How (and When) to Season Your Cast Iron Pans

Seasoning a cast iron pan or skillet is a straightforward process that helps create and maintain a natural, non-stick surface and prevent rust so you can enjoy cooking with them for a lifetime.

Best Time for Seasoning Your Cast Iron Pans

As I’m writing this, the days are beginning to shorten.  Cooler mornings mean the time is right for seasoning cast iron pans. I like to do this every Spring and Autumn. 

I start in the morning: I open the kitchen windows and/or sliding glass door and turn on the vent over the stove to remove heat and odors from the kitchen during the process. 

These are no-hassle, step-by-step instructions to clean, prepare, and bake your cast iron pan to a perfect finish!

Where to Start

Whether you have a new pan or an older one that needs a bit of work (and love), follow these simple steps to get it ready.

What You’ll Need

• A cast iron pan :-)
• Dish soap (for initial cleaning)
• A clean cloth or paper towels
• Cooking oil (grapeseed oil works well)
• Aluminum foil
• An oven
• Steel wool (if needed)

Step 1: Clean Your Pan

Give your cast iron pan a good wash in warm, soapy water and scrub it well with a sponge. For older pans, you may find some rust or stuck-on food. If that's the case, grab some medium to fine steel wool and gently scrub those areas until they’re smooth. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely. To help the water evaporate more quickly, you can set the pan on a warm stovetop.

Step 2: Prepare and Preheat the Oven

Line the bottom rack of your oven with aluminum foil to catch potential drips that might happen during the seasoning process. Preheat your oven to between 450° and 500°F (that’s 232° to 260°C).

Step 3: Apply Oil and Place Pan(s) in Oven

While the oven is heating up, take a clean cloth or paper towel and pour a small amount of cooking oil onto it. Rub the oil into the entire surface of the clean, dry pan—inside, outside, and even the handle. You want a very thin, even layer. Too much oil can lead to a sticky finish, so be sure to wipe off the excess. Place your cast iron pan upside down on the top rack. This allows excess oil to drip off rather than pooling inside the pan.

Step 4: Bake the Pan

Bake the pan for about one hour. If you have a convection setting, feel free to use it to ensure even heating – especially if you have more than one pan in the oven. The heat causes the oil to bond to the surface of the cast iron, creating that beautiful, non-stick seasoning layer. Seasoning also helps eliminate any lingering odors or residues from the pan.

Step 5: Let it Cool Down

After an hour, turn off the oven and let the pan cool inside. There’s no need to even open the door at this point. While the pan cools, the seasoning settles and solidifies. Once the pan is cool enough to handle, you can remove it, but I often leave mine overnight. Just remember to take them out before you use the oven for something else!

Once you take the cool pan out of the oven, check the finish. It should feel solid and smooth with no trace of oil or stickiness.

Step 6: Repeat

For optimal seasoning, repeat the process! This builds a stronger non-stick surface. How many times? Depending on the condition of your cast iron, two, three times or more.  With each separately baked layer, the non-stick properties and durability of the finish improves—as long as each layer is super thin.

Maintaining Your Seasoned Pan

Once your pan is properly seasoned, it’s pretty easy to maintain, though care and cleaning are a bit different than for, say, stainless steel pans.

After cooking with your cast iron pan, just rinse it with hot water and scrub gently with a brush or sponge. Avoid soap if possible. If there’s stubborn residue, scrub with a bit of plain table salt.

For really tough spots, you can use steel wool again, but you'll need to re-season the pan afterward.

After washing, dry it thoroughly (you may want to place it on the stovetop for a minute to evaporate the water more quickly). Always apply a light coat of oil after washing, before storing your pan.

That’s it! The more you season your pan, the longer the seasoning lasts so your pan will work great for everything from frying eggs, to making pancakes, to baking cornbread, and other baked goods. Yes! you can use your pan to cook in the oven!