My late mom (would be 99 years old this year) cooked all her life with cast iron. She (and others of her generation) always said if a pan gets too badly in need of cleaning, put it in a brush pile that is being burned. Recover it when it's cooled (as a volunteer firefighter, I've recovered several pans from the rubble that would be good as new when cleaned and re-seasoned. NEVER TRY TO COOL THEM QUICKLY WITH WATER! They will crack!) PS: Anybody know how to "season" an old-fashioned iron teakettle? Grease will give you greasy water. Otherwise, they'll rust...any ideas? Thanks.
My late mom (would be 99 years old this year) cooked all her life with cast iron. She (and others of her generation) always said if a pan gets too badly in need of cleaning, put it in a brush pile that is being burned. Recover it when it's cooled (as a volunteer firefighter, I've recovered several pans from the rubble that would be good as new when cleaned and re-seasoned. NEVER TRY TO COOL THEM QUICKLY WITH WATER! They will crack!) PS: Anybody know how to "season" an old-fashioned iron teakettle? Grease will give you greasy water. Otherwise, they'll rust...any ideas? Thanks.