A cast iron grill pan is one of the best cooking tools for your kitchen. However, they can be quite troublesome to clean right after cooking something in them. If you are looking for easy tips on how to clean cast iron grill pan after cooking, here are some of my easiest and fastest home remedies that can help you.
How to clean cast iron grill pan with boiling water
If you are looking for the easiest method to clean the cast iron grill pan right after cooking, this is the most straightforward “homemade” solution you can ever try. It is a great option to use when you are running low on supplies and need a simple trick for cleaning.
- Put the grill pan on the stove, and then fill it with approximately 2 or 3 inches or water.
- Set the stove on medium heat, and allow the water to boil.
- Once the water comes to a boil, you will find the stuck on food particles slowly dislodging from the grill pan.
- With a spatula scrape off any bits that you see are still stuck on. Be very gentle while doing this. You can also use a chopstick or a similar wooden tool (gentle enough, so you don’t damage the pan) to remove food residue that is stuck between the grates.
- Allow the grill to cool and carefully dispose of the water and the food residue.
- Turn on the hot water on your tap and rinse out your grill pan under it. Be sure to use only warm water for this method, as cold water would warp the pan.
- Using a paper towel, wipe down the grill pan and remove any bits and pieces stuck on.
- Place the grill pan back on the stove and put it on low heat, so the excess water can dry off and evaporate.
How to clean cast iron grill pan with salt
Maintaining the surface of the cast iron grill pan is very important. That is why sometimes it is a better idea to use salt rather than the detergent when it comes to cleaning a cast iron grill pan. Here, you should be using kosher salt for cleaning. It does not contain any additives such as iodine, but yet abrasive enough to clean the pan and not cause any damage on the surface.
- Right after you’ve done with cooking, give it some time and allow the pan to cool off, however, don’t let it get cool totally, as this would make removing the food bits harder.
- Sprinkle kosher salt over the surface of the pan generously.
- Now, add some hot water. You will see that the kosher salt and the water form together to make a sort of thick paste. Don’t add too much water.
- Now scrub the surface of the pan with a soft sponge, getting in between all the ridges to remove the residue.
- Rinse the pan using hot water. If you see some food bits still stuck to the pan, you can repeat this method, as the salt is gentle enough not to disrupt the surface of your grill pan.
How to clean a cast iron grill pan with water and soap
If you have cooked something oily or greasy on the cast iron grill pan and are looking to get rid of the grease and grime off your cast iron grill, water and soap could be just what you need. Here is how you can do it:
- Allow the pan to cool down slightly before you do this. Add a few drops of dishwashing soap to the pan.
- Now fill up the grill pan with hot water about halfway through.
- Using a soft sponge, a rag or a wire brush, scrub gently so that the grease and food residue loosens up.
- Rinse out the pan with hot water. Make sure you don’t use cold water for rinsing it out as the grease and oil will be even more difficult to remove.
- If required, repeat the process with water and soap.
- Place the pan on the burner again and turn it on to low to medium heat. Allow the water to evaporate.
- Now take a paper towel, place a small amount of vegetable oil in it and wipe it over the surface of the grill pan. Make sure you do this process well on the entire inside surface of the pan.
- With a clean paper towel, wipe off any excess oil.
How to deep clean a cast iron grill pan with a nylon brush
Every once in a while, your grill pan needs a good old deep cleaning. Using harsh chemicals or abrasives can cause more harm than good. That is why it is essential to use natural ingredients which can effectively clean your grill pan and remove food residue, while still not harming the pan. Here is a method you can use to deep clean the cast iron grill pan:
- Rinse the grill pan under hot water (be sure to use hot water only for this method). Avoid using dish soap as it might damage the pan.
- Using a nylon brush, gently scrub off any food residue that you can see on the pan and in between the ridges.
- Fill up about 2 to 3 inches of the grill pan with water and allow it to come to a boil. The food residue will loosen up, and it will be easier for you to remove it.
- Now, you will need to create a natural scrubbing paste. Do this by adding one tablespoon vegetable oil to 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Mix well to form a thick paste.
- Apply this thick paste on to the grill pan. Make sure to apply in between the ridges as well.
- Let it sit for a few minutes. Using your nylon brush, scrub gently to remove the food residue, grime, and grease from your pan.
- Rinse the grill pan under hot water.
- Place the pan over the stove under low heat to evaporate any excess water on the pan.
- Using a soft paper towel, lightly coat the grill pan with some vegetable oil and allow it to dry naturally.