Learn how to season cast iron, cook with it, plus tips for cleaning. This is my favorite kitchen tool and with proper care, it will be yours as well for years of use.
Cast iron has been my skillet of choice for many years now. I seasoned my skillets when I first bought them years ago and haven’t had to repeat the initial seasoning process since. With proper care, a well-seasoned pan will last for forever. It is a kitchen essential and so worth learning how to use.
Getting your first new cast iron pan and learning how to season cast iron cookware can be intimidating, but the good news is, it is so simple! Follow these steps below, and before you know it you will be making delicious dishes that are definitely elevated when cooked in cast iron. You’ll also be able to enjoy the benefits of an easy-release cooking surface that is non toxic to use.
From making sourdough discard cinnamon rolls for breakfast, smothered pork steaks for dinner, and sourdough cherry cobbler for dessert, the recipes you can make with cast iron are endless!
There is a bit of a learning curve with cast-iron cookware, but once you get the hang of it you’ll never go back! I promise.
Why You’ll Love Cast Iron
Healthier – Reason #1, of course, is it doesn’t have all the bad stuff. Nonstick pans are coated with a carcinogenic chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid.
Not only does it leech into the food when cooked at high temperatures, but also produces toxic fumes in the air. Although the health concerns with nonstick were what drew me to using cast iron in the first place, the ease and beauty with which they cook kept me coming back for more.
Non-Stick – Well seasoned cast iron pans are wonderfully non-stick and with proper care they will stay that way. Even if you make something a little sticky, it usually doesn’t take too much work to get them non-stick again.
Long lasting – It is nearly impossible to break a cast iron skillet. Sure it may need to be re-seasoned, but otherwise they will last nearly forever and can even be passed down from generation to generation.
How to Season Cast Iron
Step 1: Scrub cast iron with hot soapy water (making sure to use a gentle dish soap) to get off any rust, if there is any. A stainless steel scrubber is very handy for this.
Step 2: Dry well with a towel.
Step 3: Lightly coat the cast iron with a thin layer of oil, making sure to use a high smoke point oil. High smoke point oils can withstand very high temperatures without burning. I like to use avocado oil, coconut oil, or lard. Some other cooking oil options that will work are canola oil, grapeseed oil, and sunflower oil. You can also make and use some of my DIY cast iron seasoning oil.
Step 4: Cover the bottom, top, handle, and every part of the skillet with the oil.
Step 5: Wipe off the excess oil with a dry rag.
Step 6: Place the pan upside down in a 450 degree oven for an hour.
Step 7: Repeat until it has a black shiny luster, if necessary.
How to Cook with Cast Iron
Step 1: Preheat skillet. The biggest key to successful cast iron cooking is preheating. Never drop food into a cold cast iron skillet or you will end up with stuck-on foods to clean off.
Step 2: Add a little bit of fat whether it be butter, oil, lard or tallow, etc.
Step 3: Add your food and cook. That simple. Flip and stir as little as possible, allowing the food to release from the bottom of the pan when it is cooked fully.
Step 4: After cooking, follow the how to clean cast iron directions below.
Watch me cook over-easy eggs in the video below to see how cast iron can truly be a non-stick surface.
How to Clean Cast Iron
Cast iron is naturally nonstick when seasoned properly. If nothing is sticking to the pan, you can simply wipe it out with a paper towel until the next use.
If something gets really stuck on, remove it with a little warm water and a stainless steel scrubber.
Avoid using soap if possible, however using a gentle dish soap if you need to is ok and should not harm your seasoning.
Use a tea towel to wipe off any excess water. The pan should be completely dry before putting it away. Make sure every part of the pan is dried thoroughly and store them in a dry place.
Things to Make With Cast Iron
Foods that need to be steamed or boiled are not the best choice to cook with cast iron. I still like to make steamed carrots, broccoli, and green beans in my stainless steel pots with a lid. Also, I prefer stainless steel for soups and stews.
Foods that are cooked in fat, or have a decent fat content in them, are excellent for cast iron cooking.
- Bread items: such as sourdough pancakes, sourdough English muffins, pizza, sourdough donuts
- Meats: like this creamy chicken and mushroom pasta, garlic butter pork chops, and round steak with caramelized onions and mushrooms
- Sautéed veggies
- Stir fry
- Sunny side up eggs
- Fried potatoes
- Roasts
- Desserts: cobblers like blueberry, cherry, pumpkin, and so much more.
- French toast casserole
- Skillets: chicken pot pie, shepherd’s pie, sourdough skillets, etc.
Cast Iron FAQs
Cast iron can scratch a glass-top stove.
There is also concern that a hot cast iron pan could cause the cold glass top to shatter, because the skillet holds so much heat. Cast iron is extremely heavy, so if it is dropped on the glass-top it might break.
All that aside, I used to cook with cast iron on a glass stove top daily in our old house, and did for many years. I never had a problem.
I put the question out on my Facebook and Instagram page, and it seems all my die hard cast iron fans pay no mind to such suggestions.
No one reported a problem. So, although technically cast iron on a glass cook top is a no-no, you will likely suffer no consequence, should you decide to be a rebel like me.
