What's your fave way to season cast iron?

[88GT]

I got some cast iron for Christmas last year. I can't seem to keep my large skillet seasoned. It's a Lodge. The others (a small skillet and small pot with lid, non-Lodge) have never been a problem.

I have googled directions. (I've also emailed Lodge, but they apparently don't want to help because I haven't heard back.) I've seen everything from use only olive or canola oil to the old-fashioned lard/shortening. Temp recommendations run from 250 to 500. And there's dissent on how many times it has to go through the seasoning/heating process before it's fully seasoned.

I use this skillet exclusively. So I need something that will work.


I never use harsh detergents. Just hot water and the wash cloth. And I try to wash it before the food has a chance to dry/harden.

 

[lf19]

Bacon

 

[old shoe]

never wash with dish soap just heat and pad

 

[Bunnykid68]

Bacon

 

[rockhopper46038]

Shortening and bacon fat is what I use.

 

[Stschil]

I am not a big fan of Lodge. I always keep my eye out for pans at yard sales. Ill give $10-$25 for a nice old one.

Seasoning: Bacon grease, lots of it. Stick it in the oven on 200-250 for a couple of hours. Then wipe it out and store it 'wet'. I wipe all my cast down with vegetable oil after cleaning as well.

As for cleaning, I leave it hot and pour water into the skillet, it loosens baked on stuff, then I just wipe it out. I never soak them.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Shortening and bacon fat is what I use.

This is what I use also, low heat, treat a few times

 

[TTravis]

I just used my iron pot tonight. I made white bean corn chicken chilli.

The best way to season it is to use it and then clean up with vegetable oil.

I usually boil water and loosen up any junk, dump water. Repeat until no more junk. On last boil, dump water and wipe with towel and let water evaporate. While hot, wipe down with vegetable oil.

I love cooking with iron. I have 2 Dutch ovens, a pot, and a skillet. The skillet was a wedding present to my mother in 1958.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

I used to guess.
Now I know:

The Proper Way to Season Cast Iron

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Olive oil, but that's all I use anywho.

 

[Hiker1911]

Olive oil, but that's all I use anywho.

You gotta give those that are new to the kitchen-some real instructions!

Ingredients:
Cast Iron Pan
Paper Towel
Canola Oil

Use enough oil in one end of the wadded paper towel to cover the inside sides, and bottom of pan with circular motion (wax on-wax off). Repeat for second coating over the first coat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, and place pan in oven. Leave it in oven for 15 minutes. Remove pan and set on top of stove to cool, and turn off oven.

 

[Benny]

Bacon

/thread.

And I'm one of the people that get really annoyed with all of the bacon comments.

 

[IndyGunworks]

I use cast iron almost exclusivly and while my "seasoning" advice is differant than alot of what you read it does come from experience.

First, dont waste your time trying to season it w/ anything but olive oil. I dont know what it is about it but it will season your pan faster.

Second. put a healthy coating on it and put it in the oven at 300 for 2 hours. turn the oven off and let cool.

wash the pan w/ water and the most abrasive cleaning pad you can find. those copper sponges work great.

put it on the stove and heat it up to to make ALL the water evaporate. while its still warm use a paper towel to put more olive oil in it.

THATS IT!!!

every time you wash it use that copper sponge. I think it helps even the inside of the pan out which is more a part of the seasoning process than the oil is and quite honestly you can skip the whole oven deal as you will get way more out of frequent scrubbing and reoiling than that first 2 hours in the oven can ever do for you.

the last thing is use it. It normally takes me around 6 months of use 3-4 nights a week before it really starts to act "non stick"

thats my .02 and its worth at least that much.

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Anecdotes versus science.

Science wins.

Stop guessing, folks...
your grandma will thank you:

The Proper Way to Season Cast Iron

 

[Stschil]

Anecdotes versus science.

Science wins.

Stop guessing, folks...
your grandma will thank you:

The Proper Way to Season Cast Iron

My Grandma used bacon grease.....just sayin'.

 

[bobbittle]

I use vegetable shortening. Coat liberally and toss in the oven for a couple hours. Reseason yearly for best results.

 

[chezuki]

Heat pan on high burner, once hot wipe the inside with olive oil soaked paper towl. Leave pan on hot burned until it no longer looks wet and then wipe it with oily towel again. Repeat 3-4 times. The reason olive oil works quicker is that it has a lower smoke point than most cooking oils and the the "seasoning" on the pan is actually soot, not oil.

To easily clean tough burnt residue, use about 1/4 cup of kosher salt in the bottom of the pan and scrub. The coarse salt will scrape out debris without removing seasoning.

 

[Bunnykid68]

Dont make the mistake I made. I replaced my stove a few years ago and without giving cast iron any thought I bought one of those smooth surface stoves and they do not like cast iron on them.

 

[jeremy]

How to season cast iron cookware....

Woman, get in the kitchen. I'm hungry!

 

[JetGirl]

I used to guess.
Now I know:

The Proper Way to Season Cast Iron

I've pretty much always used that method, but with Pam spray.
Since I always have flax oil around, I'm definitely trying this. I just bought the kiddo some cast iron to move into her new diggs, so she'll have it forever if she cares for it properly. I think I'll give her a head start by seasoning the pieces for her. Totally trying the flax oil. It makes sense.

Dont make the mistake I made. I replaced my stove a few years ago and without giving cast iron any thought I bought one of those smooth surface stoves and they do not like cast iron on them.

On that note, my stove top has gas burners... her stove will have electric coils.
Anybody here use cast iron on electric stoves? Is it vastly different?