How to Deep Clean and Cure a Cast Iron Skillet
Restore a dull, sticky cast iron skillet in one session with a Kosher salt scrub, a quick soap wash, and an hour-long oven cure.
Equipment
- Chain mail scrubber
- Scrubbing dish cloths
- Hot pad
- oven
Ingredients
Salt scrub
- Cast iron skillet
- Coarse Kosher salt a generous amount — it doesn't have to be precise
- Chain mail scrubber
- Large roasting pan or other large container optional, if working on the countertop
Wash & rinse
- Scrubbing dish cloths
- Dish soap a pea-size amount
- Warm water
Oil & oven cure
- Neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point or Crisco/shortening vegetable, avocado, grapeseed, etc. — about 1 teaspoon per side
- Paper towels
- Aluminum foil or a large sheet pan
- Oven
Instructions
Salt scrub
- Set up your work space. Place the skillet in a large sink, or in a large roasting pan or other large container if you're working on the countertop.
- Pour in the salt. Add a generous amount of Kosher salt to the skillet — enough to scrub around and help remove stuck-on food and rust; the amount doesn't have to be precise.
- Scrub the inside. Use the chain mail scrubber in circular motions, working the salt all around the sides, edges, and base; the salt will break down and darken as you work.
- Flip and scrub the bottom. Add a fresh batch of salt and scrub the bottom side, where food can build up by dripping down the sides.
- Repeat as needed. Scrub 1 to 2 more times with more salt and a lot of elbow grease, if desired.
Soap wash & rinse
- Wash with dish soap. Apply a pea-size amount of dish soap to a scrubbing dish cloth and wash the skillet, working down into the crevices to remove extra grease and built-up food.
- Rinse thoroughly. Rinse the skillet with warm water until the water runs clear.
Stovetop dry
- Dry the skillet completely. Let it drip-dry over the sink for a minute, then transfer it to the stovetop and dry over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
Oil & oven cure
- Oil the skillet. Carefully transfer the hot skillet to your work space with a hot pad, then add about 1 teaspoon of neutral cooking oil or Crisco and smooth it around with a clean paper towel.
- Wipe off the excess. If the inside looks shiny or greasy, wipe out extra oil with a fresh paper towel, then repeat the oiling and wiping on the bottom of the skillet.
- Bake at 400°F. Preheat the oven to 400°F, then place the skillet inside right-side up and bake it for one hour, with foil or a foil-lined sheet pan on a lower rack to catch any oil drips.
- Cool in the oven. After an hour, turn the oven off and let the skillet cool to room temperature inside.
Notes
A tiny amount of dish soap is fine on cast iron — the skillet doesn't retain it, and it removes built-up grease that salt alone won't. You don't need to deep clean on a schedule; do it as needed when you notice buildup, sticky or gummy residue, a dull or uneven cooking surface, or rust. Yield: one deep-cleaned and cured cast iron skillet.