You want to choose an oil that has a high smoke point. Coconut, avocado, and lard (if using frequently) are the healthiest options, but almost any cooking oil will work. See post above in the how to season cast iron section for more oil options that are good choices.
What happens if you don’t season cast iron?
If you do not season cast iron you will be left with a porous surface that is not non-stick. This will make the pan hard to clean and may make the pan rust. It is very important to season new cast iron skillets and continue to build up its seasoning over time.
A little bit of rust on cast iron is ok and can usually be scrubbed and cleaned off of the surface and then re-seasoned. Make sure to avoid practices like leaving your cast iron wet and letting it soak to avoid more serious rust issues. Always dry cast iron immediately and store it in a dry area free from moisture.
How often do you have to season the cast iron skillet? Is it every time you cook? Thanks
Hi Lisa! Love your blog and vlogs!
So I washed all the rust off and dried them before the re seasoning process and both skillets just came out all rusty still. Do I have to wash them again? Or just re oil and bake again?
If they are rusty, they need to be cleaned again and dried thoroughly before re-seasoning.
Hi Lisa,
I too have glass top burners. One is 8.25 inches in diameter and the other burner is 9 inches. Should I get an 8 inch skillet or 9 inch. The larger the better, but if the 9 inch skillet won’t work well on the 8.25 inch burner, then I guess I’d be better off with the 8 inch? Are your skillets larger than your burners?
I have one really large pan that goes outside the edges of the burners, and I don’t like using it as much. I would recommend sizes that aren’t much bigger. I would say the 9″ is fine though, because thats not much bigger. The one I have is several inches bigger.
Hi Lisa,
I love your blog! I find your tips so helpful.
I have been cooking with cast iron for a long time. Something we love to cook in them are fresh salmon filets. The salmon comes out amazing and crispy on both sides. The problem is that because they are porous, the skillets smell like fish for days. Do you have any suggestions for removing odors?
Thanks!
Georgia
I do tend to have that problem with fish. It’s one of the only times I thoroughly clean them, even when nothing is stuck on. I just scrub it with hot water and a stainless steel scrubber. I wipe it out with a dry towel, and that usually does the trick!
Loved this video! I got some preloved cast iron and went to season them this weekend and the house filled with smoke. Not at an alarming rate or anything, but enough to where the smoke detectors kept going off until it all aired out. I thought I coated them pretty lightly and wiped away excess, coconut oil, but am just wondering if this is any cause for concern?
Thank you 🙂
It just means you burnt your coconut oil. The smoking point is 400 degrees for refined coconut oil. If it is unrefined coconut oil the smoking point is lower. So if you don’t want it to smoke you can season it at a lower temperature. Use beef tallow or lard instead. Or open all your windows and let it smoke.
I like to put aluminum foil under my pan in the oven to avoid the oil dripping onto the heating coil in the bottom of the oven, which also causes smoke.
I used unrefined cold pressed coconut oil and it still smoked. Turn it down to 400° so hopefully that will help.
I tried seasoning mine. They had been previously strip. But the coconut oil got all drippy even though I wiped it really good. What am I doing wrong? I tried scrubbing it off but it’s stuck really good and now I’m not sure if it’s ruined.
It’s probably not ruined! Put it in the oven on really hot to burn anything off. Then scrub it with a stainless steel scrubber and soap. After it is full dry, add a very thin coating of oil and repeat seasoning. 🙂
Hi! I used soap on mine washing it once. Is it ruined? Thanks!!
Definitely not! Its basically a rule not to, but my mom always uses soap on hers. She doesn’t listen to that rule. lol
Should I read-season it after using soap to wash it?
Only if the food is sticking to it. Otherwise, you’re good!
Hi Lisa, I use cast iron all the time. After every use I clean it with water and then dry it with a paper towel and re-coat it with coconut oil. After watching this video, I realized that I was cleaning it too much. But here’s my question….When will it need more seasoning? My cast iron skillets sometimes look dull and don’t have that shine. That’s why I re-coat it with coconut oil. Maybe following your guidelines will change the surface. Thanks for a great video!!
Are they still pretty nonstick? If you don’t heat the oil after I don’t think they are penetrating into the cast iron.
I have a cast iron that I seasoned, but after I use it and rinse with water, then dry, the towel always gets black from the inside of the wet skillet. What’s my problem? Thanks!
Oh yes that always happens, you’re not doing anything wrong! Just make sure to not use a towel you’re worried about getting dirty. 🙂
I love this post! Thanks so much for all your tips. I was given a vintage set and would love to start using them. My question is, if rust does show up is there a way to fix the problem? I won’t name names but one of mine was soaked and now it’s rusty and yucky and certainly doesn’t look as lovely as the others and so it stopped me from using them since. Thanks again! ❤️
Yes, just make sure to scrub it all off really well before you re-season! 🙂
I love all your shows, you are a great home maker. I wish you and your husband and family , a great and safe Merry Christmas .
Hi! I love your blog!!
Thanks for this post; this definitely helps so much!!
Quick question, where do you get your coconut oil and what kind do you use?