Free: Contests & Raffles.
washing cast iron with detergent, in the dishwasher, or with sos pads will cause it to rust, this isn't technically ruining it but people nowdays have an aversion to eating foods cooked with extra iron and would rather take some weird fda approved iron supplement (that is just rust with another name) unless you use your cast iron as a target it is really tough to "ruin" you can always blast it down in a worst case....and if any of you have rusty cast iron you feel is ruined please please give it to me instead of tossing in trash, I am not afraid of rust and like bringing back old metal (and leather) from the brink.
Had a buddy that would sand blast old cast iron pans he found in garage sales etc.... then re-season and use the... worked like a charm... biggest issue is getting them hot enough to "absorb" the grease during the seasoning process.. If you have to use welding gloves AND a hot pad, you about got it right... OH, and lard/bacon grease works better than Crisco imho..
Hey, Quadrafire.........do you think it would be possible to season the cast iron pan in your Big Green Egg? Seems like it would be better than doing it inside the house?