Food Network
Home> Recipes>
How to Season Cast Iron Skillets Recipe

How to Season Cast Iron Skillets

Emeril Lagasse

Technique courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001

Rated: 3 stars out of 5Rate This RecipeRead users' reviews (16)

  • Recipe categories:
    more

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Food Network to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be signed in to review this recipe.

or Register to Review

Average Rating:

Total Reviews: 16

Showing 1-10 of 16

Sort by:

Newest

  • on January 31, 2012

    Flag

    Perfect a thing of the past that granny always did and no longer around to ask. Thank you, Thank you and Thank you, again

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on January 06, 2011

    Flag

    Emeril Rocks! That said, all I use in the kitchen is iron (except saucepans and a Crock Pot. I used Crisco the first few years, but it always left the pan sticky. Crisco also wears off easily. Now I use good old fashioned lard, It holds up better and never gets sticky. Every couple of weeks I'll give them the once over with a light coat of lard for good measure. I also do my seasoning in my gas grill so the smell stays outside. I use my big 16" frying pan for crispy oven baked "home fries" and I'll wipe a very light coat each time I put it under the broiler. That keeps it seasoned all year long and the tators don't have a greasy taste or texture. (makes a great deep dish pizza

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on September 11, 2010

    Flag

    I use Crisco Shortning and you are not supposed to use a lot, a very very thin coat. Wipe it on and wipe it off. Then heat the pan upside down so that if there is any excess it will drip down instead of bake into goop on the pan. When cooking, everything sticks if the pan is not seasoned properly.

    Seasoning also preventy rust. If there is rust use steel wool to remove any and all rust. Then season to prevent any more rust. You should do the seasoning process several times for the best seasoning.

    Also a tip when cleaing after use.... wipe out with a warm wash cloth and dry, then place back in the oven or on the burned for a short time to let all the water that you may have missed evaporate.

    If you use your cast iron often then you won't have to season it as much. Do not store food in the cast iron cookware and it is not recommended to boil water in the cookware.

    If you buy a new peirce of cast iron cookware (skillett, kitchen oven, dutch over, ect... there is generally a protective coating applied. That does not season the cast iron. It is just a generic coating that the manufacturing industry puts on there. To remove it: Wash your new cast iron in hot soapy water. Do not leave it submersed in the water or leave water standing in it. Wash it throughly and with steel wool to get that coating off. It the coating is left on it will not season properly.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on November 30, 2009

    Flag

    I recommend heading to cookingincastiron.com for slightly more detailed instructions. The guy has a video podcast that actually shows you a great method for seasoning and re-seasoning cast iron.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on October 18, 2008

    Flag

    Dito that last comment....how do you clean and season old cast iron? And how do you know when it needs to be re-seasoned?

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on October 02, 2008

    Flag

    How do you season & clean old, rusty cast iron? It was my grandmothers and she had a set of them (6, 8, & 9 1/2". All of them had rust in them.
    Donna Cincinnati, OH
    10-02-2008

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on May 31, 2008

    Flag

    Cast iron skillet was first thing I bought. Everything sticks to it. I really really need some precise instructions on how to season it, and was expecting more information on this article.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on March 07, 2008

    Flag

    TO "Nix the soap" comment below. You use soap to clean pan prior to seasoning it. After seasoned you are not to wash with soap.
    I don't think its a big deal just using shortening to season. Many other seasoning methods I've found online just use seasoning-no salt.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on September 24, 2007

    Flag

    I just bought Emeril's Cast Iron 6 qt Dutch Oven. it is suppose to be preseasoned, but you still have to season it. Do I use Shortening (Like Crisco or liquid vegetable oil. It is very unclear. I went into another web site. it said to only use shortening, but his directions only says Vegetable oil. Please advise.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No

  • on May 18, 2007

    Flag

    In the on air show - salt was used in curing the cast iron - but no mention of that here?

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
« Previous 1 2 Next »
Advertisement

See More Recipes Like This From Food.com

Food Network Store

Browse More Products

Free Recipe of the Day Newsletter

Let Food Network chefs plan what's for dinner, with quick and easy recipes delivered to your inbox daily.

Coupons For You

Food Network Food Network
© 2012 Television Food Network G.P. All rights reserved.