How do you "season" an iron skillet?

**DJ1972** · 06-07-2007, 05:05 PM

I found a new iron skillet at Goodwill...I love iron skillets. My mom seasoned my last one for me, I asked her how to do it and she gave me the normal mom reply of, "Just bring it over and let me do it." She passed away 2 years ago (being parentless stinks!), so I am turning to the wisdom of the FV ladies. What do you do to your new iron cookware?

**Dancing Lotus** · 06-07-2007, 06:45 PM

I bought mine preseasoned. I cant say for sure but I believe you just rub the entire thing with cooking oil and place it in a warm oven .

**Its_Donna** · 06-07-2007, 07:46 PM

I love Goggle!

http://huntsville.about.com/cs/food/ht/Cast_Iron.htm

**DJ1972** · 06-07-2007, 08:34 PM

thank you!

didn't think to just google it....LOL

**Its_Donna** · 06-08-2007, 05:21 AM

Originally Posted by DJ1972

thank you!

didn't think to just google it....LOL

I'm a google-a-holic!

I wish I had some cast iron skillets!!

**savin4disney** · 06-08-2007, 05:24 AM

Cast iron is the best. I don't even put my one pan away it gets used so much.

**TheRootedNomad** · 06-08-2007, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by savin4disney

Cast iron is the best. I don't even put my one pan away it gets used so much.

Me neither!!!!

What a wonderful sight. I never thought to goggle it either. My two "sesoned"
pieces were handed down so I didn't know how to do that either.

**Jaded** · 06-08-2007, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by DJ1972

I found a new iron skillet at Goodwill...I love iron skillets. My mom seasoned my last one for me, I asked her how to do it and she gave me the normal mom reply of, "Just bring it over and let me do it." She passed away 2 years ago (being parentless stinks!), so I am turning to the wisdom of the FV ladies. What do you do to your new iron cookware?

If you have a cooktop stove, an iron skillet will cause it to turn black. Wish I had known that before I ruined the top of mine.

Also, to season it well, don't really wash it with soap and water, just wipe it out completely for awhile. No, you won't get food poisoning. You can tell when it gets seasoned, but it will never be completely 'no stick'. If you use Pam, don't use the kind with silicone, as that will ruin the pan.

I've been cooking in cast iron for 30 years.

**DJ1972** · 06-08-2007, 03:47 PM

They also had a couple of cast iron kettles...now i wish i would have bought one of those as well. And i didn't know about the pam with silicone, thanks!

**thriftybargainmom** · 06-08-2007, 11:36 PM

I always heard to rub it with cooking oil after you clean it??

**monkeywrangler71** · 06-09-2007, 02:53 PM

I bought a new one the other day and tried to season it according to the instructions that came with it (Scrub with hot soapy water, Grease, Heat) and I ended up with a pan that is all sticky. What did I do wrong & how do I fix it?

**Jaded** · 06-11-2007, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

I bought a new one the other day and tried to season it according to the instructions that came with it (Scrub with hot soapy water, Grease, Heat) and I ended up with a pan that is all sticky. What did I do wrong & how do I fix it?

Put it on a burner on high heat, and let it get red hot until all the stuff inside burns out. Then just reseason it. The outside of the pan will always be ugly and sort of sticky looking. It won't ever be a pretty pan.

**DJ1972** · 06-11-2007, 02:56 PM

I followed the directions on the web site...and it worked great. http://huntsville.about.com/cs/food/ht/Cast_Iron.htm Thanks again all!

**MarshHen** · 06-25-2007, 01:30 AM

I season mine by rubbing the inside with Crisco and then heating it in the oven. What you are actualy doing is allowing the heat to open the pores of the pan and letting the shortening absorb into the pores. Don't wash your cast iron pans in soap and water, but if you have any stuck on food, simply scrap it out using steel wool (it will not hurt it at all) and wipe it clean with an oily cloth or paper towel. To store your cast iron, apply a thin, even coat of shortening and then lay a piece of brown paper (I use brown grocery bags cut to size) into the pans. The brown paper will absorb some of the oil and will keep your pans from rusting. New pans take a little time to become fully seasoned, and the more you use them, the better. The best cornbread is baked in a cast iron skillet. Make your batter, then add a little shortening to the pan and preheat it. Take the hot pan out of the oven and swirl the melted, hot shortening around coating the bottom and sides of the pan. Add your batter and bake until golden brown. Making cornbread in your skillet a few times is the quickest way to season your pan. Oh, one tip...avoid using tomato based foods in your cast iton cause the acid in the tomatoes will cause pitting in the finish and it will cause rust. LOL, I've got cast iron skillets that have been handed down over 6 generations. Mine are slick as snot. Love em!

**Nada.Leona** · 06-25-2007, 04:10 PM

I nearly went through the rough in April past when I went to the annual Dump-and-Run at the local university -- some student was leaving a Le Crusuet (sp?) frying pan, which is one of the top quality iron cookware you can buy now. I got this $80 frying pan for $2.00.

I collect cast iron cookware. I have several pieces now, all frying pans and skillets. I hope some day to come across some pots and casserole dishes, as I promised

that I wouldn't buy any more skillets unless I come across a really big one or a really small one.

When I season mine, I bring them home and take a steel wool pad to it to scrub off any grime and rust (some of them are in pretty poor shape). Then, I coat the inside (and the outside if it was pretty yucky) with cooking oil -- usually canola or olive oil. Put it in the oven and let it sit for an hour or so -- I have the temperature marked down at home, but I can't remember what it is off the top of my head. I usually do this when I'm cooking something like cornbread or muffins. Cook it for a while, then take it out and wipe off the excess oil. Then put it back in the warm oven and let it sit overnight. Usually works pretty well for me. Though be careful -- you don't want your oil to burn.