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Cast iron question

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Michael B
Michael B Posts: 986
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Does anyone have any ideas how to salvage a cast iron D.O. that has been cleaned with oven cleaner? :blink:


Besides using it as a planter.
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Comments

  • Rollocks
    Rollocks Posts: 570
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    If you place it in a self cleaning oven and pt the oven on clean it will bake off anything that is on the outside, including any blackening or seasoning that has occurred. The pot should come out looking like the day it was cast. It will be very prone to rust so re-season it immediately.

    Also do this only on a day that it is warm enough to open widows. The burning off of the blackened surface of the pan can cause quite a bit of smoke.
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  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
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    I was wondering if an oven self cleaning cycle would be sufficient.
    Its a shame it was cleaned this way.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250220210977&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm37%26satitle%3D250220210977%26fvi%3D1
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  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
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    A good cleaning with strong Dawn letting it soak. Afterwards take the sand paper or commercial abrassive pad and rub to new metel. Reseason. The pic of the DO in oven is first rub reseasoning it. I have restored a DO and a skillet from flea market that way. My only concern is the chemicals used in the oven cleaner penetrating the steel. Mine had not been "Easy Off" that I know of Not sure if the Dawn would cut it or not. If your sanding is proper you should remove residue. NEW08044.jpgNEW08004-2.jpgNEW08070.jpg
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  • Large Marge
    Large Marge Posts: 404
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    What about a rusted skillet? How does one re-season / remove the rust and start anew, or is it too late? Thanks...
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  • JLOCKHART29
    JLOCKHART29 Posts: 5,897
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    Marge that was how mine were. To reseason after cleaning/sanding rub with shortning (not oil) the intire surface lightly and bake in oven 300 degrees for 2 hrs. I wipe the surface after 1 hr. Allow to cool and repeat once more.
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  • Jupiter Jim
    Jupiter Jim Posts: 3,351
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    Michael I'm not sure that the oven cleaner is a problem, as far as I know it is just lie. I have collected Griswold cast Iron for years and it is the best way to get the cooked on grease and food off. I have done it many times and used pans for cooking after reseasoning them.
    The self clean in an oven can crack them I have been told by other collectors. I think if you give it a good scrubing in dish soap rinse in hot water, reseason.
    Hope this helps.
    Jim

    I'm only hungry when I'm awake!

    Okeechobee FL. Winter

    West Jefferson NC Summer

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  • BamaBackdraft
    BamaBackdraft Posts: 318
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    Had some old cast iron skilets that had several decades of black build up on the non cooking surfaces. Fired up the LP fish cooker one night to do some Blackened Redfish. As the Skilet was getting white hot I noticed the build up coming off the sides. Skilet looked like a brand new one when I was finished. Reseasoned then and were better than ever. Even cooked better after the build up was removed. Pulled out the dutch oven and did them the same way.
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  • Chef in the Making
    Chef in the Making Posts: 902
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    Could you use the Egg to clean a DO
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  • DynaGreaseball
    DynaGreaseball Posts: 361
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    Michael B,[p]Why won't doing a super-cook with Crisco all over it do the job? Re-curing, in other words.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Michael B,[p]Place it upside down in the oven and turn it to the cleaning cycle. Let it run through the entire cleaning time then wipe out and reseason with oil.

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  • icemncmth
    icemncmth Posts: 1,165
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    Michael B,[p]I use to work at a machine shop and we would clean old cast iron stuff...[p]And I still do it with my egg...Just dump some lump in the egg...bring up the temp to over 600 deg...700 works very well..and put the cast iron pot in and let it cook away..[p]Now if you have an old cast iron pot that is really grungy you can clean it to look like new...Open the vents on the egg all the way..top and bottom..[p]and drop the iron pot right on the coals...leave the egg running full steam and after 30 mins you pot will be glowing red hot and "everything" will be burnt off..now you will need to bring the temp down on the egg till you get to around 300 deg and then you need to season the pot or it will rust in seconds...[p]Oil it all over and put back into the egg and shut down all the vents....and when the egg is cool you pan is done![p]
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  • Wilby
    Wilby Posts: 155
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    I would suggest filling it with Coke, not the diet stuff, real coke. Let it sit for a couple of days. Then clean it really well baking soda and metal scouring pad. Then coat with oil bake in a low temp oven. That should do it.
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  • Michael B
    Michael B Posts: 986
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    Thanks icemncmth,
    I hadn't thought about putting it down in the coals. 1200* should do it.
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    Rust Haven
    dutch-1.jpg

    My Cordless Drill and the Wire brush bit, gloves and googles
    dutch-2.jpg

    About one hour later rust is mostly gone
    dutch-3.jpg

    Bacon grease, lard, crisco, oil in that order...
    dutch-4.jpg

    450 dome till pot is black. Repeat grease as needed
    dutch-5.jpg

    Viola ready to cook.
    dutch-6.jpg
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  • Celtic Wolf
    Celtic Wolf Posts: 9,773
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    To burn off that oven cleaner this is probably the best way.

    However without a lid it's not really worth it.
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    Wipe it with CRISCO, turn it upside down in a 350 oven for an hour. Turn the heat off and leave it in until the oven is cold..repeat
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  • Angie2B
    Angie2B Posts: 543
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    If it was just rust, it wouldn't be any problem. But I would kinda worry about the chemical resisdue left over from the oven cleaner and a food crossover. Personally, I would check one of the big dutch oven sites and ask them.

    The International Dutch Oven Society

    http://www.idos.com/
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