How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet

 

     Some of the best childhood memories are of grandmother dragging out her cast iron skillet and making some of the best scrambled eggs or grilled cheese sandwiches ever. She knew how to season a cast iron skillet properly so that even the stickiest foods never stick to the surface, and oh how everything just tasted so much better. These cast iron skillets are the epitome of non-stick surfaces and are much healthier than the newer models of non-stick pans.

Why should you season a cast iron skillet?

Cast iron skillets have to be seasoned because it helps close the pores of the skillet and makes it the best non-stick surface. In addition, it has health benefits in that minute pieces of iron are introduced into the foods that are being cooked in the pan, and this is great to help increase the amount of iron - particularly great for people with anemia. And more importantly, correctly seasoning and maintaining this type of skillet protects it from getting rusty.

For those who don't know how to season a cast iron skillet, there are some very simple steps, which are:

For a brand new skillet, wash it with mild soapy water to remove any adhesive from the packaging and scrub it with steel wool - this is the ONLY time that soap and water should be used on this skillet.

Dry the skillet thoroughly, and put a good coating of lard, or grease, or vegetable oil on the pan, so that the interior surface is thoroughly coated. For more info regarding 12 inch cast iron skillet with lid take a look at our website.

Heat the oven to 350°F (although there's a lot of disagreement on the range and it's anywhere from 250°F to 500°F among different chefs).

Lay the skillet in upside down on the top rack and make sure there's a cookie sheet on the rack below to prevent any dripping on to the oven itself.

Leave in the over for one to two hours.

Remove and set aside to cool thoroughly before using.

Once the skillet has been seasoned, it should never be washed again with soap and water. Instead clean the skillet by wiping it with a damp paper towel after each use. If foods continue to stick, it's a good idea to season the skillet again - beginning with the second step, don't scrub it again with steel wool or wash with soap and water. This time, put salt into the skillet and rub it with a paper town, then reapply the lard, grease, or oil, heat again, and allow to completely cool before using.

One of the great benefits to a cast iron skillet, that is still unmatched in any of the newest technology of cookery, is the completely even heating that the skillet produces. There are numerous advancements, and still none are as safe (health-wise) as cast iron, and none heat as evenly. This makes a great gift for a new bride or a house-warming gift, but be sure they know how to season a cast iron skillet before they begin using this great tool.