How Bobby Flay Cleans His Cast Iron For Long-Lasting Pans

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Super-heavy and perfect for creating a remarkable sear, cast iron pans are a smart tool to have in your kitchen lineup. They come with quite a few rules, however, that are important to understand if you want your pans to hold up over time. In a YouTube video, Food Network asked Bobby Flay a series of rapid-fire questions, including one about whether he uses soap to clean his cast iron pans. Flay said, "I don't wash it with soap, no. If I need to wash it out I just make sure that it's bone dry."

If you're new to the world of cast iron pans, cleaning without soap can sound strange — but cleaning without water can sound downright bizarre. Let's take a dive into what Flay likely means when he talks about his no-soap, bone-dry cast iron pan cleaning process.

First, not using soap or water doesn't mean you cook in your cast iron pan and just toss it back into the cupboard after use. Cleaning just looks a little bit different for cast iron cookware. Submerging your pan in water is one of the biggest mistakes you can make with cast iron — it's likely to cause rust, rendering your pan difficult or impossible to use. You can use use a cloth (or some folded-up paper towels) and coarse sea salt to scrub away any stuck-on food. You can also use a brush with plastic bristles to scrape debris away. If you absolutely need to use a bit of water to rinse away particularly tough stuck-on bits, make sure it's hot, and dry the pan off right away to avoid the formation of rust. When you're finished, use paper towels or a cloth to make sure your pan is completely, 100% dry.

With the right care, cast iron pans can last several lifetimes — giving your pans a bit of extra TLC can help make it more likely that your grandkids will use them one day. Resist the urge to let your cast iron pan sit on the counter until it's totally cool. Cleaning it while it's still warm is important for effective cleaning. Also, make sure you use your cast iron pan regularly. Letting it sit unused for too long can result in the seasoning oils aging, leaving your cast iron with a less-than-fresh scent.

In addition to his no-soap, bone-dry rules, Bobby Flay has also discussed the importance of properly seasoning cast iron pans to help them stand the test of time. To season a brand-new cast iron pan (that hasn't been pre-seasoned), Flay recommends coating it lightly with oil, then letting it sit in the oven at a moderate temperature (350 degrees Fahrenheit or so) for a few hours. Looking for a pan straight from the man himself? Flay teamed up with GreenPan to create a line of pre-seasoned cast iron pans — you can snag 8-, 10-, and 12-inch versions. Just follow Flay's cast iron cleaning tips to help your pans hold up for years to come.