Old line cook told me to stop rinsing my cast iron and he was 100% right

I used to scrub mine with soap every night until he yelled at me about it, and after a month of just wiping it clean the seasoning is finally solid. Has anyone else had a coworker call them out on a bad habit that actually worked?

3 comments

3 Comments

tarar271mo ago

Ugh the soap thing... I got roasted by a sous chef for oiling my pan while it was still hot and he was completely right about it too.

betty_palmer1mo ago

Listen, soap and hot water ain't gonna wreck a good seasoning if you dry it right after. I've been washing my cast iron with soap for years and my eggs slide like they're on teflon. The real trick is making sure you get it bone dry on the stove before you put it away.

terryf621mo ago

My Lodge pan from 2008 still has its original seasoning even though I hit it with soap every time I cook bacon. I dry it on medium heat for about two minutes until the water sizzles off completely. Then I give it a light wipe with Crisco and it's ready for the next meal.