cast-iron skillet?

Question

everything i fry in my cast-iron skillet sticks to the bottom and burns...is there a secret? i do let it heat up first and it is very old

Answer 1

Sounds as though you need to "season" your skillet....Warm your oven to about 250 degrees.Take a paper towel and rub the entire pan with a good vegatable oil or olive oil.Put it in the oven and let it bake for about 2 hours.After it cools wipe it clean.Remember to only wash your skillet with soap and water.Never in the dish washer.Good Luck! I know this works.Ihave several.Peace!

Answer 2

Cast iron cookware must be seasoned prior to use, and everything you do with it must preserve the seasoning. I'm assuming you've never done it before, so we'll start from scratch:

Scrub out your skillet with hot soapy water and remove any scrunge (yep, that's a technical term *grin*) on the bottom. Dry completely, then smear it all over (yes, including on the bottom) with shortening. Turn on your oven to around 350F, place a pan on the bottom rack to catch any drippings (there will be some) and place your skillet in the oven and leave it there for at least a half hour. Yes, there will be smoke, so turn on your stove hood and open a few windows. Once that's done, turn the oven off and let the skillet cool in the oven. Once it's cool, apply another thin coat of shortening to the inside of the skillet and store.

When using the pan, you'll still need oil to cook with, and you should avoid dishes with acidic ingredients like tomato -- they'll attack the protective layer of seasoning you've applied and make the food taste funny to boot. When you're done cooking, clean by rinsing with plain water -- no soap! Some people actually just wipe out their pan with an oily rag or paper towel. Once dry, apply another thin coat of shortening. Over time, the pan will develop a black protective layer, which is desirable. If you care for it and maintain the seasoning, it will never rust and your great-grandkids can inherit it.

Answer 3

My mom used to grease the skillet good with crisco, the solid kind. She then put it in a warm oven, not hot enough to burn the crisco, but let it set for a long while then take it out and wipe it till it is dry
of the oil and it would be good for cooking for a good while. Washing the skillet time after time takes the oil coating away and
then it sticks.

Answer 4

The 1st thing is you NEVER wash your skillet with dishwashing liquid. Just use warm water. Your skillet is not properly seasoned. Wash it with warm water,then oil it with wesson oil and put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 3 hours. Turn off the oven and let it cool. Always let you skillet heat before adding oil. It will non-stick if you do this.

Answer 5

Like others have said, season your skillet first. Then don't heat it too much. Things cook better in cast iron at low heat levels. Make sure you use enough oil, that helps.

Answer 6

Always keep your sklillet 'LUBED" WITH COOKING OIL or butter. Even after cleaning....just keep the skillet well greased. Always wipe the skillet before cooking and turn down your heat. I never wash my cast iron skillet with detergent, just wipe clean and relube until next time.

Answer 7

Use Butter this will prevent anything from sticking to the pan/skillet.

Answer 8

Depends on the age of the skillet. my family burned theirs on an open fire to clean them from time to time. If yours is newer, When you wash it always put it back on the burner to dry never towel dry. When its dry and has cooled, grease it with lard. wish you luck

Answer 9

put the skillet in the oven after you have cleaned it and coated it with olive oil. this is called seasoning. also keep it coated with oil after each use. and you can not let water sit in it after use. this rusts it.

Answer 10

throw the cast-iron skillet away, that's what i did and now i only use T-Fal ;-)