Time to Season Your Cast-Iron Pan for Real
No piece of kitchen equipment incites such feelings of fear
and anxiety (but also love and obsession) as the cast-iron pan. If you haven't
mastered the art of cooking with—and cleaning—it, you probably fall into two
camps: Either you gave up and let it get rusty, crusty, and dusty, (this is
starting to sound like a country music song), or you use it regularly but find
that your food sticks to the pan due to improper seasoning. Enough already.
Today is the day you learn how to season that pan properly from this day
forward—because once you do, you'll have it for life.
If It's In Generally Good Shape…
Wipe It Clean
Every time you use your cast-iron, you should wipe out any
bits of food. Sometimes, that just means a quick swipe (keep a rag or old towel
near your stove exclusively for this purpose). For stubborn pieces and
crusted-on crumbs, scour it with kosher salt and your rag. If it's really
nasty, you can use a little warm water, but steer clear of the soap. And don't
you dare put the pan in the dishwasher. Ever.
Lubricate the Entire Pan
Once the pan is clean, use your rag or a paper towel to coat
it with a thin layer of fat. Although my personal preference is beef tallow; the
type of fat doesn't really matter: Olive oil, lard, coconut oil, vegetable oil,
canola oil… it's all fair game. The important thing is to coat the entire pan
with fat, and yes, that means the exterior, bottom, and sides of the pan. Rust
is like a virus that can spread from anywhere on the pan. THAT FILM OF FAT IS
WHAT ACTS AS A BARRIER AGAINST RUST AND DECAY, so lube up.
Gently Heat It
After that, place it in an oven set to 200-250 degrees for
15 minutes and let it cool down before storing it in a cabinet or on the
stovetop. Be sure not to leave it in the oven—you'll likely forget it's there
the next time you use it, causing it to overheat at higher temperatures. Some
manufacturers (like Lodge) come pre-seasoned, and are TECHNICALLY ready to
start cooking with right away. But for vintage cookware you should give it a
good base seasoning before you use it. After that, there’s no need to go big
unless you really muck it up.
If It's All Sorts of Gnarly…
Wipe It Down and Oil It Up
Use whatever fat you have handy, but it should have a smoke
point that's higher than 350˚. Preheat your oven to that temperature and rub
the pan generously with oil (but not so much that it's dripping like mad). I
like beef tallow or vegetable oil-based Crisco, but lard, avocado oil, canola
oil, etc., will all work. Don't forget the exterior of the pan.
Bake It
Line the bottom rack of your oven with a large sheet of aluminium
foil to catch any drips, then turn the pan upside-down on the rack above the
foil. Bake it at 350˚ for one hour, then turn off the oven and let the pan cool
completely in the oven. After that, you're ready to cook. Just promise us that
you'll clean and season it well after every single use.
One Last Thing…
Never, ever, ever put a cast-iron pan in a dishwasher.
