arturner's Profile

Far less effort is to put the rusty cast iron pan in a fireplace or in a campfire or in the coals of a barbeque.

What is rust? Iron oxide. What does fire do? Consume oxygen. It's no effort at all to get the cast iron down to bare metal this way. The next morning after it's cool take it out and brush off the ashes. Season it immediately, because rust never sleeps.

This method also works to get rid of any accumulated grease or who knows what crud that is on a misused cast iron pan you find.