Seasoning Lodge Cast Iron

What is 'Seasoning' Cast Iron?

Seasoning cast iron cookware refers to the process of coating the pan with oil and heating it to a very high temperature until the oil forms a smooth, hard protective coating on the pan. A good layer of seasoning seals out moisture and prevents rust, keeping your pan in tip-top shape for years to come.¹ It might sound confusing to a first-time cast iron user, but seasoning Lodge cast iron is quite simple to do with just some oil and a heat source. Well-seasoned cast iron is also simple to wash and maintain, so just about anyone can add this cookware to their kitchen.

Why Season Cast Iron?

Seasoning cast iron cookware seals out salt, moisture, and other ingredients that can cause rust or corrosion. It also protects the metal from damage, and gives cookware the iconic, naturally nonstick coating cast iron users know and love.

What Cast Iron Cookware Pieces Need to be Seasoned?

All cast iron cookware and accessories need to be seasoned. Lodge enameled cast iron is the exception – its hard, nonporous porcelain coating protects the cast iron core within, creating a smooth cooking surface that's impervious to rust as long as it isn't chipped or scratched.

Are Lodge Cast Iron Skillets Preseasoned?

All Lodge cast iron products are pre-seasoned at the factory, so you can use them right out of the box. The company recommends giving your new cookware a quick rinse, drying it thoroughly, then adding some of your favorite cooking oil for its first use. As long as you follow the recommended practices for using and cleaning your Lodge cast iron skillet, you should be able to go quite a while without reseasoning.

How to Season Lodge Cast Iron

Cast iron skillet seasoning is simple and easy – but don't worry, we'll cover more than just how to season a cast iron skillet. The steps listed here can also be followed for seasoning Lodge cast iron griddles, Dutch ovens, accessories, and more.

How to Season Cast Iron in the Oven

The most popular and manufacturer-recommended method is seasoning Lodge cast iron in the oven.² Using the oven helps ensure the entire piece is evenly heated and gives you precise control over the seasoning temperature.

1. Thoroughly wash the cast iron piece you're going to season. Take your time and ensure there are no stuck-on food particles or other contaminants that could interfere with the seasoning process.
2. Dry the pan by hand, then dry it again in the oven. Place the clean, dry pan in the oven at 200 degrees for a few minutes to ensure all remaining moisture evaporates, allowing the pores in the metal to open up.
3. Coat it with oil. Take the pan out of the oven and set it on the stove. Then, using your oil of choice, lightly coat the entire pan including the exterior and handle.
4. Use a lint-free paper towel to wipe away excess oil and leave a thin coating behind. Your pan should be slightly glossy with oil, not dripping.
5. Put it in the oven. Set the oven's temperature higher than the smoke point of the oil you're using (typically 450 degrees Fahrenheit or higher), then place the pan upside down on the middle oven rack. Place an empty sheet pan or a few sheets of aluminum foil on the rack below to catch any drips.
6. Let the oiled pan bake for an hour. When the time is up, DO NOT REMOVE THE PAN from the oven. Simply turn the oven off and leave the pan inside for a couple more hours to slowly cool down.
7. Check your work. After it's cooled down, remove the pan from the oven and inspect it; it should have a smooth, uniform black coating with a slight sheen. If you're rebuilding seasoning from scratch or you notice a couple spots where the coating seems too thin, simply repeat this process to add more layers of seasoning to the pan.

Seasoning Cast Iron on a Stove

The process of seasoning cast iron on a stove is a little different but still fairly simple. Whether it's out of necessity or just personal preference, seasoning cast iron without an oven is a skill that's easy to acquire.

NOTE: Stove seasoning should only be performed in areas with ample ventilation, as it can produce a lot of smoke.³ You may also want to line your stove eye drip pan and surrounding areas with aluminum foil to catch any oil droplets and make clean up easier.

