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The wife picked me up a cool cast iron Dutch oven today. What's the best way to clean it up before I re-season it?
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Re-seasoning is different from seasoning, which might be what you're referring to. Re-seasoning (I think) means removing all existing seasoning and starting over with new seasoning.
And removing seasoning is done with so much heat or electrolysis that anything already present will be removed, too.
So you bought a used CI. I would bake it lid off in over at is highest setting to remove all evidence of oil, food, grim etc. Then start the process of seasoning.
If it looked like it was taken care of real well and perfectly clean without any smell, maybe I wouldn't bake it so much but maybe enough to sterilize it and then season.
I never use soap on my CI. Just hot water and a scrub brush. Then I put it on the stove to heat up and smear it with veg oil all over the inside. When it is to hot to touch, I turn the burner off and allow it to cool. After, wipe extra oil off.
Then when ready to use again, I use hot water and a scrub brush to remove any lint. Rub it down with a little oil and proceed with the recipe.
Always keep it oiled.
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There are a metric butt-load of Youtube videos on how to restore cast iron, many of those videos mad by people who know what they are doing.
Your wife's cool dutch oven looks to be in pretty good shape. If there aren't any rough spots that need re-doing why not just give it a bit of care and then cook on it?
Oil it up, wipe as much off as you can, then heat it up until it gives a scant amount of smoke. Allow to cool. Ready to cook. Cast iron doesn't need an elaborate process to season. Just clean it and keep cooking on it.
Agree with above. The reason you oil and let cool is because as it cools it draws oil down into the pores. This is how it developes into a near non stick.
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CI can be pretty messed up and still be restored. Here's proof.
http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2014/08/22/camp-oven-restored-using-electrolysis/ (http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2014/08/22/camp-oven-restored-using-electrolysis/)
I don't trust anything I buy used, regardless how clean it looks. For all you know they cooked monkey brains in the thing. Nothing wrong with that, but I want a clean start if I'm cooking monkey brains.
Wow @56mpg, that turned out fantastic. Hopefully I can find some good used cast iron to try that on. And I agree, if I'm buying used, I will give it the full treatment. Cast iron is porous and you never know if an old piece has been in a garage being used as a piss bucket for years. Or changing oil.
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Amazing restoration @56mpg ... I almost wish mine was covered in rust!
Thanks for the tips guys. There's only a small amount of rust on this CIDO so I think I'll elbow grease it off trying coarse kosher salt first and if that doesn't get it all, then some fine steel wool.
After that, I'll oil it and "bake" it on my kettle.
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