How to Season and Care for Cast Iron

I originally got cast iron skillets because I heard how toxins are released into your food if your non-stick pans are scratched. Oh shit, I thought. Looking at my pans that looked as though they had gotten into a fight with a street cat. So in a panicked state I started thrifting cast iron and replacing my pots and pans. I ended up falling in love with cast iron. The way the pans heat up is *chefs kiss*

Plus the ability to go from stovetop to the oven has been so great for so many recipes like my "Chicken Pot Pie" or "Frittata Lorraine" I'll be blogging soon! To reap the full benefits of cast iron you have to properly season your pans and treat them well. If you take care of them, they'll take care of you. *wink* Start with a good seasoning. First strip them by putting them through the oven cleaning cycle. When they come out they should be pretty gritty and almost rusty looking.

Give them a good scrub with steel wool. And dry them VERY well-I even put them on my stovetop for a minute to remove any additional moisture. Next put a thin layer of oil all over, wiping down any excess with a dry towel. I made the mistake of putting on a thicker layer believing it'd help them be less likely to stick when cooking. Incorrect my rebellious friend who doesn't follow instructions. Incorrect. Instead it just gunks up and I had to start the process all over. Online has a lot of suggestions as to the type of oil that's best, but I used plain old vegetable oil. Flaxseed is supposed to be the best, but have you seen the price of that stuff and when am I going to use the rest of it ever? After this put the cast iron face down in the oven and cook at 450 for an hour. Turn your oven off and allow it to cool in the oven. After it has cooled, repeat the process of applying oil and cooking 2 or 3 more times until your cast iron has a nice shiny smooth finish. With each layer the cast iron will get shinier and smoother.

Your cast iron will get better the more you use it, so don't fret if it's not perfectly non stick the first time you use it. Some tips for cooking and maintaining your cast iron. Allow your cooking oil or fat to warm before putting in the food. This will help things not to stick. Do not wash with soap. Get yourself a brush and use it only for your cast iron. After washing them, dry them immediately or they can rust. I almost always stick mine on my stovetop on high to remove any extra moisture. Eggs will stick the least when fried opposed to scrambled, but ours hardly stick at all even scrambled after a year of use.