We show you how to easily season your cast iron cookware so that it returns the favour (and flavour) with a lifetime of delicious meals.
Congratulations on investing in a cast iron cookware set. Cast iron is like fine wine and people, they only get better with age! You’ve made a great decision and in a world of throwaway items, your cast iron cookware will stand the test of time…if you look after it.
In fact, if you look after your cast iron cookware by following some simple cleaning rules and seasoning it properly, your grandkids could be using the same pan in decades to come on which you just cooked your breakfast. Some of you might even be lucky enough to have a cast iron skillet or pot handed down from a parent or grandparent yourself.
But what exactly is seasoning and why should I do it?
Seasoning refers to the process of baking on thin layers of oil to ensure your cast iron cookware retains its hard coating. It protects the surface of the cast iron from rust and makes it virtually non-stick. The process is actually called polymerization and this occurs when the oil is heated to a high enough temperature to form a hard black surface on your cast iron pan or pot. Don’t worry, it’s actually a lot easier than it sounds. We’ll explain how a little further down.
Unlike other non-stick pans like Teflon, the surface is ‘repaired’ by seasoning when it scrapes or wears off so you don’t need to throw cast iron cookware out. It’s easily fixed with a fresh layer of seasoning!
Some cast iron cooking pans and skillets come pre-seasoned straight out of the box and others need to be seasoned before using for the first time. A cast iron pan, skillet or pot that you’ve been using for some time will need to be reseasoned again at some point.
How do I know if my cast iron cookware needs to be seasoned?
If it’s your first time using the cookware and it didn’t come pre-seasoned, you will definitely need to season it. You can tell if an already loved cast iron pot, skillet or pan needs reseasoning by any of the following:
- You can see rust on the surface
- It looks dry and patchy in spots
- It’s been ages since you last did it
- There are dull patches or it looks dull all over
- Food is sticking to it more than it used to
What will you need
- Spray oil (Some notes about that below)
- Paper towels
- Access to an oven
- Heavy-duty oven mitts
- Your cast iron cookware items
This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think spray oil works great for seasoning cast iron cooking gear. Why? It provides even coverage when you spray it on and because of the way it foams a little when you spray, you can see exactly where you’ve applied it.
Most cooking oils work well, you just need to make sure it has a relatively high smoke point. Avocado oil has the highest smoke point but flax seed oil and rice bran oil are also pretty good. Many people use common canola oil because it’s a cupboard staple and is usually already on hand.
A word of caution, extra virgin olive oil has a relatively low smoke point compared to other oils. This means that heating it to higher temperatures causes it to turn rancid and break down. Try to avoid using this if you can.
How to season your cast iron cookware
There are a bunch of different ways you can season your cast iron cookware but we’re going to explain how to do it using your home oven. Although you can season your cookware over a flame, on your cooktop or in a BBQ, an oven provides an even amount of heat all over and eliminates any ‘patchy’ problems.
Step 1: Pre-heat your oven
Preheat your oven to around 230 degrees Celsius.
Step 2: Give your cookware a wash
Before seasoning your cast iron cookware, you’ll need to first give it a wash with mild dish soap and warm water. Now, normally you wouldn’t use dish-washing detergent on your cast iron cookware as it can eat away at the protective layer and encourage rust. However, given that we are about to season it, it’s okay in this case.
If your cast iron gear is a little rusty, soak it in vinegar for a few hours first and then scrub it off with one of those light scourers. You know, the ones that are green on one side and have a yellow sponge on the other.
Don’t let your cast iron cookware drip dry as this encourages rust. Dry it by hand straight away and then stick it in the oven for five minutes to get rid of the excess moisture.
Step 3: Rub a thin layer of oil into your cookware
Begin that actual seasoning process by spraying the oil onto your cast iron cookware. Resist the urge to dump a whole lot on at once as good seasoning comes from multiple thin layers. Too much oil makes for sticky cookware.
Using the paper towels, wipe the cookware to remove the excess oil and ensure a nice thin layer of oil on top, which will soak into the pores of the cast iron once it heats up. Spoiler alert, you’ll be repeating this process three more times.
Make sure you coat the entire surface both inside and out. This includes the lids and any nooks and crannies. Remember, we’re aiming for a thin layer of oil.
Step 4: Wack your oiled-up cast iron cookware in the oven
Place your now slick cast iron cookware in the oven (which you’ve hopefully pre-heated to 230 degrees Celsius) and bake for around 40 minutes. It’s a good idea to place foil underneath to catch any oil drips. This will save you from cleaning your oven later.
Step 5: Remove your cookware from the oven
Once your 40 minutes timer goes ding, use your heavy-duty mitts to remove the cast iron cookware from your oven. It’s best not to put them directly onto your bench as they will be very hot. Instead, just place them on your cooktop to cool down.
Step 6: Repeat, repeat, repeat
Yep, once the cast iron pots and pans have cooled down enough to handle, you’ll need to repeat the oiling and baking seasoning process three more times.
How do I clean my cast iron cookware?
Now that you’ve got a beautiful surface to cook off again, follow these cleaning tips to make your cast iron cookware last longer between seasonings.
- Avoid dishwashing soap when cleaning and instead, wipe the interior surface with paper towels to remove excess food and oil. Rinse under warm water and scrub with a non-abrasive pad to remove traces of food.
- Dry your cast iron cookware by hand straight away after washing. If you let it air dry, rust will form on the surface.
- To discourage rust, rub a super light coating of cooking oil on the pan with a lint-free cloth after each use. This is different from seasoning and you will want to use a second cloth to remove excess oil. Do NOT use paper towels for this, it just leaves tiny white fluffy bits on the rough surface of the iron.
Now that you know how to season your cast iron cookware, what will you cook? We recommend these easy cheesy campfire nachos!
This article on making easy cheesy campfire nachos contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
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