You can cook just about anything in a cast iron pan – meat, vegetables, even cake and cornbread. As the name suggests, cast iron cookware is made from a molten hot alloy that is poured into molds, or casted. You can find the pans in all shapes and sizes and in an assortment of baking molds, from corncobs to hearts to stars. Cast iron is built to last and if you know how to take care of it, you can use the same pan for an entire lifetime.
The history of cast iron cookware goes back at least as far as 6th century China, but we are perhaps most familiar with its history in Colonial America. At this time, the majority of cooking was done in a hearth. Cast iron’s ability to hold high and even heat for an extended period of time made it ideal for cooking over an open flame. The handles on the pans allowed cooks to hang them above the fire. Because of its popularity, cast iron cookware was manufactured in huge quantities, which is why we see so much of it being sold at vintage shops and antique stores. You can get a great used cast iron for around $10 (sometimes even less). Clean it up, season it… good as new!
Here I will teach you a simple technique for cleaning and seasoning your cast iron pans. If you are in the market for a new cast iron pan, check out my recommendation below.
Do you cook with cast iron? Share your cast iron tips in the comments section!
Recommended Products
Lodge 12-inch Cast Iron Skillet
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Ingredients
- Cast iron pan
- 1 raw potato sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1-2 tablespoons cooking oil with a high smoke point flax, grapeseed and peanut oils work well
- Paper towels
- Wooden or metal flat-edged spatula
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Start by using a spatula to scrape any food residue from the surface of the pan. If your pan is mostly clean it can be wiped out with a damp cloth. Never use soap on your cast iron cookware.
- Sprinkle the salt into the pan.
- Using the flat side of the potato, scrub the salt into the surface of the pan. The moisture from the potato, combined with salt, helps to remove any debris or rust that cannot be eliminated by simply wiping out or scraping.
- Use a slightly damp paper towel to wipe the salt from the pan.
- Once the salt has been removed and the pan is dry, pour in the oil.
- With a paper towel wipe the entire surface of the pan, including the inner sides, edges and handle, with the oil. The surface should be lightly coated in oil, with no excess oil pooling anywhere. Wipe out all of the excess oil before placing in the oven.
- Once the pan has been thinly coated with the oil, place it in the oven at 400 degrees F for one hour. Allow the pan to cool and wipe out any excess oil that may be left behind. For pans that have been completely stripped of their seasoning, you may need to repeat the oiling and heating process multiple times to build up a thicker layer of protection. Do not use too much oil on the surface of the pan-- it should be thinly coated, not dripping.
- Once your pan is cool and you've wiped out any excess oil, your cast iron is cleaned, seasoned and ready to use! Every time you cook with oil in your cast iron pan (deep frying, sauteing, etc.) you will continue to build the non-stick coating, making it better with age.
- You do not need to re-season your pan each time you use it. Once you've cleaned it after cooking (using the instructions above), wipe it with a thin layer of oil before storing. This will help to keep the seasoning intact between uses. Re-season the pan once every 15-20 uses, or whenever you start to notice foods sticking more and/or the seasoning wearing away.
Ann M Danen says
Potato peels! I cook with cast iron almost exclusively and potato peels in a hot dry skillet gets it done every time!
Cyndi Williams says
A well seasoned iron skillet is the best non-stick skillet there is.
Lisa Ruminski says
I learned this the hard way. Thanks for posting!
Lori Sterling Daulton says
Great timing I just got a bunch.
Donna Maria Schwartz Pierce says
thanks for sharing
Howard Kaman says
Hi Tori… Thanks for yet another useful posting! However, my I fear my beloved Lodge cast iron paella pan may be beyond repair! Have a look at the picture at the website (blog) link I’ve provided and tell me what you think.. Is this because I made used metal utensils in it the first couple times? (An obvious mistake I’ve never repeated, but no amount of seasoning with oil seems to be able to bring back the beautiful black sheen of when the pan was brand new) Thanks for any advice you could provide.
