Dutch oven experts, question.

[trophyhunt]

Pretty embarrassing what I did to my Dutch oven pot.  I left an old meal in the pot..... For a long time before I realized it, prob a year!  I rinsed it out and put water in it on top of my wall tent stove.  It's rusty, stuff is stuck to the bottom and sides, and it smells pretty bad.  Is there any chance I could ever cook in it again?  What can I do to make it right?  Thanks

[The scout]

sounds like a target now

[trophyhunt]

sounds like a target now

ouch! Really?  Man I hate being irresponsible at times!!

[sthd system]

Yes you can .Take the pot and put it in a fire ,burn it out .Let I burn for some time till all the gunk is gone.Then proceed to preseason . You can also boil it out just keep adding water. I have a few old pans to burn out soon as the weather allows fires outdoors. Boil outdoors don't want that stink inside.

[Whitpirate]

Boil it out then reseason

[trophyhunt]

Sweet, I'm boiling it right now.  So I don't need to take steel wool to it?

[wadu1]

Yes you can .Take the pot and put it in a fire ,burn it out .Let I burn for some time till all the gunk is gone.Then proceed to preseason . You can also boil it out just keep adding water. I have a few old pans to burn out soon as the weather allows fires outdoors. Boil outdoors don't want that stink inside.

Get them red hot, do not force cooling (water etc.). You may have to steel wool them to get some of the pits out. Then just re-season it they way you started the oven/pan. Boiling works but fire cleaning is the best, salvaged some nice cast iron form garage sales that way. Also if you have the musty smell from old seasoining mix vinager and water 50 to 1 and spray it in and wipe it out with a paper towel, it's good as new. 

[sthd system]

My last tribe had no respect for cast iron cookwear.I Became very efficient at getting my cast iron back into shape . all what you did and more .

[trophyhunt]

So like this?  I tried boiling and it still looked terrible.


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[Jason]

Yep put it right in the fire, it will get glowing red but it will be ok.

[trophyhunt]

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[trophyhunt]

Was glowing red hot, tomorrow ill steel wool it to hopefully get those bumps out.  Thanks for the help


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[NW-GSP]

Might try a angle grinder with a wire wheel

[TheHunt]

It will take some time and some real work it will come back...

[sthd system]

Perfect !

[quadrafire]

I have done some poorly seasoned ones in the oven on CLEAN mode. It really loosens up the crud and can just be wiped out. I agree at this point you will probably need a wire wheel to get it back to bare metal. After you get down to metal and smooth, wash with warm soapy water, dry well and coat with oil. I use crisco.
I'll bet it will be just fine.
Post pics when you are done. I love projects like this 

I have also used spray oven cleaner and put them in a plastic bag while it does its thing, but I like the oven method better.

[Fl0und3rz]

Save some elbow grease.   Clean off rust with electrolysis.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XlsNucmbiE

[gaddy]

that electrolysis deal looks pretty cool.

[Fl0und3rz]

I have used it on rusted hand planes before to great effect.  It's pretty simple.

[superdown]

I collect cast iron cookware as a hobby and have restored/re-seasoned dozens of examples. The quickest and easiest way is to just put in the oven on the self clean cycle and then clean it out with soap and water then put it back in the oven on 300 and put a light coating of cooking oil on it several times. It will turn out nice and shiny black and be as well seasoned as it can get and will be almost like a non-stick pan. when your done cooking with just wipe it out boil a little water in it wipe that out then lightly coat it with cooking oil before putting it away. 

[chef bama]

i get the best seasonin gif i never use vegetable oils. nuthin but animal fat or butter, ever.

[superdown]

These are the ones I use on a daily basis. AB&I / Wagner and griswold. The casting on lodge is to far to course for my liking. The photo is kind of foggy because i have a life proof case on my iphone.





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[superdown]

i get the best seasonin gif i never use vegetable oils. nuthin but animal fat or butter, ever.

That's funny i get the best actual seasoning from vegi/canola/soy bean oil's and i use whatever fat the dish calls for when i am cooking besides animal fats will go rancid and the smoke point is very low where as the cooking/vegi oil's don't .

[gaddy]

this thread makes me miss my old pan. cant find another like it. my son put it on the burner and let it heat up, then through cold bacon in it. did not turn out well, sounded like a bomb from the other room and it ended up in three pieces.

[trophyhunt]

done cleaning, it's the best I could get it. I tried the electronic way to remove the rust, it didn't work as good as the video but I had to put it in a bigger tub.  I left it in the tub w the battery charger for 3 days!  Anyway, these pics are before I season the cast.  Finished pics later or tomorrow. 


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[TheHunt]

Sure looks better

[quadrafire]

WOW......I'd say it worked wonders from where you started

[superdown]

Looking good now go cook something

[Kc_Kracker]

dont toss it. you can make it look brand new again, scroll down and read my cast iron repair thread. drop it in a Ebath and itll be new again.

[Kc_Kracker]

done cleaning, it's the best I could get it. I tried the electronic way to remove the rust, it didn't work as good as the video but I had to put it in a bigger tub.  I left it in the tub w the battery charger for 3 days!  Anyway, these pics are before I season the cast.  Finished pics later or tomorrow. 


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i still see alotof rust, and your GONNA taste it. i have ebathed alot foo cast if it didnt work your missin something. oh man your gonna taste that for a long time, 

[superdown]

It might just be the pictures on my computer but the rust looks extremely light and will probably just wash off at this point with a sos pad and then just start the seasoning process and be cooking by tomorrow 

[CoryTDF]

Where is the thread KC?

[trophyhunt]

That sucks to hear, I e cleaned it for 3 or 4 days!


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[Fl0und3rz]

Where is the thread KC?

It's bumped but also here.  I agree.  Something isn't quite right with your electrolysis process.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,158612.0/topicseen.html

[Kc_Kracker]

yes because we collect CI pots pans cookware and doo dads and all of them get the e-tank immediately and come out like new raw cast without exception. 2 big mistakes are
1-not using the exact additives stated
2- the big one, using a automatic charger instead of a cheapo constant charger. you NEED a constant charger, i suggest harbor freight for one.

and i never suggest using a hot fire, it will warp cast especially pans it will bow the bottom and get you a nice wobble

[trophyhunt]

Well after a lot of work, I've seasoned it 3 times and cooked a pot with stewed tomatoes and elk hamburger.  It came out pretty good, the food didn't taste rusty or spoiled.  Thanks for all of the advise!  If I had to do it again I'd use a bigger battery charger and two pieces of metal like the diagram KC krackers showed.


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[Blacklab]

Looks good and great job