How to ignite a cast iron skillet?

Not everyone knows that before you start to cook most of the dishes, the pan should be ignited. And many do not attach much importance to this. Professional chefs do not miss this important process for anything, but to understand the essence, you will need to take a deeper look at this issue.

No matter how desirable, but a new cast iron pan cannot be immediately put on the stove and started cooking in it. The calcination process has been used since the time of the existence of Ancient Russia, only then his main task was to create a natural non-stick coating. Today, there are many other reasons why it is necessary to process metal qualitatively before its operation.

Before you start to bake the pan, you will need to prepare for use, namely, first to clean it. To speed up the process of removing traces of rust, a metal scraper or a hard sponge is ideal. After the dishes are well rinsed under running water with a dishware. Now you need a cast iron pan dry wipe.

The calcination process is necessary for several reasons. With his help, it is possible to achieve certain results.

• Remove from the dishes the grease that was applied in the production during the manufacture of the product. Everyone should know that it is harmful to humans, but one simply cannot do without such lubrication, since its absence will not allow the pan to be easily removed from the press.
• Metal is often covered with a sealant, which during storage protects against corrosion. Most of the tools are designed to give the finished product an attractive shine. Any of them is harmful, can lead not only to the appearance of an allergic reaction, but also serious poisoning. Understand that there is a harmful film on the dishes can be a strong smell, as well as the poor taste of the prepared products. But it is better not to experiment like this, because it can be harmful to health.
• Calcination helps to find out if there is a manufacturing defect in the pan. If it is present, then in the process of heating small cracks and deformations will be visible. If the product is unsuitable for subsequent use, then it can be safely returned to the seller.
• Calcination helps to create on the surface of cast iron dishes a natural non-stick layer, which is essential in the manufacture of pancakes and pancakes. Despite the fact that cast iron is a metal, it has a porous structure, so food gets into its pores, which then begins to smell unpleasantly because it burns. Calcination prevents this process.
• Over time, carbon deposits will accumulate in the pan, it is harmful to human health, so it needs to be removed. Calcination greatly simplifies the process.
• In addition, prolonged heating of the pan can increase the service life of the product, because then the probability of rust is significantly reduced.

After the pan cools, its pores will close, but the oil will remain in them, which will create a protective layer. If the cast iron pan is covered with an enamelled layer, then there is no need to roast it. Before first use after purchase, it is enough to simply wash the dishes with a cleaning agent.

There are many ways to prepare a cast iron skillet before first use. All of them are simple and accessible to every hostess.

In this case, you will need to take a coarse salt, not an iodized product. Inside the pan it is poured on the bottom so that it covers it one centimeter thick.

Turn on the burner on medium heat and set the dishes. A holding time of 10 to 20 minutes is enough. In each case, it is worth relying more on the size of the heated pan and the intensity of the flame.

There may be an unpleasant smell, this is not surprising, as the factory grease leaves the pores of the cast iron. White salt will soon change its shade and become yellow, even closer to brown and sometimes black, which indicates a large amount of harmful substances on the surface.

The pan is removed from heat and allowed to cool until the salt is cold. It can no longer be used as food, so it is thrown out without regret, and the dishes are washed under a tap with a cleaning agent, then wipe dry and rub with sunflower oil.

At this process, the calcination is not over. The pan is again set on fire and heated, but now the intensity of the flame should be minimal. In order to get the oil into the pores of the cast iron, five minutes on the fire is enough. If a gray color appears, it indicates that the dishes are heated properly. Now you can again rinse gently in cold water and rub with salt.

There are several ways to properly harden cast iron cookware at home using only vegetable oil.

In the first case, you need to put the container on fire and keep it there for five minutes. Only after the metal is well heated, gently pour in a thin stream of oil. It should be so much so that it completely covers the bottom of the pan.

Some housewives do not know which product is best used for roasting. Experienced cooks agree that refined oil is ideal for this, because it does not emit as much smoke and burning as unrefined. Olive is not cheap, so you can use inexpensive sunflower. It is even allowed to simply grease the surface with lard.

Cast iron should stand on low heat on the stove for thirty minutes. After allowing the dishes to cool down, using a tack take the handle and drain all the excess oil. Now put the pan under a stream of cold water and repeat the whole process again. Three times is enough to heat the dishes.

The last time, washing the oil under cold water, wipe the bottom and walls with a cloth, but do not use a cleaning agent. The natural non-stick coating will help to protect the dishes during storage.

