Here's an article=20 that a friend gave me about anything you want to know about cast iron, = he deals=20 in old pieces and is very knowledgeable about cast iron, cooking, etc. = You may=20 want to file this article away for reference.

Buck

____________________________________________

THE CARE & FEEDING OF CAST IRON
by = Brook &=20 Barbara Elliot

We were coaxing a breakfast fire from wet = wood after a=20 night of thunderstorms. Everything was soaked
and sodden.
A woman = from=20 another camp, on her way to the hooters, stopped to watch us. For = several=20 minutes she
stared at our fireplace with a bemused look on her face. = Finally,=20 she approached. "Did you keep your
cookware in the tent last=20 night?" she wanted to know.
It was our turn to look bemused. = "Of=20 coarse not," we responded, "why do you ask?"
Her reply = really=20 set us to thinking. "You have the only pots and pans in camp that = aren't=20 rusted from the
storm."
Looking around, we realized she was = right.=20 That was several years ago, and nothing much has changed.
At every = event we=20 attend, if it rains, skillets, kettles, and Dutch ovens all around us = take on a=20 red patina.
Considering how much cast iron is used in living history = camps,=20 its incredible how few re-enactors know how to care for it. Cast iron = cookware=20 must be cured, and that cure maintained properly. If done correctly, the = iron=20 will not rust, nor will food stick to it and burn.
The curing process = is=20 basically the same, whether you start with new or used cast iron. But = there=20 are
minor differences. Let's look at new cookware first.
There are = three=20 sources of new cast ironware. Two American companies --- Wagner and = Lodge ---=20 still
produce it. The rest comes from Asian sources. You are better = off with=20 the American made goods, because they are finer grained. The imports, = though=20 cheaper, have a course grain that is hard to cure, and which requires = more=20 attention once it is cured.
If you have a choice, avoid modern = designs such=20 as self-basting lids. They are far from being period
proper, and are = more=20 difficult to care for, because steam, condensing in the depressions and = on=20 the
nipples, tend to draw out the cure. The result is rust on the = inside of=20 the lid.
Wooden handles, while acceptable, are not authentic. What's = more,=20 they are likely to burn when used on an open fire.
New iron has a = protective=20 coating on it which must be removed. American companies use wax. = The
imports=20 are covered with a water soluble shellac. In either case, using straight = hot=20 water, scrub the item
with soap and a scouring pad. Use the hottest = water you=20 can stand. Once all the coating is removed, you will never again let = soap touch=20 the iron.
Let's repeat that: Do not use soap on cured cast iron. the = cure is=20 based on grease, and soap's job is to
remove grease. So, if you use = soap,=20 you'll be destroying the very effect you are trying for.
As the iron = comes=20 clean, immediately dry it and wipe a film of shortening over it. = Originally,=20 lard was
used for this purpose. But it has a tendency to turn rancid, = so=20 shortening is a better bet.
Heat your oven to 400 degrees, and put = the pieces=20 in it for about an hour. Remove them, and blot up any puddles of oil = with a=20 paper towel. Let the iron pieces cool. Do not be alarmed if, at this = point, they=20 feel sticky. They'll lose that when the cure is complete.
Cast iron = makers=20 instruct that ware is now ready to use, but recommend that you use it = only for=20 frying the
first few times. We've found that oiling and heating at = least one=20 more time before use makes more sense.
For camp use, the iron is only = partially cured at this stage. To complete the cure, build a high-flamed = fire.
Any fuel will serve, but
avoid softwoods because they'll = deposit=20 creosote on the iron, which is no good for you.
Grease the iron on = all sides,=20 fairly heavily, and sit it in the flames. When a good coating of soot = has been=20 deposited, turn each piece and brush the sooty surface with more = shortening. Be=20 sure to use a natural fiber brush for this, because synthetics will = melt. At the=20 appropriate time, turn the pieces again, and grease the first side. = Remove the=20 pieces from the fire, and let them cool.

