Have a grungy cast iron pan you inherited that you're afraid of? No need to be. Cast Iron surgery coming your way! How to clean and season a cast iron skillet.
If you search the Internet you'll find a multitude of ways to season a cast iron pan with a variety of temperatures and materials. All of them involve rubbing the cast iron skillet with some type of oil and heating it in the oven (or even on the stove).
So a few years ago with a bunch of cast iron pans from a garage sale in hand, I tried them all to see which method was the absolute best. Cause that's what I do in my spare time. Well, that and slow dance to The Carpenters in my kitchen.
I already had a method for seasoning cast iron that that I liked but I figured I might as well see if there was anything better out there.
This same reasoning led me to abandon my regular jeans in favour of a pair of jeggings. The experience was horrifying all around. I'm back to jeans.
Almost all of the Internet suggestions say to coat the cast iron pan with whatever you're going to coat it with and then place it in the oven, upside down, over tin foil. This allows the extra oil to drip off, so in all experiments I used the upside down method.
Different sites recommended different oils including Vegetable oil, Lard or Shortening.
I tested each of them.
- First I tested Crisco (solidified vegetable oil) using the upside down method at a temperature of 500 °F for 1 hour.
- Second I tested Lard (animal fat) using the upside down method at an oven temperature of 500 °F for 1 hour.
- Third time around I tried liquid vegetable oil at 300 °F for an hour.
- Fourth I tried lard at 300 °F for an hour.
All of these were recommended methods on the Internet.
The winner? Using Lard (animal fat) at 500°F for 1 hour. (actually 1 hour and 15 minutes seemed best).
The only time you should use a vegetable based oil (solidified oil, shortening is best) to season a cast iron pan is if you are vegan or vegetarian. Using a vegetable based product for seasoning cast iron leaves a sticky residue. It's pretty awful.
By the way you can also buy a pre-seasoned cast iron skillet and avoid all of this trouble. I've never used one so I'm not sure how well they work.
How to Season a Cast Iron Pan
- Make sure skillet is clean and very dry before you season it. If your skillet has come to you from someone else (or the garbage) scrub any rust out with steel wool.
2. If steel wool isn't doing the trick you can place your dirty, disgusting, rusty cast iron skillet into your self-cleaning oven for the shortest time period allowed. Remove and wipe clean.
3. If you don't have a self cleaning oven, coat your cast iron skillet with oven cleaner, put it in a plastic bag and leave it overnight. Clean it in the morning.
4. Once your skillet is prepared for seasoning, grab yourself some lard or shortening. Remember, only use shortening if you absolutely have to due to being a vegetarian or vegan. And honestly, even then ... just use lard. I won't tell anyone other than the Vegan/Vegetarian association of the World.
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5. Take a small amount of lard and rub around the bottom and sides of the pan. You don't need a ton.
6. Line the bottom rack of your oven with tin foil.
7. Place your greased cast iron skillet over the foil upside down (so the drips will be caught by the tin foil)
8. Bake in a 500 °F oven and for 1 hour, 15 minutes. You need a high temperature for carbonization to occur. I think.
9. When your timer goes off, turn your oven off and open your oven door part way. Cast Iron has to cool down gradually. If you bring it right out into the much cooler room the skillet might crack.
You might need to season a brand new pan a few times before you're satisfied with it.
I have a good technique for cleaning a horrifyingly gross wood cutting board in case you have one of those hidden too.
QUESTIONS/ANSWERS
Does seasoning cast iron produce smoke? OH YES! Your house will fill with smoke and your eyes will water so make sure when you season cast iron your windows are open and your exhaust is on.
How often should I season my cast iron pan? Do your initial seasoning whether it's a new or a used pan. If you cook in it regularly you shouldn't need to season it again! Clean it gently and don't scrub it or you'll scrub off the seasoned coating. If you do scrape it off because you maybe burned something in your pan and scrubbed hard to clean it, you will have to re-season.
Will my pan rust? Cast iron only rusts if it's left wet or damp. Dry it thoroughly after washing and you're fine.
What's the deal? What's so great about cast iron? Good question. Cast iron lasts for years. Like I'm talking 100 years if you take care of it (by cooking in it). Cast iron is naturally non stick (once you season it) and only gets better with age.
Does Cast iron add iron to your food? Yes! It really does. Weird, I know. In fact it adds significant amounts. The longer you cook something in it then the more iron is absorbed. So a quick cook frying an egg won't transfer lots of iron but slow cooking a batch of spaghetti sauce in cast iron will.
What temperature to season cast iron? 500°F for 1 hour is the method I've always used.
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Jack James
In your article you mention slow cooking spaghetti sauce. DONT DO THIS!
