How to Take Care of an Antique Cast Iron Skillet

When my husband and I got married, one his contributions to our kitchen was his Great-Grandmother’s old Griswold covered cast iron skillet. Griswold skillets have been around since the 1880s and pretty much set the standard for cast iron cookware in the US. While our cast iron skillet isn’t one of the early models, it does seem to date back to about the 1920s which makes it “almost” an antique.

Over the years, I’ve done a lot of scratch cooking and the one kitchen pan that’s outlasted everything has been the Griswold skillet. These skillets are sturdy, long lasting, and super simple to care for which is why so many people opt for buying an antique one as opposed to a contemporary skillet.

Caring for an antique skillet is also very easy. While I’ve had a lot of people tell me that a Griswold skillet should never be washed, that it simply not true. What you shouldn’t be doing is scrubbing at a cast iron skillet with abrasive cleaners, SOS pads, or metal scrubbies. These type of products will scratch away the seasoning and increase the opportunity for rust.

Here is how I’ve cared for my antique skillet the past 30 years:

Use regularly. While I won’t use my Griswold for cooking eggs or delicate pastry dishes, I will use it for frying up hamburger or sausage, making skillet dinners, and frying up vegetables including stir fry. The more these cast iron skillets are used, the better seasoned they become and the easier they are to maintain.

Wash when necessary. If all I’ve prepared are vegetables in my skillet, wiping it out with paper towels is sufficient. If however I’ve cooked a meat dish, I’ll use a bit of liquid dish detergent and a stiff bristle vegetable brush to scrub away at baked-on food. Stubborn, baked on food is removed by pouring a bit of warm water into the skillet, and letting it simmer on the stove top for 10 minutes.

Avoid sudden temperature changes. These skillets will crack and warp which is why a hot pan should never go under a cold water rinse. Before washing, I first let the skillet return to room temperatures.

Dry over heat and season. Cast iron skillets will rust if put away wet which is why they should be dried over heat immediately after washing. Once the skillet has dried, I wipe the inside with oil to season and to prevent rusting.

I stopped using my skillet for a couple of years after getting a cook top range and sadly, it developed some rust spots from lack of use. The rust was removed with some very fine wool, the pan was reseasoned and put back into regular use. It only took a couple of months for my Griswold to return to back to normal which is a testament to the durability of these skillets.

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10 strange baking tips your mother never taught you.
How to make Boston Brown Bread in the Crock Pot
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