This is how your beloved cast iron pan should look before it gets put away in the cupboard.  Clean, shiny and like new.

But how do I get all of this caked-on food off my pan without soaking it in soap and water or using a scrub brush?

The answer?  Kosher salt/coarse salt.  Throw a generous handful -ok don’t ‘throw’ it, maybe sprinkle it – into the bottom of the pan,

add a couple of tablespoons of water,

and start working those arm muscles and scrub, scrub, scrub with a paper towel!  You do not want to use your fingertips to do this.  Per usual, I am saving you the pain and humiliation by telling you about my experience firsthand…you can thank me later…  I f you did use your fingertips, it might feel a bit like rubbing them up against the coarsest sandpaper you can find, vigorously.  Yup, ouch.

And they look like this after your done, only picture blood mixed in.  Not a pretty sight.

Anyhow, back to scrubbing the life back into your beautiful pan…once it’s cleaned up, shake in a few drops of oil and smear around the entire inside of the pan.

Until it looks as lovely as this!  Now you can safely put it away without worrying about rust or critters moving in…