Cast Iron Care: Keeping Your Skillet Happy on the Road

Cast iron is not delicate. But it does ask for attention. And in the particular conditions of RV living -- the humidity changes as you drive from coast to desert, the jostling of travel, the limited cleaning supplies -- knowing how to care for it properly makes all the difference.

Daily Cleaning

After every use, while the skillet is still warm (not scorching hot, just warm to the touch), I rinse it under hot water. I use a stiff brush -- the Lodge brand scrub brush is what I have, about $10 -- to remove any food residue. For stubborn bits, I pour in a tablespoon of coarse kosher salt and scrub with a paper towel. The salt acts as an abrasive without damaging the seasoning.

I do not use soap. I know there is a debate about this online, and some people say modern dish soap is gentle enough that it won't harm the seasoning. They may be right. But I follow the method that was taught to me, and that method says no soap. It has worked for at least three generations of cooks in my family. I see no reason to change it.

After rinsing, I dry the skillet immediately with a clean towel. Then I place it on the stove burner over low heat for two minutes to evaporate any remaining moisture. This step is especially important in RV living because you often encounter humidity -- coastal campgrounds, mornings in the Pacific Northwest, rainy weeks in Florida. Moisture left on cast iron leads to rust, and rust is the enemy.

The Oil Ritual

Once the skillet is bone dry and still warm from the burner, I add a very thin layer of oil. I use flaxseed oil, which I keep in a small bottle in the refrigerator (it goes rancid quickly at room temperature). I pour about half a teaspoon into the skillet and wipe it around with a paper towel, then wipe again with a clean paper towel to remove the excess. You want a barely-there sheen, not a puddle. Too much oil creates a sticky surface that attracts dust and turns tacky.

Some people use vegetable oil, canola, or even Crisco. All of these work. Flaxseed oil creates a harder seasoning layer over time, which is why I prefer it, but I recognize it is also the most expensive option and the most temperamental about storage.

Dealing with Rust

It happens. Even with careful maintenance, there will come a morning when you find a spot of orange on your skillet. Perhaps you parked near the ocean and the salt air got to it overnight. Perhaps you forgot the drying step once. Do not panic.

Scrub the rust spot with steel wool until the orange is gone and you see bare grey metal underneath. Wash the skillet, dry it thoroughly on the burner, then re-season that spot: apply a thin coat of oil and bake the skillet upside down in your RV oven at 450 degrees for one hour. Let it cool in the oven. One session will restore the finish. Two sessions will make it nearly as good as before.

Storage on the Road

This is where RV life adds a unique challenge. A cast iron skillet is heavy -- my 12-inch Lodge weighs about 8 pounds. When the RV is moving, that weight becomes a hazard if the skillet slides or falls. I store mine in a cloth bag (a simple drawstring sack I sewed from an old kitchen towel) in the oven when we're driving. The oven is a secure, enclosed space, and the cloth prevents the skillet from scratching the oven surface.

Never store cast iron with the lid on tight -- air needs to circulate or moisture gets trapped. If your skillet has a lid, place a folded paper towel between them.

The Deeper Lesson

Caring for cast iron is caring for a relationship. It is small, consistent acts of attention. It is showing up every day with a towel and a little oil. It is not dramatic or glamorous. It is the quiet work of maintenance, which is -- I believe -- the most loving kind of work there is.

My mother-in-law was right. I took care of the skillet, and it has taken care of me. Every meal I cook in it carries the memory of every meal that came before.