How to Care for Cast Iron Cookware

Now that you know how to select cast iron cookware and are a proud owner, I bet you are eager to start cooking. However, it is important to understand how to care for cast iron cookware and what goes into maintaining it first so that it can have a long, happy life in your kitchen.

With proven methods and insight from our resident expert Chef Sheri Raleigh-Yearby, founder of Cast Iron Skillet Culinaire, we will explore the seasoning, cleaning, and upkeep necessary to keep your cast iron in pristine condition and give you the tools to do it yourself.

To Season or Not to Season

Before you start cooking, it can be helpful to gauge the state of your cast iron’s seasoning—and I am not talking about spices. The “seasoning” refers to the nonstick coating of your pan and indicates what you can expect when cooking with it.

Cast iron becomes seasoned through polymerization, a process where oil is heated onto the pan to create a slick, solid surface. This coating keeps food from sticking to the pan, promotes even cooking, and helps prevent rust.

Typically, you will find that most cast irons you buy today come pre-seasoned, but after some use, you may still have to re-season your pan to rebuild that coating. A good way to tell if your pan is seasoned well is how it looks: seasoned pans appear dark and saturated with no dry spots and a glossy finish.

So, if your cast iron is starting to look a little ashy or you find yourself having trouble with food sticking in the pan, it might be time to re-season. Luckily, the process is simple and can be done at home—all you need is an oven and some oil.

Best Oil to Season Cast Iron Cookware

Chef Yearby outlines the basics of seasoning cast iron at home. “When you season it, you’re going to put that coating of oil on it, and you’re going to put it in about a 400-degree oven.”

You will want to start the process with a clean, dry pan. Oil and water are not a good match, especially when heat is involved, so this is an important first step if you want to avoid setting off your smoke detectors.

1. Adding one teaspoon of oil to season your cast iron cookware, use a paper towel or brush to distribute and wipe away any extra oil. The goal is to evenly coat the entire pan in a thin layer of oil, so you do not want it to be dripping or slick to the touch.

When asked about the best oil to season cast iron cookware, Yearby recommends using a neutral oil with a high smoke point for the best results, “I’d use vegetable oil,” she shares. “Olive oil can sometimes leave that sticky residue.”

2. Once the entire pan has been oiled, including the handle, it is time to move it into the oven. Put the pan into a cool oven, laying it upside down on the oven rack. Next, set the oven to 400℉ and allow it to come up to temperature with the pan inside.
3. When the oven reaches 400℉, start your timer for one hour and allow the polymerization to take place. When the hour is up, turn off the oven and allow your pan to cool before removing it.

“You might have to do this process several times to get to the finish that you want on it,” she explains. The more times you season it, the better your pan’s coating will be and the easier it will be to clean in the future.

RELATED: How to Select Cast Iron Cookware

How to Clean and Re-Season Cast Iron

Cleaning cast iron is another process that is not nearly as demoralizing as people make it out to be; it just takes a bit of extra care. However, how to clean and re-season cast iron is straightforward and comparable to how you would hand wash any other pan.

When the pan is cool enough to handle, you can scrub it with a sponge or bristle brush using a few drops of dish soap to get the job done. “You are just going to use a mild soap when you clean it, and you don’t want to use a lot,” she explains.

Be sure to give the pan a good rinse and dry the excess water off with a dish towel. From there, allow your cast iron to air dry or heat on the stove until dry to prevent rusting.

The main thing to avoid when cleaning is soaking your pan in water or putting it in the dishwasher. “I don’t let it sit in water because that can start a rusting process,” Yearby notes.

Once your pan is completely dry, it will probably look a little ashy again, so you can use some oil and buff it with a paper towel. If you feel like it needs a little more, you can also re-season.

With seasoning, cleaning, and upkeep covered, it is time to move into the fun part. Make sure to keep an eye out for the next part of the Cast Iron Series, where we will talk about cooking and serving in your cast iron cookware.

For more information on our resident cast iron connoisseur, Chef Seri Raleigh-Yearby, and her culinary school, Cast Iron Skillet Culinaire, you can visit her website and keep up with her on Instagram.