Grilling is Australia’s favourite summer pastime. Aussies love to barbie with family and friends. They love grilling lamb chops, beef steaks, and sausages and enjoying it with their favourite drinks.
While most Aussies like barbeques outside, they are also prepared to grill inside. This is the reason why every Australian household has its own cast iron grill pan. It is heavy duty and can last a long time.
Grilling is fun, but the cleaning up part, not so much. So here are some tips on how to clean your cast iron grilling pans after a cookout.
Season it
If it is your first time using your cast iron pan, the first thing you should do is season it. Most pans are already pre-seasoned, but it never hurts to season it again. To do this, wash your pan in soapy water and rinse thoroughly. Dry it using a paper towel, then apply a thin coat of oil evenly over the bottom. Next, put your pan in the oven and heat it for one hour at 205 degrees Celsius. After cooling it gradually, your pan is ready for cooking.
Use boiling water
Never put your pan in the dishwasher. Most of the time, hot water is all you need to clean your cookware. This method works best for pans with high sides.
Pour at least 5 cm of water into the pan and then set it on the stove. Let the water boil until the food particles start floating on the surface. Then, use a spatula to take away all the burnt grease and other particles stuck between the ridges.
Let the pan cool down before throwing away the dirty water, and then rinse it with hot water. Finally, you can wipe away the remaining food scraps with a paper towel.
Use salt and water
Soap is not good for cast iron pans. However, you can clean it with salt instead of using dishwashing soaps. The ideal salt to use is coarse kosher salt because it is abrasive and great for removing food scraps.
To clean using this, you need to cool your pan first after use. Then cover the pan’s surface with enough salt. Next, make a salt paste by adding a little boiling water to it. After you have your paste, you can start scrubbing all the corners and ridges with a sponge.
Use salt only
Some chefs do not use water in cleaning their cast iron pans to prevent rusting. If you don’t like to use water, you can clean your pan using only salt.
Sprinkle a generous amount of salt on your pan. Rub the salt all over the food scraps using a paper towel. Add more salt to remove stubborn grime and keep scrubbing until there’s no residue left. Finish it off by wiping it down with a clean paper towel.
Use lemon juice and baking soda
Sometimes, even if you take good care of your pan, it gets a little rust. You can remove this immediately using baking soda and lemon juice.
To do this, make a paste using a cup of baking soda and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Spread the paste over the affected area and cover it with plastic wrap. Leave it for 24 hours and scrub the pan after. You need to re-season your pan after doing this.
The things mentioned above are just a few ways by which you can clean your cast iron grill pan. So don’t be afraid to use it, because cleaning it is easy.
