How do you cure a black pan? (2023)

What kind of oil do you use to cure cast iron?

What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.

Make sure to place it upside down so the oil doesn't settle unevenly in the pan. During this time, the polymerization process takes place and the oil is transformed into a smooth coating for your cast iron. Let it cool. After an hour, turn off the heat and let the pan cool down inside the oven.

When is too much too much? 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.

Yes. Olive oil can be a popular choice when it comes to seasoning cast iron cookware, and that's because it's one of the most well-known and widely available oils on the market.

An easy way to test a skillet's seasoning is to fry an egg (heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, then add egg). If your pan is well-seasoned, you should not experience any major sticking.

Although cast iron is very durable, it will rust when exposed to water or air, making the seasoning step crucial. Soaking with soap, over-scrubbing, or cooking highly acidic foods in cast iron can strip the seasoning. Clean your cast iron each use, wiping away leftover food morsels and reapplying the oil layer.

Can I use steel wool or a metal scrubber to clean my cast iron pan? No! We recommend using a pan scraper or the Lodge Chainmail Scrubber to remove any stuck-on residue.

Do you oil cast iron while hot?

First, it's important to always heat up the pan prior to adding any oil, butter, or fat. When cooking on cast iron, when it comes to fat, less is not always more. It's better to err on the side of too much fat, and then simply drain any excess after cooking.

Once your pan is pre-heated, add a little oil or fat. Then simply add your food! (Note: if you want to use butter, start with oil, and then add butter right before you add your food.)

Avocado Oil: Pressed from fresh avocado pulp, which is up to 25 percent fat, avocado oil has the highest smoke point of all plant-based cooking oils (510 to 520°F).

Cure or Season Before Use

A new uncoated or non-seasoned cast iron fry pan also must be cured or seasoned before you can use them―there's no way around that. That includes old pans you inherited from your grandmother, picked up at yard sales (unless in great shape) and any other older cast iron cookware.

Season cast-iron cookware before using it. Brush the sides of a pot, pan, or saucepan with unflavored vegetable oil, then pour in enough oil to cover the bottom. Heat in the oven at low temperature for an hour. Remove, let cool, pour out the oil, and wipe away any residue with a paper towel.

To maintain the seasoning, oil the pan after each use, returning it to the burner over medium-low heat after cleaning (see below) and then rubbing it down with oil and paper towels until it's smooth and shiny with no visible residue.

Season the steak one hour before cooking, using extra virgin olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, and kosher or sea salt. Leave it at room temperature until cooking. Brush each side with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil.

You know the move: a flick of the wrist, food suspended midair, then a soft landing back in the pan. The pan-flip serves a simple purpose, and it's not (just) to make cooks look cool. It ensures that food cooks evenly over high heat, it's what marries pasta to sauce—and it does it all sans pesky spoons.

Do you wash a pan after seasoning it?

You don't need to remove all the seasoning, just the gunky parts. Rinse and dry thoroughly, and reseason on the stove or oven, as described above. If the pan is really too far gone to clean up with a rigorous scrub, it's time to strip the pan.

If the seasoning in your pan is sticky, this is a sign of excess oil built up on the cookware. The Fix: To remedy stickiness, place the cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven and bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat if necessary.

Soak a burnt pan with soap and water, and add a dryer sheet into the mix. Allow it to sit for an hour. The dryer sheet (you can substitute a tablespoon of fabric softener) will loosen the burnt-on food and leave you with a shiny like-new pan.

Bare cast iron is highly susceptible to corrosion, so if you've stripped away any of the seasoning (the black protective layer of polymerized oil) in the process of cleaning or just normal use, you need to re-season your pan to prevent rust and restore its naturally nonstick cooking surface.