How to Clean Old Cast Iron Pans
- 1). Remove the rust by rubbing a steel wool pad or sandpaper on the pan.
- 2). Wash the pan with dish soap and water and then dry.
- 3). Coat the pan with a thin coat of oil, shortening or lard. Vegetable oil will work fine. Rub the oil on the inside and the outside of the pan to cover completely.
- 4). Move your oven rack to the second from the top location and preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 5). Put the oiled cast iron pan on the oven rack upside-down. Place a large pan on the oven rack beneath the cast iron pan to catch any dripping oil. Bake the pan for one hour then turn the oven off and let the pan cool completely.
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