Tomatoes are very acidic and this will remove your seasoning over time. If you cook tomato sauce you will have to season much more often!!!!
But thanks for the article! I did it with lard for 1:15 and I've never had a better cooking surface!!!
Pauliene Brierley
Unfortunately I do not have an oven, so I simply heated my pan and seasoned it with lard. Let it cool down. Did this three times. Pan is still sticky. Also season pan after use. I do not use soap when cleaning it and so on.
WEESIEONPI
Karen, Thank you for adding the title of the post to the e-mail subject line (I'm a GMail user, if that makes any difference). All used to be "A New Post from the Art of Doing Stuff!". Now it's easier to find a specific post, although some of the suspense of wondering what incredible topic you've chosen to write about has gone!
Debbe Van Ness
Oh, I remember my mom using cast iron for everything. After we washed, which was basically wiping out, then gently washing, we placed them on the stove over very low heat to dry. I never remember her reseasoning. I, on the other hand, mess mine up all the time, and have to season them again. Think my favorite is the flat tortilla pan that has been around for ages and ages. Thanks! I love being reminded of the tried and true stuff. :-)
Question, if I get stuck on stuff, can I put water in skillet, set on stove and boil slowly, then use nonmetal spatula or something to scrape? I've done that before (maybe that's why I need to reseason)?
Leona Ferranti
I have boiled water in mine to remove burnt food off the bottom. Just use a stuff brush, not a metal spatula, then dry and then heat on stove add a very thin layer of oil if it looks a bit dry and heat on stove to set oil.
Marti_J
So am I not supposed to clean off the (heavy coating of) rust using a vinegar bath? Soaked it right off since I'm too lazy to scrub. LOVELY... but is that a "no, dont do that, Marti!" and if so, why?
Kelly ~ It took me 10 years to lose 10 pounds
Cast Iron Pans are awesome! For anyone who BBQ's steak STOP!!! Searing it on both sides on a cast iron pan (then let it "rest") makes for the perfect steak.
Karen
That's the truth. Even in summer I *rarely* BBQ steaks. Cast iron pans are the best for that. Plus then you can make a pan sauce if you want. ~ karen!
Rebekah
I love cast iron. And yes, I use it for lots of cooking projects. But I also love carbon-steel - which can also be non-stick without the nasty chemicals. Now, how do I season a large carbon-steel pan? I have a couple deBuyer pans that are awesome - basically, a very well made high quality wok with handles (the country fry pan) and while the small one seasoned no problem, I can’t seem to get the larger one’s seasoning to stick. I used to have a massive cast iron Dutch oven, but found I didn’t use it enough to warrant keeping it distorting my steel cooking shelves, so scrapped it in favor of carbon steel...but now I have a tricky time with keeping a seasoning. Still love it - awesome stir fries - but seasoning would be nice!
Ev Wilcox
I have a LOT of cast iron! They hang all over the walls in my kitchen, and some even lurk in the cabinets. I cook a lot less these days, and have been giving them away to my children now and then. I know you have a carbon steel pan and I want to try them, mostly because they aren't so heavy. Since Jamie is unavailable (damn!) and Idris is not around, wrangling iron is hard for me. I do have three "star" pans that are perfect. They will have to go only when I am no longer around to protect and love them! If any one has any suggestions or info on carbon steel I would love to hear from you! Thanks Karen
Heather
Perfect solution when one of the kids washes the cast iron pan with dish soap. Aargh! Thanks!
Ronda
Always enjoy your tips, what about coconut oil to season the pan? Did you do this in a gas or electric oven? I am new to gas ovens and not sure the foil on the bottom is a good idea, maybe on a tray on the bottom shelf?
Karen
Anything to stop the drips is fine Ronda. And no, I didn't try coconut oil. ~ karen!
Beaker
I prefer seasoning my cast iron on the gas grill outside to avoid smoking up the house...
Sabina
Brilliant!
Brenna
Great idea! I have a ‘vintage’ home with no hood in the kitchen to vent smoke so this will save me a lot of headache when I finally get around to cleaning and seasoning my Grandmother’s Griswolds.
Susan Claire
Sorry to be the dissenting voice here, but I never saw the attraction of cast iron. Too heavy, a pain to clean, and it beats up the porcelain in my sink. Give me good old stainless steel any day.
Karen
It's not even close to being a pain to clean if it's a seasoned pan! And nothing will do a better job of searing chicken or potatoes than cast iron. You get a perfect crispy sear plus it doesn't stick. I won't convince you to change your mind, I know that, lol. But if you used a properly seasoned, old cast iron pan you'd see the light. ;) ~ karen!
Mike
Thanks for the valuable info, I do love my cast iron cookware. And the first '"rock" concert I ever attended was the Carpenters. Now that I think about it, that's about the same time I got my cast iron skillet. Yeah, I see the connection now.
