You Need to Know:
- Hand wash with warm water. Dry immediately and season your pan when you get it, even if it was purchased pre-seasoned. To season: heat up on the stove-top until smoking hot, then rub a little fat (oil, shortening, etc.) into it and let cool.
- Rub with a light coat of vegetable oil after every wash. Use enough oil to see a sheen without the pan feeling “sticky”. This keeps the iron seasoned and protected from moisture.
- Lodge Cast Iron is right at home on induction, ceramic, electric and gas cooktops, in your oven, on the grill, or even over the campfire. Do not use in the microwave. (Some induction tops will not work with 2-burner griddles).
- Cast Iron rarely needs to go above a medium heat setting when properly pre-heated. For the times when you do cook at higher temperatures, bring the pan to temperature gradually and add oil to just before adding food to prevent sticking.
Take Care:
- No need to wash with soap, simply hot water and wipe it out. If no soap is too scary, you can use a mild soap, rinse and dry.
- Some foods may to stick to new cast iron (especially eggs). Use a little extra oil or butter until you've built up the seasoning.
- Acidic foods like tomatoes, beans, and certain sauces can damage seasoning and should be avoided until the seasoning is well.
- Dishwashers, strong detergents and metal scouring pads are not recommended, as they remove seasoning.
- You may use metal (on flat grill pans), wood, or hi-temp silicone utensils.