I have a cast-iron 1 quart saucepan with lid that I never use, because cooking anything in it generates huge amounts of orange rust. I have trouble keeping even our frying pans seasoned, and they’re used to fry stuff with lots of grease or oil. How the heck are you supposed to cook anything involving boiling or simmering water in a cast-iron pot?
I’d say you need to follow the instructions for seasoning your pot better, and maybe do it a couple of times. If it’s rusting immediately, you probably don’t have a good season. I picked up a small dutch oven last year, reseasoned it and it cooks fine. If possible, I try to stick with braises, meaning I brown the meat first before stewing it with vegetables. Also, try to stay away from acidic foods like tomatoes, which may eat away at the protective layer. Add them towards the end if you must.
IMHO, there’s no longer any reason to do braises or other water-based dishes in cast iron. A century and more ago, there weren’t many alternatives (and none as durable). Nowadays, there are a plethora of inexpensive, non-reactive pans. Use those for such recipes.
As for recovering your pot, I’ve had good luck with Naval Jelly (a rust remover), followed by conventional seasoning. Whether this pot is worth the effort depends on whether it has some sentimental value (e.g., it’s an heirloom) and/or is suitable for some dish you like to cook (personally, I have no cast iron pots, only skillets and grills).
I have an enameled cast iron dutch oven that I have found incredibly useful. The cast iron retains heat well enough to keep food warm for a couple of hours, and the enameling means that I don’t have to worry about things like rust or seasoning. They’re fairly cheap, too. Definitely worth considering.
Being a big owner of cast iron, and LOVING my cast iron, for cooking the things that cast iron is good for… I’d have to go with it being an issue of cleaning, rather than seasoning.
A good seasoning is crucial, and must be maintained, once put on properly. Improper cleaning is the most often case of deteriorating seasonings.
You do not use soap, or if you MUST, use VERY little of it, and reacoat the pan with oil before storage. You must not use abrasive cleaning methods! No steel wool, no scouring pads, etc. If you need an abrasive, a little salt on a paper towel, should clean it up.
One of the benefits of cast iron, which has been properly seasoned, is that it resists the sticking of food on your cookware. For something that I’ve let get too “stuck on,” I’d simply add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan, and heat it to a boil. This should clear the sticking of the foods.
I always recoat with oil prior to storage. I usually use a light spray of PAM cooking spray, or if I’m out, a small dab of oil in the pot/pan and wipe around with a paper towel. I usually also dry the pans after washing/wiping dry by putting them on the stovetop and heating until the water is gone, followed by the very light application of oil.
Used for the right things, these cookware items are among the best I have. For high acid foods, I just use traditional cookware (heavy aluminium/stainless steel).
-Butler
The polymerized oil that makes the seasoning of the pan is some tough stuff. I know everyone says don’t use soap but if the coating is baked in enough then soap or dish detergent will barely make a dent it it. Acidic foods. I laugh derisively at your acidic foods. I regularly simmer tomato sauce in my cast iron and it doen’t hurt the seasoning. I do avoid leaving wet stuff to soak and of course a strong base will strip the oil away. If you are getting rust on your pans just from cooking then the seasoning coat isn’t complete.
Cooking and food related threads and questions usually do quite well in our Cafe Society.
Let’s give them a chance.
Moved from GQ by samclem