What do I need to clean off before I season this cast iron? [duplicate]

Here's my cast iron frying pan. I had seasoned it before but wasn't sure if I'd got it right so I figured I'd start again. I'm not clear on what state it needs to be in before I do that.

I sanded a little bit to remove the bumpy black residue but it was an extremely slow process. What is the black on my pan and do I need to remove it all to be silver again before I season?

Best Answer

Whilst the re-seasoning part could be considered a duplicate, that's not actually what this question asks. It's "What do I do with the existing surface?"

You sand it off, or you get it sandblasted professionally (or you get all chemistry class with lye baths & other potentially dangerous stuff;).

The cosmetic appearance is not vital, but your pan has built up a coating so thick that it can start to come off in chunks.

This is your opportunity to start afresh, so I'd try to get it as close to bare metal as you reasonably can, without being over-fussy about the last vestiges. As your start-point for the new seasoning you want an even surface, rather than a 'perfectly clean' one. New seasoning will stick just as well to remaining coating as it will to bare iron, so long as you re-season properly.
For that part I'd see some of the previous answers on this stack - but note, there appears to be no true consensus as to temperature, duration, oil type...

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How do I clean and prepare cast iron?

Gently scrub the pan using mild dish soap, hot water, and a non-abrasive sponge (such as a Dobie sponge or the soft side of a Scotch-Brite sponge) or a scrub brush. Rinse it clean and then dry it completely with a dish towel.

Do you have to clean cast iron immediately?

Get right to it: Clean the skillet immediately after use, while it is still hot or warm. Don't soak the pan or leave it in the sink because it may rust. Add hot water: Wash the skillet by hand using hot water and a sponge or stiff brush.

Do you clean cast iron after seasoning?

You don't need to remove all the seasoning, just the gunky parts. Rinse and dry thoroughly, and reseason on the stove or oven, as described above. If the pan is really too far gone to clean up with a rigorous scrub, it's time to strip the pan.

Does soap remove cast iron seasoning?

Soap doesn't remove seasoning, but it can remove some oil. Cast iron is beloved for its natural non-stick quality. This is built up over months and years of use, as a layer of seasoning develops on the pan's surface.

The Best Way To Clean and Season a Cast Iron Skillet | Epicurious

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