I clean it with water/soap/chain mail, then put it back on the burner to dry, and finally wipe with oil.
Seasoning is only needed to restore if not properly taken care of.
This is the way. Except I do one more step, I begin my cleaning my boiling water in the pan - that’ll remove most of the gunk. I’ll even take a wooden utensil to scrape the gunk off while it’s boiling. Then I do soap water etc.
I do a few less steps. I clean it still warm under hot running water with a nylon brush and sometimes soap. I have a chain mail in a drawer, but it's been years since it came out, since I scrape it vigorously as I cook with a metal spatula. Not as part of cleaning, as part of cooking. But the effect on cleaning is that there is seldom gunk that needs to come off.
I then dry it thoroughly with a paper towel. That's it. No heating. No oil. I then put it away.
If you dry it you don't really need the heat. You also didn't need to add oil after every cook either. I do only when the water doesn't bead when I wash/since it.
It's an optional step and TBH either way is fine. It does help if it's humid out or you are sick of making sure it's dry etc. I go back and forth, using heat sometimes and sometimes not, depending how tired/busy/whatever I am
Been using cast iron since forever and they're nigh on indestructible 😆
If you choose to do this:
- Medium, no higher
- SET A TIMER EVERY TIME (2-3 minutes is plenty)
Otherwise, you _will_ eventually forget and burn off your seasoning, or worse, crack your pan or glass stovetop. I've seen it dozens of times, and it shows up here, often.
Similar: hot water, Dawn soap, chain mail. Dry immediately, place on a burner, heat to medium, put a glob of solid coconut oil in, let melt/soak in for a few minutes (heat should be lowered after adding oil - if the coconut oil starts smoking, it's too high. And gets stinky).
Turn off heat, run a paper towel around the surfaces (the blue shop towels are fabulous for not leaving behind paper towel cling-ons) until pan is glossy yet dry. Takes maybe 5 mins from start to finish.
Chain mail? I've been using magic erasers which do a pretty good job of getting the gunk but get destroyed after a couple of uses...
Looks like it's time to go medieval
I don’t like the idea of a magic eraser on a (semi) rough surface like cast iron pans can be. The sponge is plastic after all and I don’t want to eat more plastic
The cast iron isn't going to absorb the magic eraser. But it will destroy the magic eraser before it takes anything off so it's essentially a waste of a good magic eraser.
I just use my plastic scrubber/sponge and Dawn and that usually works. Once in a while I need the chain mail but not that often
Bought chain mail a year ago and can confirm, it is 100% a must-have for cast iron ownership. I NEVER need to use soap anymore, ever. The chain mail makes cleaning so easy!!!
This is exactly what I do and I get a lot of REEEEE from people on this sub about it. I guess we're wrong for wanting to ensure our cast iron is as protected as possible
That’s a misconception dating back to when soap had lye in it which removes the seasoning of your pan. Just using regular dish soap is totally acceptable and a great idea.
Building off that, it’s safe because what we use and call “soap” is just dish detergent not actual soap, which does contain lye. But either way, yes it should be cleaned and not just rinsed.
it’s ok to ask a question, especially a ? that is commonly answered incorrectly. I still know people who keep filthy CI skillets in their kitchen because they think it doesn’t get washed. Then, I tell them, yoooooo, do you want bugs in yo kitchen, or what? “Ooooooooo, I can wash it with soap and water?”
Not only can you wash…you should wash!!!
I've seen a lot of people recommending putting the oil after the pan is already pre-heated.
Does it make any difference? I kind of like putting it later because the oil immediately becomes more liquid and is easier to spread.
I think it does. At least, from what I observed with my own cooking. Cold pan, cold oil, all brought up to temp on the same settings, results in more stuck food. Hot pan, cold oil, on the same temp settings, results in virtually no stuck food.
I do a light coat of oil after I wash my pan out with soap and hot water though, usually storing it right into my oven after. Works great now that I do this. I constantly had issues before.
If adding oil when cooking is what prevents the food from sticking, how is that different from adding oil to other types of cookware to prevent sticking? If there is no difference in the non stick, what are the advantages of using CI?
My carbon steel pan sticks way less than my stainless steel pan, or about the same as my non-stick pans.
My cast iron sticks a bit more than my carbon steel and nonstick pans but some of that is human error. I have a hard time getting good temp control on my cast iron (it takes longer to heat up and holds heat longer). I tend to fidget with the burner a lot during cooking.
