How to Season a New Cast Iron Skillet in 4 Quick Easy Steps

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If you have purchased a new cast iron skillet recently you may be thinking it doesn’t *quite* look like the ones you see on Pinterest, and that’s because it’s new! Those old skillets are seasoned, allowing them to cook your dish to perfection as if the pan has been in your family for a hundred years.

I recently bought a new skillet because we didn’t have one at our apartment in Illinois. Of course, I have at least 3 at our cottage in Michigan, but I needed one NOW and Amazon came through for me once again. 

If you are thinking about purchasing a skillet, this 12″ T-fal cast iron skillet is the one I ended up purchasing. It is big enough for any recipe I may happen upon and T-fal makes good quality products. 

Even though it says my new pan is “pre-seasoned,” I knew I would need to season it again. It is super easy and won’t take much time at all- but it *definitely* needs to be done! 

How to Season a New Cast Iron Skillet

You can season your new skillet in 4 quick and easy steps!

1. Wash your new skillet with warm, soapy water and thoroughly dry it.
2. Pour about 3 Tablespoons of vegetable oil in the bottom of the pan, and using a paper towel or a cloth rub the oil all over the bottom and inside sides.
3. Place your skillet upside down on the center rack of your oven (place a baking sheet or aluminum foil on the rack under it to catch oil drips) and bake at 375 F for 1 hour. 
4. After an hour: leave it in the oven, turn the oven off, and allow the skillet to cool.

That’s it! Super easy, but very necessary. 

Cast Iron Skillet Care

• Be sure NOT to wash your skillet in the dishwasher. It will ruin the seasoning and cause it to rust. (If you do wash it in the dishwasher because you’re stubborn like me, you can do the seasoning process over again to get rid of the rust.) 😉
• To clean your cast iron, simply wipe it out with a paper towel or damp rag. 
• Do not use steel wool, as it will remove the seasoning.
• Scrub stuck on food off with warm water and a rag. 
• If food is really baked on you can make a paste of water and coarse Kosher salt. Rub it over the baked on food, scrubbing gently. Rinse and dry with a paper towel.
• If food is REALLY really baked on, fill the skillet with water and boil it on the stove top. This should loosen the food enough to remove it with the above methods. If you have a plastic pot scraper you can use it to loosen tough baked-on food, too.)

Now that your skillet is perfectly seasoned, it’s time to christen it and I highly recommend starting with The BEST Skillet Cornbread recipe EVER! It’s a copycat recipe of the cornbread at Bandera restaurant in Chicago and it is SO GOOD. Mmm mmm Y.U.M. (Doesn’t it look delicious?!)

 

Be sure to take a look at these related posts next!

39 of the Most Helpful Cleaning Tips You’ve Ever Heard
Do These Things on Sunday for a Stress-Free Week!
10 Clever Cleaning Hacks for Lazy Days

For more tips & tricks to navigate through life, check out our Life Hacks board and our Life Happens board on Pinterest!

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