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There are several reasons to use a cast iron skillet while making supper.

Nonetheless, some people may find it difficult to work with and much more difficult to maintain.

Seasoning your cast iron skillet may prevent anything from food clinging to the pan to rust spots from appearing.

While most people season their cast iron in the oven, if you don’t have one, you may still do it on the stovetop.

Stovetop Method to Season Cast Iron Pan

While seasoning a cast iron pan usually entails placing it in the oven for an hour, it is feasible to do it on the stovetop instead.

If you choose the stovetop approach, be aware that there is a far greater chance of filling your kitchen with smoke than if you used an oven.

However, keep in mind that if you use an oil with a distinct taste or aroma, your kitchen is quite likely to pick up on the scent of the oil you choose.

If you don’t have access to an oven or just don’t want to use it, you may season on the stovetop.

In contrast to the oven approach, you will be standing over your stove the whole time to minimize the chance of fire and smoke. Even if you follow all of the steps correctly, it is advised that you open a window for ventilation.

When you’ve coated your cast iron pan with the oil you want to season it with, you’re ready to begin the polymerization process.

Place the cast iron on top of the cooktop you plan to use as much as possible for the oil you have selected. Turn on the burner.

You’ll want to keep an eye on it the whole time to avoid setting off your fire alarm.

Keep your pan on the burner for at least ten minutes, however most oils may take more than one cycle of seasoning over many hours to ensure the oil entirely burns out or polymerizes.

Once again, you’ll want to ensure that your pan is fully dry at the end.

If you’re easily bored and distracted, like me, season your cast iron on the stove while you’re already in the kitchen. You may continue working while your cast iron pan seasons (as it may take multiple rounds of seasoning)

Maintaining the Seasoning on Cast Iron Cookware

When you’ve seasoned your pan, you’ll want to be cautious while cleaning it. If at all possible, avoid using soap.

Scouring with salt is a great way to remove sticky items from your pan that will not affect your flavor.

For more tough washing, you may scrub with a brillo pad or iron wool as long as you don’t use soap (although I would recommend using a soft sponge or towel).

When you’ve finished using it, wash it and fully dry it with a paper towel.

If you are unsure if you have thoroughly dried it, you may always return it to a clean burner to remove any lingering moisture.

If properly cared for, a well seasoned cast iron pan may last a lifetime. Take care of your pots and pans, and they will take care of you.

A cast-iron pan is one of those items that may be fussy when used one-to-one.

Not every pan will become hot in the same spots, and some may need more frequent re-seasoning than others.

It is worthwhile to spend some time getting to know your pan.

You’ll be using it all the time after you’ve mastered it. Who knows, you could wind up with your own heirloom to pass down to your descendants.

How Does Cast Iron Pan Seasoning Work?

Seasoning is a protective layer of carbonized oil baked onto your cast iron through a polymerization process.

You may be wondering to yourself, “Doesn’t it imply plastic?” and you’d be partly correct.

Polymers are any chain of tiny molecules that create a tightly linked network. To preserve your pan, imagine all of the molecules in your oil joining forces and saying, “No, thank you, rust.”

While, as the name indicates, seasoning occurs naturally as a result of frequent use of your cast iron pan, it may and should be done actively.

Since cast iron is porous by nature, seasoning plugs those pores and gives a smooth surface, which is advantageous for a variety of reasons.

It makes cleaning your cast iron simpler, prevents rust, and may even prevent food from adhering to the pan.

A cast-iron seasoning may impart the taste of the oil with which it was seasoned to your cuisine.

Keep this in mind if you want a certain taste profile for the items you’ll be cooking on the pan. Not only that, but your kitchen will undoubtedly smell delicious after each usage!

There is a clear visible distinction between seasoned and unseasoned pans.

After seasoned, the metal will darken and become smoother to the touch, giving it the blackened appearance that most people envision when they think of cast iron.

Choosing an Right Oil for Cast Iron Pan Seasoning

A high-unsaturated-fat oil is ideal for seasoning. When exposed to a particular degree of heat, unsaturated fats oxidize and bind with your pan in the same way that iron rusts.

Every oil has a different degree of heat.

You don’t want your pan to smoke as the oil bakes in, so pay close attention to how hot your cooktop is.

Even dealing with a low smoke point oil needs considerable heat to polymerize, therefore the temperature may range from 350 to 500 F.

Oils with high smoke points, such as grapeseed oil and avocado oil, may be seasoned at higher temperatures, allowing you to season much quicker than oils with lower smoke points.

Selecting an oil with a taste or aroma will bleed into everything you attempt to cook with your pan in the future, so keep that in mind when making your selection.

For example, if you use coconut oil, be prepared for each of your meals to taste like coconut!

Also read: Can You Season a Cast-Iron Pan with Olive Oil? + Best Oils to Season

Preparing your Cast Iron for Seasoning

Washing is the first step in preparing any dish for usage.

After all, this pan will be in contact with your food, therefore it makes sense to keep it clean. Cleaning your cast iron is not the sole reason to do so.

Some cast iron is offered pre-seasoned, while others are supplied with a coating of wax on top. To avoid contamination, it is essential to remove the wax from the iron before it comes into contact with your food.

Moreover, a coating of wax will keep the oil you’ve selected from attaching to your cast iron pan. Remember, this is both cookery and chemistry!

Additional chemicals may disrupt the process.

Eliminating any dirt and particles from the iron’s surface creates a more direct link between the oil and the metal, resulting in a more effective seasoning.

To thoroughly clean the porous pores, wash the pan with hot water and scour it with salt.

After you’ve done cleaning your pan, be sure to dry it well, since water on iron may cause rust, particularly if the pan hasn’t yet been coated.

If you’re not sure it’s totally dry, put it on the burner and heat it to burn out any leftover water.