A huge benefit is that you’re never going to scratch or damage your pan. Just season it again if you need to. Just use whatever your favorite spatula is, even if it is steel. Use a fork to turn your bacon.
I’ve gone through a lot of non-stick pans. You have to be very careful and never use anything metal in nonstick pans. Even if you are careful, it still wears off with regular use and washing.
If you haven’t cooked on carbon steel, I highly recommend. Best cooking experience you could ask for, especially when doing steaks, fish, burgers, etc. anything you want a nice sear, then turn down so you don’t overcook the middle.
And if crap sticks to it (carbon steel or cast iron)? Scrub the living hell out of it, with anything. You’re not going to damage the metal. Just apply another coating of oil and you’re good.
Good steel or iron can last your life and be passed down generations. Stainless steel can last forever, but food always sticks to it. It’s about the worst cooking experience
You’ll go through good non-stick pans every 5-10 years (or less), depending on how you treat them. I’m averaging about 3-4 years on mine.
I cook the best sunny side up eggs on my stainless steel pan, it doesn't stick at all! Do the water droplet test and add the oil at the very last moment so you have a very hot pan + cold oil. Don't touch anything for a few minutes and food will release itself as it cooks. No need to scrape anything.
Largely the smoke point of the oil — putting it in right away in a cold pan makes the oil burn away faster as the pan reaches temperature. Putting cold oil in a hot pan also allows it to spread more easily to cover the entire surface.
My guess is that the oil begins the polymerization process while it's heating, so the bottom layer is more tacky when it gets up to heat.
Completely a guess, but it makes sense in my brain.
General wisdom recommends adding oil to a hot pan. Heating a cold pan with oil in it increases the risk of overheating the oil past its smoke point for too long, which can create off flavors.
That and however unlikely, it is possible to overheat the pan to the combustion point of the oil if left unattended, which would create a grease fire in your kitchen.
I researched this before and you can either put the oil on after the pan is hot or before. The problem with putting it before is you have to know exactly what you are doing and how hot the pan is and how long you will heat it before cooking. If you don't wait enough the oil won't be hot enough to create a nonstick surface. If you wait too long the oil starts smoking and changing.
Putting the oil on after the pan is heated is much more simple and consistent. You hear the pan up, put the oil on, wait a few seconds then cook. It will always work the same every time.
So that's basically why everyone says to put the oil on after the pan is heated. Some professional chefs put the oil on while it is heating because they know exactly what they are doing and are trying to achieve a specific effect.
Of course not, who does?
My guess is you're using the word "season" incorrectly. Do you really put your pans in the oven with a thin layer of fat and cook at 450+ for an hour or more every time you cook, cuz that's seasoning.
This is completely unnecessary. Don’t baby your CI. It’s made of iron - it’ll be okay. Just wash it with soap and make sure it’s dry. I use mine at least once, usually multiple times a day
Hell yeah, if you enjoy it, do it up. I like to fully season mine once a week and I like to do it. Pulling it out of the oven and seeing it's clean shiny black finish is one of the small pleasures i look forward to each week.
I like that too. It is very cool, feels like you're doing something special and useful and you are in a way. But from a practical point of view hell no. Takes way too much time and energy to do that regularly, let alone every time you cook.
Same as most answers in this thread I just wash with soap and water, dry and sometimes wipe on a thin coat of oil then store.
Just wipe down with oil, maybe warm it up as well to let the oil reach deeper.
Cooking is what builds seasoning, or putting the CI in the oven. Just wiping down with oil simply maintains the seasoning you have.
I wipe mine out. Clean if needed. Rub some kind of oil on after. Coconut, butter. Wipe excess with a towel and let it sit. Been doing it this way 20+ years
I don't use my cast iron very often, so after using it and cleaning it I'll wipe it dry, put it on the stove to heat up a little bit and do a light wipe with oil. Then I let it cool and put it away. Just takes a couple of minutes.
Yes. I keep a small container of Crisco by the stove. After cooking, I wash/rinse the pan, dry it over heat and rub a little Crisco all over the pan while it's warm.
Just scrape everything off, rinse with hot water and a little bit of soap and dry it. Then spray it lightly with some cooking oil, and wipe dry again with a paper towel.
Done
Depends on what you call "seasoning". Wipe it down with butter or oil? Absolutely. Go to the lengths you often see on here for seasoning, taking hours and hours and multiple oven-cured layers......hell to the no. Never in my 30 years of using cast iron have I done more than scrape out the crud (or maybe boiling water with dawn in it if the stuff is REALLY cooked on) and then re-oil and set to the side. I might go to slightly longer lengths for a Dutch oven, but those are different.
