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cast iron skillet
Kitchen Gear

How to Season and Care for Cast Iron

Time needed

1 h 30 min

What you need

  • Cast iron pan
  • Neutral cooking oil (canola, grapeseed or sunflower)
  • Paper towels

Tools

  • Oven
  • Stiff brush or steel wool
  • Baking sheet or foil
Table of contents
  1. Why seasoning matters
  2. What oil to use
  3. Daily care
  4. Fixing rust

Cast iron scares people more than it should. Seasoning is simply thin layers of oil baked onto the metal, which turn into a hard, slick coating. The more you cook, the better the coating gets. Here is how to season a new or rusty pan and keep it in good shape.

Why seasoning matters

Bare cast iron is porous and will rust. A seasoned surface protects the metal and makes food release easily. The coating is built by heating a thin layer of oil above its smoke point so it bonds to the iron.

|A well-seasoned skillet turns black and glossy over time.
|A well-seasoned skillet turns black and glossy over time.

What oil to use

Flaxseed oil makes the hardest finish but can flake. For a practical choice, use canola, grapeseed or sunflower oil. Avoid butter and olive oil for seasoning. They are fine for cooking.

Daily care

  1. After cooking, scrape out food and rinse with hot water.
  2. Scrub with a brush. A little soap will not hurt a seasoned pan.
  3. Dry it right away on the burner for a minute.
  4. Wipe on a few drops of oil with a paper towel and buff until it looks dry.

Fixing rust

If you spot rust, scrub it off with steel wool, wash, dry well and season the pan again from step one. It is fully recoverable.

  1. 1

    Wash and dry the pan

    Scrub with hot water and a brush to remove dust or rust. Dry it completely, then warm it on the burner for 2 minutes to drive off every drop of moisture.

  2. 2

    Apply a thin layer of oil

    Rub about a teaspoon of oil all over the pan: inside, outside and the handle. Then wipe it all off with a clean paper towel as if you made a mistake. The layer should be barely visible.

  3. 3

    Bake upside down

    Place the pan upside down on the middle rack at 230 °C (450 °F) with foil on the rack below to catch drips. Bake for one hour.

  4. 4

    Cool and repeat

    Let the pan cool in the oven. For a stronger finish repeat the process 2 or 3 times.

    cast iron pan

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