Food · Pantry Staples
Cast Iron Seasoning Oil.
A few drops after every wash keep a cast iron pan seasoned and free of rust. The bottle already in your pantry does the job.
By Dan Whelan, founder of New World Survival
Researched from government agencies, university extension services, and other published sources. See our sources
The basics
What it does, how much to use, and what to buy once.
A bare cast iron skillet is protected by seasoning, a thin layer of oil baked onto the iron. Every time you cook with fat you add to it, and every time you wash the pan you take a little away. A few drops of oil after each wash put that layer back and keep bare iron from rusting while it sits on the shelf.
Lodge's whole cleaning routine is three steps: wash in warm, soapy water with a stiff brush or scrubbing pad, dry the pan completely, then wipe a thin layer of oil over the entire surface with a paper towel. (Lodge) The amount is the part people get wrong. Lodge's guidance is a thin layer, "not enough to drip or run" when you tilt the pan. (Lodge)
Generic is fine
You do not need a special product. Lodge says its test kitchen likes vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, and its own Seasoning Spray is simply 100 percent canola oil with no additives or propellants. (Lodge) What a spray bottle buys you is an easier thin coat. If you already keep canola or vegetable oil in the pantry, you already own seasoning oil.
When to re-season in the oven
Everyday oiling is enough for a pan in regular use. A pan with rust or worn, patchy seasoning needs the oven. Lodge's method: scour off any rust, wash and dry the pan, wipe on a thin, even coat of oil inside and out, then bake it upside down on the center rack at 450 to 500°F for one hour and let it cool in the oven. For this step Lodge recommends an oil with a high smoke point. (Lodge rust removal, Lodge seasoning) Our cast iron restoration guide covers badly rusted and secondhand pans.
How much to keep, and when to replace it
One bottle at a time is plenty. A thin coat after each wash uses very little, so a single bottle of cooking oil or an 8-ounce spray lasts a household a long time. Store it with the rest of your cooking oil, away from the stove's heat, and replace it if it smells stale or sharp. Rancid oil leaves an off taste on the next thing you cook.
Buy these once
Three care tools are worth owning, and none of them get used up. A stiff brush or chainmail scrubber for washing. A pan scraper for stuck-on food. A silicone handle holder for moving a hot pan; Lodge rates its holder to protect hands up to 500°F, and says it is not for the oven, direct flame, or for leaving on during cooking. (Lodge) Lodge sells the brush, scraper, holder, and a seasoning spray together as a care kit.
Where to buy
The pantry bottle works. A spray is a convenience.
If you want a dedicated bottle, Lodge's Seasoning Spray is plain canola oil in a pump spray, about $10 to $12 for 8 ounces. If you are setting up a first cast iron pan, the Lodge care kit adds the brush, scraper, and handle holder for about $20. Any grocery store canola or vegetable oil is the budget choice.
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