Depending upon the condition of your cast iron. If it's old and needing cleaned and cured again-----burn it off on an outside wood fire. Wipe the residue out with a paper towel or dry rag. Set into the wood fire outside again and let it bake for awhile---like about an hour. Don't worry, you can't kill it by overheating it. Remove from the fire and let it set to cool. After it's cool enough to handle without hot pads--coat with a little lard or crisco on a clean, dry rag. Wipe out excess---it's now seasoned. For new pieces- Scrub it with HOT soapy water and a cleaning soap pad. Don't worry you won't kill it this way either. Rinse with clean water and quickly put into an outside wood fire and let'r rip for a spell. Another hour won't hurt it any. Season as above. If the skillet, pot or pan is really rusted and pitted, it will be harder to use without sticking. It will have to be cleaned bright before attempting to add a layer of grease to protect it from rusting. If it rusts after you heat it--you will need to re-do the process. Wipe the rust out with a dry rag and heat again. The reason they rust upon drying is because the pan wasn't hot enough. Never clean one in a dishwasher! When using one to cook with -add a layer of grease to cook the possum, squirrel or goat. Fried taters, eggs and a big bowl of gravy. It don't get any better than that. Fried hog shoulder, chops, bacon and sausage ain't too shabby, either. For the sake of the old heart--pour off the excess grease and save it for more lye soap. It works much better in soap than in your arteries! I know, been there and done that. 3 years ago---six way bypass. Matt. 24:44

-- old hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), July 15, 2000

Answers

Hey Hoot, some people have buns of steel, I figure I've got buns of cast iron (fry pans). Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), July 15, 2000.