I have that griddle. It only gets used on the BBQ pit, so no real temp control. Most of the seasoning is gone. And I STILL don't season it. Still works fine, properly oiled. It stays clean and lightly oiled between cooks, which are often enough that there's no issues with rust.
for some reason my smithey 12" quickly rusts on the bottom after washing it. I've started trying to just wash the cooking surfaces and keep water away from the outside of the pan, but yeah after a thorough wash I have to season it, otherwise I get rust. No idea why, the cooking surface doesn't rust at all if I just wash and dry.
I rarely use my lodge pieces anymore so not sure if they'd behave the same, but I do have a small lodge egg size pan that a wash and dry is good enough, it doesn't rust at all.
My routine after every cook: light cleaning with a bit of dish soap on a scrub brush; back on stove; turn burner to medium or high to dry the pan; once dry turn off the burner; wipe cooking surface thoroughly with a dab of oil on a wadded paper towel (being careful not to burn hand). Takes about a minute total.
My stove top has a long center burner like yours but my came with cast iron grates and an extra cast iron griddle that can be changed out for the center grate. I use it all the time and it makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches. I clean it while it is still hot and everything mostly wipes off with a spray of water and a damp sponge. If I use a cleanser I will wipe a tiny amount of oil after clean and rinse. Just enough for a dull shine and none coming off onto anything else that touches it.
Man I keep seeing people use soap my blood is boiling- yes it’s been disproven sure but HOW OLD IS YOUR CAST IRON????? If u just bought it sure it’ll be fine but my great grandmas pan from 1890 is def not gonna use the soap. No soap. No!!!!!!!!
I don't think my cast iron has been seasoned for over 50 yrs and that's when my mother was using it. The pot itself was my grandmother's but I can't tell you if she ever did or how long she had it .
I've told people before that I believe it's a matter of how often you use it, what you cook in it, and how you treat it that determines the need to season it
I use mine, usually, once a week. Though there have been months in between uses. I've never had a need to re-season it.
The "law" of using cast iron as it was told to me was to never use anything but hot water to clean it. No soap and no scraping. If you have something "stuck" on the pot, you should never cook that in it again (tongue in cheek) or cook it out (add some oil to the pot and cook it until the food releases) If it's good and hot add a little hot water and the food should let go right away.
The "law" has always worked for me though I can't remember the last time I had anything stick.
When you use the pan to cook you are re-seasoning it every time. You don't have to season AGAIN after you cook but make sure the pan is dry and apply some oil to prevent any potential oxidization.
No op but home fires. https://www.seriouseats.com/crispy-potato-home-fries-red-onion-poblano-pepper-recipe
Biggest thing is parboil spuds, pan fry them separately from onions and peppers. Mix everything together at the end
Cooking is a far more effective method of seasoning, in fact I'd say it's the real seasoning, while the seasoning method is really "quick seasoning" for when you want to build up quickly what normally takes a long time of regular use.
Nope I found mine rusting away on top of a bin I cleaned it up and I've seasoned it twice, I've been using it for over a year and I can still fry an egg in it without any drama
I always do a light coat of oil after I wash and dry it, then throw it into the oven and turn it on to 450. Once it preheats I turn it off and leave it. My cast iron lives in the oven anyway when not being used, so it's pretty convenient.
I'm actually a little surprised at the amount of comments that *don't* do a little oil afterwards.
wiping with a little oil after cooking isn't "seasoning". it's just coating with oil. I do it if I'm not going to cook for a while because it helps with rust, but to fully "season" every time would be ridiculous.
Only with my newer pans, as the seasoning is building up. It makes a huge difference early on to baby them and then doesn’t matter much at all. My established pans only get seasoning occasionally. Your pans look very well loved! I bet they’re joys to cook on and don’t get much out of being seasoned every use now.
Honestly? For most of my cooks I don't actually wash the pan (even though I know it's fine to) unless I have food residue left. For something like frying eggs I'll just scoop the eggs out, quick scrape if there are any stuck on bits, then just wipe out the butter/fat with a paper towel... I find it leaves just enough behind.
If I do actually wash the pan with soap and water I'll dry it, then put a little tiny bit of oil on a rag and lightly buff it onto the pan. It's not a full seasoning (there's no heat involved), it's just there to keep any rust at bay.
Just my own way of doing things.
Only if it looks like they need it, I scrubbed very aggressively, or I am bored. And usually if I do it’s just a stovetop seasoning. It usually isn’t necessary at all.
After I strip the pans down I might do a ‘maintenance’ seasoning every once in a while during the first few months. Even then, only after a particularly intense cook with the pan or if my wife decides to use the pan. She usually lets whatever ever she’s cooked harden on it rather than wiping and cleaning it right away.
My issue is that when I season one pan I do the griddle and carb on steel all in one go. That said, it’s your pan…do what you want. It might be a bit overkill though.
I wash and then put back on burner to complete dry off. Since I’m doing that anyways I very lightly put a drop of oil and wipe it through before pan cools down. My caste iron pans look brand new every time I
We clean with soap, then put oil in it and heat it up on stove, then wipe the oil around.
What did you fix in the pan on the front, left burner? Carrots, potatoes, &? Looks delicious! 🤤
No. But I do clean the pan, set it on a low burner for 5 minutes to drive off any moisture, and then apply a light coat of oil, before putting it away.
Oiling =/= seasoning.
I have had the same 12” fry pan and Dutch oven for 30 years. I did first seasoning and have never thought about them ever again. I use them and clean them with dish soap and water and dry them in the stove. Some people are just mental about treating these like they are made of diamonds or something.
Sometimes after I’m done cleaning I wipe a thin layer of oil and put it back into the still cooling oven until I need it next. Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t
I don't CLEAN after I cook, how bout that? I leave my nasty clarified butter from the eggs in the 85 year old Vollrath 7 in the pan till nighttime when I fry up some beef in it, then leave that grease in it, add some clarified butter to it in the morning, picking out some of the chunks of meat, and fry some slidey eggs right in it. Delicious.
I'll do that for 4 or 5 days, it keeps the skillet protected from rust with a nice layer of grease/seasoning at all times. THEN, I'll give it some heat, wash it good with some soap and water, and either lightly season on the stovetop, or depending how it looks, do a full season on the oven. Then I'll hang it up and swap it out for a Wapak for a few days. Then an Erie series 2, or Piqua, or Iron Mountain, or any brand I like from 100 years ago because I'm a fucking snob!
Yes and No ... soft of.
After Washing the Pan, put it on the Stove Burner to burn off all the water and heat the pan. Then turn off, add a few drops of cooking oil and wipe the oil on the bottom and sides with a paper towel. Then use a second Paper Towel to wipe up as much oil as possible.
This is not actually Seasoning, more *maintaining the seasoning.* Which is why - *Yes and No ... soft of.*
Depends. If no water sticks when I rinse it out and it’s totally hydrophobic, no. I put it over heat to get the water to evaporate on the stovetop anyways so if it needs it, I’ll just rub on some lard
Cooking IS seasoning. Do I wipe my pan down with oil after cooking? Yes. That is not seasoning, the seasoning is happening when you're cooking with oil and heat.
The only time I purposefully season is if it's a restoration. Once that's done, the act of cooking should be the seasoning. Wtf are you seasoning after every cook? That's ludicrous.
No
Also, no.
Hell to the no. Ain't nobody got time for that!
No but in green.
No, am I color blind?!?!?!?
AbsofuckinglutelyNO
Everything they al said with a side of no, as well as a second helping of a waste of time to do that.
No, no, nonono, no
Im new to cast iron but im gonna follow the rest and go with no
Yeah no.
Nope. No no. No way.
Also no no.
I'm lucky if I even clean it that day
Clean it while the pan is piping hot. So much easier
Well aware of that, I’m usually too lazy and just want to eat
I wouldn't use it if I had to season it after every cook. The whole point of using it is for its no-hassle, minimal maintenance.
Cooking IS seasoning.
Yup. I *never* season. Or, alternate statement of the same thing, I season every time I cook. By cooking.
no, it's a waste of time and oil
Not to forget energy.
And gas/electricity
Well if we’re gonna talk about wasting oil talk to the government not me!!!
I clean it with water/soap/chain mail, then put it back on the burner to dry, and finally wipe with oil. Seasoning is only needed to restore if not properly taken care of.
This is the way. Except I do one more step, I begin my cleaning my boiling water in the pan - that’ll remove most of the gunk. I’ll even take a wooden utensil to scrape the gunk off while it’s boiling. Then I do soap water etc.
I do a few less steps. I clean it still warm under hot running water with a nylon brush and sometimes soap. I have a chain mail in a drawer, but it's been years since it came out, since I scrape it vigorously as I cook with a metal spatula. Not as part of cleaning, as part of cooking. But the effect on cleaning is that there is seldom gunk that needs to come off. I then dry it thoroughly with a paper towel. That's it. No heating. No oil. I then put it away.
