Basically, you just start with a clean skillet, Dutch oven or whatever you have. If it’s new, or hasn’t been used in years, then clean it with mild soap and water. Generally, a sponge or dish rag will do the job. If it’s rusty, you’ll need to get the rust off, then wash it up good. Make sure you dry it thoroughly before putting it away again or seasoning it. I dry it with a towel, then either set it on the back of my cookstove where it’s warm, but not too hot, or set it in the oven for awhile to dry it out. Cast iron is porous, so if it isn’t completely dry, it will be hard to get a really good season on the skillet, and it’s likely to rust .
Once you have a clean, dry skillet, you’re ready to season it. “Seasoning” here is not the same as spices you’d add to the food you’ll cook in your skillet. Here’s my method, but again, everybody does it different. People who have cast iron who come to visit us always say that things stick in their pans, and their skillets have a dull finish. Mine are usually shiny and nothing ever sticks. So, here are some tips to get you going.
The Quick (And Tasty) Way To Season
If your skillet is in need of seasoning, but isn’t rusty or brand new, there’s a quick and easy way to season it. Cook something greasy. I do one of the following:
Some people insist on cleaning cast iron the same as any other pan, with hot, strong soapy water. Well, I’m not one of those people. I know many people think you have to use soap to get things clean. That may be true with some things, but I’m “one of those” people who believes that the old ways are most often better than the new ways. My grandmama insisted on NEVER using soap on cast iron after its initial washing when you brought it home from the store. She was healthy and we were healthy. We never got sick because of not using soap on our skillets. Here’s what my grandmama always did, and this is what I do:
Although cast iron cookware can outlast most other kinds of cookware, it is certainly breakable, especially when it’s hot. So, don’t pour cold water into a hot skillet, or set it in the snow right after taking it off of a hot fire.
Rather than stack my skillets on a shelf like most people do with their pans, I hang my skillets on a beam over my kitchen. Some folks hang them on a wall. This keeps the air circulating so they don’t get rusty, and it keeps them from banging around and getting damaged.
If you’re going to have to store your skillet for awhile, make sure it’s completely dry before packing it away. This will help prevent rust. Also, make sure it’s well seasoned before you store it. Leave the lids off so that air can circulate, and try not to let it bang around on other things in the box.
To Make A Long Story Short . . .
Ok, that’s about it. Cast iron cookware is the best, and it’s actually very easy to use and take care of. To sum it up, wash a new skillet in mild soapy water before you use it. Dry it completely, and place it in a warm oven for a little while. Give it a light coating of tallow, lard or shortening, then return to a warm oven for a few hours. Repeat until you get a nice, shiny, non-stick finish. Clean it after each use by boiling a few cups of water in the skillet, then scrape out the food. Wipe it with a damp sponge and then give it another light coating of oil or grease before putting away for the next use.
If you have never used a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, or have put it aside for something more modern, I hope you’ll dig it out of your attic, dust it off and start using it. Once you get used to it, you’ll never want to use one of those light-weight pans again. Many foods, such as biscuits, cornbread, and even pizza crust are so much better in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Modern cookware just doesn’t measure up.
h/t Andrea Sisco
Once you have a clean, dry skillet, you’re ready to season it. “Seasoning” here is not the same as spices you’d add to the food you’ll cook in your skillet. Here’s my method, but again, everybody does it different. People who have cast iron who come to visit us always say that things stick in their pans, and their skillets have a dull finish. Mine are usually shiny and nothing ever sticks. So, here are some tips to get you going.
- Heat your clean, dry skillet in a warm (250 to 300 degree) oven.
- Once it’s nice and warm throughout, grease it with a thin coating of tallow (LINK TO RENDERING ARTICLE), lard or shortening. You’ll only need a very thin coating. If you get too much, it will get sticky. Grease the entire skillet ---- inside, outside and the handle. I use a dust-free cloth, and rub the grease into the skillet well. Remember, cast iron is porous.
