preheated to a temperature of +180 degrees.
Turn the prepared frying pan upside down and carefully place it in the oven.
After an hour the oven turns off.
The product is left inside oven until completely cooled.
Then the entire internal surface is generously lubricated with oil again. After 5-10 minutes have passed, excess oil is wiped off with a napkin.

It is important to know!

Whatever method of baking a cast iron frying pan is used, you should always take precautions. What do you need to know?

When heated, salt tends to crack and fly apart. Oil - flammable liquid, if left unattended, it can easily ignite. For safety reasons, it is preferable not to remove used salt and oil immediately, but only after they have cooled.

We invite you to watch a video tutorial on how to heat a cast-iron frying pan with salt and create a natural non-stick layer on the inner surface:

Let's sum it up

Of course, the choice of calcination method directly depends only on the housewife. Only she can know what is right for her. The methods listed above allow you to remove factory grease and grease from the pan. They also solve the problem with the bottom and walls of the pan during cooking, because... create natural non-stick protection.

Heated cast iron cookware does not rust, is easy to clean and fry perfectly. But there is one caveat. It is not advisable to thoroughly rinse a cast iron frying pan after these procedures. detergents and clean metal brushes, in order to avoid rapid washing off of the non-stick layer. Also, cast iron cookware does not like long periods of inactivity.