Burn in cast iron - how it works

If you are the proud owner of cast iron cookware, you need to burn it in before using it for the first time. In this kitchen tip, we show you exactly how this works.

Branding cast iron - that's how it works

Before you start to burn cast iron, you must first remove the corrosion protection from the pan or roaster. This covers new cookware made of iron or cast iron to protect it from rust on its way to your home.

• You can easily remove this deposit by vigorously scrubbing with hot water and detergent. Then it is time to burn in the cast iron. You have two options.
• Either heat an oil in the pan that can withstand high heat, such as coconut oil or sunflower oil. The bottom of the pan or pot should be covered with oil one to two centimeters. Spread a little oil around the edges of the dishes.
• Add a few more potato peelings and some salt to the cookware and sauté everything for a few minutes until the potatoes are really black.
• Then dispose of the potato and wait until the pan or pot has cooled. Then wipe the cookware with a dry cloth and oil it a little more. Finally, wipe the oil well again with a kitchen towel.
• A lot of smoke is created with this method. Alternatively, you can also burn cast iron in the oven. To do this, heat the cookware in the oven to 100 degrees.
• Tip: do it on the stove set the extractor hood to the highest level. To do this, open the kitchen window as the smell temporarily settles in your furniture.
• If you choose the oven variant, remove the dishes from the oven according to the procedure described above. Caution: Never forget your baking gloves. Then rub the inside of the cookware vigorously with sunflower oil.
• Then remove the fat with a kitchen towel. Put the pan back in the oven, this time with the bottom of the pan facing up.
• Turn the oven up to 250 degrees and leave the pan in the oven at this temperature for about an hour. Then switch off the oven and let the cookware cool down in the oven until the pan or saucepan is cold.
• To ensure a good and stable protective layer, repeat this process three to four times. Rub the pan heated to 100 degrees with oil again.
• Remove excess oil and continue to heat the pan upside down in the oven at 250 degrees for one hour. Then let the pan cool down in the oven.
• This method creates a black layer that protects the cast iron well in the long term.

In our next kitchen tip, we will show you how to clean a gas hob.