i have a cast iron grill, and have cleaning questions?

Question

My nana gave me what she called a "komar" (not sure on the spelling). But it is a cast iron grill. it's flat on one side and raised edges like a grill on the other side. i have used the raised side a few times to cook some carne asada, but what do i do now if i want to use the flat side? She gave me some manteca (or lard) to clean it, but i'm not really sure how to do this. i want to be sure to have the raised side clean enough so it can face down; is this possible?
and does anyone know how I'm supposed to clean it? especially with the lard? Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Answer 1

Cast iron is a really great thing - it requires NO cleaning. That sounds nasty, right? If you use soap to clean it, the soap will tear away the natural (and necessary) oils that have built up to prevent food from sticking. You don't have to worry about germs, since any will cook off from the high heat the pan will absorb when you cook.

The best thing to do is after you have cooked something on your grill, while it's still piping hot, pour some hot water into your pan and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes. Use a soft cloth to wipe away any debris, but never use anything abrasive on your cast iron (no scrubbies, etc...). Next set your dish over some heat to dry it. Placing it over a warm over works great.

Never let water just sit in your cast iron for extended periods, as it will rust.

Once in a while (at least once a year, but more often is better) "season" your pan by rubbing it down with the lard - like a massage - and place it in a warm (say 200*F) oven. Turn off the heat and leave it alone overnight. The cast iron will absorb the oil it needs.

All cast iron is "good" cast iron. As long as you take care of it properly it will last your lifetime, and longer.

Answer 2

Are you using it over a charcoal or wood fire? That'll make it quite the chore to clean. You'll want to scrub off all the soot from both sides - and that'll demand a lot of what we old farts call "elbow grease". It's really hard work, and the lard won't help a bit. Most of us just use one side of such a thing due to the tediousness of cleaning the other side.
Now, if you're using an electric stovetop or gas, it's much, much easier. Just wipe it thoroughly with a damp rag with a mild dish detergent the first time, then thoroughly rinse and dry it. Then, and only then, do you apply the lard. You put a very light coat of lard on the warm cast iron and cook on that. When done cooking, wipe away any residual food and apply another light coat of lard to the warm iron. Wipe it again with paper toweling and store it on it's edge in a dry place.

Answer 3

One should never! wash cast iron-you will destroy the seasoning (meaning curing). If things stick then it needs to be reseasoned. Try this as it works for me for many years---assuming yours is now a problem.
Use salt and a little hot water to scrub. You only want to remove the stuck food, not the seasoning.
Then dry very thoroughly!! Set oven on a low temperature--rub some lard or vegetable oil over the cast iron with paper towels just so it is coated.
Place in the oven for a couple of hours.
Repeat this seasoning (without the cleaning) a couple of times to get it well seasoned.
Then.......cook again--but don't wash--just use the salt and a little hot water.
Every time you use it you should rub a bit of oil on it with the paper towels to keep it seasoned.
A well seasoned piece of cast iron will take care of you for many years if treated right.
Chef Jack Garrison

Answer 4

The lard is to help keep the cast iron seasoned.
If you are thinking that it may scorch when you turn it over to the fire, give it a good gently scrubbing with warm soapy water, and dry it on the fire so it won't rust.
Use the lard sparingly, when wiping it on the the griddle.

And if all else fails.. call grams up.. they love to offer advise on old tradition cooking and cleaning.

Answer 5

Lard isn't for cleaning, it's for seasoning. Here's a page with some cleaning info http://antiques.about.com/cs/miscellaneous/ht/CleanCastiron.htm or you can do a search on 'cast iron cleaning' (no quotes) for more resources.

I'm not familiar with the grill you are referring to, so can't really make suggestions on its use. I'm not clear on what it looks like.

Good luck!

Answer 6

You clean it with soapy water. The lard or oil is for seasoning it so it doesn't rust. And you only have to season it when needed. When it starts to stick. If you need to season it, a thin layer grease (wipe off excess with a paper towel) and put it in a hot oven heat for a couple of hours.

Answer 7

My Lodge griddle like yours said to clean only with warm soapy water. Never heard of cleaning with lard.

Answer 8

wash with dish soap dry, then use a paper towel dip it in the lard and wipe the cast can put a little salt on paper towel also

Answer 9

Don't wash it with water...you don't even need to wash it. When you are done using it you scrape out the stuff left over and smear some oil all around on the inside of it...washing it with water will ruin it.

Answer 10

small propane torch,,burn it off outside,,oven cleaner