Did I burn out this cast-iron skillet?

December 3, 2010 4:51 AM

Left my stove burner on LOW for more than 24 hours; my roommate's cast-iron skillet was on it. Explosion narrowly averted, but the cast-iron skillet now powerfully smells metallic when it's heated.

From the smell of it, I'm concerned and not too eager to cook on it. How can I clean it so that this is safe?

posted by greggish to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Response by poster: the inside of the skillet seems to have stayed glazed; i think the smell's coming from the outside, the bottom?
posted by greggish at 4:52 AM on December 3, 2010

I have had some luck cleaning the outside of the skillet with Easyoff or similar oven cleaning products. Make sure you follow the can directions regarding ventilation and personal protective wear.

Recondition the inside with vegetable oil. After the outside is cleaned, wipe the skillet with the oil and bake at low heat for few hours.
posted by francesca too at 5:10 AM on December 3, 2010

Best answer: It just needs to be reseasoned, I suspect. Give it a good wipedown on all surfaces with cooking oil (canola is the best for this) and then throw it in a 350F oven for a half hour or so, and you should be good. Cast iron is damn near indestructible - the only way you can really destroy it is to plunge a roaring hot pan into cold water, which is pretty likely to warp or crack your pan. Other than that, they're pretty much bulletproof.
posted by deadmessenger at 5:14 AM on December 3, 2010

It should be fine after you re-season it. I actually did this yesterday for 6 hours with a Teflon pan. That went straight in the garbage, though. I don't mess around with Teflon.
posted by InsanePenguin at 5:35 AM on December 3, 2010

Yesterday's thread about seasoning cast iron is here
posted by bitdamaged at 5:38 AM on December 3, 2010

Gas or electric burner?
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 6:25 AM on December 3, 2010

you can also try frying up a big batch of onions/garlic. this will magically help remove the taste of iron from things cooked in the pan. (don't eat the onions tho...)
posted by ennui.bz at 7:56 AM on December 3, 2010

Best answer: This is the best information about seasoning cast iron I've seen: http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/

It sounds like the seasoning is still in good shape on the one you describe. If it's mainly smell, I'd try scrubbing it with salt and oil to see if that helps, and then maybe cook a handful of throwaway batches to see if that alleviates the smell/flavor.
posted by rosa at 8:03 AM on December 3, 2010 [3 favorites]

nth the re-season, but if you don't trust it after trying that it is only $20 to replace it with a new one.
posted by anti social order at 10:31 AM on December 3, 2010

Glazed? Is this enameled cast iron?
posted by rhizome at 11:10 AM on December 3, 2010 [1 favorite]