How To Season Cast Iron

Seasoning a cast iron pan is the key to unlocking its full potential in the kitchen. With a well-seasoned pan, you can enjoy the benefits of natural non-stick cooking, exceptional heat retention, and even enhanced flavor in your dishes.

[{"selector":"#anim-38ef0e4d-fffc-4a6d-8f13-a70cbc105578","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7cf1e9bd-f69b-46d9-990e-7a7e8df52270","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -122.34%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Show me all the details!

Quick Steps For Seasoning Cast Iron

[{"selector":"#anim-374f1d27-4ed8-4e70-92db-dbdd8f70a173","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-94acf085-dbd5-46bd-99ff-2fabe8fc90ad","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -186.32479%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Full Recipe!

1. CLEAN

Always start with a clean skillet. For stubborn stuck-on food, a paste of coarse kosher salt and water can be used as a gentle scrub. Swipe Up For Full Details!

2. DRY

Dry the skillet completely. Wipe it dry with a kitchen towel, then heat it over medium heat on the stovetop until all the moisture evaporates. How to season cast iron

3. OIL

Pour one teaspoon of oil into the skillet and rub thoroughly all over with a folded paper towel. Carefully flip the pan over, add one teaspoon of oil on the underside and repeat the process, rubbing all over, including the handle. Continue buffing until the oiled pan no longer appears greasy. Swipe Up For Full Details!

4. BAKE

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Arrange a baking sheet on the center rack to catch any drips of oil that might come off. Place the skillet upside down and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. Swipe Up For Full Details!

5. COOL

Turn off the oven and let the entire pan cool to room temperature. You can take the pan out if you need to or leave it to sit and cool inside the oven. Swipe Up For Full Details!

WHAT IS A SEASONED CAST IRON SKILLET?

[{"selector":"#anim-1196b545-51a3-4821-ab9c-4faaa28dde33","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-268104da-c8bf-446e-a87a-23a4bc0974f2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -186.32479%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

To “season” cast iron refers to the process of creating a protective layer on the surface of the cookware to enhance its non-stick properties, prevent rusting, and improve its overall performance.

[{"selector":"#anim-6902bc4d-1b66-4d3b-804b-e231d301b504","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3ed53d5-ab75-485a-88c8-6b20e1f0dadb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -138.0204%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

WHY CAST IRON SKILLETS NEED TO BE SEASONED

[{"selector":"#anim-4e1e92fb-e45b-4424-858e-e1c35350d75e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-10db9b49-31dd-46eb-a0dc-282c2ce6c404","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -158.09871%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

Seasoning involves applying oil and heating it to a high temperature, which polymerizes the oil and forms a durable, non-stick coating.

[{"selector":"#anim-69f5d061-e0cb-4606-8423-4ee81fcb2c42","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-29461dae-2679-41fe-9042-aada401cb415","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -151.76426%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

ADVANTAGE OF A WELL-SEASONED CAST IRON SKILLET

[{"selector":"#anim-ea277569-9998-4004-8f91-1485e274b3cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e927d489-eb76-42f1-9ea2-1eb8afe079d2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -176.97553%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

This process is called polymerization, which happens by heating an oil past its smoking point, thereby carbonizing it and effectively bonding the carbonized oil to the pan. This bond fills the otherwise porous surface and leaves you with a slick cooking surface.

[{"selector":"#anim-382c0e1a-7856-42e3-aff1-c79a5ddd577c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7a291d39-4e18-4a58-964b-c3a6d7a235a3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -133.23692%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Swipe Up For Details!

Stories

[{"selector":"#anim-de92c1fd-81a7-49bf-a090-ed91a8b2a8d9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d71b3001-7a0a-42fc-ac4b-ede1a4721b2c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-01bbe77f-4c33-4bd5-bedf-5170417d0f09","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-deb7948e-9e10-44b5-8a88-29ae331180e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6784ddba-e5ec-4d14-aca5-282e7c8380e8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bad6202-2407-4768-bb46-ffaaf4d0783d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.18988%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be8421b5-b610-4a62-9c46-a714db0eb38e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-113c8ce7-9b02-4afb-a1c1-f47f6cffc2e5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7f1d7d5b-5879-41f8-8931-b9fd1e32fc71","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3c9e834-af8d-409d-b93c-b4238c21e739","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2307a47b-a5d8-4b66-a6c0-39f4bdc78d37","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-507d613f-20cf-4888-bb30-b73d460a7626","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d2039c5-9dd6-48b0-8ca6-8605c3afdf70","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1200,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-140cdfd1-a603-48ef-8cd2-ad5db5ac6d7d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(132.21475%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07633368-b401-401f-9d2c-5237bd3a7806","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47b0167f-e3fa-4a6c-be98-a3dbab63bc5d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]