As the camping season comes to a close, it's time to do a deeper clean of the cast iron cookware we use for campfire cooking. When using the cookware, I try to do some cleaning at the campsite, and then do a bit of a better clean in the utility sink when we get home. Soot is nasty, greasy stuff, and a mess to try to clean. I've read about coating the bottoms with soap before cooking to try and limit the soot, but the few times I've remembered to do that it hasn't seem to make much of a difference. I've read about a few different methods to clean them, so I tried an experiment comparing vinegar to Bar Keeper's Friend.
Here are the sooty bottoms of two pieces we used in our last camping weekend.
I did the cleaning in our utility sink, and remember to wear rubber gloves- this is a gross job.
I scrubbed the dutch oven with Bar Keeper's Friend and a nylon scrub pad, several rounds, then finished with dish detergent. I scrubbed the skillet with vinegar, and finished with dish detergent. I dried both with paper towels so I could gauge the amount of soot left on the surfaces. Both pans took quite a bit of elbow grease, and in the end both methods seemed fairly comparable, as the paper towels I used to dry them both had some soot streaks after cleaning. Then I did one round of seasoning
(2 hours at 325 as described here) Next year, I think I'll try a little vinegar first to cut some of the grease, then the BKF. You'll need to clean the utility sink afterwards, as well.
After the seasoning, the cookware was much improved, and ready to store until next season. Remember to store dutch ovens with the lids propped slightly to allow airflow.
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