How to Clean Burnt Cast Iron Grill Pan

No matter how old your cast iron grill pan is or if you just bought it, it is an essential part of your culinary arsenal. Is there a good way to clean a cast-iron grill pan after use, or does everything need to be thrown away? Absolutely no! Not to worry, it is not a catastrophe. A heated cast-iron pan might irrevocably break if dropped into cold water, but most other problems can be remedied with relative ease.

Whenever it comes to cooking, cast iron skillets are a must-have in the kitchen. It needs a great deal more care than some other kitchen cookware. These pans may outlive even the durable stainless steel or non-stick pans if they are properly maintained. Even if nothing else works after cleaning your cookware, you may repair and season your cast-iron skillet by using a few effective methods for cleaning burned food and restoring it to its former glory.

When cleaning a cast iron grill pan, be sure to follow these best methods to ensure that your durable cast iron stays as kitchen favorite. These helpful recommendations will help you keep your cast iron as a kitchen mainstay. Here are the most effective methods for mending cast-iron cookware.

Methods To Clean a Burnt Cast Iron Grill Pan

Listed here are a few of the most effective methods for cleaning cast iron grill pans. Following your pan has been thoroughly cleaned, continue reading to find out how to maintain it in good condition by rinsing it well and reseasoning it after each use.

1) Using Baking Soda as Abrasive Powder

Remove burned food by scrubbing with a solution of baking soda and salt. You will require the use of abrasive powders other than oil for foods that have been left burnt for a longer time. Sprinkle some kosher salt, coarse sea salt, or baking soda over the bottom of your pan to prevent it from adhering. Start by scraping any food that has been stick to the skillet using a paper towel. Then, give the cast iron a quick washing with water to get rid of any salt or baking soda that has remained on it. This method of cleaning your skillet uses whatever coarse, abrasive powders you have on hand. As an alternative to using baking soda, you may use cornmeal. Be careful not to use sugar, as it may melt and leave a mess on the skillet surface.

2) Cleaning In a Boiling Water

You may use this method if your pan has a bunch of food burnt or does not have a lot or limited resources in your home. Remember that this process will only work in a pan with tall sides to prevent the water from leaking out.

• Put the grill pan on the stovetop. Then, filling it with water around 2 to 3 inches is recommended. However, it depends on the size of your grill pan.

• When the water has been boiling for a few minutes, the food particles will start to levitate to the top.

• Clean the ridges with a spatula to get rid of any leftover food that has been stuck.

• Throw the water and residue down the sink after allowing the pan to cool down for a few minutes.

• Fill the empty pan with hot water. Then, run it through the dishwasher.

• Remove any residual food particles with a clean, dried paper towel.

3) Using Soap And Water as Cleaning Agents

Generally, to keep your cast iron grill pans from rusting, several cooks avoid cleaning them with soap and water after each use. However, this method is efficient for removing food leftovers between grids if it is carried out correctly.

For cleaning, scrub the grill pan with sponges or a scrubber while using a non-abrasive soap and hot water. Use lukewarm water to rinse your cookware, and then repeat the procedure. Carefully rinse the surface to ensure that any residual soap has been removed from it.

A second option is to fill a bucket halfway with hot water. For every gallon of water, one teaspoon of dishwashing liquid is required. The pan in the soapy water in the bucket and sponge or brush it thoroughly to remove the food particle. Using a paper towel, gently dry the surface after rinsing it with hot water.

Note: Please bear in mind that cleaning with water will completely remove all of the flavor-enhancing seasonings from the surface of your pan. Therefore it is advisable to avoid this kind of cleaning if at all necessary.

4) Using Salt and Water

Many cooks use salt rather than detergents when cleaning the cast iron pans, considering preserving the seasoned surface is essential. Using kosher salt as an abrasive cleaner can remove a lot of clogged food particles from your pan. Here’s how to clean a cast-iron grill pan using water and salt, often regarded as the most efficient cleaning method.

• Set aside the pan until it is cold to pick up, but do not allow it to cool down entirely.

• Liberally sprinkle kosher salt over the whole surface of your pan.

• Spoon a small quantity of boiling water over the surface, allowing the salt to clump and produce a paste consistency.

• Clean the salt from the pan by scrubbing it with a sponge and spreading its ridges and sides.

• Lastly, wash the pan in hot water to get rid of the salt and other gunk. If required, repeat the procedure.

5) Cleaning With Salt 

On the occasion that you adhere to the school of thought that cast iron should never be exposed to water, this cleaning method may be ideal for you. When used in conjunction with the previous procedure, it provides an abrasive scrubbing action that efficiently removes stuck food particles.

• Use a good quantity of kosher salt to spread over the surface of the pan.

• Apply salt to the stuck food and rub or wipe it in with a folded paper towel.

• If necessary, add additional salt and keep scrubbing your pan with a paper towel and salt.

• Lastly, remove any remaining remnants and salt by using another paper towel prepared and dispose of it afterward.

6) Using a Cast Iron Brushes 

When cleaning your grill pan with a cast-iron brush after usage is not problematic. By doing this method, you will extend the usefulness of your cookware while maintaining the flavor of your meals. Allow for roughly ten minutes of cooling time before removing as much remaining food from your pan as necessary. Use hot water to soften any tenacious remains for five minutes before beginning the cleaning process with scrubbing. Finish by rubbing some oil into the surface to prevent rusting and keep the seasoning from fading away completely.

---

A Few Extra Tips After Cleaning Your Cast Iron Grill Pan

Dry your Grill Pan in the Oven

Cast iron should be dried using a dry towel to eliminate any remaining water. It needs 10 minutes in a 350°F oven or on medium-high heat on the stovetop to be totally dry before storing it. When you put your skillet in storage, make sure there is no water remaining on it. Otherwise, it will rust. The skillet should be fully dry before using any oil or storing it in any manner.

Coat the Grill Pan

After you have cleaned your grill pan:

1. Brush it with a light coating of cooking oil. You should constantly oil the pan after use with a thin coating of oil.
2. Using a paper towel, spread out the oil after applying one to two teaspoons of oil over the cast-iron pan surface while still warm.
3. Maintain the cleanliness of your skillet by storing it in a dry space until you are ready to use it again.

Upon contact with your pan’s hot cast-iron surface, the oil will react and produce a polymer. So long as you do this, the pan will remain non-stick and in satisfactory condition, and it will last longer. For the seasoning, use a high smoke point neutral oil such as vegetable oil, grapeseed, and flaxseed oil. A few different types of oils will work well in this recipe, but any of them will work.

---

Conclusion

If you are like the other cast-iron cooks, particularly newbies, you have probably already made a few mistakes, and now your rusty pan seems to be beyond repair. Cast iron is prone to rust, yet it is also a material that you can readily repair. 

Your cast iron pan only needs a little tender loving care and attention to bring it back to its former splendor. As you may have learned by now, cleaning your cast iron cookware is not quite as difficult as you would have thought. 

The procedure can be relatively quick and simple to execute when you understand how to clean a cast-iron pa properly. Cast iron pans are very durable and may endure for a very long period when properly cared for.