Scrub them with steel wool, coat them in oil and get them hot as the dickens. To answer your question though, the rust will not cause you any harm. It is just iron and oxygen.....

I love cooking in cast iron. It disperses heat evenly and retains heat well. A well seasoned piece of cast iron is non-stick without the questionable chemicals in the modern non-stick steel pans.

Do a quick online check for "seasoning a cast Iron pan" for a more detailed explanation of how to bring it back to good service. You will probably find many "only ways" to do it. Select the easiest and see how you like the results.

Good luck

Is the rust on Cast Iron Pans harmful if ingested?

Thank you for all your replies.

It is a Frying Pan only used for making Omelettes.
I did cure it once in the oven , and clean it with hot water and rub with Olive oil.


However it is permanently stained dark brown but does not coat the food.

Perhaps my oven is not hot enough?
I am still using it as it cooks so quickly and very well.

May be I will try Flax Oil![/QUOTE]

If using inside the pan, use it sparingly because it tastes bloody awful.

Scrub them with steel wool, coat them in oil and get them hot as the dickens. To answer your question though, the rust will not cause you any harm. It is just iron and oxygen.....

I love cooking in cast iron. It disperses heat evenly and retains heat well. A well seasoned piece of cast iron is non-stick without the questionable chemicals in the modern non-stick steel pans.

Do a quick online check for "seasoning a cast Iron pan" for a more detailed explanation of how to bring it back to good service. You will probably find many "only ways" to do it. Select the easiest and see how you like the results.

Good luck

No, it is iron oxide and Australian drinking water contains it - one of the problems of living in a country made of iron ore but our life expectancy is longer than yours so it can't be doing too much harm.