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Unseasonable cast iron?


nduran

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*sighs* I guess Jan was pulling my leg. Now johnnyd... there's no way you can pull off asking a question like that. ;-)

edit: I went to skim through some of Jan's posts and actually, the question could very well be legit.

"Cast Iron, just do it!"

Edited by larrylee (log)
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I know, I'm a nut like that, really! :wink:

But actually, it's just a whisper of rust on the top (which I probably shouldn't use anyway) and I'm worried if I just go for it I'll have metalic tasting food - oh screw it! I'm paintin' that sucker with sno-bal or whatever lard I have hanging around and lay it upside in the oven for the rest of the afternoon :wacko:

"I took the habit of asking Pierre to bring me whatever looks good today and he would bring out the most wonderful things," - bleudauvergne

foodblogs: Dining Downeast I - Dining Downeast II

Portland Food Map.com

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So when I'm done using my cast iron and want to clean out the animal fat, it seems a real chore. I put it under warm ater and use a brush to clean it, but there seems to be no end to the animal fat. Should I leave some of this fat in and cook it after cleaning? I'm getting close to giving up on cast iron, might repace it with a nice all-clad skillet.

Just pour the hot, melted grease into a (melt-proof) container, then just wipe the interior out with paper towels.

(under my sink, I keep a gallon-sized paint can that has a tight-fitting lid - you can buy empty paint cans at your local Home & Garden center - . I have it filled about half-way with kitty litter that soaks up the grease)

You don't want to ever scrub the pan, but you can use a little dish soap on a sponge, after you have wiped it well with paper towels, then rinse well, dry and put it on the stove burner and heat it for a couple of minutes to make sure all the residual water has dried. let it cool and if at all possible hang it up where air can circulate around it. Do not "nest" other pans inside it.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I decided to google rust removers and found this:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-rust-remover.htm

As the name implies, rust remover products are special formulas used to remove rust stains, which generally contain oxalic acid. Not only is oxalic acid extremely toxic, but it can also eat away at a variety of surfaces such as plastic and metal. Rust stains can cause a number of problems for home and business owners because of their destructive tendencies.

Oxalic acid sounded familiar so I looked that up ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxalic_acid

Thus, oxalic acid also combines with metals such as calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium, and potassium in the body to form crystals of the corresponding oxalates, which irritate the gut and kidneys. Because it binds vital nutrients such as calcium, long-term consumption of foods high in oxalic acid can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Healthy individuals can safely consume such foods in moderation, but those with kidney disorders, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, or certain forms of chronic vulvar pain (vulvodynia) are typically advised to avoid foods high in oxalic acid or oxalates.

And then there was this paragraph, which makes me think that I read about oxalic acid in one of Jeffrey Steingarten "It must have been something I ate"... probably a story talking about vegetarians or the raw food movement.

Foods that are edible, but that still contain significant concentrations of oxalic acid include - in decreasing order - star fruit (carambola), black pepper, parsley, poppy seed, rhubarb stalks, amaranth, spinach, chard, beets, cocoa, chocolate, most nuts, most berries, and beans.

Anyway, the first link I found talks about homemade rust removers:

Cream of tartar, hydrogen peroxide, and a product such as Borax or baking soda can be combined to create a homemade rust remover paste. The Borax or baking soda can be replaced with other similar products because their main purpose is to add grit to the solution without causing damage to the surface when used. To make this rust remover, a teaspoon of cream of tarter and a quarter cup of Borax or baking soda should be mixed with enough hydrogen peroxide to make a thick paste.

The paste should be rubbed onto the rust spot and allowed to stand for 30 minutes. Then, the rust stain should be wiped away with a damp sponge. If the stain remains, the entire process should be repeated.

White vinegar is another rust remover commonly found in homes. When using white vinegar as a rust remover, it should be sprayed directly onto the rust stain and scrubbed in. Then, the area should be sprayed again with white vinegar and allowed to sit for twenty to thirty minutes. After being allowed to sit, the rust stain should come off easily when the vinegar is wiped away.

Yet another homemade rust remover solution is a cup of Borax mixed with the juice from one lemon. This mixture makes a rust remover paste that can be applied directly to the stain. It should sit for twenty to thirty minutes and then be scrubbed clean. It might take a couple applications for this rust remover to be successful, but this concoction is safe for many surfaces, as well as safe for pets and children.

It couldn't hurt to try one or some of these.

