The funny thing is my cookie sheets, over time, get the polymerized oil coating in some places (just spots really) without my even trying and it never comes off but somehow it is hard for me to do on purpose with a cast iron skillet.
(yeah…I put foil down or paper when I use cookie sheets…this still happens eventually)
The benefit to cast iron is that it’s supposed to be easy. I’ve been cooking on cast iron for years. And they are cheap-o lodge pans. Just cook, use fat - especially animal fats like bacon grease or tallow. Use a metal spatula with a square edge (love my Dexter-Russell!) and use that to stir/scrape the bottom. My lodge pan is now totally smooth on the bottom. I use a scrubby sponge and water to clean it out, dry thoroughly, wipe in a drop of oil if necessary.
The best kitchen accessory I’ve ever bought is a 6”x6” piece of chainmail for cleaning my cast iron pan. On rare occasions I might need a little kosher salt, but usually just hot water will do the trick.
I may have posted this earlier in this zombie thread, but I think cast iron is horribly overrated.
I own two well-used, well-seasoned Lodge skillets…an 8-inch for cornbread, and a 14-inch for panfried chicken. Cornbread ALWAYS sticks to that pan, so I now use an old “Emeril” brand steel nonstick (a gift), which works great. Chicken, and other panfried meat, gains a far better crust or browning in an old All-Clad steel nonstick skillet than in cast iron.
I may have posted this earlier in this zombie thread, but I think cast iron is horribly overrated.
I own two well-used, well-seasoned Lodge skillets…an 8-inch for cornbread, and a 14-inch for panfried chicken. Cornbread ALWAYS sticks to that pan, so I now use an old “Emeril” brand steel nonstick (a gift), which works great. Chicken, and other panfried meat, gains a far better crust or browning in an old All-Clad steel nonstick skillet than in cast iron.
I discovered an absolute miracle device that is sooo amazing for scrubbing cast iron pans. Basically its a square swatch of chain mail and it cleans cast iron absolutly perfectly and can get it easily on amazon.
I use something like that to clean my iron pans, a big wad of chain mail I got at the grocery. A drop of soap, a little water, chain mail pummeling, rinse rinse, wipe out, stick on the big burner for 5-10 minutes until near glowing. Burner off and let cool then put away. This pan will last 1000 years, easy.