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If there was a competition of grill lovers, we are pretty confident that we would win a prize. That’s how much we love to grill! As nights start to get warmer, you can see us outside charing everything from eggplants, onion, mushrooms to sausages and bacon. However, as much as we love grilling, we have to say that we are not too happy about grilling outside during the winter months. Whereas there are plenty of indoor grill options, for us it is not possible to have one because we are living in a rather small apartment. That is why we got a cast iron griddle and grill pan. As its name says, it is a pan that you can use on the stove, and it is made for grilling. It works like a charm when it comes to making burgers, hot dogs, etc. Plus, it is fantastic for adding so much-needed char to your veggies. Believe it or not, you can even grill some fruit on it and have a delicious and healthy breakfast. If you opt for a two-sided griddle pan as we did then you can also cook eggs, pancakes, etc.
All in all, it is a phenomenal tool! However, it did give us some headache when we had to clean it. Honestly, some things were getting so stuck, and nothing we tried worked. We were desperate and the point to stop to buy another one when a friend told us about his experiences with cleaning cast iron grill pans. It turned out that even though it requires some patience and skills, it is not as complicated as it might seem.
How to Clean a Cast Iron Grill Pan?
One of the first things you need to know is that if you want your grill pan to last for a long time, you have to clean it well each time after cooking. If you are struggling with it, the same way as we did, then these tips our friend shared with us will help you as well. In general, there are several ways how to wash cast iron grill pan. Some involve as you can water and soap, as you can imagine. Some, however, don’t, which came to us as a surprise! Regardless of the tools and means, all of these methods give impressive results. In part that follows we described several of them and yours is to choose the one that suits you best.
Boiling Water
One of the simplest and best methods of cleaning cast iron grill pans is by using boiling water. It is kind of logical, but we will nonetheless mention that you can use this method only if you have a deeper pan. Pour water into it and put it on the stove. When the water starts boiling, food remains will separate from the pan. You can use the spatula to scrape food from the edges. When you finish, take the pan off the stovetop and let it cool down a bit. Throw the water and food particles and rinse the grill. When done, clean the residue with a cloth or paper towel.
Salt With/Without Water
Many will tell you that the best way to clean a cast iron grill pan is by scrubbing it with salt. However, there is a bit of disagreement on whether to combine it with water or not. Most people use water and salt rather than water and detergent. Kosher salt is particularly abrasive and hence good for cleaning.
- Let the pan cool down a bit, after cooking.
- Add the generous amount of salt to cover the entire surface
- Pour a little water to make a paste, and then scrub the pan with a sponge. Keep scrubbing until you remove all the grease and food that got stuck.
- In the end, rinse with warm water.
Some people use only salt, claiming that water contributes to rusting. It can also be a good option when you don’t have access to water, for example, when you are camping. In this case, you need to ensure having a lot of salt.
Soap
Most of us probably use this method because it seems most logical. Indeed it is effective. However, searching for advice on how to clean the cast iron grill pan after cooking, we found that it should be done only when necessary. Many people avoid it because of the risk of rusting. Apart from that, experts say that this way of cleaning removes the seasoning from the grill. If you, nevertheless, opt for it, make sure to use the least abrasive soap. The process is relatively similar to the one with salt.
- Put a bit of soap in the pan.
- Pour hot water and then scrub with a sponge. Make sure to do it until all the remains get unstuck.
- When you finish scrubbing, rinse the pan with hot water. Make sure that you have rinsed all soap.
Potato and Salt
- Cut an old potato in half.
- Cover the surface with a pan with coarse kosher salt.
- Rub the salt over the pan with potato, making sure that all the stuck pieces of food come off.
- Rinse with water and dry with a cloth or paper towel.
How to Season Cast Iron Grill Pan
Whether you are using a grill pan for a glass top stove or some other model you might wonder how to season it.
- First, you need to clean it. Keep in mind that it has to be clean and dry also before first use.
- After that, rub it with a little amount of oil. You can use olive or vegetable oil.
- Place the pan on the stove and let it heat at a low temperature. Take it off after thirty minutes.
How to Care for Cast Iron Grill Pan
There are other things, besides cleaning and seasoning that can extend the life of your cast iron grill pan. Do you know some of them? Here are some suggestions on what you can do.
- Keep it dry. Leaving the water in the pan increases the risk of rusting.
- If you want to wash the pan immediately after using it, make sure to do it with hot water. If the hot pan comes in contact with cold water, it might get damaged.
- Always wipe the excess oil when seasoning.
- Make sure that the oven is hot enough before you re-season the pan.
Quality Cast Iron Grill Pans Available on the Market in 2021
Final Word
Cast iron grill pan is a marvelous cooking tool! Imagine being home alone, feeling like having a steak for dinner. Cast iron grill comes in really handy in this situation, doesn’t it? And as you can see, maintaining and cleaning cast iron grill pans is a piece of cake when you follow these simple tips! What are your experiences with cleaning this pan? Do you have some tips that we didn’t mention?
