In Everyday Life, Food, Homemaking
1600-x-900_Cast-Iron_Seasoning

Follow up post to Cast Iron Love

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ou’re finally doing it! You’ve got your cast iron and you’re ready to make the switch to getting the healthy benefits from cooking in these wonderful pots, pans and griddles. But how do you care for them?

Do not…I repeat DO NOT wash them like your other pots and pans. In fact, don’t use any soap at all! Gross, I know…but stick with me!

Whether you’re reviving your great-grandma’s crusty old cast iron, or you’ve just bought shiny new pre-seasoned cast iron, the following tutorial should be followed.* (Please read through this tutorial before beginning, it is a lengthy process and you’ll want to be sure you have adequate time to finish the job right.)

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You’ll need dish soap, some stainless steel scrubbers, rubber gloves (optional, wish I would have), heavy duty pot holders, organic flax seed oil (cold-pressed and unrefined…yes, you need it. If you don’t have it, buy it. Even if it’s only used for your cast iron…I’ll explain why later on in the post), some paper towels and a good dose of pent up energy!

Step 2: Heat your pans on the stove, carefully scraping off as much stuck on “goo” as possible with your stainless steel scrubber (if your pans are new, still heat them and proceed to step 3).

Step 3: Once your “goo” has loosened from the pan, take it to the sink and rinse off any bits with warm water (please be careful not to burn yourself, your pan WILL be hot!). Next, take some dish soap (this is the ONLY time I’ll tell you to use soap on your cast iron) and your stainless steel scrubber and go to town. My pans were very old and rusty, but thankfully didn’t have any sticky, built up oil, this can be the hardest part to remove. (Repeat steps 2 and 3 as many times as necessary to get all residue removed.) Your pans should now look dull, grey and lifeless. Well done.

Step 4: Place your clean, rinsed pan in a 200℉ oven to dry completely and open the “pores” of the iron.

Step 5: Carefully remove your pan (remember, it’ll be hot!) and turn off your oven, leaving the door propped open to cool down quickly. Give your flax seed oil a good shake and pour a small amount onto your pan. Take a clean cloth or paper towel and rub the oil all over the pan. Inside, outside, the handle, don’t miss a single spot.

Step 6: With a clean cloth or paper towel, wipe all the oil off. Yes, wipe it off…all of it. You’re not actually removing all the oil, but only a very thin layer will remain. You’ll wipe it so much it shouldn’t even look shiny anymore, just go with me on this.

Step 7: Place your pan UPSIDE-DOWN in a cool oven and place a sheet of tinfoil beneath the pans (this is to catch any possible drips, although if you followed step 6, this should not be an issue). Turn your oven to 500℉ (or the highest your oven will go, if not to 500) and, once it reaches temperature, set your timer and let your pan “season” for one hour. Then, turn off your oven and allow the pan to cool for two hours. (Repeat steps 5-7 at least six times before using. I did this over the course of three days, just letting the pan cool in the oven overnight, then resuming the next morning. Just resist using your pan until the process is complete to ensure a nice, hard, non-stick surface.)

At this point you may be asking if all this is really necessary. Actually no, it’s not! You can still cook (fairly successfully) without following this process, but unless you want to be in a constant cycle of re-seasoning your cookware, you’ll trust me on this.

I have previously seasoned my cast iron with coconut oil, ghee, lard and bacon grease, but was having to re-season every couple of weeks. I found out that flax seed oil is unique because it is considered a “drying oil” which helps create a hard, non-stick surface on your pans. To get a little geeky on you, fat polymerization is maximized with a drying oil, and flax seed oil is the only drying oil that’s edible.**

So, unless you want to constantly battle sticking eggs, or constantly re-season your pans, you’ll follow this tutorial. Trust me here, it’s worth the time and effort for great cooking pans.

One might also be tempted to speed this process up by adding thicker layers of oil…DON’T DO IT! The results will not be the same…you’ll end up with gloppy drips and uneven surfaces and just have to start over. Thinner coats work best.

Most cast iron bought from the manufacturer is “pre-seasoned” using questionable oils, so it’s best to strip them and start fresh with high quality oil. Also, see below for a comment on who shouldn’t cook in cast iron skillets all the time.

** Source: Ongoing Explorations, thanks to Sheryl for her scientific explanations that help extremely UN-scientific people like me understand what’s going on!

  • Many women and growing children have iron deficiencies and may benefit greatly from cooking in cast iron. However, it needs to be mentioned that women who are going through menopause or no longer menstruating and men who are no longer growing may accumulate too much iron in their systems, which can become dangerous. Always do your research and consult with a physician if you have questions or concerns regarding your health. (Visit The Healthy Home Economist for a post with more information regarding health concerns of cooking with cast iron.)
  • Nothing like showing the world the inside of your oven to make you realize it needs a cleaning! Some people!
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Showing 8 comments
  • Avatar
    Mia
    Reply

    So organic olive oil won’t suffice?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Mia, unfortunately no. Olive oil is not a preferred cooking oil as it can form free radicals (no-no’s) when heated too high. If you’re SUPER careful never to heat your pans above 350 you might be fine, however I wouldn’t take the chance…I’m a mom of littles! If the time to season your pans with flax-seed oil is prohibitive, try using lard. I usually strain my bacon drippings (nitrate free) and store them in a jar next to the oven so I can quickly dip in and re-coat my pans after each cooking. Technically flax-seed oil should never be heated, but there is a chemical reaction during the polymerization where all free radicals essentially “fall off” the pan and a nice hard coating remains, not so with all oils. Good luck!

  • Kourtney
    Kourtney
    Reply

    Thanks for getting all “geeky” on us! As I was reading through this, it threw me back to childhood, and I could have sworn I could hear my Dad’s voice as I read your words. Especially the part about not using soap…ever. Then, I came across your gem about flax seed oil. Eureka! I do believe I do believe I have something new to share with my “seasoned” cast iron buff of a father. Tx! 😉

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      It’s always so fun to learn new “tricks” to share with those who love cast iron! I’ll be writing a follow-up post soon, but do want to mention that I’ll be adding a few layers to my seasoning as I’m thinking six isn’t quite enough.

  • Avatar
    Mia
    Reply

    Ah man, I completely destroyed and then DISCARDED a cast iron pan a few years ago. Kicking myself! But you’ve inspired me to try again. 🙂

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Oh no! From my understanding, cast iron is hard to destroy (which is usually why people usually inherit them from grandparents!) but can be brought back from the brink with a little TLC. Better luck in the future…it’s worth a second try!

  • Avatar
    Tammy
    Reply

    AWESOME! I’ve been waiting for this post, I have never used flax seed oil…. mmmm now I know why I have had to re-season every three weeks or so! Thank you…. but now the work begins… 🙂 Thanks!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Me too Tammy! It was a lot of upkeep constantly re-seasoning. Let me know how this method works out for you. We’ll be posting about “Cast Iron Care” soon to help with the day-to-day usage of your pans.

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