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 it 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 effect how you'll want to care for it ...
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. Because you are not washing it, you may think that you can totally skip the upkeep of rubbing it with a light coating; this is not the case. A good practice would be giving 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.
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
Sharon Burdett
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.
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?
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Sharon Burdett
Author