When you first see the CM Scrubber you’ll probably say the same thing I did; “it’s too expensive!”
But the next time you have a crusty dutch oven to clean you’ll agree that it’s worth every penny.
Put some water in the oven while it’s still warm, and scrub away. The chain mail design won’t scratch, and is very effective at lifting tough baked-on residue. No soap needed, cooked-on crud will clean up easily and you’l have a clean dutch oven pretty fast without worrying about damaging the seasoning.
My CM scrubber lives in a plastic box in my kit along with a dish brush, camp suds, and a set of Lodge polycarbonate scrapers.
From Cooks Illustrated –
We passed this 4-inch square of stainless steel chain mail over a cast-iron pan encrusted with charred bits of sausage and another that we’d used for frying bacon. The linked steel rings effortlessly lifted away any stuck-on bits without damaging the pan’s finish. The scrubber itself took some scrubbing to become completely grit- and oil-free for the next use, but it dried quickly and didn’t rust. We’re even fonder of our cast-iron skillet now that we have a faster, tidier cleanup tool.
CM Scrubber Available at Amazon
I now recommend a very similar, larger and less expensive version of the scrubber: Inspired Basics Cast Iron Cleaner
If you are wondering how I wash dishes while camping, here’s my method.