Caring For Cast Iron
The Fourneau Bread Oven is made from cast iron, and is "seasoned" after being made to protect it from oxidation. This seasoning is nothing more than a thin layer of vegetable oil that is baked on at high heat so that it polymerizes; this baked-on oil prevents rust and is also what gives cast iron its black color.
Cast iron cookware of any kind requires some basic care:
1.) Keep it clean. After baking, brush out any crumbs and flour left behind.
2.) Never soak the Fourneau in water. Wash it without soap and dry it immediately by hand. Don't let it "air dry."
3.) After washing, rub it with a light coating of oil.
4.) Occasionally, you will want to build up the seasoning. This involves rubbing it with a light coating of oil and baking it in your oven at around 485 for 30-60 min.
The Fourneau is a bit different than a skillet in one way that will affect how you'll want to care for it ...
Bear in mind that the Fourneau really almost never needs to be washed! If you primarily use it for baking bread, there is really nothing to "clean." All you need to do is brush out the crumbs and flour as stated above.
Our recommended best practice is to give the seasoning a "tune-up" every couple of months. (See step 4 above). If you store the Fourneau in your oven, you may need to do this more often, especially if you bake a lot. If any rust spots develop on the Fourneau, they are easily removed with steel wool or a stiff wire brush. Simply brush off the rust, and continue with seasoning as described above.
Observing these basics should help keep your Fourneau looking as beautiful as the day that you received it for a long, long, long time. (Like a forever long time ...)
For even more information about cast iron, check out this great article on Serious Eats!
4 Responses
Lawrence Watson
If you put your Fourneau directly into a wood fire, do you need to replenish the seasoning each time?
Sharon Burdett
Hi Alex,
Sometimes rust spots can appear on seasoned cast iron if it has been in contact with moisture for too long. This can even be moisture that is in the environment; ie, humidity. Luckily, it is very easy to remedy. You just need to rub off the rusty spot with a soft rag, and then apply a thin layer of oil. It is convenient to to do this before the next time you plan to bake, during pre-heating. Happy Baking!
Alexander Cowan
This is great information! What if for whatever reason rust spots appear? How should those be addressed?
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Sharon Burdett
May 26, 2016
Great question, Lawrence. The answer is most likely going to be yes! You will want to thoroughly clean the soot off of the Fourneau first. Inspect the condition of the surface, and then re-season it. If you have a really well built up seasoning, you may not need to re-season. However, you should definitely clean the soot off regardless of whether you need to re-season.