Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

If it's flaking, it wasn't seasoned right to begin with. However it really only matters on the cooking surface. You want seasoning to build up, but it shouldn't flake.

See if it really is coming off, try with you fingernail. If it's coming off then get all of it off that you can by chipping it away. Scrape it off. If it doesn't come off then leave it alone, and season as normal another new layer.

If you aren't happy with it, you can always strip it and start over but that's usually something you end up wishing you hadn't done. You do this by putting your cast iron in the oven and running it through a cleaning cycle. Be warned, don't do this unless you already know what to do and how to season your newly bare cast iron.

Old cast iron seasoning is the best, you don't want to start over. I have some with a 1/4 inch of seasoning (I am exaggerating) on the outside of the pan and it looks crusty, but the inside seasoning and finish is baby skin smooth and slicker than any Teflon coating. I keep it that way by scrubbing lightly with a green scrubby to "tip" the bumps down before putting back in the hot stove to cook another thin layer of oil.

You can't ruin cast iron except by breaking it. Don't worry, it's not ruined, it just needs some care. Some of my best cast iron was a lump of rust I rescued from the junk store.

I recently browned pork in my Lodge cast-iron skillet, and it left black, burnt spots over the pan (along with a few other places that arose from cooking over time). I boiled water in it in hopes it would lift it up, but it didn't. I scrubbed the spots down to silver (which I think is the exposed cast iron, where it was once black), but the black gunk is still there with the silver exposed around it. I can scrub it down to silver and it still won't lift. Help!

The black gunk feels smooth, and if I am able to scrape some away it's sooty. What can I do to get rid of this layer of gunk and get my cast iron back to normal? I don't want to re-season the whole thing with the gunk still on, and I need to use my pan again tonight for a big dinner with guest! I don't want to cause any more damage to it and am afraid to continue cooking in it!

Thanks so much!

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Cast Iron Skillet is a type of cookware made with iron and carbon that is poured directly into a skillet mold. Cast irons are known for their durability. A lot of used cast iron in our modern days is around 100-25 years old. It’s excellent if you want cheap but lasting cookware.

Even if your cast iron is rusted, with the right tools and processes you can restore it and use it, good as new.

Although, a few downsides can come with using a cast iron. Maintaining and cleaning it comes with a lot of don’ts. Read further as we tell you all about it in this guide.

What is the Black Residue in the Iron Skillet?

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Before knowing how to remove the black stuff on your skillet, we should know what is a cast iron skillet first. The black residue on your iron skillet is from the carbon build-up and leftover food caused by heat. This carbon can come from different sources while cooking such as heated oils and fats, burnt coating, and charred leftovers.

If you find this dark debris in your food, you don’t have to worry. The black residues on your iron skillet are not harmful. Since it’s just a build-up from leftover food and oils, ingesting will not be a health risk. Although, cooking in a stained skillet can be unsightly for your prepared food.

There are a couple of reasons why this carbon build-up developed as residue like:

  • The skillet is not washed immediately after use.
  • Lack of proper maintenance done to the skillet.
  • The skillet is not seasoned regularly.

If you are reading this article, it’s safe to assume that you have a black residue present in your skillet. Don’t worry! We will teach you all about how to remove the black residue off your iron skillet. Just follow the easy step-by-step instructions and you will have clean cookware in no time.

2 Ways to Remove Black Residue

Use Salt

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Salt is a staple in the kitchen. Fortunately, it’s also a great product when it comes to cleaning your skillet. It’s abrasive and accessible. To do the salt method you need to:

  • Pour 1-2 cups of water into your skillet and bring it to a boil. Let the boiling water simmer for 2-5 minutes before removing. The heat from the boiling water will help in loosening the stuck residue.
  • Use a paper towel or a clean dish rag to dry off the cast iron. Be careful not to touch the iron as it’s still hot.
  • Once it’s dry, put on a quarter to a half cup of salt. Use the paper towel or dish rag to scrub the salt against the iron cast’s surface. The salt will start to have discoloration, meaning that the residue is starting to lift off.
  • Then, wash the skillet with warm water. If there are still residues stuck, put on salt and repeat the process.
  • Once you rinse off the skillet, dry it off.
  • Then, pat down a few drops of either coconut oil, flaxseed oil, or canola oil. The oil will help protect the skillet from black residue. To secure the oil on the pan, you can put your cast iron on a high flame for a minute and let it heat up.

If you want to see this process, you can watch it here.

Brushing Method

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Brushing your cast iron can be done with the salt method or by itself. It applies the same principle as using salt. By scrubbing a rough material against the cast iron, you will remove the layer of build-up residue. You can find a brush specially made for cleaning your cast iron skillet.

