It’s always enjoyable rustling up tasty food in one of the best cast iron skillets. But cleaning burnt or dried food residue (without scratching it) can often be a challenge. Although food ideally shouldn't stick, it often does, particularly with new skillets.

In addition, knowing how to clean and maintain your cast iron will ensure you get optimal heat distribution and the best cooking results. Unlike stainless steel, cast iron needs a gentler touch—harsh soaps and abrasive scouring pads can strip away its coating and ruin the surface.

Luckily, I’ve discovered an easier method to clean burnt food off your cookware without frantic scrubbing or costly cleaning products. In fact, it just involves a few cooking essentials that we may already have in our kitchen. So, here’s a fuss-free way to remove burnt-on food from cast iron.

Set your pan to a moderately low heat before adding a drizzle of oil and salt. You can use any type of oil, but since you’re only using it for cleaning, you can use a cheap oil and salt (and save your expensive oils).

Since salt doesn't dissolve in oil, it makes an effective yet gentle abrasive scrub to remove stuck food or stubborn residue.

Next, using long tongs to hold a folded paper towel, carefully scrub the surface to remove the loosened burnt-on residue.

While experts suggest this makeshift scrub can be used in a cold pan, heating the pan slightly makes it significantly more effective, especially for tough residue. Just take care when working around hot oil.

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