How To Season Cast Iron

Mention cast iron skillets and the words conjure up an image of Grandma at the cookstove, turning bacon and checking biscuits for a good old fashioned country breakfast.  I’m not a grandma yet but I do love my cast iron! Bacon just doesnt get any crisper than in a well seasoned cast iron skillet.  I love when eggs just slide right out of the pan.  And those biscuits?  Yeah, those crispy flaky bottoms from the hot pan just don’t get any better.

Most of us by now have heard the studies showing non-stick pans as unsafe, unhealthy, and just in general, not a good idea for a healthy family.  Scratched non-stick surfaces are definitely worse, releasing toxic chemicals as the pan heats.  Good organic, homestead grown, healthy vegetables deserve to be cooked in nothing but the best.  And non-stick just wont do!

Where Do I Find A Good Cast Iron Pan On A Homestead Budget?

If you haven’t been lucky enough to inherit Grandma’s favorite skillet, you can find good cast iron in many thrift stores or bargain basements.

Of course there are the ‘big names’ in cast iron, but for everyday cooking, a generic skillet and pan will do.  I pick them up for a few bucks at flea markets, bring them home, clean them up, and put them to good use.  Granted, cast iron is making a comeback, so running up on a really good deal for a dollar or two isnt as easy as it used to be.  But you should be able to get a good #8 pan for $5-10 most anywhere.

Pans are numbered by size.  Usually there will be a number on the bottom or the back of the handle.  Different sizes for different uses.  Want to fry just one egg?  By all means, get a #3 or #5.  Want to bake a cast iron skillet apple cake for a crowd?  A #10 will do nicely.

Look for chips or cracks in used pans.  Sometimes they do crack in heat, or maybe it was dropped.  I’ve personally broken the handle off my favorite pan when I dropped it on cement.  That was the saddest moving day ever.  I loved that pan, and all I could do was just stand there with the pieces in my hand and try not to cry!  Some pans heat unevenly.  Look for a warp across the bottom, and sometimes you can see a thicker spot on the bottom, too.  Pitted pans wont cook as easily as smooth pans.

So, now you’ve found a couple pans and you need to clean them.  What next?  Many people will pass up a good pan at a flea market because it may be caked with dirt and grime on the outside or rusted on the inside. Dont pass up a good pan because of this.  If you are willing to put in a little elbow grease, you can have the best pan you’ll ever cook in!  Winter is a great time to tend to your new pans and season them in the oven.

Cleaning Your New (to you) Cast Iron Pan

Start by washing your pan in hot soapy water.  Even if its a new pan from a store, take the preseasoning off and season it yourself.  The only time you use soapy water on a cast iron pan is for preseasoning.  After rinsing, you should dry the pan on a burner set to low or upside down in the oven at about 200 degrees for a few minutes.  If the pan is clean, no soot, no caked on gunk on the bottom, then you can go on to the seasoning step.  If it has rust or other debris on the bottom, it’ll need to be removed with steel wool, a wire brush, or a dull spoon if its thick.  Be careful not to scrub too hard and scratch it.  Scratches wont hurt a cast iron pan, but a nice

smooth pan sure looks nice.  Some people use oven cleaner for this step.  If its a really dirty pan, then try it.  Bake the empty pan upside down in the oven set at 300 for about four hours, then scrub again until all the gook comes off.

Seasoning Your Cast Iron Pan

When your pan is clean and smooth, its time for the seasoning.  You’ll hear as many different ways to do this as there are cooks, but in general, applying a layer of oil or fat and baking the pan in the oven for a while, is the basis for seasoning.  I like to use rendered fat, even bacon fat.  Sometimes I use olive oil.  But the key is to get a very, very, VERY thin layer all over the pan.  Smooth it on then wipe with a clean paper towel.  This coat is ‘barely there’, otherwise it’ll get gunky after seasoning.  Put the pan upside down on the rack, turn the oven on to 300, and let it bake for three to four hours.  Let the pan cool in the oven completely, wipe it out then repeat the process.  I do this at least three times with new or new-to me pans.  Remember, it has to be a very thin layer of oil or lard to work best.

Caring For Your Cast Iron Pan After Seasoning

It does take some time to develop a deep rich shiny black seasoning finish to a pan.  The more you use it, the better the seasoning will get.  Only rinse out the pan, dont use soapy water on it after cooking.  Use a nylon bristle brush or a cloth.  Never use steel wool or a steel scrubby on cast iron after its seasoned.

Never put it in the dishwasher!  Dry the pan on a burner for a moment, then apply a very thin layer of oil to the pan to keep the seasoning and to discourage rust.  Avoid cooking acidic foods in the pan until it is cured and well seasoned.  Wipe or rinse out the pan as soon as possible after cooking to help maintain the seasoning coating.  My most-used pan stays in the oven for storage, although the others have their place along with lids, prominently displayed along the counter wall in my tiny kitchen.

As your collection grows, you’ll find that cast iron does indeed deserve its own trophy shelf!  And you’ll catch yourself imagining what you can cook in it, when you see a dirty old pan at the flea market.

Good luck in your search, and happy cooking!