What is Cast Iron Seasoning?

What is Cast Iron Seasoning?

Seasoning is a layer of hardened (polymerized) fat or oil that is baked on to the surface of your cast iron to protect it and ensure non-stick cooking performance. Simple as that!

Seasoning is natural, safe and completely renewable. Your seasoning will come and go with regular use but will generally accumulate over time, when properly maintained.

If you lose some seasoning while cooking or cleaning, don’t worry, your skillet is fine. You can quickly and easily renew your seasoning with a little cooking oil and an oven.

How to Season Your Cast Iron Skillet

Maintenance Seasoning Instructions:

Maintenance seasoning should be done regularly after you cook and clean. You don’t need to do it every time, but it’s best practice and particularly important after cooking with ingredients like tomatoes, citrus or wine and even meats like bacon, steak or chicken, as these are acidic and will remove some of your seasoning.

Step 1. Preheat your skillet or cast iron cookware on the stove burner (or other heat source like a grill or smoldering fire) over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Step 2. Wipe a thin sheen of oil onto the cooking surface and heat for another 5-10 minutes, or until the oil looks dry. This will help maintain a well-seasoned, non-stick cooking surface and protect the skillet during storage.

Full Seasoning Instructions:

If you order a seasoned skillet from us, this is the exact process we use. We season each piece by hand with 2 thin coats of oil. We recommend using an oil with a high smoke point such as canola, grapeseed or sunflower, and following these steps:

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 225 °F. Wash and dry your skillet completely.

Step 2. Place your skillet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then carefully remove using appropriate hand protection.

Step 3. With a cloth or paper towel, spread a thin coat of oil all over the skillet: inside, outside, handle, etc., then wipe off all excess. Only a slight sheen should remain.

Step 4. Place your skillet back in the oven, upside down. Increase the temperature to 475 °F for 1 hour.

Step 5. Turn off the oven and let your skillet cool before removing it.

Step 6. Repeat these steps to add additional layers of seasoning. We recommend 2-3 layers of seasoning.