Next, coat your pan with your preferred oil.

It should cover the whole object, including the handle. When re-seasoning, you may sometimes get away with merely renewing the cooking surface that the meal will come into contact with, but the first time, you’ll want to be thorough.

Rub the oil in as completely as you dry the pan; towards the end, the pan should have absorbed all of the oil and should not be gleaming with it.

When to Season Cast Iron

Although many cast iron pans are advertised as pre-seasoned, the amount of oil used is frequently insufficient for a proper coat, and it is impossible to tell how long it has been since the company applied what layer.

When you get a new cast iron pan, you should season it yourself.

The quantity of seasoning required before using your pan varies by source; some claim once is plenty.

Some argue that seasoning it six or even seven times over many hours is more acceptable, however this may depend on the oil you choose.

Cast iron should be seasoned at least once a month, and the more often you use it, the better. Recall that seasoning is made from oils.

If your pan is left unused, it may develop rust stains or, in severe circumstances, the seasoning may become rancid.

Using your pan often will strengthen the seasoning and vary the flavor profile of the oil coat; if you cook a lot of bacon, your meal will taste like bacon.

Some Common Questions about Cast Iron Seasoning

The following are some frequently asked questions regarding seasoning cast iron cookware.

Do pre-seasoned cast iron skillets need seasoning?

Indeed, pre-seasoned cast iron skillets need seasoning. Pre-seasoning involves applying a coating of vegetable shortening or fat to the cast iron pan at the foundry.

This coating protects the pan from rusting while also providing a nonstick surface.

Unfortunately, this coating will wear away with time, causing the pan to rust.

It is essential to season your cast iron pan on a regular basis to maintain it in excellent shape.

Seasoning a cast iron pan is covering it with oil and heating it until the oil is absorbed into the metal pores.

This will provide a protective barrier against corrosion and will aid in preventing food from adhering to the pan’s surface.

Is the Stove Top technique for seasoning cast iron as good as the Oven method?

The stovetop approach is fine for seasoning cast iron, but the oven method yields greater results. Seasoning in the oven allows the oil to permeate deeper into the metal, resulting in a smooth, nonstick surface.

However, using an oven to season your cast iron skillet is much simpler since you can put it in the oven and forget about it. With a stove top, you must keep a tight eye on it, and it may also produce smoke.

Will frequent oil cooking help season the cast-iron pan?

The more you use oil in your cast-iron pan, the better it will season and the less likely you will have sticking issues.

Some experts recommend lightly oiling a dry cast-iron pan before heating it, but I’ve never found this to be essential.

A well seasoned pan will have a naturally nonstick surface. If you are having sticking issues, consider applying a small layer of oil to the pan before cooking.

Be careful to use a high-smoke-point oil, such as canola, grapeseed, or peanut oil. Furthermore, always heat the pan before adding the food.

You may also be interested in:

  • Is Cooking in a Rusted Cast Iron Pan Safe?
  • How Do You Clean Eggs From a Cast Iron Pan?
  • How Do You Polish a Cast Iron Pan? Simple Step-by-Step
  • How Can You Remove Mold From a Cast Iron Pan?
  • Seasoning T-fal Pans All you need to know!

FAQs

Can you season cast iron without putting in oven?

Place your skillet over high heat and let it to become screaming hot before seasoning it. Take the skillet from the heat and massage it with a paper towel to coat it with oil. Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat for approximately 10 minutes to allow the oil to fully dry.

What is the fastest way to season a cast iron pan?

The classic procedure is preheating an oven to 450 degrees and applying baking oil to the top for an hour.
The Most Efficient Method to Season Cast Iron
Wipe a cloth or paper towel with a little oil over the whole cast iron skillet.
Check that your kitchen is sufficiently ventilated and that the fan is turned on.
More to come…
•Nov 30, 2020

How do you season cast iron naturally?

Seasoning a Cast-Iron Skillet
Apply a thin layer of neutral oil to the pan.
One hour in the oven.
In the oven, cool the pan.
For an unseasoned or stripped pan, repeat these steps.
They are suitable for use with any kind of heat source.
Avoid eating acidic foods.
While you cook, season your skillet.
Aug 10, 2022

How do you season a cast iron skillet that has never been seasoned?

Preheat the pan on low heat after spreading vegetable oil to the cooking surface, gradually raising the temperature. Place the skillet upside down on a middle oven rack at 375°F. To collect drips, use foil on a lower rack. Bake the cast iron for approximately an hour, then remove it from the oven to cool completely.

What is the best oil to season cast iron?

Any cooking oils and fats may be used to season cast iron, but Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray, due to availability, cost, efficacy, and having a high smoke point.

At what temperature do you season a cast iron pan?

Put the kitchenware upside down in the oven. On the lowest rack, place a big baking sheet or aluminum foil. Bake for one hour at 450-500 degrees F.

Can you season cast iron in 30 minutes?

Place the greased baking pan in a preheated 450°F oven for 30 minutes. Keep your kitchen adequately ventilated since it may get smokey. At this time, the oil will polymerize and produce the first of numerous hard, plastic-like coatings that you will apply.

Can you season a cast iron skillet in 30 minutes?

Cast iron cookware may be re-seasoned in approximately 30 minutes to regain its nonstick properties! Cast iron skillets are actually nonstick when properly seasoned.

Can you ruin a cast iron skillet?

Rust arises when cookware is exposed to moisture for a lengthy period of time and is completely harmless. Cast iron will rust if it is left in the sink to soak, placed in the dishwasher, or allowed to air dry.

How do I know if my cast iron needs seasoning?

It’s time to reseason your cast-iron cookware if it has rusty streaks, is dull, or isn’t as nonstick as it once was. Most cast-iron pans, even those that receive a lot of usage, need reseasoning from time to time.