Why does nobody mention the right way to season a cast iron skillet?

I was scrubbing my lodge skillet with soap like a normal person for 2 years until a guy at a flea market in Austin yelled at me that I was ruining the seasoning. He said to just rinse with hot water and a stiff brush, no soap unless it's super greasy. Has anyone else gotten totally different advice from old timers about cast iron care?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_viola13d ago

That bit about the flea market guy yelling at you is hilarious. I had a similar thing happen at a barbecue joint in Memphis. Some old cook saw me wiping my skillet with a paper towel and told me I was "killing the soul of the pan." He said to rub it down with a raw potato and salt after cooking. I tried it. It took forever, left a weird starchy mess, and my eggs still stuck every time. I went back to my soap and water routine after that. Now I just keep it simple.

colescott13d ago

That raw potato trick sounds like the worst hack ever, I still rinse my cast iron with soap and call it a day.

fiona_kim9713d ago

but @colescott, isn't a raw potato and salt the only real way to honor the pan though?