How To Season a Cast Iron Skillet In 7 Simple Steps

To help you get cooking in a flash, Lovett Sundries, a purveyor of all-natural home goods, is here to answer your most burning questions. In this article, we’re looking at how to season a cast iron skillet, what oils you should use, why a cast iron skillet is better than a non-stick pan, how to maintain it for years to come, and much more.

Once you start cooking with cast iron, you’ll never want to cook with anything else. But it’s that “getting started” part that turns a lot of people off. But here’s the thing: it’s much easier than most online resources make it sound. Just be prepared to reserve some time. We swear it’ll be worth it!

What Does Seasoning a Cast Iron Skillet Do?

By seasoning your cast iron skillet, you’re creating a thin, protective layer of fat that prevents rust and creates a non-stick surface for cooking through two processes called polymerization and carbonization.

Polymerization occurs when oil is heated on the skillet's surface. This process breaks down the fat in the oil into smaller molecules, allowing those molecules to bond together into a durable, smooth, non-stick layer that adheres to the skillet.

On the other hand, carbonization happens when any residual oil reaches a high enough temperature to decompose into carbon. This step contributes to the skillet's dark, glossy patina.

The carbon layer and the polymerized oil create a robust protective surface that enhances the skillet's longevity and performance. Together, these processes ultimately create that cooking surface that so many people rave about.

How to Season a New Cast Iron Skillet

If you’ve been browsing online resources before this one, you’ve likely stumbled upon people battling over the best oils to use and arguing over the optimal oven temperature to season a cast iron skillet. However, after testing various methods, we’re convinced that—aside from some best practices—many of the “must-dos” boil down to preference and rules of thumb.

That said, we strongly recommend baking your seasoning oil into the pan rather than doing it all on the stovetop. Doing so will result in a more robust, even coating. After two rounds of seasoning (or three if you’re an overachiever), you’re good to go. Here’s how to do it:

1. Wash Your Cast Iron Skillet

Oftentimes, a new cast iron skillet comes “pre-seasoned.” But we’d recommend seasoning it yourself to get a better non-stick coating, even if the packaging says it’s ready to use. Plus, that skillet has probably been handled dozens of times between it being manufactured and you purchasing it. So, you’ll want to clean it first.

Many people think cleaning a cast iron skillet with soap and water is sacrilege, but we think it’s pretty critical before the first use. Wash your cast iron skillet with hot, soapy water and dry it thoroughly with a cloth. Opt for an all-natural dish soap to keep the chemicals in your kitchen to a minimum.

2. Dry Your Cast Iron Skillet

Dry your skillet with a clean cloth. Then, place it on the stovetop over medium heat for one to three minutes. Heating it up will help ensure your skillet is bone dry before you season it.

3. Rub Your Skillet Down with Oil

Now that your skillet is clean and dry, it’s time to give it a rub down with oil, inside and out. There are a wide variety of high smoke point options you can use for seasoning your pan, including:

Canola Oil Corn Oil Coconut Oil Cold-Pressed Flaxseed Oil Ghee

Lard Melted Shortening Peanut Oil Vegetable Oil Sunflower Oil

Do Not Use:

• Hazelnut Oil (low smoke point and affects the flavor of foods)
• Olive Oil (low smoke point)
• Sesame Oil (low smoke point and affects the flavor of foods)
• Walnut Oil (low smoke point)

Lovett Sundries has a specially blended Cast Iron Seasoning mixture and Cast Iron Conditioner. Featured in Milk Street and rated five stars by our customers, these products will ensure that your cast iron skillet cooks great and lasts for decades to come.

With a paper towel, rub and buff the oil or seasoning mixture into the skillet until it no longer looks greasy. Again, be sure to hit the outside as well! Make sure there are no little streaks, pools, or oil anywhere. Excess oil can cause your pan to become sticky.

4. Bake Your Cast Iron

Preheat your oven to 450-500 °F (230°C). When it reaches temperature, place your cast iron skillet upside down on a baking sheet and place it on the middle oven rack. Bake it for 45 minutes.

During this phase, the oil will polymerize and form the first protective coating. The oven provides a balance of heat to help evenly bond the seasoning.

We recommend turning on your kitchen exhaust fan if you have one, as it may get smoky and smell a little bit like something is burning. After 45 minutes, take the pan out. It’ll be piping hot, so make sure you use thick oven mitts.

5. Repeat Steps 3 & 4

You could stop after one round of baking, but we recommend repeating the process at least one more time—bonus points if you do it two more times.

After you remove your pan from the oven, set it down on the stove, and carefully rub it down and buff it again with oil or a seasoning mixture. Now, put it back in the oven for another 45 minutes. Repeat this process one more time if you’d like.