- Now, return the skillet to your warm oven and let it stay there for several hours. Since I cook with a woodburning stove all the time, my oven is always warm. If a skillet needs seasoning, I’ll do this at night while the oven is still very warm, then take it out in the morning.
- Repeat the process at least 3 times, although you only need to grease the outside and handle the first time. From here on out, just do the inside cooking surface. Heat the skillet, lightly grease it, return to a warm oven for at least 2 hours. I keep doing this until I have a nice, shiny finish. Then I know I’ll have no trouble with food sticking the next time I use it.
The Quick (And Tasty) Way To Season
If your skillet is in need of seasoning, but isn’t rusty or brand new, there’s a quick and easy way to season it. Cook something greasy. I do one of the following:
- Make French Fries for supper in my skillet. The hot oil seasons the skillet while you cook, leaving a beautiful finish. OR,
- Make pancakes for breakfast. I always put a little oil or grease in my skillet before pouring the batter for the next pancake, so when breakfast is over, my skillet has a great, non-stick finish. OR
- Cook up a skillet of cornbread for supper. This doesn’t work quite as good as the first two, but it does great. Well, this depends on how you make cornbread. I always put a tablespoon or two of tallow or other grease in my skillet, then get it good and hot in the oven right before I pour in my cornbread batter. This gives my cornbread a crunchy crust, and effortlessly seasons my skillet.
Some people insist on cleaning cast iron the same as any other pan, with hot, strong soapy water. Well, I’m not one of those people. I know many people think you have to use soap to get things clean. That may be true with some things, but I’m “one of those” people who believes that the old ways are most often better than the new ways. My grandmama insisted on NEVER using soap on cast iron after its initial washing when you brought it home from the store. She was healthy and we were healthy. We never got sick because of not using soap on our skillets. Here’s what my grandmama always did, and this is what I do:
- Scrape any leftover food out of the skillet.
- Depending on the food, sometimes I’ll set the pan in the warm oven to dry the bits of food that I can’t scoop out. Then I can wipe out the dried food easily.
- After getting out the leftover food, I put a couple of cups of water in the skillet, then bring it to a boil on top of the stove. Using a spatula, I scrape all the food out while the water is boiling. Then toss the water and food out.
- I use a damp sponge to wipe the skillet clean, then while still hot, I wipe the inside with a little oil or grease. That’s the biggie. Be sure to grease it lightly while still warm before putting it away.
Although cast iron cookware can outlast most other kinds of cookware, it is certainly breakable, especially when it’s hot. So, don’t pour cold water into a hot skillet, or set it in the snow right after taking it off of a hot fire.
Rather than stack my skillets on a shelf like most people do with their pans, I hang my skillets on a beam over my kitchen. Some folks hang them on a wall. This keeps the air circulating so they don’t get rusty, and it keeps them from banging around and getting damaged.
If you’re going to have to store your skillet for awhile, make sure it’s completely dry before packing it away. This will help prevent rust. Also, make sure it’s well seasoned before you store it. Leave the lids off so that air can circulate, and try not to let it bang around on other things in the box.
To Make A Long Story Short . . .
Ok, that’s about it. Cast iron cookware is the best, and it’s actually very easy to use and take care of. To sum it up, wash a new skillet in mild soapy water before you use it. Dry it completely, and place it in a warm oven for a little while. Give it a light coating of tallow, lard or shortening, then return to a warm oven for a few hours. Repeat until you get a nice, shiny, non-stick finish. Clean it after each use by boiling a few cups of water in the skillet, then scrape out the food. Wipe it with a damp sponge and then give it another light coating of oil or grease before putting away for the next use.
If you have never used a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven, or have put it aside for something more modern, I hope you’ll dig it out of your attic, dust it off and start using it. Once you get used to it, you’ll never want to use one of those light-weight pans again. Many foods, such as biscuits, cornbread, and even pizza crust are so much better in a well-seasoned cast iron skillet. Modern cookware just doesn’t measure up.
h/t Andrea Sisco
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