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NFT: Chain mail scrubber for cast iron skillets

ColHowPepper : 6/1/2023 4:43 pm
Quick request for info: With all the threads (thanks to Mr. Bill in Utah, et al.) on cooking ribeyes on cast iron or throwing a cast iron on to the bbq grill, I purchased a small skillet when up in Kingston a couple of weeks ago.

My question is this: I came across a note somewhere that instructed NOT to use the chain mail scrubber until the cast iron is well seasoned, which mine is definitely not. Am I advised not to use it until after several months? Yet the box said to use the scrubber (after a brush to clear away the easy particles), and scuff the skillet, straight away...then dry it, oil it, etc.

Is there a right and a wrong here?
many tia
Well, we use a chain mail scrubber for our cast iron  
81_Great_Dane : 6/1/2023 4:48 pm : link
but we are pretty dedicated about seasoning the pans. Most brands sell cast iron pre-seasoned these days, and we use Crisbee Cream to keep them seasoned.

My wife cooked in a cast iron skillet and cauldron last night, and I cleaned them with a chain mail scrubber this morning. The nice think about the chain mail is that it doesn't scrape off the seasoning but will scrape off the stuck-on food.
thanks, 81_G_Dane,  
ColHowPepper : 6/1/2023 5:03 pm : link
Did you use the scrubber on the skillet upon first uses? Mine says it has been pre-seasoned, with rapeseed oil; I don't want to use the cm scrubber after early uses if it will set the surface curing back
Well seasoned cast iron, used properly,  
rnargi : 6/1/2023 5:35 pm : link
Shiuld be virtually non-stick. I generally wipe mine out with a bar mop
Usng it seasons the pan  
mattlawson : 6/1/2023 6:09 pm : link
So…. If you’re cooking a fatty steak I would think you’ll be alright. And help your situation
I "deglaze" my  
Bill in UT : 6/1/2023 6:17 pm : link
cast iron skillets. If there's anything caked onto them, a pour in a little water, bring it to a boil. and rub with a wooden spoon (the flatter the end is the better). Just like getting fond off the bottom. Dry it, heat it to high, and rub with some oil to reseason.
RE: Usng it seasons the pan  
ColHowPepper : 6/1/2023 6:36 pm : link
In comment 16126484 mattlawson said:
Quote:
So…. If you’re cooking a fatty steak I would think you’ll be alright. And help your situation
Thanks, matt; so you're saying that using the scrubber does not 'erase' the seasoning effect but enhances it?

Just seems counterintuitive when using the chain mail would seem to 'scrape off' seasoning. Obviously I have this a bit backwards.
RE: I  
ColHowPepper : 6/1/2023 6:39 pm : link
In comment 16126486 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
cast iron skillets. If there's anything caked onto them, a pour in a little water, bring it to a boil. and rub with a wooden spoon (the flatter the end is the better). Just like getting fond off the bottom. Dry it, heat it to high, and rub with some oil to reseason.
Ha! Deglaze with water from our leader. lol. I get what you're saying, Bill. One thing the pamphlet does say is not to cook using acidic liquids (e.g., stuff you would deglaze with, wine, lemon juice, some vinegar).
RE: RE: I  
Bill in UT : 6/1/2023 6:54 pm : link
In comment 16126493 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
In comment 16126486 Bill in UT said:


Quote:


cast iron skillets. If there's anything caked onto them, a pour in a little water, bring it to a boil. and rub with a wooden spoon (the flatter the end is the better). Just like getting fond off the bottom. Dry it, heat it to high, and rub with some oil to reseason.

Ha! Deglaze with water from our leader. lol. I get what you're saying, Bill. One thing the pamphlet does say is not to cook using acidic liquids (e.g., stuff you would deglaze with, wine, lemon juice, some vinegar).


I just looked at a couple of articles, and while they say that cast iron can cause a metallic taste if you cook acids, the usual short cooking time in cast iron and keeping it well seasoned, makes that negligible. I don't think I acually do much deglazing in cast iron with the items you mentioined, most of those ingredients would be use in enameled cast iron Dutch ovens and not be an issue.
Just use some .....  
Koffman : 6/1/2023 7:13 pm : link
coarse salt and you'll be fine.
RE: Just use some .....  
Bill in UT : 6/1/2023 7:25 pm : link
In comment 16126505 Koffman said:
Quote:
coarse salt and you'll be fine.


