How To: Season a Cast Iron Pan

It happened on a Saturday, Halloween. The decorations were up, the candy was prepped. I still had a few hours before kids started knocking at the door, which, for some reason, I took as the perfect time to season my large cast iron pan for the first time.

After a cursory google, I followed the most expedient technique: preheated the oven (too much), oiled the pan (with the wrong type), stuck it in.

The smoke came fast, filling the kitchen. I turned off the oven, threw open the windows and started fanning the air with a dishtowel, which, unsurprisingly, accomplished nothing. The smoke detector started blaring. I tried to quiet it as best I could, but in the process missed the sound of my phone ringing — the alarm company calling to inform me that they’d dispatched the fire department. I heard sirens through the open window and knew they were for me.

At this point you might be wondering, “Why should I trust this guy to guide me through seasoning a cast iron pan?” The answer is, I’m a cast-iron seasoning survivor. I’ve made the mistakes so that you don’t repeat them.

There are multiple ways to season a cast iron pan — on a stove top, a grill, a firepit. But the method I prefer — the one that almost killed me — is in the oven. In my experience, it’s the simplest — so long as you follow these steps.

How to Season a Cast Iron Pan

What You’ll Need

• cast iron pan (obvi)
• oil with a high-smoke point such as avocado, grapeseed or sunflower oil
• a sheet pan or large piece of aluminum foil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Do this while you prepare your pan.
2. Wash your pan. A lot of folks will tell you not to use soap when washing your cast iron, but I — and a lot of other people on the internet — think it’s fine in small amounts. Use warm water and a dab of soap to thoroughly wash your pan. Then dry it completely.
3. Oil the pan. Using a paper towel or cloth, rub your pan with a high-smoke point oil until it’s properly polished. There should be almost no oil visible on the surface of the pan.
4. Add heat. Put the pan bottom side up on the top rack of your oven. Place your sheet pan or aluminum foil underneath the pan (to catch any oil drops). Let the pan bake for around 30 minutes.
5. Open some windows. The pan might still smoke a bit. Don’t be alarmed. But if it gets extreme, open the door, throw on oven mitts and get that pan outside.
6. Repeat steps three and four. Seasoning cast iron is about building up a coating on the surface of the pan. Repeating this process a few times will form a nice coating on your cast iron pan.

Now — go ahead and fall in love with your pan again.