dutch oven question??

[trophyhunt]

I used the dutch during October elk in Idaho, when I was done with it I coated the oven in oil. Well I'm using it tonite to cook dumplings and the oil I used to season it in october smells bad. The oil smells bad and now I can still smell the old oil even after the stew is boiling, I can also taste the oil. So my question is, do I give up on this meal?? Is the oil gonna make us sick? What should I have done, cook the oven first without food?

[mfswallace]

Never eat after a Dutch oven, the smell will ruin your taste buds! I Dutch ovened my wife once and she couldn't taste anything for a few days   

[trophyhunt]

 :chuckle:That is a good one, your really close to getting banned for a week!! Careful, they are pretty sensitive on this site. (I am not offended by your post, seriously it is funny).

[Boss .300 winmag]

Never use cooking oil, as it will go rancid. I use this no taste problem ever. 

[trophyhunt]

It smelled racid in the begging of the cooking process, the smell has gone away mostly. Will it hurt us if we eat it anyway? I just tasted it and it wasn't bad tasting.

[TheHunt]

Do you mind sharing what brand did you purchase and use last year?

I only buy Lodge now and I do not buy Cabelas any more.  In fact, I sold the piece that I used once.  It seemed to have a smell to it after I used it so I got ride of it.  The lodge did not have that smell.  So, I just want to share... 

[Kc_Kracker]

not using it is BS. I use it for everything! Its all about cast iron care.

cast iron is POROUS so if its not cleaned and stored right, youll get old food taste. its nasty.

 I have a HUGE cast iron collection i have hoarded over the years. care is 100% what its all about or its JUNK.

when your done,
wash it in soap and water, get it clean. * * this will avoid old food taste* *
then, get it dried
put it on the stove and get it HOT
use a paper towel or something and coat the inside with Crisco while its HOT...* * DO NOT USE OLD GREASE or it will taste like just that!* * this will avoid it rusting
let it cool
toss it in a paper grocery bag for storage

problem solved.

[trophyhunt]

I thought it wasn't good to use soap and water on it? But I would think as long as you dry it it should be ok, I'm still wondering if we will get sick by eating our dumplings even though the oil was rancid. It smells good now.

[Kc_Kracker]

thats not true all of it needs to be cleaned, old grease is gross.  people that say no soap dont know how to re-grease it to keep if from rusting. you can lead a horse to water, but....  they usually wont listen, yes wash it, get it clean its what you cook your food in! just make sure to get it hot and regrease it so it doesnt rust, and all will be excellent

[sirmissalot]

Most everyone I know that uses cast iron (and knows what they are doing) would never use soap and water to clean it.

A good, well used cast iron skillet will have a black coating better than any Teflon coating you can buy. Washing it with soap and water will never get you to that point.

[kentrek]

not using it is BS. I use it for everything! Its all about cast iron care.

cast iron is POROUS so if its not cleaned and stored right, youll get old food taste. its nasty.

 I have a HUGE cast iron collection i have hoarded over the years. care is 100% what its all about or its JUNK.

when your done,
wash it in soap and water, get it clean. * * this will avoid old food taste* *
then, get it dried
put it on the stove and get it HOT
use a paper towel or something and coat the inside with Crisco while its HOT...* * DO NOT USE OLD GREASE or it will taste like just that!* * this will avoid it rusting
let it cool
toss it in a paper grocery bag for storage

problem solved.

 

this is how its been done for generations....and they all knew what they were doing

[washelkhunter]

    No soap or detergent. Just heat water in the iron to a boil scrape out lightly with a spatula then lightly oil. Ive found canola works well

[KFhunter]

Most everyone I know that uses cast iron (and knows what they are doing) would never use soap and water to clean it.

A good, well used cast iron skillet will have a black coating better than any Teflon coating you can buy. Washing it with soap and water will never get you to that point.

On a daily use oven, no you wouldn't soap it.  I've always steamed them out myself then rubbed a wad of tinfoil to scrape everything off.
I don't soap them usually as you have to reseason.


Dutch oven is not like a skillet, I don't worry so much about keeping it non stick.

[sirmissalot]

Yes, good point. None of my cast iron stuff goes into long term storage, but you're right.

I also treat my oven different, like you. It doesn't get used near as often for me.

[whitey]

Reseason but never use oil. A nice thin wipe of Crisco and then back in a warm oven for about 30 min. wipe excess Crisco out and your ready to cook. If the oil is all stickey and stinks I will put the stinky D.O upside down in a clean hot camp fire and allow it to burn off. Then scrub with a scouring bad and start the recondition/ reseasoning all over again. Other than the campfire gig the sticky/ stinky oil is tough to remove with just hot water.