I've gotten rid of all my coarse salt. I didn't like that kind of language used around the house
I've had to re-season mine 2 times  
Beer Man : 6/1/2023 7:51 pm : link
Mrs. Beer Man took the finish off once with a Brillo pad, and twice left it to air dry causing it to rust. She now leaves it for me to clean.

I have always used the chain to remove the easy particle since early seasoning, and had no issues with it.

If you want the pan to have a nice seasoning that is jet black, then I recommend that you use Flax Seed oil. Its more expensive, but I tried Olive Oil once and Vegetable oil once, neither seasoned as nice and dark as the Flax Seed oil. You won't be disappointed.
RE: thanks, 81_G_Dane,  
81_Great_Dane : 6/1/2023 8:08 pm : link
In comment 16126465 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
Did you use the scrubber on the skillet upon first uses? Mine says it has been pre-seasoned, with rapeseed oil; I don't want to use the cm scrubber after early uses if it will set the surface curing back
It hasn't been an issue for us. I have a stiff brush made for cleaning cast iron and only go to the chain mail when there's stuff stuck on. It hasn't taken off the seasoning — but almost anything can if you scrub hard enough, or if you use an abrasive cleanser or steel wool or something.

FWIW I like to use "cast iron soap" which is milder than dish detergent. I don't know if it really makes a difference but Mrs. Great Dane prefers we not use detergent on the cast iron. Supposedly, cast iron can retain off flavors from strong detergent, and strong dish detergents do undermine the seasoning.

Chef Francis Mallman ("Seven Fires") says he doesn't take great care of his cast iron and sometimes there's rust on it. He kind of shrugs that off. I get it. I think some of the fuss about caring for cast iron is overblown. Just keep it dry (preferably dried over a flame) and use Crisbee Cream as directed to keep the seasoning nice. You're more likely to take it off cooking something acidic than by cleaning with chain mail.

If I were going to invest in fussy pans that need seasoning, I'd probably buy some good carbon steel pans. I got a carbon steel paella pan to use on my grill and really like it — but that also needs Crisbee Cream and will rust if neglected. I have a couple of carbon steel woks, same thing.
RE: RE: thanks, 81_G_Dane,  
Bill in UT : 6/1/2023 8:18 pm : link
In comment 16126524 81_Great_Dane said:
Quote:


If I were going to invest in fussy pans that need seasoning, I'd probably buy some good carbon steel pans.

I try to avoid anything fussy. Mrs. in UT, from time to time, is just something I prefer to live with
Dane, Beerman, Bill  
ColHowPepper : 6/1/2023 9:11 pm : link
and also to her stuffiness, thanks, I'll go with the chain mail flow
RE: Dane, Beerman, Bill  
Bill in UT : 6/1/2023 9:24 pm : link
In comment 16126553 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
and also to her stuffiness, thanks, I'll go with the chain mail flow


my main cast iron pan is now at least 40 years old, so something is working ok?
RE: Just use some .....  
JoeSchoens11 : 6/1/2023 9:25 pm : link
In comment 16126505 Koffman said:
Quote:
coarse salt and you'll be fine.
As a big Alton Brown fan, I did that for a while but then I tried chain mail and now use that for anything caked on. Most meals only need water and a paper towel.

Chain mail is (obviously) smooth so it shouldn’t impact the seasoning.
hey CHP - I use my cast iron skillets a lot -  
Del Shofner : 6/1/2023 11:14 pm : link
and Mrs S knows to leave them to me to clean up. :-)

First, I don't think you're going to cause any permanent damage no matter what you do. Worst case is that the chain mail scrubber takes off more seasoning than you want it to, but it's very possible to do it over.

That said, I don't use a chain mail scrubber as I find it's more than I need. I use cold water - no soap, ever (I believe cast iron will absorb the soap flavor just as it does the seasoning), and the scratchy side of a regular sponge like this:



If that's not enough, I have scrubbing cloths that are rougher than the sponge but not as rough as chain mail. I've never needed more.