1. Wash it off.Thoroughly wash the pan to remove any food particles or residue that may be stuck to it, then dry it with a clean towel.
2. Dry it completely. Set the clean, dry pan on a stove eye and turn the temperature to low-medium heat to evaporate any remaining moisture while preparing the metal to bond with the oil. Wait until no trace of moisture remains and the pan is hot before proceeding.
3. Wipe it with oil. Add about half a tablespoon of oil to the hot pan. Using tongs, grab a paper towel and quickly wipe the oil all over the inside of the pan, around the rim, and any other area that comes in direct contact with food. Use another paper towel to soak up excess oil if needed.
4. Heat it up. Turn the eye up to medium-high or high heat, and watch for smoke. The pan needs to reach a minimum temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or smoking hot) for the oil to stick and form a layer of seasoning.
5. Add more oil. Keeping your tongs and paper towels on standby, add another thin layer of oil to the pan whenever it starts to look dry. Make sure not to add too much oil at once – thin layers of seasoning are smoother and more durable than thick drips.
6. Repeat as necessary. You may need to repeat this step a few times to build a good layer of seasoning, but the process shouldn't take more than about 15 minutes.
7. Let it cool. When the pan is seasoned to your liking, turn off the heat and let it sit undisturbed until it's fully cooled.
8. Check your work. Evaluate the final seasoning on the cooled pan. It should be smooth and slightly glossy. If it looks slick, shiny, or feels sticky to the touch, you may have added too much seasoning to the pan. If the coating is uneven or certain spots look bare, you may need to add another layer or two.

What Temperature to Season Cast Iron

The best temperature for seasoning Lodge cast iron varies depending on the oil you're using, but a good rule of thumb is to season cast iron between 450 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower and the oil may not polymerize completely. Any higher and you may accidentally burn the seasoning right off the pan.

How Long to Season Cast Iron

Cast iron should be heated in the oven for at least an hour to ensure all the oil gets hot enough to polymerize. You can heat the pan longer, but it's best to keep it under two hours total baking time. Note that this only includes active heating time – the pan may take quite a while to cool down after you season it, and that's perfectly fine. It's best to let your pan cool for an additional 1 to 2 hours before you handle it or check the seasoning.

What's the Best Oil for Seasoning Cast Iron?

It's natural for cast iron users to wonder which oil is the best for seasoning their cast iron cookware. Many oils and fats that work fine for oiling your cast iron between uses aren't the best choice for seasoning due to brittleness, their smoke point, and whether it's a drying or nondrying oil.

A quick Google search on the subject returns dozens of results, many of which contain contradictory information, spurious claims, or outright myths about the best oil for seasoning cast iron, leaving cooks more confused than ever. In reality, choosing the best oil to season cast iron is relatively simple when you follow these guidelines.

Seasoning Oil Characteristics

The best oils for seasoning cast iron share some important characteristics that make them better at polymerizing than others. Below, we'll explain what to look for to look for when choosing a seasoning oil.

1. Make sure to use a drying oil. Drying oils are high in polyunsaturated fats with complex oleic, linoleic and/or linolenic acid bonds across each molecular chain.⁴ This unique chemistry allows them to form tough, crosslinked bonds as they polymerize, resulting in a hard, durable film that sticks to the pan and resists flaking. Every oil listed in the accompanying infographic is a drying oil.


2. Choose an oil with a high smoke point. Fats with a low smoke point, such as extra virgin olive oil and butter, tend to burn quickly and release harmful substances when they're heated at high temperatures.⁵ Check your oven's maximum temperature and choose an oil with a high smoke point that falls within that range.


3. Choose an oil with a neutral flavor. Strongly flavored oils, such as coconut and sesame seed oils, imbue your pan with lingering flavor that can contaminate everything you cook.⁶ Using a neutral-flavored oil ensures the true taste of your home-cooked meals can shine through.

NOTE: It's best to choose one of the above oils when adding a new coat of seasoning to your pan, but you can use just about any type of fat or oil you please to oil your pan between seasonings. For instance, if you love the taste bacon grease adds to your pan, you should still use a drying oil with a high smoke point to season it, but you can use bacon grease to cook in the pan and grease it after washing.

Which Oil Does Lodge Recommend?

We checked with the folks at Lodge Cast Iron in South Pittsburg, Tenn., and they told us they use soybean oil to preseason cookware at the factory.

