Here’s how to restore your rusty cast iron skillet back to its shiny, seasoned glory
A rusty cast iron skillet may look beyond the brink of repair, but anyone can clean and restore it with the right how-to guide. Here’s how we do it at Southern Kitchen.
We’ve all been there. Your previously well-seasoned cast iron skillet gets in the hands of someone who forgets to dry it thoroughly and sticks it deep into a cabinet. Or maybe you’ve picked up an old, neglected skillet at a yard sale and you’re ready to give it some love. As rusted and busted as your skillet may be, you can always get your cast iron back to its shiny glory. All you need is some elbow grease and patience. Click through the arrows above to learn how.
Step 1: Scrub with steel wool. Really, really scrub.
Pull out your newest pad of steel wool and start scrubbing. Your goal is to get all of that gunk and rust of the inside, bottom, sides and handle of the skillet so that the surface is totally smooth. Don’t be shy — think of this as your arm workout for the day.
Step 2: Hot soapy water
Forget what your great aunt told you — it’s time to give your skillet a hot, soapy bath. Gentle dish soap soap will pull up any additional scum, grease and gunk from the pan, so, again, don’t be shy. Use a sponge to continue to scrub the skillet until it feels clean and grease-free.
Step 3: Rinse
Next rinse off all of that soap and any additional bits of rusted or blackened bits from the skillet.
Step 4: Dry very thoroughly
Now here’s the most important step: Dry that skillet thoroughly. We like to use paper towels — lots of ’em — to get each and every nook and cranny of the skillet bone-dry. Remember, water is likely what got you to this task in the first place, so make sure to dry it up as best as you can.
Step 5: Coat with oil
Next, pull out a clean, dry paper towel and dab it with a neutral polyunsaturated oil with a high smoke point, such as canola. Spread that greased towel all over the skillet to coat everything, including the bottom and the handle, with a thin layer of oil. You don’t want to see any oil pooling up on the surface; you’re looking for a nice shiny layer, and that’s it.
Step 6: Bake
To transform that coat of oil into cast iron seasoning, you’ll want to heat up the skillet slowly. We like to do this step in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. Place the skillet upside down on the center rack and place a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch any drips. While you wait, go watch an episode of Stranger Things.
Step 7: Evaluate
Depending on how damaged your skillet was to begin with, you may or may not be finished at this point. Take a look at the skillet and see how it looks. Is it shiny and smooth, with a bonded layer of oil that looks almost like plastic? Great! Let it cool and you’re ready to cook. However, if there are still discolored or sticky spots, you’ll want to continue seasoning. Return to step 5 and re-oil and re-bake the skillet. Evaluate again and continue to repeat until your skillet looks awesome.
No rust, no problem
See any rust? Us neither. This is what your skillet should look like after you’re done scrubbin
Step 8: Cool and store
Once your skillet looks like this (or, likely, a darker shade of black), you’re done seasoning. Make sure to let the pan cool completely and to rub it down with a thin layre of oil before storing it, preferably in a place where it won’t get dinged, scratched and rusted.
Want to learn more? Watch our detailed video below: