How To Season a Cast Iron Pan in 4 Steps

You may have tried to learn how to season a cast iron pan online or asked people you know for some tips and got puzzling, and often contradictory, advice. That’s not too surprising - cast iron has been a popular cooking material for ages but has somehow developed a mysterious character. You will find a plethora of unsubstantiated advice about what to cook and not cook in it, how to cook with it, how to clean and maintain it…

And, of course, how to season it. That is why we wrote this article - to cut through the noise and explain how to season a cast iron pan in 4 steps. So let’s start. 

Don’t Overcomplicate Things

First, we should dispel one of the most common myths about cast iron cooking - that it’s difficult, complex, and convoluted. This also extends to learning how to season a cast iron pan - you will find advice insisting that you must only use oil X and never oil Y, that you should change temperatures during the seasoning process, that if you cook acidic food once you need to reseason it, etc. In truth, learning how to season a cast iron pan and doing it properly is not too difficult. You simply need to do it gradually and take it one step at a time - we will explain everything you need to know in 4 steps and tell you why you are doing it. On that note, let us cover the basics.

What Is Cast Iron Seasoning?

Cast iron seasoning is a protective coating (or the process of creating that coating) for your cast iron cookware. This coating is created by binding layers of fat through polymerisation to the metal of your cast iron pan; primarily, the coating protects it from rusting. On top of that, seasoned cast iron cookware is much easier and better to cook with - the coating gives it non-stick properties, helps with even heat distribution, and gives dishes cooked in it a deeper flavour. So how do you season a cast iron pan?

How To Season a Cast Iron Pan in 4 Steps

1. Clean Your Pan

The first step is to clean your cast iron pan, regardless of whether it is old or new. Old pans might have debris or residue that can affect your seasoning, while new pans are often coated with factory oil that can have a strong smell.  In case it’s old and rusted, then you will need to restore your cast iron pan before beginning washing it. Restoring takes a bit more time, but it is more than doable. Assuming your pan only needs cleaning, all you need to do is wash your pan by hand in warm, soapy water. Once washed, dry it with a clean kitchen towel or napkins. To make sure your pan is completely dry, put the pan on your stovetop over low to medium heat to get any excess moisture out of it. Once your pan is clean and dry, it’s on to step 2.

2. Preheating and Coating the Pan with Oil

You need to coat the entire pan, including the inside, outside, and handles, with an even layer of cooking oil. However, before you do it, preheat the pan to open up the metal’s pores to allow it to better absorb the oil. Heat all parts of the pan evenly and don’t be worried if smoke comes off during this process. Once you think the pan is hot enough, splash a few droplets of water on it - if they evaporate instantly, it is, if they don’t, you need to continue heating the pan. 

Once you’ve heated it up, let it cool down enough so that you don’t need to use gloves while coating it. Then, once the pan has cooled down, apply the cooking evenly. After that, buff the pan so that it almost doesn’t look greasy. Excess oil can pool into tiny droplets during the seasoning process and create an uneven surface, so make sure you buff well. At this point, we should make a little digression and discuss the oils you can use.

What Kind of Oil Should You Use? 

You don’t need to buy special oils to season your cast iron pan as you likely already have the best oils for seasoning cast iron in your kitchen. There are only two factors you need to consider:

1. use oils with a neutral taste so that they don’t impart flavour to your dishes; 
2. use a high smoke point oil (ones with a smoke point of over 230 degrees Celsius) because you don’t want the oil to burn but to polymerise - that’s what creates the coating. 

Regular cooking oils, like refined sunflower oil, peanut, and canola oil work well. As a side note, flaxseed oil is often recommended but it is not the best option - it quickly creates a layer of seasoning, but has a tendency to flake off with use, forcing you to season your pan earlier than you’d otherwise have to. With this short explanation done, let’s move on to step 3.

3. Heating the Pan

After you have cleaned, oiled, and buffed your pan, the next step is to heat it up to allow the oil to polymerise and create the seasoning. You can do this in the oven or on a burner, just note that you will need to move the pan around to heat all the parts evenly if you are using a burner. If you are using an oven, preheat it to 230 degrees Celsius and leave the pan in for about half an hour. Your cast iron pan will start smoking when it reaches a certain temperature and stop afterwards. 

Once it has stopped smoking, the seasoning process is done so you should remove your pan from the oven. Again, if you are doing this over a burner, use medium-to-high heat and move the pan around manually to heat up all parts up to the point they start and stop smoking. Otherwise, the seasoning will be uneven.

4. Repeat and Clean

Following the first three steps means that you have seasoned your pan, but only with one layer of seasoning. It’s generally advisable to repeat the same process once or twice more to create additional layers, although it’s not strictly necessary if you’ve done a good job. Regardless of whether or not you will repeat the process, rinse the pan after you are done and use a soft brush to lightly scrub it - it’s crucial you use a soft brush so that you don’t scrub away any of the coating you just created. Finally, thoroughly dry it and your pan is ready for cooking or storing. 

The Best Cast Iron Cookware in One Place

Now you know how to season a cast iron pan, but do you know where you can buy a high-quality one? At AGC Catering Equipment. Our collection of cast iron cookware has everything you need, from premier yet affordable cast iron pans to square skillets and oval casserole pots. Simply place your order online and we will deliver it anywhere in Australia.

On the other hand, in case you still think seasoning cast iron is too complicated, enamel, aluminium, and stainless steel cookware are great alternatives for you to choose from. The process is the same, place your order and we ship it to your address. And if you have any questions, please contact us, we will get back to you as soon as possible.