After the cold water/sponge, I wipe it out with a paper towel and put it in a 350 over for a little while to eliminate any chance of rust. I don't re-oil it every time. I oil it (grapeseed or avocado oil, high smoke points) at the very beginning and put it in the 350 oven for a while. I suggest you do that a few times before using chain mail, assuming you do use it.

Hope that's helpful ....
Del, yes, very helpful, thank you  
ColHowPepper : 6/2/2023 8:43 am : link
I'd wondered about those tuffy scrubber side of sponges.

I guess my quandary about cast iron cookware stems from my supposition, maybe wrong, that seasoning was a multi-month or years process building up a layer of oiled armor that would just be ripped off by chain mail

One practice at BBI: the convention is not to allow the missus'es near the cast iron.
I use a Libman Curved Kitchen Brush...  
Klaatu : 6/2/2023 8:52 am : link
With Kosher salt.

Curved Kitchen Brush - ( New Window )
RE: Del, yes, very helpful, thank you  
Del Shofner : 6/2/2023 9:11 am : link
In comment 16126644 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
I'd wondered about those tuffy scrubber side of sponges.

I guess my quandary about cast iron cookware stems from my supposition, maybe wrong, that seasoning was a multi-month or years process building up a layer of oiled armor that would just be ripped off by chain mail

One practice at BBI: the convention is not to allow the missus'es near the cast iron.


No, not multi-month or year IMO. Maybe 3 or 4 usages. But, again, before you use it at all, lightly oil with a high smokepoint oil and put it in a 350 oven for maybe 45 minutes. And, correct, no one handles the cast iron but me!
sounds like a plan  
ColHowPepper : 6/2/2023 9:29 am : link
I bot some oil from Amazon, think it's a combo of avocado and rice husk, not olive.

It's in the oven, thanks, Del and each contributor!! BBI wonky threads are the best (not mine, just saying in general)
The real question is whether the sear benefit of cast iron  
Marty in Albany : 6/2/2023 9:40 am : link
is worth all of the drawbacks of cast iron.

If I had to choose between using only cast iron, or using only non-stick pans, I would choose non-stick without hesitation.


Seasoning is a nuisance but you can do it in hours.  
81_Great_Dane : 6/2/2023 9:52 am : link
Not something to worry about. Cast iron pans are tools. Good ones are made for heavy use. Like any tool, take care of them and they’ll take care of you—but you don’t have to baby them.
good, practical advice  
ColHowPepper : 6/2/2023 10:03 am : link
setting my mind at ease
RE: The real question is whether the sear benefit of cast iron  
Bill in UT : 6/2/2023 10:09 am : link
In comment 16126662 Marty in Albany said:
Quote:

If I had to choose between using only cast iron, or using only non-stick pans, I would choose non-stick without hesitation.



Fortunately, probably no one has to make that choice. I would hate to be without either. And you can add a Dutch Oven to the mix.
RE: The real question is whether the sear benefit of cast iron  
Klaatu : 6/2/2023 10:23 am : link
In comment 16126662 Marty in Albany said:
Quote:
is worth all of the drawbacks of cast iron.

If I had to choose between using only cast iron, or using only non-stick pans, I would choose non-stick without hesitation.



I use my non-stick pans a lot more than my cast iron. Less maintenance.
I also use my cast iron pan  
Bill in UT : 6/2/2023 10:51 am : link
in place of a wok
I love my cast iron pans and use them almost exclusively.  
D HOS : 6/2/2023 11:27 am : link
I used to use a chain mail scrubber but it's annoying and cramps my fingers. Much easier to rinse off in the sink while brushing with a nylon bristle
brush or a simple scrubbing pad. A spot of dish soap is fine, but generally shouldn't need it. Dry well and then rub a bit of olive oil all over. Cleaning takes literally 2 minutes. Then I put it back on the still warm (electric for me) burner (always immediately clean the pan) to really let it dry out. Works great.

After steaks, fish, anything sticky or with a lot of seasoning, deglaze with water using a wood spatula, then clean.

If my pan has a lot of grease in it, like after bacon or sausages, I add some quick oats to soak that up, "deglaze" with oats, toast the oats on medium low heat, put in a (not plastic) bowl to cool, then later put out for the birds. Birds love bacon toasted oats. At that point the pan will be dry and pretty clean so only needs a quick brush and rinse.

