How to Fix a Burnt Cast Iron Pan

A well-seasoned cast iron skillet adds excellent flavor to food, but if you forget to check on it or keep the heat too high, you could have a gunky mess on your hands. Cast iron burnt-on food can be pretty hard to take off, but there is plenty of advice that can help save your favorite pan. Even if it looks ruined, you can probably bring it back to life.

Even the most experienced cooks burn their pots, pans and skillets, so don't worry about that. The main thing that you should know about cleaning seasoned cast iron pans is that you should not use soap. Some experts suggest sprinkling coarse sea salt or kosher salt into the pan and scrubbing it with a clean, damp washcloth or sponge. You can use a plastic pan scraper but avoid abrasive cleaning products, like detergent scrubs, scouring pads or steel wool. These can scratch the pan and also remove the seasoning.

Other experts prefer baking soda to clean off cast iron skillet burnt-on food. Add baking soda and water to the pan and scrub it the same way as you would with the salt. This process also deodorizes the pan and kills bacteria. Keep in mind that either of these methods could alter or remove the flavors that have built up in the pan. Of course, if you burned food onto it, that taste removal could be a good thing because that bad taste could linger.

Cast-iron pans can also get rusty, and products like Bar Keepers Friend and Bon Ami are good at removing those kinds of stains. Use this with a scouring sponge or a cloth. You should always follow the care instructions for the pan and then check out any recommendations for the specific cleaning product you are using. Using the wrong cleaning tool may void your warranty, so defer to the manufacturer's rules whenever you can.

When a cast iron skillet gets burnt or rusts, you will probably want to re-season it after you have cleaned it off. If you didn't season it after you bought it, now would probably be the right time to do it.

Soap breaks down and removes oil, so you can clean a brand-new, unseasoned cast iron skillet with dish soap. However, if you have already seasoned your cast iron, you should not use this process to clean your skillet. The good thing is that seasoning a new cast iron pan is as easy as pie. Heat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, clean the skillet and dry it well with a dish towel.

Place a pan or piece of foil on the lower rack and spread a thin layer of vegetable oil or melted shortening onto the skillet. Turn the skillet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Leave it in there for one hour, turn off the heat and let it cool down to room temperature. That's all you need to do to season it.

Other experts season cast iron skillets in a slightly different way. Turn the oven temperature up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and apply a thin layer of canola oil to both sides of the pan, including the handles. Bake it upside down on the middle rack for an hour, let it cool and you are good to go.