How to Season Your Cast-Iron Skillet—and Keep It Seasoned - It’s not as hard as you might think

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How to Season Your Cast-Iron Skillet—and Keep It Seasoned

It’s not as hard as you might think.

getpocket.com

It’s not as hard as you might think.​

Seasoning your food? Great! Seasoning your cast-iron? Good — but also … intimidating. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve had readers ask about seasoning — or reseasoning or maintaining seasoning — their skillets and other cast-iron cookware.

I get it. There’s a lot of paranoia and misinformation, including whether dish soap will ruin it (nope) and what type of fat to use to create the protective layer. Here are some tips to help you figure it all out:

What it is. Seasoning is what happens when fats are heated to a certain point that causes them to reorganize into something resembling a plastic coating and bond to the metal. That coating is smooth and slick, allowing for foods to easily release from the pan. Cast iron is “the original nonstick cookware,” says Mark Kelly, the public relations manager at Lodge, the brand synonymous with cast-iron cookware.

Often, the fats come from oils, although depending on what you use, anything from bacon fat to shortening can contribute to seasoning. I like this explanation from cookbook author Anne Byrn, from her recently released Skillet Love: “Oil is the best friend to the skillet. It keeps it protected, impervious to any moisture that might cause it to rust. Think of oil on a skillet like moisturizer on your skin. … Heat plus oil builds the patina and makes your skillet naturally nonstick.”

Most of the cast iron you buy comes preseasoned. That means you can start cooking in it right away.

To see whether your pan is well-seasoned, Cook’s Illustrated recommends this test: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a skillet for 3 minutes and then fry an egg. If there’s no major sticking, your seasoning is good.