Though some people swear by animal fats like butter or bacon grease, the experts at Lodge specifically recommend vegetable oils. ⁷ That's because vegetable oils are dry oils, which polymerize better and stronger than animal fats or non-drying oils. Polymerization is the process in which fat cells bond together and convert to the durable, solid coating we call seasoning.

This doesn’t mean you can't use bacon grease, just that you'll get optimal results from a vegetable-based oil. Animal fats and non-drying oils don't polymerize well, so they can end up leaving an uneven, sticky, or flaky coating. They also have a tendency to go rancid pretty quickly if you're not cooking in the pan every single day.

How Often Should You Season Cast Iron?

If you're worried about how often to season cast iron, here's some good news: most cast iron cookware only needs to be reseasoned two or three times a year.⁸ If you're using the pan heavily or the seasoning gets damaged, you may need to reseason it a little more often. Following the proper procedure for washing your cast iron pans can help extend the time between seasonings.

Check out the video below for a quick tutorial on washing and maintaining your Lodge cast iron pans.

How to Season a Rusty Cast Iron Skillet

If your pan's seasoning has worn away or sustained damaged, you may notice spots of rust growing on the cast iron; to fix it, you'll need to know how to reseason cast iron cookware. First, you'll have to remove all the rust and other debris from the pan. There are a several options for how to remove rust from cast iron.

If the pan just has a couple small spots of rust, you can probably scrub it away with some warm, soapy water and a scrub brush, pan scraper, or chain mail. Other methods include scrubbing the pan with a cut potato, oil mixed with rock salt, or steel wool.

If your pan is excessively rusted and the whole thing must be stripped, you can speed the process with a fine-grit sandpaper, sandblasting machine, or an oven cleaner soak. Always be cautious and wear protective gear when using power tools or oven cleaner to strip your pan.

Once the metal is completely free of rust and clean of all debris, you'll have to rebuild the seasoning to protect the bare iron from oxidation. It's best to plan the process for a day when you have lots of time to strip and immediately reseason the pan.

How to Remove Rust from Cast Iron: 3 Easy Methods

• With a potato.⁹ Cut a potato in half and dip the cut end in coarse salt, baking soda, or dish soap. Scour the pan with the potato until all rust is removed. If the potato stops working, slice off the dirty portion, dip the newly exposed end, and keep scrubbing.
• With a vinegar bath. ¹⁰ If your pan has more than just a couple rust spots, you may need a deeper cleaning. Soak the pan in a 1:1 mixture of water and distilled white vinegar for 1 to 4 hours, checking its progress every 30 minutes. When the rust starts to loosen, remove the pan from the liquid, add a paste made of two parts baking soda to one part water, and scrub it with a scrub brush or steel wool until the rust is gone.
• With Coca-Cola.¹¹ Coke contains the compound phosphoric acid, which can dissolve rust. Soak your pan in coke for about 20 minutes, then scrub it to remove any remaining rust. Repeat as needed.

For more information about Lodge products, please contact one of our customer service representatives at (865) 225-1545. Our knowledgeable sales team is standing by to answer all your questions.

References

1. What is Cast Iron Seasoning?. Lodge Cast Iron. Accessed June 2023.
2. Cast Iron Seasoning. Lodge Cast Iron. Accessed June 2023.
3. Having Problems Seasoning Your Cast-Iron Skillet? This Method Is Faster and Easier. Gear Patrol. Accessed June 2023.
4. Drying Oil. Elsevier, via ScienceDirect. Accessed June 2023.
5. What's a Smoke Point and Why Does it Matter?. Serious Eats. Accessed June 2023.
6. All About Neutral Oil: 10 Neutral Oils for Cooking. MasterClass. Accessed June 2023.
7. What Oils Should You Use for Cast Iron Cooking and Seasoning?. Lodge Cast Iron. Accessed June 2023.
8. How to Season a Cast-Iron Skillet. Southern Living. Accessed June 2023.
9. Here’s How To Use a Potato to Remove Rust in a Pinch. Family Handyman. Accessed June 2023.
10. Cast Iron Gone Rusty? Try Soaking It in Vinegar. Bon Appetit. Accessed June 2023.
11. How To Remove Rust From Cast Iron. ProLine Range Hoods. Accessed June 2023.