How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet
Do you have an old, rusty skillet lying around that is in desperate need of some restoration? Don’t fret! Today, I’m going to teach you how to season a cast iron skillet and restore it to it’s former glory in just a few easy steps!
Cast iron skillets are incredibly versatile cooking tools, but they do require some special care to keep them in fighting shape. If you prefer, check out the video below and watch the whole restoration and seasoning process!
Supplies Required to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet
You will only need a few inexpensive supplies to restore and season your cast iron skillet. In fact, you probably already have them lying around your house or hiding in your pantry!
1. Coarse Kosher Salt
2. A rag you don’t mind getting dirty
3. Cooking oil (vegetable, canola, of flax seed) NOT OLIVE OIL
Scrubbing Your Skillet
You want to avoid using soaps or harsh detergents on your cast iron skillet as this can ruin your seasoning and even cause corrosion. Instead, you will use the coarse kosher salt as an abrasive to scrub off any food residue that is baked onto your skillet.
First, wet your skillet with some very hot water to help loosen up any food residue. You never want to let your skillet soak in water as this can cause rust, but adding a little hot water to the bottom for a couple minutes will make scrubbing it much easier.
Next, add some coarse kosher salt to the skillet and mix in some hot water to make it a little slushy.
Now take your rag and start scrubbing! With a little elbow grease, you’ll be surprised how quickly all that old food residue comes off your skillet.
Make sure to scrub the sides and bottom of your pan as well, and then rinse all the salt off.
Dry Your Skillet Thoroughly
Once you’ve rinsed off your skillet, it’s important to dry your skillet thoroughly. This is important for a couple reasons. First, residual water in the pan can quickly lead to rust spots. Second, if you don’t dry it completely, moisture can seep into the pores of the cast iron and interfere with the seasoning process.
Use a rag or paper towel to remove most of the water, then place your skillet on your stove top for a couple minutes with the burner on high to boil off any remaining moisture. Now just let your skillet cool until it’s warm to the touch.
Before moving on to the next step, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Oil Your Cast Iron Skillet
Once your skillet has cooled to a safe handling temperature, it’s time to give it a layer of oil. I used vegetable oil but you can also use canola oil, or even flax seed oil. In fact, flax seed oil is considered the gold standard for cast iron skillet seasoning because it has a very high smoke point and dries the hardest, creating a great cooking surface.
You should avoid olive oil for seasoning because it can go rancid.
Add some oil to your pan and then rub it evenly all over the cast iron, working it down into the pores. Don’t just oil the cooking surface, but rub down the entire skillet, inside and out, including the sides, the bottom, and even the handle.
Now, take a dry towel, and rub off all of the excess oil.
Season Your Skillet in the Oven
When you’ve finished adding a layer of oil to your skillet, it’s time to cure it in the oven. Place your skillet in the oven and let it cure at 450 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour.
450 deg. F, for 45 min-1 hour
The skillet seasoning process requires high heat for a fairly long time. This brings the temperature above the oil’s smoke point and actually causes it to bond with the cast iron. If you notice your skillet smoking, this is normal and means it’s not finished curing yet, so give it more time.
After about an hour, your cast iron skillet should be well seasoned.
BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL REMOVING YOUR SKILLET FROM THE OVEN. IT WILL BE EXTREMELY HOT. SET IT ON TOP OF YOUR STOVE AND LEAVE IT ALONE TO COOL!
If your skillet was in particularly rough shape like mine, you can repeat the whole seasoning process again. This will really allow the oil to get down into the pores and bond with the iron. I repeated the oiling and heating process one more time and my cast iron skillet came out great!
Cast Iron Skillet Maintenance
Now that you’ve put all that work into resurrecting your skillet from the dead, why not keep it nice? The best way to do that is to clean it right after you’ve finished using it.
Don’t just leave it on the stove with food or sauce in it. Give it a few minutes to cool down so you can safely handle it, then you should immediately remove all the food and juices from it.
Pour a little salt in your skillet, give it a quick scrub, and rub a thin layer of oil on it. Now just pop it back on a burner for a few minutes and you’re good to go for next time!
Conclusion
Cast iron skillets are wonderful tools in the kitchen. They do require some special love, but if you take care of them properly, they will become your best friend. If you follow the instructions above, you’ll learn how to season a cast iron skillet and bring it back to its former glory in no time!
I hope this article took away some of the uncertainty of caring for your cast iron skillet. If you have any questions or comments, please connect with me below!
Take Care,
Cody
Thistle Downs Farm