Tori Avey says
Good news Howard! The scratching on your pan is actually scratched seasoning; the pan itself is completely fine. It’s very difficult to damage a cast iron pan, unless you’re cooking acidic foods in it on a regular basis. To restore the sheen, you’ll need to thoroughly remove the old seasoning and then reseason your pan. Here are detailed instructions on the process: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repairing-scratched-cast-ironware-30561.html
Mari says
Thanks for this! We use our cast iron griddle every single day. We don’t need to go through this process daily, right? Right now, we use a hard brush + hot water to get any food debris off (after the pan is cool), then we dry it and rub oil into it. Is that sufficient for daily use?
Tori Avey says
Mari, you do not need to re-season your pan each time you use it. Once you’ve cleaned it after cooking (using the instructions above), wipe it with a thin layer of oil before storing. This will help to keep the seasoning intact between uses. Re-season the pan once every 15-20 uses, or whenever you start to notice foods sticking more and/or the seasoning wearing away.
Nancy Schmitt-West says
Anyone know if you can use cast iron cookware on an electric /glass topped stove?
Dorothy H. Lanier says
When I was shopping for a new stove, I REALLY wanted a glass topped one, but when I asked about using my iron cookware,I was told it isn’t recommended. The cast iron will scratch the glass surface. SO…my next stove will not be a glass top stove.
Giuliana Claps says
Sad to say you’re right Dorothy, I wish I would have stuck with gas instead of glass top 🙁
Nancy Schmitt-West says
Thanks for the info. I was just hoping that I could use the cast iron
Denise says
I have a glass top for 10 yrs and have used cast iron for the same 10 yrs. they are heavy so you gently sit them down and you don’t slide them! You simply pick them up and sit down easy. Love my cast iron and love my glass top
Eleanor Barrett says
We also use ours on a glass top. You are Not Supposed To, but we are just relatively careful. They will scratch the top if you drag them across it, and you need to be careful not to drop them on it,but y rea ddon’t wawant to drop anytanything on your glass top.
For the record, glass tops won’t always heat as evenly as coil elements. That is actually helped by the cast iron. If you use a stove top water bath canner, though, you may have trouble keeping it at a boil. We cannot can things at our house safely. I’m not sure if a stove top pressure canner would work better.
Alejandra Michell-Martin says
Mine came with my husband, it was already seasoned. We make biscuits and cornbread. We have another one and we make beans, jambalaya, and stews. We love them.
Michelle Hill says
love my cast iron skillets!
Bobbie Chalou says
I rescued and reseasoned one that was left in the house we bought in 2009. It was a mess, very rusty. But it’s beautiful now, and the 8″ size complements beautifully the 11″ skillet that was my dad’s, and his grandmother’s before him.
Cheryl Lynn Miranda-Goodwin says
My husband saved my neighbors cast iron tortilla pan. It had melted wax and everything on it.
Nancy Squier says
I use baking soda and walnut oil at the end to coat pan, put over medium heat to cure… nice patina finish… have 2 skillets, dutch oven and corn bread scone…
Deborah says
My cast iron pan seems to have become pitted in the very center. About the size of a lime or small orange. Do I need to get a new one? What would cause this to happen?
Tori Avey says
Hi Deborah, pitting is usually caused by cooking acidic foods in cast iron, like tomatoes or citrus. The cast iron can react to the acid in the foods, especially if the acidic ingredients are left to sit in the pan for prolonged periods of time. If your pan is really deeply pitted, it may be time to get a new one… while it may be fixable through an extensive sanding process, it’s a long and laborious process. Might be worth looking into fixing if it’s a family heirloom, but new cast iron pans aren’t that expensive, and you may be able to find an even better deal on a vintage piece!
Nikki Eckert Stock says
I LOVE cooking in cast iron!!!
Marie Queen of Scots says
absolutely love it. I have a grill pan, and a grill for over two burners. Latkes are fabulous in these pans. They are so heavy though.
Nancy Henderson says
I have a square cast iron grill pan for steak and chicken. I have a 6-inch pan that I use for cooking single items, like a fried egg, grilled cheese sandwich etc. And I have a dutch oven which is great for getting a good sear on roasts and for just about anything else. Wish I had a large skillet to make potato latkes, pan fried chicken…well, anything fried! BTW, get your cast iron really hot before cooking.
Toby Goldsmith says
Love it. Plan to put it in my will!!!
Judith Hood says
Thank you!!!!
Karl Hopkins-Lutz says
Yes, and I’ve known how to do this, since I was a teenager.