How to Season and Care for Cast Iron Cookware

Many fear using cast iron because it has a reputation for being difficult compared to modern cookware. Though it is true that cast iron has to be handled in particular ways in order to achieve best results, it's not hard to do, as long as you know the basics about seasoning and caring for cast iron cookware.

How to Season Cast Iron Cookware

Much of the cast iron cookware purchased today is pre-seasoned. However, most people who purchase pre-seasoned cast iron skillets, dutch ovens, and griddles still choose to season them themselves prior to the first use. Seasoning even pre-seasoned cast iron cookware prior to the first use is a great way to avoid having food that sticks to your new skillets and griddles.

Seasoning cast iron is a very basic, easy thing to do, so it's nothing to be afraid of. The first thing I like to do when I get a new cast iron skillet is to fry up a big batch of bacon. Bacon grease is one of the best ways to season cast iron. After I cook bacon in the skillet, I pour out the excess bacon grease, and use paper towels to wipe out the cast iron skillet or griddle that I cooked the bacon in. I also use a small amount of bacon grease and wipe it on the outside of the pan, taking care to wipe off excessive amounts of bacon grease.

I then place the cast iron skillet, griddle, or dutch oven upside down in a 250 degree oven for two hours. It's a good idea to put a cookie sheet under the skillet to catch any grease that drips off. After the cast iron bakes for two hours, turn the oven off, and leave the cast iron in the oven until it cools.

If you do not have or do not want to use bacon grease, you can heat a small amount of oil in your skillet on the stove top, over low heat. Wipe the hot oil all over the pan, both inside and out and bake upside down as instructed in the paragraph above.

Your cast iron skillet is now nicely seasoned, but the more you use it, the more it will become seasoned over time. Well-seasoned cast iron cookware becomes wonderfully nonsticking, without the health concerns associated with chemical non-stick surfaces such as Teflon.

How to Wash a Cast Iron Skillet

Wash your cast iron skillet soon after use, preferably when the skillet is still hot. Use only hot water, without any soap. You may use a wire brush for scrubbing if needed. If food is stuck on your cast iron cookware, put it on the stove and boil some water in it to help loosen the food.

Be sure to dry your cast iron cookware well. Never let it simply air dry, or it will rust. Once it is dry, wipe a very small amount of oil on the inside and outside of the pan using a paper towel. Never wash your cast iron cookware in the dishwasher.

If your cast iron skillet or dutch oven has a lid, store the lid separately or place a paper towel between the lid and the cookware to allow a bit of air to circulate.

If at any time your cast iron cookware rusts, scrub off the rust, dry it, and season it all over again.

The good news is, there isn't much you can do that will permanently damage your cast iron cookware, so relax and enjoy using it.