How to Season Cast Iron Cookware

For crusty cast ironware that you inherited or picked up at a garage sale, this cookware may have some combination of rust and thick crackly black crud. It may look awful but rest assured that it can be restored fairly easily to good as new condition!

1. 1
   Place the cookware in a self-cleaning oven. Run one cycle. Alternatively, place in a campfire or directly on a hot charcoal fire for 1/2 hour, and heat until it turns a dull red. The crust will be flaking, falling and turning to white ash. After allowing the cookware to cool a bit (to avoid cracking the cast iron), use the following steps. ^[1]

   • If you have more rust than crust, try using steel wool to sand it off. ^[2]
2. 2
   Wash the cast iron cookware with warm water and soap. Scrub using a scouring pad. ^[3]

   • If you have purchased your cast iron cookware as new, then it will be coated in wax or an oily coating to prevent rust. This will need to be removed before seasoning so this step is essential. Soak in hot, soapy water for five minutes, then wash off the soap and air dry.
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3. 
   3
   Dry the cookware thoroughly. It helps to put the pan in the oven at 350F for a few minutes to make sure it's really dry. Oil needs to be able to soak into the metal for a good seasoning and––oil and water don't mix.
4. 4
   Coat the pot or pan inside and out with lard, Crisco (cooking fat), bacon fat, or corn oil. Over time, oils will make your pan sticky. Bacon fat is the best choice. Ensure that both sides of the lid are also coated. ^[4]
5. 5
   Place both the lid and the pot or pan upside down in the oven at a high temperature (300ºF to 500ºF/150ºC-260ºC, depending on your preference). Heat for at least an hour to bake on a "seasoning" cover that will continue to protect the pan from rust and provide a stick-resistant surface.

   • Place a sheet of aluminum foil or a large disposable foil roaster under the pan, on a lower rack or on the bottom of the oven, to catch drippings.
   • Let cool to room temperature in the oven.
6. 
   6
   Repeat. For best results, repeat steps three and four and five.
7. 7
   Maintain the cast iron with ongoing care. Every time you wash your cast iron cookware, season it without fail.

   • Place the cast iron cookware on the stove and pour in about a 3/4 teaspoon of corn oil (or other cooking fat).
   • Wad up a paper towel and spread the oil across the cooking surface, any bare iron surfaces, and the bottom of the cookware.
   • Turn on the burner and heat until smoke starts to appear.
   • If using an electric stove, heat slowly as hot spots can crack the cast iron.
   • Cover the cookware and turn heat off. Leave until cooled before placing in storage. Wipe off any excess fat before storing. If your cast iron gets sticky from using oil instead of bacon fat, use it over a campfire to make some bacon or other item which renders pig fat, and the stickiness will burn off.
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