The Mystery Of The Stinky Cast Iron: Unraveling The Odor Enigma

There are several reasons why your cast iron pan might smell. One of the most common reasons is that it hasn't been cleaned properly, or it needs to be re-seasoned. Cast iron pans are porous, which means they can absorb scents and flavours. If you don't clean your pan thoroughly after cooking, food particles and oils can get left behind and go rancid, causing a foul odour.

Another reason for a smelly pan could be that you've cooked pungent food in it, such as fish, garlic or onions. These strong-smelling foods can leave behind odours even after washing the pan with soap.

If you've recently seasoned your pan, it might also smell due to the chemicals and high heat used in the process. If you used an oil with a low smoke point, it might have burned and left an unpleasant odour.

To get rid of the smell, you can try baking your pan in the oven at 400°F for 10-15 minutes, boiling salt water in it, or using natural deodorizers like lemon and salt or apple cider vinegar to clean it.

Cooking strong-smelling food

Cast iron is a naturally rough and porous material, meaning it is not completely solid. On a microscopic level, cast iron is full of tiny holes. This is different from stainless steel, enameled, or teflon-coated pans, which have a very smooth, non-porous surface. The textured, unsealed surface of cast iron cookware absorbs tiny amounts of oil and protein from the food you’re cooking, causing lingering smells.

Leftover odors from pungent foods like fish, garlic, onion, or spices can easily remain in a cast iron pan, even after washing it with soap. If you've cooked something with a strong smell, it's best to clean your pan as soon as it is cool enough to handle. Leaving food scraps, oil, and grease in your cast iron pan overnight can cause lingering odors.

To clean your cast iron after cooking greasy, strong-smelling foods or when significant food residue remains, wash it with mild dish soap and a non-abrasive scrub brush or sponge. It's fine to wash cast iron with soap, and you can also use a scouring pad. Check out this article for which dish soaps are best for cast iron and which ones to avoid.

If you’re still struggling with a lingering smell, you can try the following:

• Boil water in the pan on the stovetop for about 10 minutes.
• Boil water with salt in the pan on the stovetop for about 10 minutes. The salt and the boiling water reaction are often enough to remove any particles embedded in the pan that may be causing the smell.
• Place the pan in an oven set at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes.
• Sprinkle a layer of regular table salt all over the dry pan’s cooking surface. Let the salt sit overnight. In the morning, pour out the salt. Rinse and dry the pan, and it should smell better.

Poor seasoning

If your cast iron pan is under-seasoned, food cooked in the pan can penetrate the seasoning and remain on the surface, causing an unpleasant odour. This is because cast iron is a naturally rough and porous material, meaning it is not completely solid. On a microscopic level, cast iron is full of tiny holes, and its textured, unsealed surface can absorb tiny amounts of oil and protein from the food you're cooking, causing lingering smells.

To prevent this, it is important to ensure that your pan has a proper seasoning layer. To season your cast iron pan, follow these steps:

• Wash and dry your pan: Give the pan a good scrub with warm, soapy water, then dry it thoroughly. Even after towel-drying, some surface moisture may remain, so your best bet is to put the pan on a stovetop flame for a minute or two to drive off any lingering water.
• Rub it all over with oil and buff well: Rub the pan all over, inside and out—including the handle—with cooking oil. Buff the oil so thoroughly that the pan no longer looks greasy. Even a small amount of excess oil can pool during seasoning, forming hardened droplets on your cooking surface or turning sticky if left unused for a few days.
• Heat it in the oven: Put the oiled pan in a preheated oven at 450°F (230°C) for 30 minutes. It may get smoky, so keep your kitchen well-ventilated. You can place the pan upside down and put a baking sheet or foil underneath to catch any excess oil that drips off.
• Repeat the oiling and heating process: After the first 30 minutes, take the pan out and rub it once more all over with oil, buffing it out. Then put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes. Repeat this oiling-and-heating process three to four times to set down a good initial layer of seasoning.

By following these steps, you can create a well-seasoned cast iron pan that is non-stick and protected from unpleasant odours.

Rust

To remove rust from your cast iron pan, start by scouring the surface with a scouring pad and warm, soapy water. You can also use steel wool or a scouring brush to remove the rust. Rinse and dry the pan thoroughly. If you have a Lodge Rust Eraser, you can use it to remove surface rust easily. After removing the rust, continue with the restoration process by applying a thin layer of cooking oil to the pan and baking it in the oven at a high temperature for an hour. Repeat this process as needed until the pan develops a classic black patina.

To prevent rust from forming in the first place, avoid leaving your cast iron pan in the sink to soak, putting it in the dishwasher, or air-drying it. Also, ensure that you store your pan in a dry, moisture-free environment.

Poor cleaning

To clean your cast iron after cooking greasy, strong-smelling foods or when significant food residue remains, wash it with mild dish soap and a non-abrasive scrub brush or sponge. You can also deodorize cast iron cookware using salt. Wash the pan with dish soap and water, then dry it thoroughly. Sprinkle a layer of regular table salt all over the dry pan's cooking surface and let it sit overnight. In the morning, pour out the salt and rinse and dry the pan.

If you have cooked fish or other pungent foods in cast iron and improperly cleaned your cookware before storing, you may notice lingering smells. To eliminate the unwanted odour, bake your cast iron pan in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes. This easy, odour-eliminating method won't damage the seasoning on your cookware.

Applying too much oil before storing

Applying too much oil to a cast iron pan before storing it can cause a rancid, musty smell. This is because the oil will oxidise, especially if the pan is stored in a humid environment. The pan will also likely feel sticky.

To avoid this, only a very thin layer of oil should be applied to the pan before storing. The pan should be wiped down with a lint-free cloth or clean rag to remove excess oil. While it may seem counter-intuitive, the pan should be buffed with a clean section of the cloth to remove as much oil as possible. A very thin layer of oil will remain on the iron, which will protect it from moisture and rust.

It is also important to consider the type of oil used. Vegetable oil and cheap canola blends are more likely to oxidise and cause a bad smell. Grapeseed and pure, high-quality canola oils are better options.

If your cast iron pan is stored with other pans, ensure that it is not too oily, as this will cause the other pans to become fatty.

Frequently asked questions