Get the most out of your cast iron cookware with proper seasoning techniques

Cast iron cookware is an ancient form of cookware that still has a place in today’s world of modern cooking. You’ll find all kinds of pots, pans, skillets, kettles, and even large cast iron Dutch ovens. Those who routinely use cast iron swear by its versatility and durability. Personally, I think a good cast iron cookware set is hard to beat.

There are a few conditions you need to meet when using cast iron. One of these is to season new cast iron items you buy or keep seasoning your existing ones. Seasoning is required for cast iron to promote a non-stick surface on the cookware and make it easier to clean. Another consideration when it comes to cast iron cookware is keeping the items in an environment where they won’t start to rust. Rust is one of the true enemies of a durable product. If these two conditions are met, then the cast iron cookware you buy today could still be in service every day a hundred years from now.

The first aspect of seasoning cast iron is to start with a clean skillet. Take the newly purchased item and remove any adhesive from the stickers and any other foreign material that does not belong. Washing the pan in warm soapy water and then drying it completely is usually sufficient. Next, preheat your oven to about 250 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. The next step is to use lard or some other animal fat like bacon fat to start the seasoning process. Avoid vegetable oils, as they tend to get very sticky and can ruin a new pan. Coat the inside of the pan with the lard and place in the preheated oven for about 20 to 30 minutes. You’ll need to keep an eye on it to make sure the fat doesn’t get too hot and start to smoke during this process. After the time has elapsed, we remove the pan and remove the excess fat from the inside of the cast-iron skillet. Then, place the pan back in the oven for another 20 minutes or so to finish the seasoning process. A new cast iron skillet may require several treatments like this to establish a good “coat” of seasoning. What I mean is that you may have to do this a couple of times before the pan starts to get really non-stick and easy to use for everyday kitchen jobs. Afterward, you can use the cast iron for cooking, and it wouldn’t hurt to use it to fry bacon or something greasy every once in a while to help keep the pan seasoning well.

As mentioned above, rust is one of the true weak points of cast iron. Rust can quickly turn a beautiful, well-seasoned pan into a useless eyesore that you’re not quite sure what to do with. Keeping cast iron from rusting is simple if you remember a few guidelines. Always store your cast iron in a dry place. Do not store it under the kitchen sink or hung over the stove where it will be exposed to a constant supply of steam. Never store your cast iron without drying it completely. An easy way to dry out cast iron is to place it in a hot oven for about five minutes or put it on a stove burner on high for a minute or so. This will burn off any excess water left over from the wash and almost guarantee it won’t rust. If you find that your cast iron treasures have rusted over time, there are steps to get them back. You might even come across a beautiful historic cast iron piece at a garage sale or flea market and decide to bring it back to life. For more information on how to restore rusty cast iron cookware, check out my article on Recipe-Rack.com.