Page 187 - The Lost Ways

Seasoning Your Cookery

If you buy your cast iron new, there will be instructions on how to season it included in

the package. If you buy it used, chances are, it will already be seasoned.

Either way, seasoning it is pretty simple and should be done regularly anyway. To season
your cast iron, simply slather it in oil and stick it over hot coals to cook the oils in.

Never Use Dish Soap

Good cast iron is coated in oil. Dish soap breaks down oil—that’s how it cleans. You want
to avoid this at all costs. If you do accidentally use soap on your cast iron, rinse it
immediately and rinse it well, and then be prepared to re-season it.

If you are not careful, the soap will soak into the metal and taint your next meal. Instead

of soap, use a good stiff brush or some steel wool. The settlers used wads of horsetail to
scrub their pots and pans.

52
This highly fibrous plant works well and can be found abundantly in damp places. In this
day of disinfectants and germ phobia, it may seem counterintuitive to NOT use soap, but
trust me, the temperatures needed to cook your meals are hot enough to kill any

52 "Equisetum", by: Elnudomolesto, (CC BY 2.0)

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