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I know, I'm a nut like that, really! :wink:

But actually, it's just a whisper of rust on the top (which I probably shouldn't use anyway) and I'm worried if I just go for it I'll have metalic tasting food - oh screw it! I'm paintin' that sucker with sno-bal or whatever lard I have hanging around and lay it upside in the oven for the rest of the afternoon :wacko:

Try scrubbing it with a little oil and some coarse salt. Wipe it dry with paper towels and fill half way up the sides with dry salt and put over medium heat for about 8 minutes and allow it to cool completely.

When people live in very humid areas, it is sometimes difficult to keep iron from rusting. If you can find some of the little packets of silica gel that is packaged with so many things nowadays, put some in a brown paper bag with the skillet or pan, secure it tightly at the handle.

(Never store them in plastic bags)!!!

You can also use lump alum which will absorb moisture - it the old days we used to make bags of "oiled-cloth" tablecloth material - and use lump alum, especially when we spent vacations on a houseboat - definately damp.

I haven't seen the material for years, except in "vintage fabric" auctions and it is darned expensive now.

One of my friends lives on a boat in a marina and made a bag to store her cast iron wok from a long coat she found in a thrift shop. She said it was made in Australia and had been weather-proofed. It's possible it is similar to the waxed muslin we used to make for kitchen use.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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And finally, speaking of cream of tartar... there's a great description of it in "What Einstein Told His Cook" but Wikipedia explains it as well:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cream_of_tartar

Potassium bitartrate also potassium hydrogen tartrate has formula KC4H5O6. It is a byproduct of wine making. It is also known as cream of tartar. It is a potassium acid salt of tartaric acid.

Tartar crystallises in wine casks during the fermentation of grape juice. This crude form (known as beeswing) is collected and purified to produce the white, odorless, acidic powder used for many culinary and other household purposes, such as:

    * Stabilising egg whites, increasing their heat tolerance and volume;

    * Preventing sugar syrups from crystallising;

    * Reducing discolouration of boiled vegetables;

    * Frequent combination with baking soda (which needs an acid ingredient to activate it) in formulations of baking powder.

In wines bottled before they are fully ripe, argol can precipitate on the side of the bottle in a sort of crust, thus forming what is called "crusted wine".

When placed in a Bunsen burner's flame, it turns purple, indicating the presence of potassium.

When cream of tartar is added to water, a suspension results which serves to clean coins very well. The solution loosens surface dirt and grime on the coins. Then, the dirt can be wiped off quite easily.

Cream of tartar and vinegar combine to make a powerful cleaning agent used to clean encrusted pots, pans and stove tops.

Not that anyone asked... I just thought it was cool.

But johnnyd, I'm mostly tempted to say "just slather on the grease and throw it in the oven." :-D

Edited by larrylee (log)
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Damn, that's a cool story. Some people I know who live on their boats in Portland's marinas could use that knowledge. Must keep an eye out for Lump Alum.

Plenty of tips! Thanks Larry, et al! I'll get that sucker clean now. I don't like the idea of oxalicrap on my kidneys. Now if I can just kick my starfruit habit...

"I took the habit of asking Pierre to bring me whatever looks good today and he would bring out the most wonderful things," - bleudauvergne

foodblogs: Dining Downeast I - Dining Downeast II

Portland Food Map.com

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Damn, that's a cool story.  Some people I know who live on their boats in Portland's marinas could use that knowledge. Must keep an eye out for Lump Alum.

Plenty of tips!  Thanks Larry, et al!  I'll get that sucker clean now.  I don't like the idea of oxalicrap on my kidneys.  Now if I can just kick my starfruit habit...

You can also use granulated alum just put it into a container with holes in the top or in a little cloth bag with loose weave, like the re-usable cloth teabags. It works just fine.

Lump alum is not as easy to find now because it was being used illegally in barber shops and nail shops to stop bleeding and one piece would be used on multiple customers. Not a good idea. I buy it at a local middle eastern market, but otherwise I haven't seen it in stores.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I'd like to say that it's entirely possible to have a clinker. My mom gave me a cast iron skillet which i scrubbed down (she hadn't used it in at least 20 years, probably 30), reseasoned, and then used to cook a lot of bacon. It didn't take the seasoning too well then, no biggie, just keep using it properly. However, it didn't take me long to realize that it does NOT heat evenly. So, now I have a good cornbread skillet, and I'm planning on picking up a new Lodge to use for stovetop cooking.

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