How to calcify a cast iron skillet

Before you start using a cast iron skillet, you need to burn it. This is to ensure that your favorite healthy dishes turn out not only tasty, but also safe for your health. Don’t be in a hurry to put your new cast iron skillet to use right away – there are a few important nuances that are important to know.

If you care for your cast iron skillet properly, it will last for decades. Before using it, it should always be calcined and burned – usually the manufacturers of cookware themselves warn about this.

Cast iron is a uniquely porous material. The more often you cook on such a pan, the more oil it absorbs. As the pan is calcined, the material becomes denser, and even the thinnest pancakes will not burn.

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Why do I need to calcify a cast iron skillet before using it for the first time?

In production, cast-iron frying pans are abundantly treated with special technical oils. This composition protects the cookware from moisture, extends the shelf life in warehouses. But technical oil is harmful to health, as it has chemicals in its composition. If you skip the process of calcination, then the food as a result will have a bitter taste and unpleasant odor.

Also, calcination is necessary to check the product for defects and to assess its heat resistance. It is important to carefully inspect the cookware for chips and cracks, as well as whether the heat is evenly distributed over the surface when heated.

Prokalivanie gives the opportunity to get a non-stick layer. Vegetable oil is absorbed into the pores of cast iron and forms the very film that saves food from sticking when cooking.

How do I prepare a cast iron frying pan for searing?

The frying pan should be thoroughly prepared before the first use. The calcination process itself is conditionally divided into several main stages.

Stage 1: Cleaning from technical oil

The first step is to wash off the technical oil from the new cast iron cookware. Wash the pan by hand with a soft sponge and detergent. Do not send the container to the dishwasher – cast iron is a very fragile material, as a result of aggressive impact on it can appear cracks and chips. Then wipe the utensil dry and proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Scorching

Not only clean the surface, but also get to the very pores of the material. The residues of production grease are finally washed away.

Step 3: Clogging the pores

After the technical oil has been removed, the porous material must be sealed. To do this, you need to grease a cast iron skillet, cauldron or pot with vegetable oil.

How to calcify a cast iron skillet: 3 ways

The main ways of calcination are known three. But you can combine the methods described below.

Procalation with vegetable oil

A new cast-iron skillet is washed, dried. Inexpensive vegetable oil of any kind is suitable for calcination. The main thing is that it must be refined and odorless. Pour the oil on the surface of the skillet, spread it on all sides with a brush. Fill the pan two-thirds full. On a low heat, bring the oil to a boil, reduce the heat, leave in this form for half an hour.

Observe safety precautions. Heat the frying pan on the far burner of the stove, keep children away, do not allow water to get into the oil. Periodically shake the pan slightly to ensure that the oil spreads evenly.

Drain the oil into a container or thermos jar. Do not use for food, the oil is unusable and should be disposed of. Wipe the cast iron skillet with a paper towel and you can start cooking on it.

Scorching with salt

This method is more economical than the previous one. You will need ordinary table salt, neuodized and without any additives. Salt has absorbent properties, pulling the manufacturing grease out of the material.

Pour salt into a clean, dry cast iron skillet so that it covers the entire surface tightly. Place on maximum heat. Constantly stir the salt with a wooden spatula so that the salt does not burn. The fact that the technical oil has begun to be released from the pores of the material is evidenced by the color of the salt. It becomes yellowish and acquires a greasy texture.

After 10 minutes of calcination, replace the salt with fresh salt and leave it on the stove for another five minutes. Then clean the frying pan, rinse with hot water, wipe dry with paper towels. Put the pan back on the stove and let it warm up on a low heat. Finally, coat with a cooking brush with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Excess oil can be blotted off with a napkin.

Using the oven

First, prepare the oven by preheating it to 170°C. Keep in mind that in the oven you can not calcify kitchen utensils with plastic and wooden handles. Therefore, this method is more suitable for cauldrons and cast iron pots.

Grease a clean, dry dish with an even layer of vegetable oil and send it to the oven. Put it on the rack upside down. Time it for half an hour. After the time has elapsed, carefully remove the dish, coat it again with oil and return it to the rack for another 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, remove excess oil and you can cook on a new cast iron skillet.

Over time, the non-stick layer on the skillet will begin to thin. In this case you need to repeat the calcination process as before the first use.

Safety precautions

Be careful when preparing cast iron cookware for use. After all, you will have to work with hot surfaces and red-hot vegetable oil.

Wear protective gloves. Kitchen oven mitts are not enough, the fabric transmits heat, and you risk burning your hands. It is better to give preference to silicone gloves.
Turn on the hood at full power, open the window. When calcining will emit an unpleasant odor, perhaps a little smoke. Make sure that the room is ventilated.
Start heating new cast iron cookware with a small fire, gradually increasing it.
Do not use cold water when washing the pan. Temperature fluctuations are harmful to the material.

How to care for cast iron cookware?

After using the skillet, gently remove food residue with a soft sponge or brush and hot water. Avoid abrasives or metal scrapers as they can damage the protective layer. If the food is burnt, you can use salt or baking soda to remove the residue. Then dry the pan thoroughly and apply a thin layer of oil to prevent rusting.

Keep cast iron safe from moisture. After cleaning and drying the skillet, store it in a dry place or cover it with a towel to prevent water.
Bake it periodically. Over time and repeated use, the protective layer on a cast iron skillet may become thinner.
Do not leave food in cast iron cookware. The surface will begin to oxidize, which will destroy the very protective layer we were trying to achieve.
Do not use hard metal sponges. They contribute to scratches, erasing the non-stick coating.
Dishwashers are not suitable for cast iron cookware. Only hand washing with mild means and sponges. If food residues are removed with difficulty, you can add baking soda or salt.
After each washing it is desirable to lubricate the surface with a thin layer of vegetable oil.
When cooking, use soft silicone or wooden spatulas.

Scorching a new cast iron skillet is a necessary process. It removes the technical lubricant used in manufacturing and then forms the desired protective non-stick layer. There are three ways to calcify a cast iron skillet: with oil, salt or in the oven. The choice should be guided by the size and type of cooking utensils.

It is important to remember that care for a cast iron skillet includes proper cleaning, avoiding moisture, periodic calcination and compliance with storage conditions. This will help keep the skillet in good condition and extend its life.