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Seasoning cast iron

Baking a very thin coat of cooking oil onto cast iron cookware so it sets on the surface. Lodge bakes it for one hour at 450 to 500°F.

What It Means

Seasoning cast iron means coating a cast iron pan with a very thin layer of cooking oil and baking it, so the oil sets on the iron as a finish. The word also names that finish itself, as in "the seasoning is wearing off." Lodge, the cast iron maker, describes an oven method: oil the pan inside and out, bake it upside down at 450 to 500°F for one hour, then let it cool in the oven.

Try It: Season a Skillet One Step at a Time

Walk through Lodge's oven method. Press Next when each step is done.

Step 1 of 6

Oil it, thinly

Rub a very thin layer of oil over the whole pan, inside and out, with a cloth or lint-free paper towel. Too much if it drips or runs when you tilt it.

How It Sounds at Home

  • "That skillet needs a fresh coat of seasoning."
  • "Don't scrub off the seasoning."
  • "It was my grandma's pan, it's been seasoned for decades."

The Breakdown

Lodge's oven method

  1. Rub a very thin layer of cooking oil over the whole pan, inside and out, with a cloth or a lint-free paper towel. Go light: the oil shouldn't drip or run when you tilt the pan.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450 to 500°F.
  3. Put a sheet of aluminum foil on the bottom rack to catch extra oil.
  4. Place the pan upside down on the center rack.
  5. Bake for one hour.
  6. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool inside the oven.

Why each step is there

StepWhat Lodge says it does
A very thin coatCovers the pan without dripping or running
Foil on the bottom rackCatches excess oil
Pan upside downKeeps oil from pooling on the cooking surface
Cooling in the ovenHelps the seasoning adhere to the iron

Try it today. Check that you have an oil Lodge suggests, a lint-free towel, a roll of foil, and an evening at home for the hour of baking plus the cool-down in the oven. Then start with step 1.

Good to Know

Lodge's test kitchen likes vegetable oil, melted shortening or canola oil for seasoning, and a seasoning spray works for the thin coat too. The pan is baked at a high heat, so handle it with oven mitts until it has cooled completely. If the pan has rust on it, Lodge has a separate guide to restoring and then seasoning a rusty skillet.

FAQ

What temperature do you season cast iron at?

Lodge's method uses an oven preheated to 450 to 500°F. The pan bakes for one hour and then cools in the oven with the heat off.

What oil is best for seasoning cast iron?

Lodge's test kitchen likes vegetable oil, melted shortening or canola oil. Whatever you use, spread it in a very thin layer so it doesn't drip.

Why do you put cast iron upside down in the oven?

Upside down keeps oil from pooling on the cooking surface while it bakes. A sheet of foil on the bottom rack catches anything that drips off.

Do It in Buhata

Tasks, Shopping

Add "Season the skillet" to Tasks in Buhata on a day you'll be home for the hour it bakes and the cool-down after.

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Related Terms and Categories

  • Oven cleaning

    Removing baked-on grease and food from inside an oven, by hand or with the oven's own cleaning cycle, which KitchenAid suggests once or twice a year for most homes.

  • Dishwasher loading

    Arranging dishes in a dishwasher so water and detergent reach every dirty surface: big, messy items below, cups and plastics on top, nothing blocking the spray.

  • Parchment paper vs wax paper

    Parchment paper can go in the oven (Reynolds rates its own to 425°F), while wax paper can melt in oven heat. Both are microwave safe.

Meal planning, groceries and kitchen

Sources

Lodge Cast Iron, "How to Season"; Lodge Cast Iron, "What oils should you use for cast iron cooking and seasoning?"; Lodge Cast Iron, "How to Restore and Season a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet"

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