In my latest cookbook, Cozy Delights, I mentioned how my cast-iron skillet was one of my favorite things in my kitchen. That’s why caring for it is so important to me since I don’t want to get a deep-fryer. It is prone to rust very easily since it is not a non-stick pan. Nor is it enameled so its interior is very coarse and gritty. I think these heavy-bottomed pans fry everything really well from fried chicken to spring rolls so it is currently the most precious thing I own in my kitchen right now. I copped this pre-seasoned 10.25-inch cast-iron skillet from Lodge. It has been over two years since I bought this quality gem so I can recommend it confidently for others.
When caring for a cast-iron skillet, grease/oil is your best pal. Water, soap are surprisingly work against you when you clean a cast-iron skillet. I still use soap though but a very small amount. I like to use the non-abrasive side of a scrubber when wiping down the skillet and then rinse it with water. Then I wipe it dry with a dry kitchen cloth. Others like to leave it on a heated stove to dry up. The key thing is to brush the interior of the cast-iron skillet with oil to grease it up. I like to use a paper towel to spread this evenly over the pan. This will prevent it from rusting.
Another great tip for ensuring that your cast-iron pan stays rust-free is keeping it away from moisture or humid places. I like to wrap it in either a plastic bag or aluminum foil for best measure. And that’s how I take care of my cast-iron skillet.