To do this method you should:

  • Pour 1-2 cups of water in your cast iron and let it boil. While it’s boiling, let the simmer for 2-5 minutes then turn off the heat.
  • While the water is still in the pan, use the brush to scrub the dark debris. If it’s not coming off, you can use a small amount of dishwashing soap to help with the breaking down of oils and grime. Note that using soap in your iron skillet can rub off the patina or season coating. If you choose to use a soap with the removal of the black residue, make sure to re-season your pan and do it sparingly.
  • Once you are done scrubbing, discard the water and rinse off your cast iron.
  • Then, grab a paper towel or dish rag to dry off the skillet. Once it’s dry put on oil and you’re done!

Now that you removed the black residue from your cast iron skillet, you should know how to keep it from happening again. Maintenance and regular cleaning is the key to great cookware.

3 Ways to Keep Off the Black Residue from Your Cast Iron Skillet

Black coating coming off cast iron skillet

Clean Your Skillet Immediately After Use

To keep the black residue from forming again, make sure to clean off your cast iron skillet as soon as you finished using it.

Most debris came from the leftover food and broken-down fat that cooled off in your cast iron. When you clean the cast iron skillet soon as you are done cooking, the oil and buts of food haven’t set into the skillet yet.

If you want to know how to clean your cast iron skillet, follow these steps:

  • Remove the used oil from the pan. You can do this by placing the oil in a small bowl before cleaning the remaining oil with a paper towel. The key to getting your skillet clean is to remove the leftover oil and food as soon as you are done using it. By taking advantage of the still present heat from the stove, the cleaning process is much easier.
  • Once you remove the used oil from the pan, the next thing to clean off is the leftover food. You can do this by pouring a cup of warm water and scraping off the bits with a spatula or chainmail sponge.
  • After you are done removing the bits of leftover food, you can rinse it off with water. Repeat this process until the skillet is clean.
  • Lastly, spread a small amount of either flaxseed oil or canola oil and heat the cast iron in the stove for a minute. The oil will act as a non-stick surface for your pan.

By doing this process, you can maintain a spotless cast iron.

Re-season Your Cast Iron Skillet

Before you re-season your cast iron, you might be asking: What is seasoning?

Since the skillet is built with iron, prolonged exposure to water can cause rusting. By seasoning your pan, you will put a thin sheet of oil in order to eliminate the water exposure.

This sheet of grease is called patina. By heating the skillet and letting the oil seep into the iron, you can restore the patina. If you own a cast-iron skillet, seasoning is a great way to maintain your pan.

Whenever we use our cast iron skillet, as much as we want it to be cleaned immediately after cooking, the food can sometimes be too distracting.

If you ever left your pan unclean and decided to remove the black residue, some of the patina may be cracked. Don’t worry! Re-seasoning your skillet is an easy task. To do it, you need to:

  • Clean off your skillet. To properly clean your cast iron, follow the easy steps above.
  • After cleaning, grab a bottle of flaxseed or canola oil. Put a few drops spread it all over the pan with a paper towel.
  • After that, you need to put it inside the oven and let it heat up. If you don’t have an oven, leaving the cast iron for a few minutes on top of the stove is a great substitute. The heat helps evaporate the leftover water and lets the oil seep into the skillet.

If you want a thick layer of patina, repeat the process 3-5 times. Seasoning your skillet will not only prolong its usability but also provide a non-stick finish.

As you read the process above, you might be wondering if you can season your skillet by using it. The answer is yes. By cleaning and heating the oil in your skillet after usage, you maintain the patina.

Restore Your Skillet

If you are noticing small pecks of rust in your skillet, it’s best to restore it immediately. The rust can come from the moisture from the water, especially if you don’t season it regularly.

By restoring your iron cast skillet, you can use it for a lifetime. A much lower cost if you buy aluminum cookware.

In conclusion

Now you know how to properly clean and maintain your cast iron skillet.

With this article, you can prolong the usability of your skillet and cook a lot more meals for your family and loved ones to enjoy.

We hope this article helped you clean off the black residue from your iron cast. If you have more questions, feel free to comment down.

What do you do when the coating comes off a cast iron skillet?

Follow these steps to restore your cast iron skillet..
Scour. Scour the surface with warm, soapy water and a metal scouring pad. ... .
Oil. Apply a very thin, even layer of cooking oil to the cookware (inside and out). ... .

How do you restore black coating on cast iron?

How to Restore Cast Iron.
Place pan upside-down in sink and sprinkle with baking soda. ... .
Add a few squirts of dishwashing liquid. ... .
Use a scrub brush to remove rust and debris. ... .
Turn pan over a clean using more baking soda and a scrub pad. ... .
Rinse and dry thoroughly..

Why does my cast iron skillet look like its peeling?

Flaking occurs when you have thick layers of seasoning build up without having the time and use to properly bond to the iron. This is why we recommend building up seasoning through cooking; it creates thin, interlocking layers of seasoning in different areas of your pan, which are much less likely to flake off later.

How do you restore peeling cast iron?

Take some coarse salt or sand paper and remove any loose, flaking pieces of seasoning. After you clean, dry, and warm up your cast iron pour a little grape seed or flaxseed oil in it. Get a lint-free rag and wipe it around, wipe it a little on the outside too. In the oven, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.