Seasoning Guide
A Complete Guide to Cast Iron Seasoning
Contents
- The First Cleaning
- Do You Need to Season Your Cast Iron: Pre-seasoning & post seasoning
- Recommended oils for seasoning
If you are thinking of buying a cast iron or learning to master it, you are at the right place. Cast iron, unlike other cookware, needs a different kind of care and the process can be a little daunting.
Here’s a complete guide to cast iron – including seasoning, cooking, storage, reviving, and everything you can think of!
The First Cleaning
- If you are unwrapping your new cast iron skillet or pan – the first thing to do is wash it in hot and soapy water (when it comes to new cast iron cookware, using little dish soap and water is a good thing).
- It’s vital to do the first wash to remove factory residue.
- After the rinse, ensure to pat dry the cookware.
Do You Need to Season Your Cast Iron?
The simple answer to this question is YES! – the purpose of seasoning your cast iron is to make it non-stick. There are two ways to season your cast iron cookware: The Oven Method and The Stovetop Method. Before we get into that, we have to pre-season your cast iron.
3 Steps to Pre-Seasoning Cast Iron Cookware
Step 1: Scrub the cookware with steel wool and soap. This way, it will be 100% clean and ready to use. The steel wool acts as a buffer to help smooth out the bottom and walls to help the cast iron become non-stick.
Step 2: Dry the pans immediately when you wash them with soap and add oil or cast iron conditioner to avoid rust.
Step 3: Once it is clean, apply a coat of either vegetable oil or canola all over (outsides and bottom). The oil gets baked into the cast iron and prevents oxygen from rusting.
Oven Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F degrees. Place the oiled pans upside down and place a sheet of aluminum foil at the bottom of the oven. The foil will catch the dripping oil, prevent it from pooling in the pan and avoid damage.
Bake for an hour and let the cast iron cool inside the oven to room temperature.
Stove Top Method
Place the oiled cast iron on your burner and turn to medium heat. Wipe the oil with a paper towel when it pools. If not, it can cause damage.
Turn off the burner when it starts smoking. Leave the pan on the burner until it cools to room temperature.
3 Steps to Post-Seasoning Your Cast Iron Cookware
Step 1: After seasoning, rinse your cookware and use a non-soapy washcloth, sponge, or Brillo pad. If you wipe the pan with a paper towel and it comes out 95% clean, you are good to go!
Pro Tip: The key is to use only water to clean your cast iron after each use. This will not strip off the seasoning you worked so hard to build. If the cookware is greasy, using a little soap will help to remove the excess oil but avoid scrubbing it too hard.
Step 2: Dry your cast iron immediately!
Step 3: Rub oil on the insides (just where the food touches). It will create a final barrier between cast iron and oxygen. It will further actively season the cookware and help gain better non-stick properties.
Did You Know?
From sauté veggies, pork chops, fry eggs and bacon to gooey skillet cookie, you can make almost anything with a cast iron.
Bonus: You can take the cookware and head anywhere!
What Oils are Recommended for Seasoning Cast Iron
While all cooking oils and fats can be used for cast iron, here’s an informational chart on neutrality, smoke points and other helpful suggestions.
| Type of Oil | Smoke Point | Sauteing | Searing | Roasting | Frying | Baking | Finishing | Salad dressing | Seasoning | Flavour Neutral? |
| Avocado oil (Virgin) | 520° F | • | • | • | • | • | No | |||
| Safflower oil | 500° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | ||
| Light/refined olive oil | 565° F | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |||
| Rice bran oil | 450° F | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |||
| Soybean oil | 450° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | ||
| Peanut oil | 450° F | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |||
| Corn oil | 450° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | ||
| Sesame oil | 450° F | • | • | • | No | |||||
| Sunflower oil | 440° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | ||
| Canola oil | 425° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |
| Grapeseed oil | 420° F | • | • | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |
| Vegetable oil | 400° F | • | • | • | • | • | Yes | |||
| Extra virgin olive oil | 375° F | • | • | • | • | • | No | |||
| Vegetable shortening | 360° F | • | • | • | Yes | |||||
| Coconut oil | 350° F | • | • | • | • | No | ||||
| Flaxseed oil | 225° F | • | • | No |
Whichever oil you choose to use, keep in mind to heat up the pan to that oil’s smoke point. This creates polymerization, a process that helps in bonding the oil to your pan and create a layer of natural seasoning.
Your Must-Have Cast Iron Cookware for Camping
The key to success is being well prepared, especially if you are planning to spend time outdoors.
Kickstart your outdoor cooking adventures with either our individual cast iron pieces or with our best-selling 5-piece set of pre-seasoned cast iron cookware. It works great on open fire, on the stove/grill and in the oven. The kit includes a 10” skillet, 12” deep skillet with griddle lid, Dutch oven with lid, Dutch oven lifting tool and a pair of heavy leather cooking gloves for safety.
With the best cookware, you can have all your outdoor and indoor cooking needs covered.