Learning how to restore and season rusty cast iron can be a simple task. All you need is some time and elbow grease and you’ll be well on your way to cooking with perfectly seasoned cast iron!
In my kitchen, the only skillets you’ll find are those made of cast iron. I use them to fry eggs, bake desserts, and everything in between! When taken care of properly, cast iron can last a lifetime and can be passed on to the next generation.
The first piece of cast iron that I restored was a rusty, dingy looking 9 inch griddle. I had heard of fire curing cast iron, so I put the rusty griddle into the wood stove on a bed of coals. It came out completely cleaned! I seasoned it and have been using it since.
When I spotted this rusty waffle iron at a thrift store, I immediately snatched it up. I knew that a with little TLC, it would soon be looking like new.
To restore and season my rusty cast iron, I decided to use a vinegar soak method. Although this process is simple, it is time consuming!
Using vinegar is a popular method used to remove rust from cast iron. However, vinegar is acidic and can damage cast iron if not used properly. When left to soak for too long, the vinegar will start to eat away at the cast iron making it difficult to season properly.
While vinegar will remove rust from cast iron, it will not remove carbon build-up. If you find rust and carbon build-up on your cast iron, it’s a good idea to remove the carbon build-up first. That way, if there’s any rust hiding under the build-up, it can be removed with a vinegar soak.
To restore and season your rusty cast iron, you’ll need a few supplies:
- A tote big enough to hold the cast iron you want to soak
- White vinegar. 5% acidity is best
- Water
- A few wire brushes
- Rubber cleaning gloves
To season:
- Avocado oil (or any other oil with a high smoke point)
- A clean paint brush or pasty brush
- Lint free towels or a piece of flannel cloth (100% cotton)
To get started cleaning your rusty cast iron, put the piece (or pieces) into a tote. Begin to pour the vinegar into the tote until the cast iron is halfway covered. Then, add equal amounts of water to make sure the cast iron is fully submerged.
Some people recommend not leaving the cast iron to soak in the vinegar water for longer then 45 minutes. If you choose to check on your cast iron periodically at a specific time, you can scrub it with a wire brush under cold running water. If the rust is still there, just put the cast iron back into the soaking water.
This waffle iron had some stubborn patches of rust, so I ended up soaking it overnight and part of the next day as well.
After some time, you’ll see lots of bubbles on your cast iron. That means that the vinegar is doing it’s job!
After a few hours, the soaking water will start to look dirty. Remember to check the cast iron periodically to see if the rust has lifted. You can use a stainless steel scrubber or a wire brush to scrub the cast iron. Using a pair of rubber cleaning gloves will save your fingertips and nails!
After 12 hours
This is how the soaking water looked after 12 hours.
At some point, the cast iron might start to look silver in some places. This usually happens when you scrub the seasoning off of cast iron, but no worries! As soon as your cast iron is no longer rusty, you can begin the seasoning process.
Ready to season
Your cast iron is ready to be seasoned once all of the rust has been scrubbed off.
After scrubbing the cast iron thoroughly to remove any remaining rust, you need to dry the cast iron immediately. You can do this by placing it on the stovetop burner, or placing it into a 300° oven.
There might be a fine layer of rust on on the cast iron after it has been dried. This type of rust is ok as long as it can be transferred to your finger or a paper towel by wiping lightly.
Seasoning your cast iron step 1
While the cast iron is still warm, apply a generous coat of oil over every surface. Because of the structure of my waffle iron, I chose a pastry brush to apply the oil. You could also use a clean paint brush. If your cast iron is pitted or has a rough, uneven surface, using a brush will ensure that the all pores are filled with oil.
Wipe off all the excess oil with a lint free towel or a flannel cloth. If you use flannel, make sure it’s 100% cotton so that the oil can soak into the fabric. You want to remove any runners or pools of oil from the cast iron.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 500° Fahrenheit. Put a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom oven rack to catch any oil drips. Baking cast iron at a high temperature can make your house slightly smokey and the smell can be very strong! For this reason, I like to season several pieces of cast iron at a time.
Put your cast iron upside down on the top oven rack. Baking upside down will cause any oil to drip out of the cast iron instead of pooling in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the oven and allow the cast iron to cool down in the oven. You want it to be only slightly warm before coating with more oil.
It will take several coats of oil and multiple rounds of baking before your cast iron is properly seasoned.
This is how mine looked after it had cooled from the first round of baking.
Seasoning your cast iron step 2
Warm your cast iron slightly by heating it on the stovetop burner, or in a 300° oven. Warming the cast iron opens up the pores and allows the oil to soak in.
Apply another layer of oil, and wipe the cast iron with a towel or cloth to remove any excess oil. Bake at 500° for 1 hour, then turn off the stove and allow everything to cool to room temperature.
Repeat this process a total of 4-6 times.
After 2 or 3 times, your cast iron will start to look more black.
Seasoning your cast iron step 3
You’ll know that your cast iron is almost fully seasoned once it no longer absorbs any oil. It’s a good idea to season 1-2 more times to get a good layer of protective seasoning on the surface of your cast iron.
Once your cast iron is fully seasoned, it should have a black, shiny surface. You can now use the seasoned cast iron to cook with.
Now that you have restored and seasoned your cast iron, it will need to be maintained in order to preserve the well seasoned surface. Following a few simple steps after every use will keep your cast iron looking beautiful and preforming well.
Once I learned how to care for my cast iron, I discovered that I could make scrambled eggs in any one of my skillets without the eggs sticking to the bottom!
How to cook with your cast iron:
- Heat the cast iron on medium-low heat
- Once the cast iron is hot, add your oil of choice
- Allow the oil to heat up before adding any food items
How to maintain and care for your cast iron:
- Once you’re done using your cast iron, scrub it under warm or hot running water with a stiff brush or a cast iron chain mail.
- Dry the cast iron immediately. This can be done on a stovetop burner for convenience.
- Apply a thin layer of oil to the cast iron making sure to cover the entire surface.
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