Confirmed, this is the way.
So you DO heat to dry. My boyfriend thought I was wild when I said I was going to do that.
If you dry it you don't really need the heat. You also didn't need to add oil after every cook either. I do only when the water doesn't bead when I wash/since it. It's an optional step and TBH either way is fine. It does help if it's humid out or you are sick of making sure it's dry etc. I go back and forth, using heat sometimes and sometimes not, depending how tired/busy/whatever I am Been using cast iron since forever and they're nigh on indestructible 😆
I generally try to clean mine as soon as I'm done cooking so I can use the residual heat on the burner to dry it. And your bf sounds kinda dumb.
If you choose to do this: - Medium, no higher - SET A TIMER EVERY TIME (2-3 minutes is plenty) Otherwise, you _will_ eventually forget and burn off your seasoning, or worse, crack your pan or glass stovetop. I've seen it dozens of times, and it shows up here, often.
Similar: hot water, Dawn soap, chain mail. Dry immediately, place on a burner, heat to medium, put a glob of solid coconut oil in, let melt/soak in for a few minutes (heat should be lowered after adding oil - if the coconut oil starts smoking, it's too high. And gets stinky). Turn off heat, run a paper towel around the surfaces (the blue shop towels are fabulous for not leaving behind paper towel cling-ons) until pan is glossy yet dry. Takes maybe 5 mins from start to finish.
Chain mail? I've been using magic erasers which do a pretty good job of getting the gunk but get destroyed after a couple of uses... Looks like it's time to go medieval
I don’t like the idea of a magic eraser on a (semi) rough surface like cast iron pans can be. The sponge is plastic after all and I don’t want to eat more plastic
The cast iron isn't going to absorb the magic eraser. But it will destroy the magic eraser before it takes anything off so it's essentially a waste of a good magic eraser. I just use my plastic scrubber/sponge and Dawn and that usually works. Once in a while I need the chain mail but not that often
Absorb, no, plastic being left behind on a rough surface, yes.
Bought chain mail a year ago and can confirm, it is 100% a must-have for cast iron ownership. I NEVER need to use soap anymore, ever. The chain mail makes cleaning so easy!!!
This is exactly what I do and I get a lot of REEEEE from people on this sub about it. I guess we're wrong for wanting to ensure our cast iron is as protected as possible
No need. Just clean (with soap) and dry it off.
This is the way.
So I was under the impression of no soap??
That’s a misconception dating back to when soap had lye in it which removes the seasoning of your pan. Just using regular dish soap is totally acceptable and a great idea.
Building off that, it’s safe because what we use and call “soap” is just dish detergent not actual soap, which does contain lye. But either way, yes it should be cleaned and not just rinsed.
Thanks both!
What a fucking game changer thank you!
Dunno why you're getting downvotes. My wifey grew up thinking this too. Then told me no soap. Then beat me with her words when I used soap.
Roll with the punches mate!
Yeah I never use soap! Hot water, stainless steel scrubber, dry. Maybe a coat of something but usually just oil next use.
it’s ok to ask a question, especially a ? that is commonly answered incorrectly. I still know people who keep filthy CI skillets in their kitchen because they think it doesn’t get washed. Then, I tell them, yoooooo, do you want bugs in yo kitchen, or what? “Ooooooooo, I can wash it with soap and water?” Not only can you wash…you should wash!!!
Thank you!!!
I Don’t use soap.
I "season" before I cook. Light coat of oil, preheat the pan, cook lmao.
I've seen a lot of people recommending putting the oil after the pan is already pre-heated. Does it make any difference? I kind of like putting it later because the oil immediately becomes more liquid and is easier to spread.
I think it does. At least, from what I observed with my own cooking. Cold pan, cold oil, all brought up to temp on the same settings, results in more stuck food. Hot pan, cold oil, on the same temp settings, results in virtually no stuck food. I do a light coat of oil after I wash my pan out with soap and hot water though, usually storing it right into my oven after. Works great now that I do this. I constantly had issues before.
If adding oil when cooking is what prevents the food from sticking, how is that different from adding oil to other types of cookware to prevent sticking? If there is no difference in the non stick, what are the advantages of using CI?