Karen
Ha! ~ karen
Sabina
I use cast iron pans every day! And on my new cast iron pan “shrine” (just completed last night) I have cast iron trivets as “bumpers” to keep the pans from leaving marks on my wall! Great post!
Karen
Nice! ~ karen
Brenna
I love what you did with your kitchen. And that coffee percolator! Those glass ones are amazing to watch.
Sabina
Thanks Brenna! I use those coffee pots daily, thee worlds best cup of coffee indeed! This upcycled media cabinet takes the place of a wire bakers rack, chest of drawers and corner microwave stand. I think we hit a homerun with this one!
Thandi
Okay people, I'm still in shock about the lard. YOU BUY LARD IN THE SHOP AND IT'S NOT 1903? Your countries are strange and unsettling...
Karen
Ha ha! Yep. Lard in the shops. Or at the butcher shop. Lard has actually had quite a resurrection in the past several years. It's no longer seen as bad for you. In fact they're finding animal based fats are indeed good for you. NOTHING makes a better pastry crusty than one made with butter and lard. ~ laura ingalls
Judy
My biggest regret with my newer gas stove is the lack of a pilot light. The little flame kept the oven at the perfect temperature to dry cast iron, raise yeast dough and take the chill off dinner plates.
Susan Claire
You are so right-I remember my mother putting bread to rise on the stove right over the pilot light. I blame all my yeast failures on this modern lack!
Lianne
Dang, I was really hoping you had tried the Sheryl Canter method cause I'm too lazy but I want to know if she is legit. Any chance I can talk you into it?
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
Kelsey
I have used that method for years but it sucks in my opinion! The seasoning isn't as hard and durable and doesnt last even with really gentle care. I am going back to the lard method because I've ended up with such a cracked and craggy surface that the entire pan needs to be stripped and re seasoned. Super annoying! I'd go with the lard method. Cheap and effective!
Kathy D
I use that method, although she’s made a slight adjustment for after the pans are stripped & go into the oven. I currently have six old “branded” frying pans waiting to be treated!
And yes, her method is time consuming, but the results are fabulous!
Jo
I was of the thought that you never made tomato recipes eg. Pasta sauce in a cast due to the acid in the Toms. Am I incorrect? I do have a cast pot that I use for soups and stews just not anything with Toms in it.
Karen
Yup, that's one of those myths everyone believes because everyone has heard it, lol. Tomatoes are perfectly fine in cast iron as long as it's well seasoned. And even if you cook them in a pan that isn't seasoned well all you'll end up with are tomatoes that may or may not have a metallic taste to them. :) ~ karen!
Ev Wilcox
I too thought one should never put a tomatoey recipe in cast iron. Thanks Karen!
Barbara H.
When I needed to season my pans, I did some Internet searching and found a site recommending flax seed oil. Their was a full explanation of how to do it and why, which of course I don't remember now. It worked well for me. Wish I could remember the web site.
Fiona Mae
i don't know if this is the same site you found, but the info is good.
https://www.thekitchn.com/i-seasoned-my-cast-iron-pan-with-flaxseed-oil-and-heres-what-happened-224612
Barbara H.
Thanks, Fiona Mae! This article refers to the one I read by Sheryl Canter. I discovered I had printed out the Canter article and hid it away in a notebook so I was able to confirm that she was my source. You gave me the incentive to do a little looking online and here at home so I'm now in good shape with the information about using 100% flax seed oil.
Barbara
Zoe
Someone asked what J Cloths are. They're the same thing as Handi-wipes.
I also saw mentioned you can use vegetable oil to season your cast iron. This is true however the caveat is your cast iron will begin to have a sticky feel to it if you do.
I first time season all my cast iron with bacon grease. We don't eat bacon very often so I save the grease in the freezer in small amounts, just enough to season a pan. Once a year I wash my cast iron with soap & water with deeply scrubbing and re-season with the saved bacon grease. Open up every window in your house and set a fan facing a window to blow the smoke out. It WILL smoke like crazy. During the year I use a plastic scraper to get the chunks of food out, lightly scrub my skillets with chunky sea salt (no water) and wipe clean with paper towels. My cast iron has a beautiful think black seasoned finish to it and are wonderfully non-stick.
Karen
Yup. I mention in the post that vegetable oil is only a viable option if you're vegan and don't want to use an animal product. "If you’re a vegetarian or vegan you can use solidified vegetable oil, but I found it left a sticky residue after seasoning." :) Love my cast iron. ~ karen!
KGB
FYI Folks,
Crisco will actually damage your arteries more than lard because it has hydrogenated (artificially made solid by adding stuff that isn't natural and isn't good for you) fat.