Potjie past its prime?

Properly maintained, your cast-iron cookware should last a lifetime. But add some neglect to the equation and rust will wreak havoc on your pots, pans, and griddle. Here’s how you can bring them back from the brink.

We all jump in line to eat the food once it’s made, but you don’t ever see people queue to wash up the trusty old number 3 potjie once everyone’s had their fill. The last time I opened one of ours before this assignment, I was so disgusted that I simply dropped the lid on it again.

It doesn’t even have to be a potjie, because Schalk’s grill pan (also known as a griddle) had a layer of rust that had penetrated the seasoning slightly and after his numerous attempts to scrub it off, it still boasted orange pockmarks on the surface.