How to anneal a cast iron cauldron: effective ways

A cast-iron cauldron is a unique dish in which absolutely any prepared dish is delicious. However, after purchase, it requires careful preparation before using it for the first time. In particular, it is necessary to correctly calcine. This can be done at home or on the street. The techniques in this case are slightly different.

How to anneal a cast-iron cauldron over a fire

This is a versatile cookware. Juicy tasty meat, crumbly pilaf, shurpa and many other dishes are cooked in it. In ordinary pots, woks and saucepans, the food is not so tasty.

Cast iron has the ability to quickly and evenly heat food, retains heat for a long time and does not evaporate useful substances from the components of the dish.

Treats are not only rich and tasty - they retain all the benefits of each of the ingredients included in the meal. Therefore, the cauldron becomes an irreplaceable kitchen utensil that should be in every home.

To prepare it for use, annealing is required. This can be done outdoors, over a fire or at home. Consider all the available options and, first of all, the most convenient one - street roasting on fire.

Cleansing

Cast iron cookware is sold coated with machine oil. This is how the manufacturer protects kitchen utensils from premature rusting. Naturally, the cauldron will have to be cleaned of this layer of fat and coarse table salt is used for this.

The scheme is simple:

1. We thoroughly wash the cauldron with a cleaning agent.
2. We put on an open fire and add a large amount of salt.
3. A loose product must be stirred periodically.
4. We bring it to a golden color and remove the fire.
5. Let the cauldron cool down and discard the contents.

A 10-liter dish will require about 1-2 kg of bulk product.

After the cauldron has cooled down, wipe it clean with paper towels or napkins. The dishes are ready for further processing.

Firing in oil

When cleaning the cauldron, the protective film is washed off. It becomes vulnerable to rust. Therefore, the oil treatment is carried out immediately in order to create the necessary protective layer.

During firing, oil gets into the pores of cast iron and burns. It does not reflect on the dish at all, but it protects the dishes from the development of rye when moisture gets in.

Roasting will require the active participation of the chef and will take about half an hour in total. Vegetable oils are used at this stage. Sunflower, sesame, or flaxseed will do. It can also be replaced with animal fat.

We act according to plan:

1. We check that the inside of the cauldron is dry, if necessary, dry it with paper towels.
2. Pour oil into a cold cauldron.
3. Make a fire under medium-intensity dishes.
4. Using a slotted spoon or tilting the cauldron in different directions, oil the entire inner surface.
5. The walls of the cauldron should be periodically watered with oil from the bottom so that they do not dry out.
6. At the end of the specified time, drain the oil and discard.
7. Allow the dishes to cool in the fresh air.
8. Wipe the surface with a paper towel to remove excess grease.

To check the quality of calcination, water is boiled in a cauldron. If at the end of the process it does not become cloudy, you can safely cook in it.

Care after calcination

After the cauldron, they must be washed under running water and wiped dry. Do not use cleaning agents or abrasive brushes. They will damage the cast iron surface. If during further cooking the food burns to the walls, carry out the calcination again.

Home calcination methods

This option is suitable for small cauldrons, up to about 5 liters. The usual procedure is quite dangerous, as oil or salt can shoot out from heated dishes, causing a fire. In addition, the unpleasant smell will remain for a long time in the walls of the kitchen.

But if there is no other option, you will have to use your home stove. The best solution is to roast it in the oven:

• the cabinet is heated to a temperature of 180-200 degrees;
• pour 10-25 g of sunflower oil into a bowl;
• with a brush, distribute the film along the walls of the cauldron;
• cover it with foil on top;
• put in a preheated oven and kept for about an hour and a half.

Repeat the procedure three to five times. Only then can you fully cook.

Why do you need to anneal a cast-iron cauldron

This is an important step before long-term use of cookware made of this material. The procedure is necessary to remove technical lubricants from the pores. They are abundantly used in production, so that it is convenient to get ready-made utensils from molds for casting, as well as to protect them from corrosion during storage and transportation.

If not calcined, technical fluids will be absorbed into the food. This will give it an unpleasant smell and taste. The food will have to be thrown away. Moreover, this will happen regularly - with any attempt to cook in a cauldron. Do not neglect the ignition and do it in accordance with the instructions and recommendations of specialists.