FOOD NEWS
The Reason Your Cast-Iron Skillet Is So Annoyingly Sticky
By Elaina Friedman
At high temperatures, a cast iron skillet's seasoning oil becomes viscous through polymerization, where the oil bonds to the iron and creates a nearly nonstick surface over time.
If your cast iron pan has a sticky residue that doesn't come off after washing, the culprit might be overseasoning. The simple solution is to wash it with dish soap and water.
Steer clear of harsh steel wool scrubbers until after you've rinsed the soap, and use a small amount of suds with hot water to rid your pan of that scummy extra layer of oil.
If that doesn't work, restart your seasoning process. Place your clean, dry pan upside down in a 450 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit oven with a sheet of foil on the rack below.
After an hour or so, you should notice that some excess oil has dripped onto the foil. Repeat this process as many times as necessary until the surface is no longer sticky.