Cast Iron 101 - How to season and care for your cast iron skillet!
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I received a cast iron pan as a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law. A couple days later I was talking to my husband's grandmother (Grandma Z.), telling her about the pan. It was actually the second one I had owned. The first one we received as a wedding gift. It just sat in a bin downstairs in our basement for at least three years.
I finally sold it at a garage sale I had one summer because I just didn't have a need for it. Or so I thought. What I THOUGHT was that the pan was really heavy. I didn't like the noise it made if I scraped it against any of my other pans and I knew FOR SURE it was not going to be easy to clean. No thanks.
Silly girl.
Okay, so fast forward again to the conversation with Grandma Z. The first question out of her mouth was, "Did you season it already?" I looked back at her (kind of a deer in the headlights look) and said, "Did I do what now?" For the next 30 minutes I received my first Cast Iron 101. What did I learn? A lot. She even mentioned that Grandpa Z. wouldn't let her use any other skillet when she cooked on the stove (especially his eggs). The flavor just wasn't there. It took awhile, but now I totally understand Grandma Z.'s appreciation for cast iron.
Today I'm here to pass along some cast iron tips - how to season your cast iron pan and care for it as time goes on. Some of my favorite foods to use my cast iron pan for are steaks and over-easy eggs. I just used it last week to sear some scallops and they were DIVINE.
Okay, let's get started. We're going to talk about seasoning your pan first.
What does seasoning actually mean?
When you "season" a cast iron pan, you're actually just baking oil into the pores of the pan to prevent food from sticking to its surface. Normally you'll season a pan when you bring it home from the store brand spankin' new.
Now, some pans are sold already seasoned, some are not. If you notice that food is sticking to your pan, it's most likely not seasoned. And if you've had your pan for awhile and notice that food has started sticking to it again, you can reseason it at any time.
You begin the seasoning process by washing the skillet with soapy water and a plastic-bristle brush. This is the only time you get to use soap and water on your cast iron pan! Alright, let's keep, keeping on.
- If you notice there are some food bits stuck on the pan, use coarse salt to scour the pan, then rinse it and dry it well.
- Take a paper towel and rub a thin layer of vegetable oil on the inside and outside of the pan.
- Now, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of the oven with some foil and place the pan upside down on the top rack of the oven. Allow the skillet to "bake" for one hour, then turn the oven off and leave the skillet in there to cool.
- Store your skillet in a dry place without any cover. If your skillet has any rust on it, it's probably because it was put away wet or has been stored in too humid of conditions.
What do I do after I cook something in it?
- Rinse the skillet with water while it's still warm. Remember NOT to use soap.
- If there are any food bits, repeat step #1 above, using coarse salt to scour the bits away. This also helps to remove any flavors or odors that may be left from your delicious dinner you just cooked in the pan.
- Dry the skillet using paper toweling. Cast irons pans WILL stain towels. I learned this the hard way and ruined a flour sack towel my grandmother had given me years ago. Boo.
- Rub a few drops of vegetable oil on the inside of the skillet with a paper towel to restore its sheen.
- Store in a dry spot.
So, if you're anything like me, you still have at least one more lingering question. . .like:
Are you sure I don't have to use soap to clean the pan?
YES! The pan heats up so fast and so hot that it will kill anything left on its surface. Don't EVER put the pan into the dishwasher. The detergent and humid conditions will ruin the seasoning and encourage rust.
Tip: If your pan does rust, scour off the rust with salt and a plastic-bristle brush, dry and reseason.
Okay, so that's basically it. ENJOY your cast iron skillet and take good care of it. Cast iron can last you MANY years and can be passed down from generation to generation. If only I knew back then what a special gift we had received for our wedding. Well, live and learn I guess, right?
If you're a newlywed reading this post who also just received a cast iron pan, PLEASE keep it. Don't make the same mistake I did. You're going to love it. Believe it or not, flavors from the pan get better and better as time goes on. If you have owned your cast iron skillet for awhile, I'd love for you to share any additional tips or tricks you may have, as well as favorite foods you love to cook in it.
Janet
When something sticks to my cast iron skillet that does not come off easily, I pour enough water to cover the bottom of the pan and put it back on low heat then use a plastic scraper to lift the hardened bits off the bottom. Works like a charm and no soap required! This also works for stainless pans but add a bit of soap.
Nancy Lopez
I enjoyed your cast iron article so much!! I am going to get my parent big cast iron skillet out and re-season it !! It hasn’t been used in many, many years !! I inherited the family home place when my passed away. I moved back in to it in 1997, so I know it hasn’t been used since then for sure. I remember my parents using it mainly when they would take a ham out of the smoke-house to be cut..Oh I can still remember the smell of it cooking now in that old cast iron pan !!! I do now we used dish detergent and water back then to wash dishes in ( probably Tide detergent or Fab—this was in the mid 1950’s and early 1960’s ) …There is also a 12 inch one in the cabinet I am getting out to re-season !! If I hadn’t seen your article, no telling when I would have thought of those 2 frying PANS ! God Bless You … 🙏🙏🤗🤗🌹🌹🌹. Nancy Lopez (marviepooh@aol.com)
Christine Plante
The more the better lol
I have a large one for main meals, smaller one for sweets, flat round one for pancakes, a mini pan for a baked cookie dessert and a flat griddle that goes one a gas stove or for the grill. My grandfather was a blacksmith before I even knew him and he made them. My mother had hers all while we were growing up it is the only frying pan we ever knew.
