Cast iron is one of the best materials for cooking, as it retains heat well and evenly distributes it to food. But like all cookware, cast iron requires some maintenance so that it doesn’t rust or degrade over time. The good news is that seasoning a piece of cast iron is easy as long as you follow these steps:
Table of Contents
Seasoning is a term often used in cooking, but what does it mean exactly?
Seasoning is a process that creates a non-stick surface on the pan. Seasoning can be repeated and isn’t permanent. To season your cast iron skillet, rub oil into the pan (this includes vegetable or olive oil). You don’t want to use soap after seasoning your pan as this will remove any layers of polymers that are on the surface of your skillet.
Seasoning with oil puts layers of polymers on the surface of your skillet and gives you a more durable finish than if you just cleaned it off with soap before cooking in it for the first time! Some people prefer to season their cast iron pans before they use them while others like to do so immediately after cleaning it out from previous meals; both ways work fine!
The seasoning process is pretty easy.
To season a cast iron pan, you’ll need to heat it on the stove and then rub a small amount of oil into the surface. This creates a thin layer of oil on the inside and outside of your pan that prevents food from sticking to it. The seasoning process also makes the pan durable and easier to clean.
The seasoning process can be done multiple times over time as well—you’ll just need to add more oil every time you do it (on top of whatever cooking oils have already built up). So if you have an old piece of cast iron that’s been sitting around for years without being used, go ahead and season it again!
Cast iron is ready to use once it’s seasoned.
Seasoning a cast iron pan is the process of coating it with oil and baking it in an oven. This creates a layer of polymerized oil that forms a barrier between food and the metal surface, which allows you to cook with less oil than you would use in nonstick pans. Seasoning your pots also ensures that they won’t rust or react with acidic foods, like tomatoes or citrus juices.
While seasoning can be done on the stovetop by rubbing a new pan with oil and heating it over low heat, we recommend using an oven instead—this will give you even distribution and prevent any burning from excess splatter (as well as potential fire hazards). To do this:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). If you have multiple racks, place them so their spacing allows for air flow around each pan without overcrowding. This can help reduce scorching during cooking times later on down the line during regular use too!
- Coat both sides of your skillet thoroughly using vegetable shortening or lard; if these aren’t available at your local store then another common substitute is butter although since its fat content isn’t as high as those other two options we do recommend making sure whichever one gets used stays well away from any open flames while heating up—don’t say I didn’t warn ya!
Improve your cast iron with regular seasoning.
There are a few things you can do to make your cast iron pan non-stick and easier to clean. First, season it by coating the entire surface with oil (flaxseed oil or peanut oil are good choices). Then cook something fatty like bacon in the pan over high heat. Let it cool completely before washing off any excess oil with hot water.
After you’ve done this a few times, you will have formed a bond between your cast iron and the metal on which it was originally made—it’s called seasoning! You can then use less oil when cooking in order to reduce calories and fat intake, but remember that if you don’t season regularly over time, food may still stick to your skillet even if there isn’t an excess of grease present. Seasoning is necessary for any type of cast iron cookware: pots/pans; griddles; waffle irons; Dutch ovens; skillets; fry pans…
Clean cast iron after each use.
Once you’re done with your cast iron, clean it immediately. To do this, fill a pot or sink with hot water and add a few drops of mild dish soap. You should never use soap or detergent on your cast iron—it will create a chemical reaction that can damage the seasoning.
If you want to get into the nitty-gritty technical details (which I won’t bore you with here), check out this article by Cook’s Illustrated: It explains why using soap/detergent is bad news for your seasoning and explains how to properly clean your pan without them!
Next, make sure the pan is thoroughly dry before storing it in its place of honor on top of your stovetop or in a cupboard. Then just wipe off any excess moisture with paper towels until all that remains is smooth black metal lines etched into an otherwise shiny surface—not dark gray streaks from thin layers of dried grease or burnt food particles adhering themselves to rough spots in between those grooves!
You can tell that a pan needs to be reseasoned when food starts sticking to the pan.
Seasoning cast iron makes it easier to clean, but if you don’t season your cast iron regularly, you may find yourself scrubbing at a stubborn stain or rust spot. For best results, rub cast iron with oil when it’s hot and let it cool before washing.
When choosing which oil is right for your cookware, opt for one that can withstand high heat without smoking or burning up quickly—like coconut oil or avocado oil—or vegetable oils like olive or grapeseed oils. You’ll also want an oil that has a high smoke point so that it doesn’t burn while cooking (see below). If you’re worried about using animal products in your non-stick pans (like butter), there are plenty of plant-based options available as well!
Do NOT use soap on cast iron! The soap will break down your seasoning and make it difficult for future layers of seasoning to adhere properly. Instead use hot water and scrubbing bubbles if needed followed by a quick rinse with plain water (no soap).
Let the pan cool thoroughly before washing.
- Let the pan cool thoroughly before washing.
The first step to getting your cast-iron skillet back in shape is to give it ample time to cool down. Cast iron can be brittle when hot, so it’s important not to rush things while washing out the pan—especially if you’ve cooked anything acidic (like tomato sauce) or with any sort of sugar in it, which can cause rusting.
- Use hot water and a mild soap.
Wash pots and pans by hand using hot water only; never use harsh detergents or abrasive cleaners such as Comet or Ajax, because they’ll leave scratches that will make your cookware look less than beautiful over time (and could even compromise its longevity). Once clean, dry thoroughly with a towel before storing away again so that no moisture remains inside the pan that might cause rusting while stored away for an extended period of time without being used regularly again—this includes patting down any excess water after drying off the outside surface too!
Scrub the pan with a stiff brush and hot water–no soap!
To clean a cast iron pan, fill it with water and bring to boil. Remove from heat and let it cool before washing.
Using a stiff brush or sponge, scrub the pan with hot water and wipe dry with a paper towel or cloth. Don’t use soap unless you want to ruin your seasoning (the oil used to season the pan). Never put your cast iron in the dishwasher.
To further season after cleaning, rub the inside and outside of your skillet with cooking oil that has been heated on medium-high heat until smoking lightly (you can use tongs for this step). Wipe away excess oil while still warm; then let cool completely before storing away again.
Cast iron is an easy and durable way to cook, as long as you season it properly.
You’ve probably heard the term “seasoning” used in cooking. But what does it mean exactly? It simply refers to a coating of oil or fat that forms on a surface, like your new cast iron skillet. The seasoning process is very easy: just rub your cast iron with a thin layer of oil and heat it up in the oven at 350°F for an hour. After letting it cool down, wipe off any excess oil with paper towels. You can repeat this process several times before using your pan to cook food (be sure not to forget about that first batch of seasoning).
Once you’ve seasoned your pan and are ready to use it, make sure you don’t put cold water in hot cast iron—you could crack the surface! Instead, let the pan cool slightly after cooking before washing it by hand or putting it through the dishwasher (not recommended).
Conclusion
The answer to this question is yes, you can cook with sticky cast iron. Sticky cast iron is a problem for some people and not others. It’s something you have to deal with on your own by watching what you cook in it or how often it gets cleaned out.
