How to Properly Season Cast Iron Cookware

If you are a novice looking to learn how to season your cast iron pan, or an expert looking to brush up on the skill, this article is for you. It is a step by step “how to” document on seasoning a cast iron cooking surface.

Cast Iron Cookware Seasoning

For the first step:

  • Find a space outside or in the garage with an unfinished surface.  
  • Take a 5 gallon bucket; fill halfway full of water and add 100% lye. (Use powder lye found in the plumbing section of a retail store.)  
  • Stir the lye while filling the rest of the bucket with water.
  • Submerge the cast iron leaving it in the solution for about 3 days. (If the item is not completely submerged; rotate it, so it is.)

For the second part of the process:

  • Come back 3 days later carefully removing cast iron with rubber gloves so the lye does not harm your skin.
  • Rinse with water repeat the process as many times as needed.
  • You should NOT have to scrub cast iron, built on grime will dissolve in the lye.
  • After it’s rinsed it’s important to dry it right away.
  • It’s common for a light coat of rust to form on cast iron.  

Next step is the seasoning:

  • Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
  • Once the oven is preheated set the item in the stove for 20 minutes.  
  • After 20 minutes remove cast iron with an oven mitt and completely coat with Crisco. (NOTE: you will only be adding Crisco during this step of the process.)  
  • Leave a dab the size of a silver dollar on the main cooking surface.  
  • Place back in the oven for 20 minutes.  
  • After 20 minutes remove and rub with lint-free cloth.
  • Now turn oven to 350 degrees and insert for another 20 minutes.  
  • After another 20 minutes rub down again. (NOTE: the cast iron should slowly soak in the Crisco.)  
  • Now turn oven to 400 degrees and insert for another 20 minutes once more.  
  • After the last 20 minutes are up remove the cast iron and conclude the final wipe down
  • Your item should be well seasoned.

I hope that this article was informative and helps you with your process. Remember to use safety and to use an oven mitt because cast iron retains an amazing amount of heat.