The unofficial start to summer is just weeks away, so it's time to get the gear ready for the first camping trip. Lets pull out the pie irons and clean them up so they are ready for pudgie pies!
Try as we might to always pack away our gear for the winter so it's ready to roll the next season, sometimes, life happens. If you left your pie irons packed away after your last meal, they may need some serious cleanup after sitting unused all winter.
To borrow a catch phrase from the 90's TV show Home Improvement, it's time for: "More power!" I like to power wash my pie irons and then give them a like-new seasoning. My method is: spray - heat - spray - heat.
Spray with the power washer. Heat to dry. Spray with vegetable oil. Heat to dry.
To clean my pie irons, I separate the two sides and lay the irons on the patio. Then, I hit them with the power washer. I blast out any stuck on food from the inside and then flip the irons over to blast away any soot and ash. Over the years I have used all the power washer tips-- well, not the soap one. Pictured here you can see the red zero-degree tip in use, but it doesn't always require such an aggressive tip.
The first time I tried this "more power" cleaning technique, I was nervous something less than desirable would happen. I didn't know if this would score the patina or cause it to flake, but I have power washed several brands of cast iron pie irons and I've never had a negative result. In fact, I think power washing is less damaging to the finish of the iron, than leaving them to soak in water in an attempt to remove stuck on food or ash.
After power washing both sides, I place the irons in a gas grill set to high, to dry and heat them. Once dry, I spray an even coat of vegetable oil onto pie iron, being sure to reach the corners and the hinge. Then I place them back into the grill to allow them to bake for about 30 minutes or until the oil is dry. This is the polymerization process that creates the seasoning.
If the the pie iron surface is sticky, you may have sprayed on too much oil or didn't let it bake long enough. As the irons are baking, your grill will emit some smoke. A good indicator that the baking is nearly complete is when there is no more smoke. Also, a very thick smoke is indicative of having used too much oil.
After this process is complete, the irons should come off the grill with a fresh layer to the patina, ready of another season of making perfect pudgies.