Seasoning cast iron fry pan---how do you do this and how to cook with it?

[Ottakee]

I found a smaller cast iron frying pan that I would love to season/reseason and use. I have never cooked with cast iron and have an electric stove. I basically need a link for cast iron cooking 101.

 

Once it is seasoned do you spray it before cooking, etc? It is the perfect size for omelets/eggs, etc. but I don't want that stuff sticking.

[Stacie]

I give it a rub with Crisco and put it into a warm oven. Each time the oven gets used, I rub it again and put it back into the warm oven. We use our oven a lot, so ours is usually seasoned after about a week. We don't need to spray it before cooking, though my dh will sometimes. He just can't seem to break that habit! To cook eggs just make sure the pan is preheated.

 

Do not use dishwashing detergent, place into the dishwasher, or soak. If you have burned on food, sprinkle with a little salt and scrub with a cloth, or put it back on the burner with water to cover the bottom and boil to loosen. Enjoy your new pan!

Edited December 9, 2009 by Stacie

[Karen_OK]

Vegetable oil works, too. We sometimes put ours in the oven, or you can use your stovetop on low if needed. I don't spray mine, but I do melt some butter in it before I make scrambled eggs and they usually don't stick.

[melissel]

For some strange reason, different things seem to work for different people. I've been researching this topic forever because I have a cast-iron pan that just WOULD NOT STAY SEASONED. I was seriously ready to throw it in the garbage. I got lots of advice here and other places, and finally, in an old thread on the Chowhound site, I found the method that worked for me -- which is kind of funny, because a bunch of other people on the thread said it did NOT work for them. I have no idea what the variables are.

 

To finally get mine to stay seasoned, I rubbed it with a thin layer of Crisco and baked it in the oven at about 450-500ish until I smelled smoke. I let it cook at that point for about 5 minutes or so, then I took it out. That was it. Lower temperatures never worked for me, the stovetop method sort of, but not really, worked for me. After you get a good seasoning on it, you have to be very careful with it. And some things will still stick. I mainly use mine for cooking eggs, and I use butter in the pan. If the heat is too high, I may still have to scrape some stuff off, but it comes off way more easily than on an unseasoned pan. In fact, I just cleaned scrambled eggs off mine with a knitted dishcloth. No soap at all, ever, is the key to maintaining that seasoning finish.

 

Good luck!

[HRAAB]

I re-season mine with vegetable oil every time I use it. Only takes a second and works like a charm. I don't use any of the spray type oils.

[Daisy]

I rub mine with veggie oil and put in a 250 degree oven for an hour whenever I need to season it which is rarely.

 

I use it for everything just about everything.

[Mom2GirlsTX]

I have only had success with the method Melissel recommended. The Griswald collector/fanatics recommend this method.

 

I love to cook in iron. We have 4 or 5, some are 40 years old, and our youngest skillet is now about 20 years old.

 

Stacie's advice was spot on for cooking eggs, etc and cleaning.

 

Give it some time to get used to it, it is really a great way to cook!

[LizzyBee]

I wash mine with dish detergent and water, then set it on a hot burner to dry. While it is still warm, I use a paper towel to rub Crisco on it. Food never sticks to it when I use this method.

 

Yeah, I know you're not "supposed" to use dish detergent on cast iron, but I won't cook in a pot that not's washed with soap. I wash my pampered chef stones with soapy dishwater, too.

Edited December 9, 2009 by LizzyBee

[MomOfOneFunOne]

The only cast iron I have that I have trouble with are two that I bought new, pre-seasoned. I will never again buy the pre-seasoned stuff. It's just worthless, inho.

 

I do love my cast iron, though. Highly acidic foods are hard on the patina so I suggest that you avoid those foods until you get a good, long lasting patina. So, while you have a great size for omlette making (I have that one, too) it's best not to make them for a little while. Food that will damage the patina are egg yolks, tomatoes, et c.

 

If you do damage the patina, a batch of corn bread and you're back in business. But thats after you've achieved a good "seasoning."

 

I do mine all the same way: coat with crisco, bake on high heat till I smell smoke, let cool, wipe, repeat twice. At this point you have kind of a begining patina and want to be careful. Here is where you want to avoid the acidic foods.

 

If I bought it at a yard/estate sale I just put it in the oven, set it to self clean and then do the above.

 

When you've really got it going scramble eggs, et c. If you leave some tomatoes in overnight or something, bake a batch of cornbread in it and you're good to go.

[Kidlit]

The only ones of mine that are well seasoned are the ones passed down to me from my mom, etc. To get a "good season," I just send a new one home with her for a while. . .

Edited December 9, 2009 by hopeistheword
smiley in the wrong place