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Seasoning Cast Iron

Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the "grandfather" to today's "non-stick" cookware. Cast Iron Cookware must be seasoned properly and it will last a life-time.

New Pans
  1. Heat the oven to 250° - 300°
  2. Coat the pan with a solid vegetable shortening, bacon grease or lard, do not use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
  3. Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease. Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger "seasoning" bond. Also, when you put the pan into service, it is recommended to use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.

Alternatives

I just wanted to share with you how I clean my cast iron skillets. I put them in a self-cleaning oven upside down and clean for 3 hours. My oven and pans are like new. My sister could not clean our Mom's skillet that was very old. I cleaned it in my oven and it looks like new. I re-seasoned them after cleaning. I could not believe all the burned ash from these pans that was left in the oven. Hope this helps someone. It requires no physical work.

Cleaning

After cooking in the pan, DO NOT use a detergent to clean it. That will destroy the seasoning. Put hot water in the pan and bring it to a boil. CAUTION: Do not put cold water in a hot pan! Let the pan soak for several minutes, then wipe it out with a paper towel. If something sticks, scrape it with a spoon to dislodge it. Do not use a brillo pad to scour it! An abrasive pad cuts into the seasoned surface. Then, reheat the pan and apply a fine coating of shorting, oil, or Pam. Do not apply enough to run. Just enough to wet the surface with a fine layer.

Pans needing Re-Seasoning

If the pan was not seasoned properly or a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned.

  1. Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad. I understand that heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
  2. Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
  3. Season the pan as outlined above.

Cleaning & Re-Seasoning Cast Iron Cookware
Use CAUTION when using any chemical product and carefully read the label on the container.

This method is used to remove years, or decades of burned on grease, or layers mixed with bare metal often found in old, or poorly seasoned cast iron cookware. Begin by spraying the pan with oven cleaner and putting pan in a plastic bag for a couple of days. The bag keeps the oven cleaner from drying out so it will continue to work. After that, remove the cast iron pan from the bag and scrub it off. I use a small brass brush marketed for cleaning white wall tires available at the automotive department. It is just the right size for doing pans. If all the burned on grease doesn't come off, repeat the process, concentrating the cleaner to the areas not cleaned.

To remove rust, buff the pan with a fine wire wheel in an electric drill. Crusted rust can be dissolved by soaking the piece in a 50%solution of white vinegar and water for a few hours. Don't leave it more than overnight without checking it. This solution will eventually eat the iron!

After removing the burned on grease and rust, you are ready to season the piece. Put the pan in the oven to warm it. Remove it and apply solid shortening, lard or bacon fat. Put it in the oven at 225 degrees for half an hour. Remove it and wipe it almost dry. You don't want any pooling of the shortening left in the pan. Place it back in the oven for another half hour. The initial seasoning should be accomplished at this point. However, typical of cast iron cookware, the more you use it (and don't abuse), the better it will be. It is generally recommended that you cook fatty foods (bacon) in the pan the first few times you use it, as this adds to the seasoning process.