For my grill pan, if the brush needs some help, I use a kitchen fork to scrape between the ridges to get anything stuck in there.

Season your pan correctly and well, and it doesn't need much cleaning effort as long as you avoid certain things like anything with tomato sauce or paste, taco meat...

I love my cast iron for steaks, stir fry, frying chicken or tofu chunks, sauteed veggies, carmelizing, corn bread, biscuits, bacon, eggs, pancakes!! MMMM. Now I'm hungry!
RE: I also use my cast iron pan  
D HOS : 6/2/2023 11:28 am : link
In comment 16126705 Bill in UT said:
Quote:
in place of a wok


Me too. I am considering getting a deeper one for this.
Seasoning / toughness  
D HOS : 6/2/2023 11:48 am : link
Not that I am an expert, but I found that most of the "advice" about cast iron, is not really necessary, or different than my experiences.

For seasoning, I use flaxseed or avocado. I have read that these are flavor neutral oils that have a high smoke point (lets you heat up higher during seasoning) and bind/harden very well.

I have only seasoned initially when I get a pan (even if pre-seasoned) and again only when I messed up through my trial and error, and wanted to start over. I have not ever re-seasoned a working pan, just for maintenance.

What I do is to coat lightly but thoroughly and evenly with flaxseed or avocado, then bake at 500 for an hour. I do that about six or eight times over a weekend, letting it cool and settle for at least a few hours in between. I am not a chemistry expert but it seems that the high heat opens the iron's "pores", greatly reduces the oil's viscosity which lets it penetrate those pores really well. I give this plenty of time, an hour sometimes hour and a half.

Then during the cool down period over several hours the oil seems to solidify into a hard coating. I have read that oil will do this naturally at room temperature over time, but it seems to me that cooling down gradually from the high heat really bakes the coating on.

My pans turn out with a shiny hard black coating that seems pretty much impervious to anything except sharp metal and more really high heat (600 degrees). I have read that eventually you achieve a smooth coating as well, but my pans have never turned out all that smooth. Probably because I use inexpensive lodge pans that aren't smooth to begin with.

I am going to try this with carbon steel someday and see if that makes both a hard and a smooth coating.

So, in my experience, you can initially season over a weekend. Then you need to use your pan often because yes the coating does build up over time from your food (cook bacon, then more bacon, then again bacon!! ).

But equally important in my view is after each use, lightly rub some olive oil all over the pan then warm it up again to let it dry out, and theoretically again let the oil seep into the existing seasoning, adding to the coating.

I like to have several pump spray bottles of various oils on my counter. So it's really easy to just spray olive oil on the pan then rub it in with a few paper towels.

This is what I do and I feel I have excellent results.

Well seasoned, you can clean your pan as vigorously as you wish, though it should not need it. It will stand up to a lot of abuse except for extremely high heat, dishwashers, and letting a wet pan air dry. Avoid those things.



One mistake  
D HOS : 6/2/2023 11:57 am : link
I made a mistake - early on I was using flaxseed and I remember now that I was seasoning at a low temp. I was doing I think 200 for around 2 hours But then I began using avocado at high heat which is more convenient and takes less time. They both seemed to work well for me, but like a lot of things, try various things and see what works well for you.
Good stuff, D HOS  
ColHowPepper : 6/3/2023 9:00 pm : link
Thanks taking notes. Anyone have his pan turn slightly nutty brown after using oil after use?
RE: Seasoning / toughness  
Bill in UT : 6/3/2023 9:36 pm : link
In comment 16126732 D HOS said:
Quote:

But equally important in my view is after each use, lightly rub some olive oil all over the pan then warm it up again to let it dry out, and theoretically again let the oil seep into the existing seasoning, adding to the coating.

I like to have several pump spray bottles of various oils on my counter. So it's really easy to just spray olive oil on the pan then rub it in with a few paper towels.

This is what I do and I feel I have excellent results.





Just wondering why, if you initially season with a neutral oil, you would maintain with olive oil, which isn't neutral? I don't know if anyone has the definitive answer to maintaining cast iron. I have never seasoned mine in the oven, except for maybe the first time. I just crank it up on the stovetop. And as I said, my main pan is going well after more than 40 years. Is it non-stick? Idk, and idc. Basically I use non-stick for eggs and don't cook them in cast iron.
That's a good point.  
D HOS : 6/4/2023 6:31 pm : link
Like I said, I am not any kind of expert, I'm just relating what has worked for me through trial and error.

