Victoria

Cast Iron Cookware since 1939

Use & Care

BEFORE FIRST USE

Congrats on your new future heirloom purchase!

Our seasoned cast iron is seasoned at high temperatures and ready to get cookin’! Here’s what we suggest before first use:

  • Hand wash with mild dish soap and warm water. Dry completely using a lint-free towel, never air dry.
  • Some foods may stick the first few times of use. Use a little extra cooking oil or fat until the seasoning is strong and settled. Vegetable oils, nut oils, lard, butter – all cooking and edible fats are usable on cast iron.
  • Try to avoid acidic foods (tomato, vinegar, citrus, etc.) until you get some nice coats of seasoning going.
  • Some people choose to do a few extra rounds of home-made seasoning before they start cooking. It is not necessary to do so, as seasoning will continue to build and improve with use, but IF you would like to, that is fine. We do not suggest doing more than 3-4 layers of flaxseed seasoning on iron, as too many layers of flaxseed may cause peeling due to the slickness and hardness of the layers.

HOW TO CLEAN CAST IRON FOR EVERYDAY USE

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Follow these steps to keep your cookware clean and increasingly seasoned:

  1. Allow cookware to cool enough to handle, but still warm.
  2. Hand wash with hot water & mild dish soap. Mild dish soap will not damage your seasoning. You can also use coarse salt, a plastic spatula or scraper, or chainmail to clean stuck-on foods. Do not use steel wool sponges or other abrasive methods unless you want to remove seasoning too.
  3. If cookware has completely cooled, and there are some stickies, you can simmer water on low-medium heat for 2 minutes and then scrape when cool enough to touch.
  4. Use a lint-free towel to dry thoroughly (important! Never air-dry seasoned iron or it will rust).
  5. Rub a thin layer of oil inside the cookware & on the rim (Palm, Flaxseed, Coconut, Canola, Crisco, or other cooking oil or shortening). Light and even layers build better seasoning. You may store in a cool, dry place, or do an express stove-top maintenance.

EXPRESS STOVE-TOP MAINTENANCE

After each use and cleaning, you may decide to do an express maintenance on your stove-top. You can do this every time after use and cleaning, or just once in a while when you notice your seasoning getting a bit dull.

To do this, heat up your skillet on medium-high to high heat after completing the standard cleaning and oiling instructions above. The oil film in the pan will start to smoke, so turn on the overhead fan, crack a window, and be ready for some possible smoke alarm action.

Use a lint-free paper towel or clean rag to carefully rub some more oil on the inside cooking surface of the skillet. You will see how the oil gets dried up. You can apply a couple of layers of oil, always very thin and even, and let them soak in and smoke. Turn off the heat and leave your skillet in place to cool down.

Once cooled, wipe off any excess oil, and store in a cool, dry place.

HOW TO RESTORE CAST IRON

  1. If there is rust or gunk that won’t come off with a stiff brush or a scraper, scrub the whole affected area with a steel wool sponge until you see no more rusty or sticky spots. You can spray a white vinegar-water solution to help with the rust removal.
  2. Once there is no more visible rust or stickies, wash and scrub with soap & hot water.
  3. Use a towel to dry thoroughly (important!)
  4. Place on hot stove to completely evaporate any excess moisture.
  5. Rub a thin layer of oil all over the cookware, inside & outside.
  6. Once the oil is rubbed in thoroughly, use a clean, lint-free paper towel to wipe off excess oil (this avoids stickiness).
  7. Place cookware hollow-side-down in an oven at 425° to 500°. Bake for 1 hour. Depending on the type of oil you use, it can get quite smoky (research oil smoking points of the oil of your choice to determine oven temperature).
  8. Allow to cool completely & store in cool, dry place.

CAST IRON TIPS

  • NEVER clean in dishwasher. Follow cleaning instructions before first use.
  • For best performance, always pre-heat your Victoria cast iron before using on low to medium heat. For searing, allow your iron to heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Thermal shock can warp iron. Do not expose your iron to intense thermal changes such as putting it under cold water while still hot from cooking or getting a very cold pan hot too quickly. All temp changes should be slow and steady.
  • Use mostly low to medium heat. High heat can cause smoke and food to stick. Delicate foods like eggs should be cooked on low.
  • Cast iron handles get hot, use protective mitts & trivets.
  • You can use heat-safe wood, bamboo, nylon, and even metal utensils. However, never use knives to cut directly on seasoned iron.
  • Cooking oil can be: Palm, Flaxseed, Coconut, Canola, Crisco, or other edible oil.
  • Occasionally, you may notice a dark residue when pat-drying your iron. If the residue is gunky, you may have baked-on food that needs to be thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned off. If it’s very thin and oily, it’s just the seasoning reacting to foods. Wipe off with lint free cloth. It will disappear with regular use and care.
  • Proper care & seasoning will make your cookware progressively more non-stick.
  • Acidic foods (citrus, beans, tomatoes) can weaken the seasoning. Avoid cooking these foods until the cookware is very well seasoned.
  • Suitable for all stovetops including induction, however, NEVER slide cookware on glass or ceramic cooktops to avoid scratches.
  • Not suitable for the microwave.
  • Some foods may stick the first few times of use. Use a little extra cooking oil until the seasoning is strong and settled.
  • Due to sand molding and traditional practices, each cast iron piece is unique. Your cookware may have some irregularities that are purely cosmetic and do not affect the use of the product.
  • ATTENTION: Use caution when moving or holding griddles that have removable handles. Removable handles can become undone from the griddle if carrying too much weight or carrying inappropriately. Never use the removable handles to carry the griddle while hot and/or with food items. Careful not to pinch the handles while carrying.

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Tortilla Press Instructions

The Victoria tortilla press has already pressed hundreds of millions of tortillas into perfection – both at home and in authentic restaurants all over the world. Download instructions here