Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
Thanks, Picky

In article
>,
JeanineAlyse > wrote:

> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?

Well, I'll give you my free advice. Next time, have the subject of your
post reflect what it was you wanted, like:

How to Clean Rusty Cast Iron Fry Pans?

You can then put exactly the same body for your post, as it seemed to
describe what you wanted quite well.

The problem is that most people here don't read all the posts. If you
don't put what you want in the subject, experts on cast iron might not
read it.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

JeanineAlyse wrote:
>
> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> Thanks, Picky

It's in the rec.food.cooking FAQ. You should look in there
before posting a question to the whole Internet. Here's
what it says about seasoning cast iron:

SEASONING A CAST IRON PAN

> How do I season a cast iron pan?

There are several methods. The best results are achieved using
the following procedure. First, the surface must be "awakened"
by scrubbing lightly with grade 00 steel wool. The entire surface
must be abraded. Then, the pan is coated with SAE 90 gear oil
and heated in a foil-lined oven at the highest temperature until
it stops smoking. Then, after it cools down, it is packed tightly
with cow or horse manure and buried in an inverted position
at least ten inches underground. After six months, the article
is dug up and cleaned by _lightly_ scrubbing it with a dry cotton
ball. Before using it, the surface needs to be conditioned by frying
a pound of bacon or pork sausages. Then you'll have one well-
seasoned cast iron pan! :-)

On Sat, 21 May 2011 12:53:06 -0800, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

>JeanineAlyse wrote:
>>
>> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
>> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
>> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
>> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
>> Thanks, Picky
>
>It's in the rec.food.cooking FAQ. You should look in there
>before posting a question to the whole Internet. Here's
>what it says about seasoning cast iron:
>
>SEASONING A CAST IRON PAN
>
>> How do I season a cast iron pan?
>
>There are several methods. The best results are achieved using
>the following procedure. First, the surface must be "awakened"
>by scrubbing lightly with grade 00 steel wool. The entire surface
>must be abraded. Then, the pan is coated with SAE 90 gear oil
>and heated in a foil-lined oven at the highest temperature until
>it stops smoking. Then, after it cools down, it is packed tightly
>with cow or horse manure and buried in an inverted position
>at least ten inches underground. After six months, the article
>is dug up and cleaned by _lightly_ scrubbing it with a dry cotton
>ball. Before using it, the surface needs to be conditioned by frying
>a pound of bacon or pork sausages. Then you'll have one well-
>seasoned cast iron pan! :-)

Mark, you're evil! <G>

Truth is, dear, you must get an industrial-strength grinder and scrub
the pan down to bare metal. Next, a phosphate wash, to seal the iron.
Then, after a good wash, an oil rub and plent of heat to integrate the
oil into the iron. Works every time....

Alex

On May 21, 4:11*pm, Chemiker > wrote:

...

> Truth is, dear, you must get an industrial-strength grinder and scrub
> the pan down to bare metal. Next, a phosphate wash, to seal the iron.
> Then, after a good wash, an oil rub and plent of heat to integrate the
> oil into the iron. Works every time....

Maybe, but in the same sense that going after mosquitoes with a
shotgun works every time. Oxalic acid is a fine industrial war to
remove rust, but it's too poisonous for me to recommend it for home
use. (You can but it in paint stores -- it's used for bleaching -- and
it's present in small concentration in spinach and rhubarb.)

You don't want a phosphate wash on a cooking utensil. The chances are
good that it won't sicken you, but it's not sure. Cast iron gas a
micro-pockmarked surface, but the amount of oil you can "integrate"
into the depressions is zilch. Look it up.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> JeanineAlyse wrote:
> >
> > Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> > quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> > before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> > the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> > Thanks, Picky
>
> It's in the rec.food.cooking FAQ. You should look in there
> before posting a question to the whole Internet. Here's
> what it says about seasoning cast iron:
>
> SEASONING A CAST IRON PAN
>
> > How do I season a cast iron pan?
>
> There are several methods. The best results are achieved using
> the following procedure. First, the surface must be "awakened"
> by scrubbing lightly with grade 00 steel wool. The entire surface
> must be abraded. Then, the pan is coated with SAE 90 gear oil
> and heated in a foil-lined oven at the highest temperature until
> it stops smoking. Then, after it cools down, it is packed tightly
> with cow or horse manure and buried in an inverted position
> at least ten inches underground. After six months, the article
> is dug up and cleaned by _lightly_ scrubbing it with a dry cotton
> ball. Before using it, the surface needs to be conditioned by frying
> a pound of bacon or pork sausages. Then you'll have one well-
> seasoned cast iron pan! :-)

Shame on you, Mark Thorson! Miss Jeanine just might miss the smiley at
the end of your post and think you're serious! (I almost thought it.)
Go sit in the corner! LOL!

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
Pepparkakor particulars posted 11-29-2010;
http://web.me.com/barbschaller

On May 21, 1:03*pm, JeanineAlyse > wrote:
> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. *Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> Thanks, Picky

I almost skipped this thread. Your following Dan's advice would have
brought me to it sooner.

Use steel wool to remove flaky rust, then a flat scraping edge such as
a fairly stiff turner or a spackle knife. Boil a strong solution of
washing soda in the skillet to thoroughly clean out old burnt-on
grease, then clean it out with a stainless-steel or bronze wool pad.
Finish with the seasoning instructions at http://users.rcn.com/jyavins/season.htm.

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.

JeanineAlyse > wrote:

> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> Thanks, Picky

See rec.food.cooking FAQ, section 5.2.

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
>
> JeanineAlyse > wrote:
>
> > Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> > quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> > before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> > the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> > Thanks, Picky
>
> See rec.food.cooking FAQ, section 5.2.
>
> Victor

That's what I said, sort of.

my father puts my moms stuff in an open fire once a year to burn everything
off, then she cleans with steele wool , rinses and drys then on with the
bacon greas/lard, no corn oi8l please, Lee
"JeanineAlyse" > wrote in message
...
> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> Thanks, Picky

In article
>,
JeanineAlyse > wrote:

> Friends of mine asked me how to clean cast iron frying pans that are
> quite rusted and I know that has been discussed at length here
> before. Exactly what words am I to use for an rfc search to learn if
> the "fix" they are looking for is possible, and how to do it?
> Thanks, Picky

Miss Jeanine, I'd stick it in the self-cleaning cycle for my oven, wash
it with hot soapy water and scrub it with steel wool, then season with
oil. Do the seasoning a few times.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
Pepparkakor particulars posted 11-29-2010;
http://web.me.com/barbschaller