That was the title of an article that appeared on SouthernLiving.com last month and which Becky forwarded to me, dutiful daughter that she is. Because we all know how absolutely critical it is for children to be able to prove their mothers wrong.
For the past decade or so that I have been regularly cooking in cast iron skillets, I have only washed them out with water, much to Becky’s horror, especially after taking a food safety class required for employment at Nothing Bundt Cakes. Because that’s what “everyone” said to do. Using soap would ruin the seasoning sooner or later. And then what would the neighbors say? The shame of it all.
So with this magazine article, when it comes to cleaning cast iron, Becky gleefully claimed victory over her mother in the soap/no soap debate. Of course, I also claim victory because I was able to learn something that I could share on the blog. J
Our grandmothers didn’t use dish soap to clean their cast iron pans because dish soaps of that era were made with lye and vinegar, and the caustic nature of those harsh soaps would strip the seasoning right off the pan.[1] (Remember all those TV commercials lamenting the horrors of dishpan hands?) Nowadays, dish detergent is so much milder that there is no reason it can’t be used on cast iron—there’s no way it will damage the seasoning.
And if you want another source for this information, the fine folks that manufacture Lodge cast iron also agree.[2]
Of course, old habits are hard to break. And if you don’t want to change your ways and start using dish detergent to clean your cast iron, you don’t have to. A good scrubbing with hot water is still acceptable. Just be sure, no matter which method you choose, to dry the pan thoroughly and then give it a light coating of oil to maintain the finish.
Links to related posts:
How to Season and Maintain Cast Iron
Cleaning Dutch Ovens and Other Cast Iron Cookware
Do Cast Iron Pans Boost Iron Intake?
Dutch Oven Temperature Chart and
Guidelines
15 Cent Baking Rack for Dutch Oven
[1] https://www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/can-you-use-soap-on-cast-iron
[2] https://www.lodgecastiron.com/discover/cleaning-and-care/cast-iron/how-clean-cast-iron
LOL I 've never learned anything new from someone who always agrees with me.
ReplyDeleteBecky learned to question from the best. I avoid using dish soap on my cast iron nor highly acid foods.
Michael
We use soap on our cast iron cookware IF NECESSARY, but NEVER use the "scrubber" side of the sponge. Many times though, just a good wiping down of the cookware will suffice. We do this anyway, even when we do was it, as I'd rather use ROLLS of paper towels on the grease and oil than to have to it out of the kitchen drain line!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how "kids these days" will take offense to something they see as "unsanitary," and will the go eat "discount" sushi...
As far as keeping grease out of plumbing and WORSE the Septic System I asked my grandmom what she did before paper towels.
ReplyDeleteShe said unless badly burned grease the dogs LOVED it in their leftover foods.
Or she would use wood chips-sawdust to mop it up and use it in the burn barrel as grease in trash-compost pile guaranteed MORE Predators for her chickens.
"Discount sushi" vs Gas Station Sushi. GAAAAK
Okay, not to be a fuddy-duddy, and my apologies up front for seeming to be disagreeable, but I'm going to take issue with several of Southern Living's statements. "Old fashioned" soap - firstly, soap is made with wood lye and animal fat, not vinegar. Yes, wood lye is alkaline, but not as caustic as modern commercial lye. Secondly, by the time these ingredients combine chemically and become soap, the pH is only mildly alkaline, becoming less so as it ages. So someone didn't do their homework on that one.
ReplyDeleteAll soaps and detergents will dissolve grease; that's why we use them! And yes, modern "mild" dishwashing liquid can and will dissolve the seasoning on cast iron, and leave it rusty if not thoroughly dried.
Nothing usually sticks to a well seasoned cast iron pan, but if it does, I'll use a chain mail cast iron scrubber and hot water, then make sure it's thoroughly dry. (I used to use salt, but salt attracts moisture and can rust the pans!)
I regards to the idea that only soap can get things "clean," well, the pan is used for cooking at the same high temps recommended for sterilizing things, so any residual germs are killed when the pan is heated and during cooking.
In the end, we should all do what we're comfortable with, but I do find that the more I research, the more modern mythology I begin to see.
You're not being a fuddy-duddy or disagreeable. Thank you very much for your comments.
DeleteI wondered about the vinegar and soap-making as I'd never read it, but obviously I didn't follow up on it. I'm not into soap-making so I figured I just wasn't aware of something.
I also thing high heat works plenty well enough to clean.
I find it amusing that there is such debate on this topic, though.
Grew up using dish soap and scrubber on cast iron ALL THE TIME! Pans were kept unseasoned (yes, they did stick if frying) to help add iron to the food. Pan lived on the stove, was used instead of a toaster for toast, and would always get heated up to dry.
ReplyDeleteThe less commonly used pans would get dried, wiped down with oil, and dried again to avoid rust. Worked well for baking (muffins, popovers, lasagna) but not so well for frying eggs.