You don't need to fully re-season cast iron often; cooking with fats builds seasoning, but you should lightly oil and wipe after each use, and perform a full oven seasoning every few months or when food starts sticking, especially after using soap or acidic foods. The best method is using your pan regularly to naturally build a strong, non-stick layer, only needing full seasoning (oil and oven bake) when the surface looks dull, food sticks (like an egg), or after heavy cleaning.
A cast iron skillet only needs to be seasoned once. If it is properly cared for, the seasoning will improve with use. Even after misuse that damages the seasoning it may need only a touch-up. Complete re-seasoning is almost never necessary.
Some cast iron owners oven season every new piece of cookware they get, and then repeat the process every few months or years. This is a way to speed up the breaking in process, and can also address issues with your seasoning, such as rust.
Although it seems odd, it is technically possible to over-season a skillet. Too much oil baked into the cast iron will cause it to polymerize unevenly and eventually will cause the surface of the skillet to flake. Adding too much oil when seasoning will also cause your pan to become sticky, notes Lodge.
You shouldn't cook eggs in a cast iron skillet because they tend to stick, especially in new or poorly seasoned pans, leading to frustrating messes and potential damage to the pan's seasoning, though proper preheating, fat, and low-heat techniques can make it possible. The porous surface of cast iron, especially newer ones, grabs eggs, and its excellent heat retention can easily brown or overcook them, making delicate foods like eggs challenging compared to Teflon or stainless steel.
5 Mistakes That Could Ruin Your Cast Iron Skillet
Common cooking oils like olive oil will gradually produce seasoning, but won't be as effective as grapeseed oil. Canola, other vegetable oils, and shortening are a little better.
You should avoid cooking highly acidic foods (tomatoes, wine sauces), delicate fish (tilapia, flounder), and eggs in cast iron, especially if the pan isn't perfectly seasoned, as these can stick or damage the non-stick seasoning, leading to metallic tastes or stuck food. Sticky desserts and strong-flavored foods can also be problematic as cast iron retains flavors.
Using Too Much or Too Little Oil for Seasoning
Seasoning is the foundation of cast iron's non-stick surface, but it must be done correctly. Too much oil creates a sticky, uneven layer that won't bond properly with the iron. Too little oil can lead to dry, unprotected spots that result in food sticking.
Cooking on unseasoned cast iron can result in sticking, rusting, and a myriad of other issues (some of which are outlined above).
How To Reseason A Cast-Iron Skillet
If the rust was only in a few spots, just keep cooking. If it was more widespread over the surface of your pan we recommend to re-season the skillet in the oven.
Cast iron rusts when exposed to moisture for long periods. A water soak can undo months of seasoning and require a full restoration. Wash quickly with warm water and a soft brush while the pan is still warm. Dry it immediately on low heat until all moisture evaporates.
This sticky situation can occur when you season your pan with a little too much oil, or if some oil hasn't fully polymerized and turned into seasoning yet. Unwanted oil residue is an easy thing to tackle: if these spots are sticky, heat your pan over medium heat for a few minutes.
With this type of cookware, a little proper maintenance goes a long way, and one of the few food prep acts you should never do in your cast iron pan is boil water. Simmering a little sauce or marinade is nothing to sweat. What you want to avoid, however, is an extended roiling boil, like when cooking pasta or beans.
It may help to heat the pan slightly so the dirt and grease soften. Then, we use sandpaper to sand the cast iron completely bare. It takes some effort, but it's all worth it. If the pan is completely devoid of rust and you only see a grey metal layer, rinse the pan thoroughly under running water.
Traditionally, lard was used to season cast iron, and while that is still okay, we do not recommend it unless you frequently use your cookware. If the cookware is stored for too long, lard and other animal-based fats can go rancid. Using flaxseed oil to season cast iron pans is a growing trend.
We've paired extra virgin olive oil with garlic for infused dips that scream authenticity, but save it for finishing touches to preserve those peppery notes. Avocado oil steals the show with a smoke point of 520°F refined—yes, the highest smoke point oil around. Unrefined sits at 480°F, still stellar for grilling.
Keep It Seasoned
You should avoid cooking highly acidic foods (tomatoes, wine sauces), delicate fish (tilapia, flounder), and eggs in cast iron, especially if the pan isn't perfectly seasoned, as these can stick or damage the non-stick seasoning, leading to metallic tastes or stuck food. Sticky desserts and strong-flavored foods can also be problematic as cast iron retains flavors.
This happens due to overheating of fats and oils. Using an oil with a low smoke point will carbonize at high temperatures and cause residue from the pores of your pan to rub off onto your food. While unappealing, they won't hurt you in such a small amount. Don't make these common cast iron cooking mistakes.
Your cast-iron skillet can last forever if you care for it properly—and use it frequently. Do so, and you'll have a pan you can cook with for decades. Learn basic cast iron care, also how to get a vintage cast-iron skillet into working shape for cooking at the link below.