You can use the second method, but it will require much more oil, so there is a chance that it may flare up suddenly. You need to keep an eye on the pan and not to leave for a minute.

Before you put the dishes on the fire, poured into the middle of the oil inside. The fire on the stove should be average, the procedure time is 30 minutes. After the pan becomes cold, the product is drained, the metal is wiped and cleaned for storage.

It does not matter whether a gas or electric stove will be used, this method is very popular, although it consists of six steps. First you need to turn on the burner to the maximum. If it is an electric stove, then you need to warm it well.

It is possible to determine whether the dishes have calcinated properly by the gray tint that has appeared. At the second stage, they take with the help of tacking by the handle and dip it in cold water. A sharp change in temperature allows you to increase the strength of the product. Without wiping the pan, it is again sent to the fire, pouring a small amount of salt, which should absorb not only moisture, but also harmful lubricant.

Step-by-step process of using the oven looks very simple and affordable. With a more detailed study of the issue with the calcination of iron can handle any hostess, even if before that she had no experience.

When using the oven, you will need to turn the container upside down. First, you need to lubricate well from all sides of the product with oil. If there is a wooden or plastic handle, then it will need to be removed. In the case when it is non-removable, it is not advised to touch it, but it is better to use any other method.

The temperature inside should be at least 180 C. The pan is placed inside for an hour. In the process, smoke may form, so do not be afraid, it is better to open the windows or turn on the hood. After a specified time, the oven turns off, but the dishes remain inside until it cools.

Utatnits, cauldrons and other cast-iron dishes are inconvenient to ignite with all the indicated methods. There is another way, although it takes more time, it allows you to achieve the desired result. Burning this way is not always convenient, but sometimes it is the only way to increase the service life of the product.

From the hostess will need to lubricate the bottom and walls with oil, make a fire at the site and put the container directly into the fire. There should not be any wooden and plastic elements on it, and this method is available only to those who have their own private house.

Calcination provides durability to cast iron tanks, but they still require care if you want them to serve for a really long time. Such dishes are advised to wash immediately after the process of cooking. Do it under cool water, because it is not necessary that the oil be washed out since then.

Do not clean the cast iron in the dishwasher, as well as store food inside.

During the cleaning do not use coarse brushes, abrasives and metal scrapers, because they remove the protective layer. If a cleaning agent is used, then after it the cast iron is lubricated again and calcined for half an hour. If you need to remove the burnt food, then you need to boil a small amount of water in the pan with the addition of two tablespoons of salt and soda.

The place of storage of cast iron utensils must be well ventilated, otherwise mold, unpleasant odor appears. It is stored with the lid open, completely dry. Even with infrequent use, it is advised to periodically lubricate dishes with grease or oil.

Some housewives have to deal with the process of roasting pig iron for the first time, others have more than once handled utensils, therefore, give their advice on how to do it quickly and easily.

• It is best to engage in the calcination of cast iron at a time when no one is at home. When the factory protective layer evaporates, a lot of smoke is formed, there is an unpleasant smell in the apartment. To prevent the room from getting groaned, you need to open the windows even before the start of roasting.
• Oil plays an important role in the process, so a refined product is the ideal solution. Olive is more suitable than vegetable, but it also costs more. You can replace the fat, including lamb, goose, interior or pork.
• If the hostess forgets to remove the fusible parts from the pan, the product will be irrevocably damaged. It also happens that you can not remove the handle, so you can roast such a frying pan only on the stove, but it is strictly forbidden to use an open fire or oven.
• Sometimes, the cast iron is quenched before calcining. To do this, it is put on the burner, which runs at maximum. When the color changes from black to gray, the metal is quickly dipped into cold water. If cracks and other deformations appear on the bottom or walls, this indicates that the cast iron is of poor quality.

It is very important not to forget about safety. Never touch the handle of a hot frying pan with your bare hands, but use a tack, towel or mittens. A product standing on fire must be supervised, there are cases when the oil is ignited. Failure to comply with safety regulations increases the likelihood of a fire in the apartment.

In conclusion, it should be said that cast iron pans have a lot of advantages, especially when cooking traditional Russian dish - pancakes. In such dishes, they are incredibly tasty, because they bake well and do not burn, however, when you first use, you can smell and even taste. In order not to spoil the food, you must first heat any cast-iron pan and then cook it on it.

If done correctly, the hostess in the arsenal will be an indispensable assistant for many years, with which you can cook delicious steaks, burgers, fried fish and other delicious dishes.

To learn how to prepare a cast iron skillet for use, see the video below.