re: Advice on restoring a large black iron pot

First you need to build a good fire in a fire pit, turn the pot upside down and let the fire get hot and cook the inside good. Then hoses, off, Immediately- turn right side up and place fire underneath to get water out of the iron,

Then coat the sucker good with some lard, and put it back on the fire and let her got hot again. cool

if it looks good you are ok - if not add more lard and season it again

when it starts looking good fry fish it, that will give it more oil .Clean it reaoil, it keep it seasoned cook it don't let it setup and rust