Care and Re-seasoning of your Cast Iron Skillet

Like many people, I have a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. I love cooking in it and how it heats up so much more even then my other pots. I pulled it out this morning to discover that somehow it had gotten wet while in the closet and had started to rust. Which means before I use it again, I need to clean it and season it. Seasoning a cast iron pot is simply putting a thin layer of oil all over the skillet.

If you buy a new Lodge Skillet it will come pre-seasoned. So you won’t have to worry about seasoning before cooking with it. If you find a rusted cast iron skillet at a yard sale or flea market this is exactly what you need to do to save and use it.

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Removing Rust and Re-Seasoning Cast Iron

Your cast iron is covered in rust, don't throw it out! Clean it and apply new seasoning!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Active Time1 hour hr

Cool Down12 hours hrs

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cast Iron

Yield: 1 Skillet

Equipment

• Cast Iron Skillet
• Steal Wool with Soap

Materials

• Vegetable Oil
• Steal Wool

Instructions

• Wash your skillet with HOT and soapy water, using steel wool if needed to remove stubborn rust. Sometimes you can just use a sponge with the scrubber side, but if rust is stubborn, steel wool is the way to go.
  
• Dry the skillet completely. Put the skillet on the stove and turn the heat on high. You will see the water burn off.
• Pour 1-2 tablespoons oil in the skillet and coat all sides of the pan using a paper towel to move the oil around. Make sure to coat the handle and backside of the skillet.
  
• Turn your oven to self-clean (or as hot as it can go)
• Place skillet upside down in the oven. You can put a pan to catch any dripping oil.
  
• Bake skillet for 1 hour before turning off the oven and leaving it in there to return to room temperature.

Notes

I use this steel wool when I need to remove rust from cast iron. I prefer it over dish soap and a scrubbing sponge. 

This is the process that I use when I find a cheap rusted skillet at a yard sale or have to take care of my own skillet. Most often, I use vegetable oil to season my skillet but you can use any cooking oil to do this. You want to use a neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point.

After using your skillet it is important to clean and season the skillet with a little bit of soap and water, using a scraper to release any stuck-on food. After cleaning the skillet, lightly coat with a small amount of oil (maybe a teaspoon), rub off excess oil with a paper towel. Just make sure you dry it completely before putting it away (and don’t put something damp on top of it…)

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