Cast Iron is a staple in our kitchen. There are so many benefits to using a cast iron! Seasoning Cast iron skillets is important if you want to have a nonstick, nontoxic pan but also to keep the pans in good shape. Many get confused on when to season cast iron, how to season cast iron, and how to keep it less maintenance than it needs to be in the kitchen. I am going to show you it doesn’t have to be a chore to use!

First off let me say this because this question ALWAYS arises. What brand of cast iron do I use? I have always used Lodge Cast Iron for many reasons but to be brief, they are made in the U.S.A and they are known for clean iron. By clean iron I mean that there aren’t other additives in with them. Many other cast irons are made in china and have additives in them that aren’t healthy. I highly recommend Lodge Cast Iron because it is not full of toxic junk like other big name brands. Why defeat the purpose of using cast iron in the first place?

When to Season your Cast Iron

If you’re buying new Lodge pans they usually come pre-seasoned. If you are using a pan pasted down they may need seasoned depending on their condition. Honestly, I don’t really like to thrift Lodge Cast Iron pans. Yes, it is easier and better cooking the older they are but I am really big on nontoxic things and there are people out there that don’t realize you should not be putting soap in your cast iron. Now I do use soap every now and then in mine but it’s a completely nontoxic dish soap and it’s the ONLY soap I would ever consider putting on it. It helps me get a “fresh” start sometimes with seasoning. You must make sure you don’t use soap too often. Only when it really needs a good cleaning.

Depending on what I am cooking in the pan, typically I rinse the pan with water each use. For instance, say I cooked burgers the previous night, the pan is filled with grease on the bottom, I would rinse that out with water and use my Lodge Metal Scrubber to get off the pieces caked on. Some also use salt while cleaning, which helps scrub of grime easier, however this is just an option. Then I would dry it by turning the burner on medium and letting the water evaporate for a minute or two then add oil to the pan and make sure it covers the sides and bottom.

If I made eggs in the pan, it’s more simple. I just wipe out the pan with a paper towel, maybe add some oil if the pan is really dry looking. Most get confused here because “eggs stick”. Not to a cast iron if you’re using it properly. Before you begin placing anything on a cast iron, the biggest hack I have is to heat the pan up to temperature before placing any food on it. That way nothing sticks to where you have to scrub the pan. If it is seasoned correctly, you will have an easy clean up.

Two Ways to Season Cast Iron

Seasoning cast iron can be done by the stove top or using the oven. I use both but mostly the stove top. The stove top is a quick and easy way to seasoning cast iron cooking pans. Sometimes though, seasoning in the oven is just needed for maintenance. I do it about every 3 months. It really is the most effective way, but definitely doesn’t need to be done all the time.

Make sure you’re using a clean, high heat oil like avocado oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil. You don’t want to use canola or vegetable oil because these oils are not as pure. I love using avocado oil because it’s cheaper and works great for cast iron. Like I said make sure it is a high heat oil or it won’t work as well.

If you’re using the stove top, you just need to burn the burner on medium (maybe less if your stove gets really hot). Add oil to the pan and cover the sides and bottom with oil using a paper towel or spatula. Let it sit on the burner for about 10 minutes. Sometimes it takes less depending on how much you keep up with seasoning.

Using the oven you just need to turn your oven from anywhere to 200 degrees to 250 degrees. Add oil to the pan. Let it sit in the oven from a half an hour to an hour. Check it occasionally to make sure the pan isn’t smoking. This happens sometimes when the pan gets too hot.

How to Keep Cast Iron Less Maintenance Than It Needs to Be

You don’t have to season it every single week, every month or even every two. Making sure your adding oil to the pan and heating it up to temperature before any food touches the pan is the key. Another side note is after your done cooking, scrap the pan down and add oil to it. The pan is still hot, obviously after cooking, so adding oil will help with seasoning it too. That’s the secret to keeping the pan seasoned with little maintenance. Mastering this is the one thing that kept me from frustration when cooking with cast iron. You don’t have to do that to normal kitchen pans so it’s a habit that has to be built so it doesn’t seem like such a chore.

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