Seasoning a cast-iron pan: how do you do it?
Get rid of those Teflon pans, say goodbye to non-stick coatings: you’re going for a seriously sturdy cast-iron skillet. It looks tough, cooks brilliantly and is so robust that you should include it in your will, because your great-grandchildren will still be making pancakes in it. Before using your new pan for the first time, you need to season it. How do you do that?
Some cast-iron pans have already been seasoned for you, so you don’t need to do it yourself. Check the packaging: does it say pre-seasoned? Then you don’t need to worry—the pan is ready to use.
First: wash it
If that’s not the case, you’ll have to season it yourself. Without seasoning, food will stick to the pan terribly. Seasoning creates a natural non-stick coating. How do you do it? It starts with some soapy water. This is immediately the last time this pan goes into the dishwater, because normally you shouldn’t wash a cast-iron pan. But shops sometimes apply a coating to the pan to prevent it from getting damaged, and that needs to be removed before you can season it. Warm water, dish soap, brush: get to it.
Don’t forget the extractor hood
Dry the pan and coat it with a neutral oil, such as rapeseed oil or peanut oil. Don’t leave a pool of oil in the pan; instead, grease it using an oil-soaked wad of kitchen paper. Then put the pan on the stove, turn the gas up high and wait until it starts smoking (extractor hood, thank you very much!). That’s how you know the seasoning is working. Repeat this around five times, perhaps even ten, until your pan is properly seasoned.
Never in the dishwasher
How do you know whether your pan is ready to use? Give it a try! If food still sticks, season another layer of oil. This makes the pan a little better each time, until you never want to cook with another pan again. And you know the rule: it must never, ever go into soapy dishwater, and the dishwasher is completely out of the question. Here’s how to care for your cast-iron pan.