Despite what many forums say, we’re convinced that anything past three rounds of seasoning is unnecessary. But if you dig deep enough online, you’ll certainly find people who recommend even more rounds. It’s up to you—follow your culinary compass.

6. Let the Pan Cool

Turn off the oven while leaving the door closed. Let the pan cool slowly on its baking sheet. This cooling process can take a few hours. Allowing the skillet to cool down slowly can help the polymerized oil fully set into the cast iron and aid in a more even coating.

7. Cook & Condition

All you need to do for maintenance is cook with your skillet and condition it (we’ll go over conditioning in a moment). Each time you cook with some type of oil or fat, you’ll be contributing to another layer of seasoning. With a robust enough layer (cook for a few weeks), you’ll be free to cook even acidic foods in your cast iron skillet.

*Please note: This process is not for enamel-coated cast iron.

Maintaining Your Cast Iron Skillet

Like seasoning a cast iron skillet, maintaining one, be it conditioning or cleaning it, is also fraught with disagreements. However, there are some tried-and-true methods of keeping your skillet looking good and cooking well.

1. Re-season Every One to Two Years

Re-seasoning your cast iron is optional. However, we think it adds to the usability and longevity of a skillet. If you cook lots of acidic food, this option is beneficial. Simply repeat the seasoning steps above, and you’re good to go.

2. Condition Your Skillet After You Cook

A well-seasoned skillet shouldn’t need to be cleaned with soap and water. Simply scrape and wipe out any food and then rub in a coating of oil or conditioner. Be sure also to leverage the scrubbing power of salt. It’s excellent for baked-on foods! After a quick conditioning, you’re ready to cook again.

For added protection and non-stick power, we recommend using our seasoning oil and/or conditioner after each cooking session. It's an easy way to maintain the seasoned finish. We recommend the conditioner as an all-in-one solution, while the seasoning oil is for someone who may already have a scrubbing solution that they prefer.

3. Use Dish Soap Sparingly

While dish soap isn’t going to destroy your cast iron like many people say it does, it can strip off a bit of the seasoning. Therefore, only use dish soap when you’re having trouble removing stuck-on food or if you have cooked something with a strong smell like fish or garlic. When in doubt, use coarse sea salt or a metal or wooden scraper first.

4. Don’t Store Acidic Foods in a Cast Iron Skillet Once You’re Done Cooking

A cast iron baked pasta or lasagna is delectable! But the acidity of the tomato sauce isn’t good for the seasoning. Therefore, store any acidic food in a different container after cooking. Also, never marinate foods in your cast iron, as the acidity of the marinade can damage the seasoning.

5. Clean and Dry Before Storing

Never put away a cast iron skillet wet. This surface moisture can cause rusting. At a minimum, towel dry your pan. Even better, dry it up on the stovetop over medium heat, let it cool, then put it away. This is a great time to add a little seasoning oil.

Benefits of Cast Iron

There are a variety of benefits to cooking with cast iron, from lasting a lifetime to not leaching “forever chemicals” into your food. While seasoning a cast iron skillet can take some work, we’re confident you’ll find it’s worth it.

1. Will Last for a Lifetime

With proper care, a cast iron skillet can live a lifetime. In fact, many people pass their cast iron cookware down for generations.

2. Balanced Heat Retention

Cast iron skillets retain heat like no other cookware. With minimal hot spots, the even temperature is excellent for cooking, especially when it comes to searing foods.

3. Can Be Used on The Stovetop and Oven

Cast iron works well on the stovetop (induction, electric, and gas) and in the oven, too. Whether you’re baking brownies or finishing a steak, its versatility is worth the investment.

4. Doesn’t Leach Forever Chemicals

We saved the most crucial benefit for last. Cast iron cookware doesn’t contain perfluorinated and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS), a chemical with non-stick, stain-resistant, and waterproof properties. While these unique properties may seem helpful in the kitchen, The Environmental Protection Agency found that PFASs are associated with a myriad of health issues, including:

• Decreased fertility
• Developmental effects or delays in children
• Increased cholesterol levels and risk of obesity
• Increased risk of cancer
• Interference with the body’s natural hormones
• Reduced ability of the body’s immune system to fight infections

While many non-stick options claim to be safe alternatives to traditional Teflon, Consumer Reports found PFAS compounds in various cookware brands that claim to be “healthy” non-stick alternatives. The scary part is that new options seem to be hitting the market every day. However, cast iron cookware can be just as non-stick without all the dangerous chemicals.

Making Cast Iron Care Easier

Lovett Sundries has a growing collection of natural kitchen products to keep your cast iron working great for generations. Use our cast iron seasoning if you’re just kicking off your cast iron journey, and maintain your skillet easily with our cast iron conditioner. We also have a hardwood cast iron scraper for those hard-to-scrape-off bits of food after cooking.