A lot can be found online about how to season cast iron and carbon steel pans. Some have taken a scientific approach to the subject and in the process have managed to come up with methods that are expensive and that do not stand up to regular use. Others have advocated for using questionable oils such as olive oil.
In my experience the best and easiest to use oil to season cast iron and carbon steel pans is soybean oil which is normally sold as vegetable oil. I also recommend Crisco, otherwise known as vegetable shortening. Canola oil also works but it will give off an odor that some find unpleasant. All of these oils are likely already in your kitchen.
Speed Seasoning Process
For new pans I will often use the following Speed Seasoning Process. It allows me to quickly bring the pan into service with a surface that will work well and that will be reasonably durable.
Before seasoning any pan make sure that you let your significant other or anyone else who might take offense to the process that you are going to stink up your kitchen. If the weather is nice then open a window and run the exhaust fan.
Make sure the pan is dry. Heat it up to about 200 degrees and then turn off the heat. Place less than one teaspoon of vegetable shortening or Soybean oil in the pan and use a clean cotton towel or rag to rub the interior surface. Flip the pan over and rub the outside as well with the towel or rag. Finally, use a clean part of the towel or rag and go over the interior surface again to pick up any oil residue. Do the same to the outside of the pan. You will be left with a very thin layer of oil on the pan even though it appears that you have removed all of it.
Place the pan back on the burner and apply high heat until the pan reaches a temperature of 450 degrees. After you turn off the heat the pan will smoke. This is the moment when you will annoy your loved ones.
For a new pan, I like to allow the pan Allow it to cool down to about 200 degrees and repeat the process. I will typically take the pan through six or eight seasoning cycles.
After the final seasoning cycle on the burner, place the pan in the oven and set the temperature for 475 degrees. Leave the pan in the oven for 80 minutes at temperature. Turn off the oven and let the pan cool in the oven for three or four hours. Overnight is fine as well.
Oven Seasoning Process
Oven seasoning temperature is dependent upon the type of oil used. I recommend soybean oil, also found in the store as vegetable oil. Soybean oil has a smoke point of 453 degrees. For seasoning a cast iron skillet it is necessary to exceed the smoke point by about 25 degrees. I recommend seasoning a cast iron or carbon steel pan with soybean oil in the oven at a temperature of 475 degrees.
Follow the earlier instructions for putting oil on your pan and place in a cold oven. Set the temperature for 475 degrees and set a timer for 80 minutes. Turn off the oven when the timer goes off. Allow the pan to cool for four to six hours in the oven. Repeat this process two or three times over the course of a couple of days.
At the end of either process you will have a durable surface that will be nearly non stick and that won’t be leaving trace amounts of Teflon in your food.
Maintaining A Seasoned Pan
Most of the time you can simply clean your pan in hot water with a normal scrub pad or brush to remove any stuck food. If you cooked with Soybean oil, Canola oil, vegetable shortening, or some other cast iron friendly oil it is fine if you have some residual oil left in the pan after removing any stuck food with hot water. Simply wipe the pan with a kitchen towel to dry it and place it on the stove and bring it up to 475 degrees. If you are used a low smoke point oil or you were cooking bacon you you typically heat the pan to 375 degrees. Let it cool on the stove top.
Periodically you may want to run the pan through an oven cycle to ensure that you are keeping a hard carbon surface on the pan.
Pans That Need To Be Stripped
If you have grease buildup on the pan then you have two options. The first is to scrub the pan aggressively with your kitchen scrubber of choice (I prefer steel pads) to see if you can knock down the buildup. The second option is to clean the whole pan with oven cleaner. You should do this in a well ventilated space, preferably outside. You may need to apply the oven cleaner two or three times depending on the state of your pan.
Some people recommend placing a pan with a lot of buildup in the oven on the cleaning cycle. This is not recommended as you have a good chance of warping your pan. It will likely remove the buildup but the chance of ruining a pan makes the process not worth the effort. Oven cleaner is safer for the pan.
Why Not Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil has three major downfalls. First, it is expensive. Second, it goes rancid quickly. Third, it tends to flake. Other than that it’s great.
Vegetable shortening works very well and will leave your pans with the characteristic black color that vintage pans have. Canola oil is a close second.
Just My Opinion
All of the above is just my opinion. Some are very passionate about the processes that they follow to season and maintain their pans. What I have laid out is what I have found through the years to work well for me. I hope that you will give cast iron or carbon steel pans a try. I believe you will find that they are worth the few extra minutes of maintenance.
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