Well howdy!

Today we'll discuss cast iron care.  Taking good care of your cast iron will ensure you have it around for MANY years.

Most cast iron products come "pre-seasoned" from the factory. This means it's not "really" necessary to season it before you start cooking in it.

What I'm about to tell you is steps to maintain the seasoning, and keeping your cast iron in good shape.

After you've used your cast iron for cooking...

LET IT COOL DOWN! Wipe any food remnants out of the pot/pan. If there is food stuck on, DO NOT... I repeat... DO NOT use anything like steel wool to scrub. You can purchase plastic scrapers, OR you can sprinkle salt in the pan to act as an abrasive to get the stuck food off. Use really warm water to wash the cast iron

Next, let it dry. Thoroughly. There are several things people use to "condition" the cast iron after it's been washed. Some use Pam or some brand of spray. Both Lodge and Camp Chef sell a conditioner. Some use crisco, or liquid vegetable oil.  I use either crisco or a spray. This basically "coats" the cast iron and keeps the nice black color. I do this after EVERY use, inside and out.

If the Cast Iron becomes dull looking, wash and dry it, and put a thicker coat of whatever you condition it with. THEN... place in in your home oven at 400 degrees. BE AWARE that the cast iron will smoke as the seasoning "bakes in" to the cast iron. I haven't had to do this yet, but I've read that around 45 min. is good. Open windows, turn on your over the stove fan. CAREFULLY remove from oven and allow to completely cool.

Store your cast iron in a dry, clean area, (don't forget to condition it first) It will be ready for use next time you are ready to cook in it!

Avoid locations that have a wide fluctuation in temperatures.

Next time... we'll start cooking!