Now comes the messy part. Liberally = grease paper=20 towels and use them to wipe off the iron. Lots of soot will come off, so = you=20 need plenty of towels. Try not to reapply this loose surface soot to the = ware.
Your iron should now have a deep, black finish that normally = takes=20 months of use to acquire. What
you've done is fill-in all the pores = and voids=20 in the iron, creating a smooth, non-stick surface. In addition,
the = black=20 finish helps absorb and hold heat evenly.
You can use the iron right = now, or=20 clean it to remove additional soot. we always clean it, because we use = the same=20 cast-iron pieces at home as in camp, and don't want the soot messing up = the=20 kitchen stove.
Properly cleaning cast iron is the secret of = maintaining the=20 cure. Let us repeat: Do not use soap on cast iron, ever! Instead, all = you need=20 is hot (the hotter the better) water and a scrub brush.
Once again, = use=20 straight hot water from the tap, or water you've heated in camp. Pour a = small=20 amount (a cup or so) in the iron, and use the scrub brush to vigorously = scour=20 all surfaces. Rinse the surface with more hot water. If you are = concerned about=20 sterilization, pour boiling water into and over the iron after you have = brushed=20 it.
Immediately dry the iron, and wipe a thin film of shortening over = it.=20 This replaces any you have lost
through cooking and cleaning, and = futher=20 assures there will be no rusting.
Iron that’s been used on an = open fire=20 will always have loose soot on the outside. Rather than dirtying the = scrub=20 brush, we use one of those plastic pads instead. We keep them reserved = for that=20 purpose, so the soot is not transferred to other cleaning = products.
In camp,=20 we only clean the insides of cast ironware. Then, before leaving, we = wipe down=20 the outside with shortening soaked paper towels to remove the loose=20 soot.
Used cast iron requires a different approach. Depending on = where you=20 aquire it, you are likely to find it
coated with everything from = paint=20 (collectors are big on that), to crusted-on old food, to a thick coating = of=20 burned lard.
Much of this can be simply burned off by leaving the = iron in a=20 very hot fire. We used to heat the iron,
then plunge it into cold = water.=20 This, in effect, steam-cleaned the iron. But the folks at Lodge warned=20 us
against this practice, because it can cause the iron to warp and = even=20 crack. We never had it happen, but why take the chance? Besides which,=20 we’ve found a better way.
First, wash the iron in hot soapy = water to=20 remove any loose crud. Then soak it in an acid bath.
To create this, = fill a=20 plastic drum with water, adding a quart of battery acid for each five = gallons of=20 water.
Let the iron sit for several days, checking it each day and = mixing the=20 solution to assure fresh acid is
against the iron each time. After = three or=20 four days the iron should be ready to clean.
At this point, follow = the=20 directions for new iron. One caution: the paint can be real messy, and = you=20 may
want to work outside.
The buckskinner who taught us this trick = follows=20 up with a baking soda bath to remove any traces of acid.
But = we’ve=20 found that unnecessary, because you’ll be flushing it all out when = you=20 wash it.
Some old iron pieces will, after the soapy water wash, look = like=20 new. Others will have stains that won’t
come out no matter how = hard you=20 scrub. Don’t worry about them, as the cure will cover and hide=20 them.
Once the iron is clean, oil and cure it as usual.
By = following these=20 instructions, you’ll never again have rusted cookware, unless you = let=20 rainwater sit in it for any length of time. Rain, almost everywhere in = the=20 country, is now at least slightly acidic. If you let it sit in your = iron, it=20 will eat through the cure and you’ll have rust. So be sure to = drain and=20 dry any
rain-soaked ironware as soon as possible.
One final word. = As you=20 search out old cast iron in flea markets, antique malls, and other = locations=20 you’ll be shocked at how high the prices can be. Collectors have=20 skyrocketed the value of cast iron, especially that made by Griswold. So = shop=20 carefully. Overall, you’ll find better bargains at flea markets = and=20 auctions than you will in antique malls and shops.
And don’t = expect to=20 find pieces from the 18th century. Most of them are safely tucked away=20 in
collections.

=20 - ---------------------------------------------------

-----Original Message-----
From: Ted = A Hart=20 <tedhart@juno.com>
To: = hist_text@lists.xmission.com= =20 <hist_text@lists.xmission.com= >
Date:=20 Thursday, January 14, 1999 10:53 AM
Subject: MtMan-List: Cast Iron = pot=20 seasoning

>I was wondering the best way of = seasoning a=20 cast iron pot because I cook
>with one and am wondering how to = re-season=20 it bec I lost the directions
>on how to do that. =20