I have not seen a cookie sheet but it might be pushing it lol
Cooking mama
You’re not even supposed to use water to clean cast iron pans....
Sara
You're right, you're not. But if you're working with an old cast iron pan and need to re-season, that's the only time it's allowed.
Danielle Wyatt
Thank u so much for this tutorial! Please forgive the question if it's dumb but when u remove rust with salt and brush do u do this without water? I hv a few cast iron skillets but some have rust and I'm totally scared of wrecking them completely! Also, when I tried to season one of them it came out sticky!
Sara
Danielle, I would add a little water to the skillets when you're cleaning them with salt. If you don't have an appropriate brush, some people use a half of a potato to rub the salt in. Supposedly it works well! Good luck and let me know how everything turns out!
Geri
I cook with my cast iron every day. I have used veg.oil to season my pans, recently I have been using a product called BuzzyWax. Can't say enough about this product. It's amazing. It's a paste made from oil and bees wax. Puts a great finish on the pans. Love it.
Yang
I've always wanted to own one. Now I'm considering purchasing one. I will put this information in mind. Thank you for this informative blog! I will take care of my cast iron well as soon as I purchase one.
Christine Plante
Yang look up the Lodge cast iron company. They have many and amazing products of all kinds even for camping. Definitely purchase one or a few they are so worth it. I have a large one for main meals, smaller one for sweets, flat one for pancakes, a mini pan for a baked cookie dessert and a flat non edged one for the grill. My grandfather was a blacksmith and that is how we grew to love them.
Judy Kuntze
Your blog was very informative but I have an additional question. I have approximately 15-20 PC's of cast iron and I need an effective way to clean to accumulated seasoning on the outside of the pans. It has made then bumpy and grimy looking and I would like to get them back to new and start re-seasoning them. They came from my 98 year old god-mother. I use them all the time and like you, LOVE THEM. THANKS
Sara
Hi Judy, it sounds like you have quite a job ahead of you with your godmother's pans. The best resource I could find for you is this: https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/12/how-to-restore-vintage-cast-iron-cookware.html. Good luck!!
Milissa Snow
I’ve used hot water and a wooden spoon to scrape off as much stuck on food as possible then dried the skillet with paper towels, put it on hi heat for one minute to dry completely.
After that I use 1/4 c oil and 1/2 c salt and scrub the skillet. I then rinse with hot water then put the skillet back on the stove for a minute. This cleans and seasons my pan.
Lawrence Regan
I love cooking Reuben sandwiches on mine, the texture of the bread is like no other when cooked on cast iron, and The Taste is so amazing, I have only had a cast iron skillet going on 1 year, and finding that the food tastes so much better. I never knew about using salt as a cleaner to get stuck on food off, thank you for that tip.
Sara
Your Reuben sounds incredible! I may just have to try that!
David Lord
Your advice is almost spot on. However, you left out one very important step in cleaning the pan. IF you rinse it in water (more on that if in a minute), you need to return the pan to the stove and allow it to heat up again so that the water in the pores of the pan evaporates or you will have rust.
Now, about that "if" I mentioned. I do NOT use water on my cast iron pans. How do I clean it? I take a paper towel and wipe it clean. If there are food particles stuck to the pan, I use some canola oil and coarse salt (sea salt or kosher salt) to scrub the pan and then wipe the pan out to remove the salt. This leaves a light coat of oil in the pan and no water was used.
Martha Rohrbacher
I have my great grandmother's cast iron "chicken fryer" - she passed in 1957. I also have my mother in law's identical covered deep cast iron pan - she passed in 1991 at 80. I accidentally discovered the course salt method of cleaning. I love doing chuck roasts low and slow in the oven in these pans and they are great for searing any kind of meat. I also have a 3 piece set of cast iron pans I got as wedding gifts in 1971. Would never give them up.
Sara
I've never done a chuck roast in my pans, Martha, but I love that idea. It sounds like you have a wonderful 3-piece set. I wouldn't give them up, either!
David
I have several cast iron skillets of different sizes. If I have cooked on food that doesn’t just wipe out with a paper towel, I use a coarse salt with a little bit of cooking oil.
After I have cleaned off the stuck on bits, I wipe the oil and salt out of the skillet. I do NOT use water.
After you wipe the salt out of the pan, you will notice that you will still have a thin coating of oil on the inside of the pan. That’s a good thing!
You don’t have to worry about any moisture hiding unseen on the surface that could cause rust this way, and you have the added benefit of having the thin coat of oil that will add to the pan’s seasoning the next time you cook with it.
Lynne
What if it is rusty
Sara
Hi Lynne, If you have rust in your cast iron pan, you may need to do a vinegar soak. Normally it can take a few hours but depending on the level of rust, the vinegar may eat away at it quickly. Keep an eye on it and as soon as you notice the rust is flaking away easily, scrub the pan with steel wool and warm, soapy water. At this point, you've removed all of the seasoning on the pan.
Dry the pan immediately and then follow the steps in my post to re-season your pan. Good luck bringing it back to life. I know you can do it!
Randy
Very good info for those that don't know. My dad used cast iron while hunting and camping. I was taught at a very early age the correct way. One of my favorite memories is when he would take rolls and drop them in the hot oil making us donuts.
I have used one of my 4 often. Potatoes, steaks, pretty much anything. To include a pineapple upside down cake of sorts.