I probably should use avocado to wipe it down. My thinking was that I'm doing more to maintain the seasoning with the random greases and oil used during cooking and the clean up oil after a wash probably doesn't matter much. I do most of my cooking with olive oil anyway and I am habituated to grabbing that spray bottle. I don't happen to have avocado oil in a spray bottle.

But you are right, it doesn't hurt to buy another spray bottle and put the avocado in that. Really the answer is I'm being a bit lazy, definitely inconsistent and not giving it too much thought. Maybe I should cook with avocado instead, I'll have to read about that.

Here's the spray bottle I use. I tried three and this was the best of those. If anyone has better, I'd like to know that.
sunnyac oil sprayer - ( New Window )
RE: Good stuff, D HOS  
D HOS : 6/4/2023 6:35 pm : link
In comment 16127271 ColHowPepper said:
Quote:
Thanks taking notes. Anyone have his pan turn slightly nutty brown after using oil after use?


My cheap (but highly rated) paella (pan - some kind of steel) turned brown instead of black, after I tried and failed to season it. I used flaxseed for that. But that whole traumatic experience isn't something I like to discuss.
RE: That's a good point.  
Bill in UT : 6/4/2023 6:49 pm : link
In comment 16127685 D HOS said:
Quote:
Like I said, I am not any kind of expert, I'm just relating what has worked for me through trial and error.

I probably should use avocado to wipe it down. My thinking was that I'm doing more to maintain the seasoning with the random greases and oil used during cooking and the clean up oil after a wash probably doesn't matter much. I do most of my cooking with olive oil anyway and I am habituated to grabbing that spray bottle. I don't happen to have avocado oil in a spray bottle.

But you are right, it doesn't hurt to buy another spray bottle and put the avocado in that. Really the answer is I'm being a bit lazy, definitely inconsistent and not giving it too much thought. Maybe I should cook with avocado instead, I'll have to read about that.

Here's the spray bottle I use. I tried three and this was the best of those. If anyone has better, I'd like to know that. sunnyac oil sprayer - ( New Window )


Avocado oil has a really high smoke point, and while I don't generally cook with it, it would hold up well. But it's not a neutral oil, it will impart a taste. I keep the oils that I use most often, canola, olive and EVOO, in plastic squirt bottles. I can squirt right into a pan, or into a measuring spoon or cup. Or into a small bowl that I can dip a brush into and paint them onto something. I guess a spray bottle could be a substitute for that. I also use Kirkland canola spray. I only use a spray bottle for apple juice or something I'd want to spray onto smoking/grilling meats.
RE: That's a good point.  
Bill in UT : 6/4/2023 6:49 pm : link
In comment 16127685 D HOS said:
Quote:
Like I said, I am not any kind of expert, I'm just relating what has worked for me through trial and error.

I probably should use avocado to wipe it down. My thinking was that I'm doing more to maintain the seasoning with the random greases and oil used during cooking and the clean up oil after a wash probably doesn't matter much. I do most of my cooking with olive oil anyway and I am habituated to grabbing that spray bottle. I don't happen to have avocado oil in a spray bottle.

But you are right, it doesn't hurt to buy another spray bottle and put the avocado in that. Really the answer is I'm being a bit lazy, definitely inconsistent and not giving it too much thought. Maybe I should cook with avocado instead, I'll have to read about that.

Here's the spray bottle I use. I tried three and this was the best of those. If anyone has better, I'd like to know that. sunnyac oil sprayer - ( New Window )


Avocado oil has a really high smoke point, and while I don't generally cook with it, it would hold up well. But it's not a neutral oil, it will impart a taste. I keep the oils that I use most often, canola, olive and EVOO, in plastic squirt bottles. I can squirt right into a pan, or into a measuring spoon or cup. Or into a small bowl that I can dip a brush into and paint them onto something. I guess a spray bottle could be a substitute for that. I also use Kirkland canola spray. I only use a spray bottle for apple juice or something I'd want to spray onto smoking/grilling meats.
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