Most cast iron skillets these days come pre-seasoned, meaning they're ready for cooking on as soon as you take them out of the box. However, over time, the seasoning erodes, and you'll need to re-apply it by brushing the skillet with a thin layer of neutral oil and heating it until the oil bonds to the metal.
Initially, cooking in an unseasoned skillet would be a pain. Foods would stick and it would be a chore to clean. In time though, it would become seasoned from use alone. It would take some time but eventually a nice slick surface would form.
It can be beneficial to season your cast iron in the oven a few times a year. We recommend oven-seasoning when restoring a rusty cast iron pan. Follow our easy steps to season cast iron in the oven and download our Seasoning Guide to add a quick go-to reference to your cookbook.
Coat your new cast iron pan inside and out with bacon grease or olive oil, I prefer bacon grease. Put the pan in the oven and set the temperature to 400 degrees. After an hour, turn the oven off and allow it to cool. Your pan is now seasoned. Never wash the pan with soap of any kind!
The best is flax oil. The next best is soybean oil. The third best is liquid canola (not hydrogenated Crisco).
Oil, especially canola oil (bad, unhealthy oil), should not be used. If a quick oiling (not seasoning) in between is desired, it's best to use a high temperature oil like avocado. A quick rub can do the trick, if your pan looks a bit dry. I have one pan that is about 100 years old!
The method to cooking with cast iron on the stovetop is HEAT, do not add the cooking oil until the pan feels hot, because the oil will be the benchmark of the pan's readiness. If the butter sizzles, pan's ready. Oil slides across the pan with easy, pan's ready.
All in all, you'll want to do this oiling-and-heating process three to four times, to set down a good initial layer of your own seasoning. Once you're done, just let the pan cool down. It's now ready for cooking.
A well-seasoned skillet has a distinct look to it. It is noticeably dark with a shiny, semi-gloss finish. Of course, if you rarely use your cast-iron skillet, oiling it only two to three times a year will work.
Clean your cast-iron skillet each time you use it. Doing so prevents stuck-on food from staying on the skillet between uses. If the skillet is only slightly dirty, a quick wipe after cooking in it will work. If dirtier, or food is stuck, then scrubbing it is best.
Cast iron cookware's disadvantages include its heavy weight, the need for seasoning and maintenance, potential reaction with acidic foods, and lack of slickness for delicate cooking tasks.
Bake your cookware upside down at 450 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven for one hour. Allow the pan to cool down completely, and repeat three more times.
Easiest to Maintain: Le Creuset 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet
Le Creuset's skillets are coated with matte black enamel that eliminates the need for seasoning or special care when cleaning. You can use this pan over high heat and clean it with soap and water without a worry.
This whole “don't use soap to wash you cast iron” comes from back in the day when soap was made out of lye which is aggressive stuff. Nick Fields I don't use a lot but I use a pad a little bit of dawn. Cleans the pan perfectly, and I've never had an issue with sticking or rusting.
Common cooking oils like olive oil will gradually produce seasoning, but won't be as effective as grapeseed oil. Canola, other vegetable oils, and shortening are a little better.
Second, dry your skillet promptly with a dish towel or paper towels. Cast iron is a big hunk of iron, after all. Too much exposure to water will cause it to rust. You can still salvage a rusted pan by scrubbing and re-seasoning it, but it's more of a pain than just wiping the skillet dry every time you use it.
If you cooked something that stripped off a layer of seasoning on a part of your pan- you can run it through a few rounds of seasoning. You can't over-season cast iron so season as often as you'd like, but don't go crazy thinking you need to season your cast iron every Sunday.
Stainless steel pans are known for their smooth surfaces, which can make them easier to work with when cooking delicate items like eggs or fish. They are also less prone to sticking than cast iron pans, which can make them a better choice for tasks like sautéing or frying.
After you've cleaned the pan, make sure to rinse all the soap away with cold water and dry it well. Set your clean and dry skillet in a 200° F oven for 15 minutes. Heat opens the pores of cast iron, so that it will easily accept the seasoning.
Wipe it out: After your skillet has cooled and is warm enough to touch, wipe the interior to remove any oil or food residue. Cleaning cast iron when it is still warm will reduce the time and difficulty of cleaning your pan and help prevent food from sticking.