What Is the Best Oil for Seasoning Cast Iron?

Choosing a suitable oil for seasoning cast iron is rather important for maintaining the quality and performance of your cookware, as well as for getting the flavour you want out of the food you cook. Seasoning creates a natural non-stick surface, protects against rust, and adds to the flavour of your dishes. So, what is the best oil for seasoning cast iron With so many oils available, finding the right one can be tricky. In short, the key is to focus on oils that are flavour-neutral and have a high smoke point, but we should expand on that.

In this article, we’ll explore why these factors matter and recommend four of the best oils for seasoning your cast iron, helping you keep your cookware in top shape for years to come. However, before we get to that, let’s cover the importance of quality seasoning first.

What Does Seasoning Cast Iron Do?

Seasoning cast iron is the process of applying a thin layer of oil to your cookware and heating it until the oil bonds with the metal, integrating into it and forming a protective layer. When you season a cast iron pan or skillet, it:

1. Creates a natural non-stick surface so that your food doesn’t stick when you are cooking;
2. The seasoning protects your cast iron skillets and pans against moisture, helping prevent rust;
3. Depending on the seasoning you use, it can impart a certain flavour to your dishes.

Now, the question that often comes up is - what is the best oil for seasoning cast iron? In truth, there is not one correct answer, as many chefs and cooks have their own preferences. However, there are 2 crucial aspects you need to think about when choosing your oil.

The 2 Most Important Aspects of Seasoning Oil

The best oils for seasoning cast iron are flavour-neutral and have a high-smoke point. Using a flavour-neutral oil is important because it ensures that the seasoning doesn’t impart any unwanted taste to your food. Some oils have strong flavours that can affect the taste of dishes cooked in cast iron, which may not be something you want, especially if you cook a variety of foods. Using a high-smoke point oil is even more crucial because seasoning requires heating the cast iron to a high temperature.

Oils with a low smoke point can break down and produce unpleasant fumes or leave a sticky residue on the cookware. High-smoke point oils can withstand the heat without breaking down, allowing them to bond properly with the cast iron, creating a durable and effective seasoning layer. The best oils for seasoning cast iron are ones with a smoke point of 230 degrees Celsius (446 Fahrenheit, for our American readers) or higher. 

With those two aspects in mind, here are our suggestions for the best oils to season cast iron.

4 of the Best Oils for Seasoning Cast Iron

You don’t need to break the bank to find a good oil for seasoning cast iron. You can use most vegetable oils, but our recommendations are:

Avocado Oil

Avocado oil is a very popular choice for seasoning cast iron because it has one of the highest smoke points of any cooking oil, around 271 degrees Celsius (520 degrees Fahrenheit). This makes it ideal for creating a strong, durable seasoning layer that can withstand high cooking temperatures. Plus, avocado oil is also flavour-neutral, so it won’t interfere with the taste of your food. Although it can be a bit more expensive than some other oils easily found in Australia, its high smoke point and healthy fat profile make it a great option for maintaining your cast iron cookware.

Grapeseed Oil

Grapeseed is another excellent option as an oil for seasoning cast iron. It has a high smoke point of approximately 216 degrees Celsius (420 degrees Fahrenheit), which is sufficient for most seasoning processes. Like avocado oil, grapeseed oil is known for being flavour-neutral, so it won’t alter the taste of the dishes you cook. Additionally, it is relatively affordable and widely available. Its light consistency allows it to spread easily across the surface of the cast iron, ensuring even coverage and helping to create a smooth, non-stick seasoning layer.

Sunflower Oil

Sunflower oil is yet another versatile and cost-effective oil that works well for seasoning cast iron. With a smoke point of about 232 degrees Celsius (450 degrees Fahrenheit), it can handle the high heat required for effective seasoning. It is light and flavour-neutral and its availability and affordability make it a convenient choice for many home cooks looking to maintain their cast iron cookware without investing in more expensive oils.

Canola Oil

Finally, canola oil is a widely used and affordable oil for seasoning cast iron. It has a smoke point of around 204 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit), which is sufficient for seasoning, although slightly lower than some other oils. Canola oil is also flavour-neutral and its thin consistency allows it to coat the cast iron evenly, helping to build up a smooth, protective seasoning layer over time. As a readily available oil, canola is a very practical choice. 

A Few More Tips

When you are looking for the best oil to season cast iron, remember one more thing - you can always re-season your pans and skillets. So don’t worry if you don’t do a good job at first, the seasoning starts to flake, or you accidentally use an oil that imparts a taste you don’t like. Just remove the seasoning and do the process again.

Additionally, flaxseed oil has become a very popular online recommendation as the best oil to season cast iron. We wouldn’t suggest using it. For one, it is on the more expensive side. Second, there are many varieties of flaxseed oil and the ones that you are most likely to find have a very low smoke point and there is a high chance that the seasoning will flake. So, unless you know which specific flaxseed oil you want to use and why, there’s no practical reason to choose this option. 

An Interesting Cast Iron Cooking Suggestion - Bacon Grease

We’ve discussed the best oils for seasoning cast iron, but who says you can’t experiment a little? You don’t have to use oil at all, you can use grease. Cast iron cooking is, in large part, about adding unique tastes to your dishes. So, if you want to give it a go, you can try using bacon grease to season your cast iron.

When you are cooking bacon, you can strain the bacon through a paper towel, a coffee filter, or something similar, and collect the grease to use for seasoning (just be sure to totally strain out the bacon bits because they can make the grease go rancid). Now, bacon grease doesn’t meet the two criteria for the best oil for seasoning cast iron we mentioned - flavour neutrality and a high smoke point.

Quite the opposite, bacon grease has a low smoke point and imparts a strong flavour. But that’s the point! If you like the taste of bacon, cooking in cast iron that’s seasoned with bacon grease could impart a flavour you love. Plus, as we said, you can always reseason your cast iron pan or skillet with one of the standard oils we mentioned if you don’t like the end result.  

Where Can You Get Good Cast Iron Cookware?

Now you know the best oils to use for seasoning cast iron and maybe have a few ideas about dishes you would like to experiment with. The only thing left is to find good cast iron cookware. That’s where we can help! At AGC Catering Equipment, we have a wide selection of high-quality yet affordable cast iron cookware for you to choose from. 

Besides cast iron, you can also find enamel, aluminium, and stainless steel cookware, if that’s what you prefer. Once you make a choice, you can simply place your order online and we will deliver the items to your address. Finally, if you have questions or need assistance, please contact us - we will get back to you ASAP.