Your troop probably has a bunch of cast iron cookware. Most of the time the scouts aren’t really good at caring for that cast iron. I find that during campouts you can care for and season your cast iron with ease. Cast iron care is a lot easier to do than people think. Remember, even though you love your cast iron, in the end it’s just a piece of metal.
Things you will need to bring with you.
- A tub large enough to fit one or two pieces in at a time.
- Enough water to fill the tub and submerge the cast iron.
- Cleaning vinegar. You will use 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar.
- Vegetable oil.
- Paper towels.
- Table salt.
- A fire or charcoal grill.
If your cast iron has surface rust on it, you can remove the rust with a mixture of water and vinegar. Using 4 parts water and 1 part vinegar, submerge the cast iron for about 15 minutes to loosen the rust. Using paper towels dry the cast iron. You can use cloth towels, but the rust will ruin them. Don’t use wire brushes or other really harsh tools. If you have rough spots that need to be taken off, pour table salt on the rusty spot and with a paper towel, use it as an abrasive material to clean the cast iron.
Wash and thoroughly dry your cast iron. With another clean paper towel, lightly cover every surface of the cast iron with a very thin but even coating of vegetable oil. If you put too much oil on, you can end up with thick sticky spots.
After your cast iron is coated in vegetable oil, it’s time to recreate your seasoning. Seasoning happens when the oil is heater and bakes into a hard, non-stick surface.
Place your cast iron upside down on the grill or over your fire and let the oil bake. Do not expose the cast iron to direct flames. Baking it upside down will prevent pooling.
Depending on the heat of your grill or your fire, it can take 30 to 60 minutes to bake the seasoning on. Remove the cast iron and let it cool. Rince it with clean water and inspect. If there are sticky spots that means the heat may not have been high enough or the oil layer was too thick. Never fear! you can start again.
To find out more about this subject, here is a presentation with more information. You can also visit Lodge Cast Iron and review their care section.
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