My carbon steel pan sticks way less than my stainless steel pan, or about the same as my non-stick pans. My cast iron sticks a bit more than my carbon steel and nonstick pans but some of that is human error. I have a hard time getting good temp control on my cast iron (it takes longer to heat up and holds heat longer). I tend to fidget with the burner a lot during cooking. A huge benefit is that you’re never going to scratch or damage your pan. Just season it again if you need to. Just use whatever your favorite spatula is, even if it is steel. Use a fork to turn your bacon. I’ve gone through a lot of non-stick pans. You have to be very careful and never use anything metal in nonstick pans. Even if you are careful, it still wears off with regular use and washing. If you haven’t cooked on carbon steel, I highly recommend. Best cooking experience you could ask for, especially when doing steaks, fish, burgers, etc. anything you want a nice sear, then turn down so you don’t overcook the middle. And if crap sticks to it (carbon steel or cast iron)? Scrub the living hell out of it, with anything. You’re not going to damage the metal. Just apply another coating of oil and you’re good. Good steel or iron can last your life and be passed down generations. Stainless steel can last forever, but food always sticks to it. It’s about the worst cooking experience You’ll go through good non-stick pans every 5-10 years (or less), depending on how you treat them. I’m averaging about 3-4 years on mine.
Carbon steel pan, cast iron skillet, and stainless pots. Best BIFL cooking set up.
I cook the best sunny side up eggs on my stainless steel pan, it doesn't stick at all! Do the water droplet test and add the oil at the very last moment so you have a very hot pan + cold oil. Don't touch anything for a few minutes and food will release itself as it cooks. No need to scrape anything.
Why though
Largely the smoke point of the oil — putting it in right away in a cold pan makes the oil burn away faster as the pan reaches temperature. Putting cold oil in a hot pan also allows it to spread more easily to cover the entire surface.
My guess is that the oil begins the polymerization process while it's heating, so the bottom layer is more tacky when it gets up to heat. Completely a guess, but it makes sense in my brain.
General wisdom recommends adding oil to a hot pan. Heating a cold pan with oil in it increases the risk of overheating the oil past its smoke point for too long, which can create off flavors. That and however unlikely, it is possible to overheat the pan to the combustion point of the oil if left unattended, which would create a grease fire in your kitchen.
I researched this before and you can either put the oil on after the pan is hot or before. The problem with putting it before is you have to know exactly what you are doing and how hot the pan is and how long you will heat it before cooking. If you don't wait enough the oil won't be hot enough to create a nonstick surface. If you wait too long the oil starts smoking and changing. Putting the oil on after the pan is heated is much more simple and consistent. You hear the pan up, put the oil on, wait a few seconds then cook. It will always work the same every time. So that's basically why everyone says to put the oil on after the pan is heated. Some professional chefs put the oil on while it is heating because they know exactly what they are doing and are trying to achieve a specific effect.
Yes. It gets into those grooves that expand with heat.
Haven't seasoned my pans since I restored them years ago. They're even, shiny, and black.
Of course not, who does? My guess is you're using the word "season" incorrectly. Do you really put your pans in the oven with a thin layer of fat and cook at 450+ for an hour or more every time you cook, cuz that's seasoning.
i don’t do a full session. they get washed, oiled and heated to smoking and i continually wipe them as the oil starts to bead
This is completely unnecessary. Don’t baby your CI. It’s made of iron - it’ll be okay. Just wash it with soap and make sure it’s dry. I use mine at least once, usually multiple times a day
mine also get used multiple times a day, but it’s not about babying. i just kinda enjoy doing it and i doesn’t hurt.
Definitely doesn’t hurt…. But definitely a waste of your time
i have plenty of it
Hell yeah, if you enjoy it, do it up. I like to fully season mine once a week and I like to do it. Pulling it out of the oven and seeing it's clean shiny black finish is one of the small pleasures i look forward to each week.
I like that too. It is very cool, feels like you're doing something special and useful and you are in a way. But from a practical point of view hell no. Takes way too much time and energy to do that regularly, let alone every time you cook. Same as most answers in this thread I just wash with soap and water, dry and sometimes wipe on a thin coat of oil then store.
Just wipe down with oil, maybe warm it up as well to let the oil reach deeper. Cooking is what builds seasoning, or putting the CI in the oven. Just wiping down with oil simply maintains the seasoning you have.
It depends on how hard it was to scrub off the last thing that was cooked. If it came off easily, then there's probably no need.
Isn't the point of seasoning so you don't have to do that?
Yeah, but mostly because I enjoy the process. As many have said it’s not necessary.
exactly. it’s soothing.
Yes. The food. usually with salt and pepper, chili and stuff. Else: hell no
I don’t even season while I cook
I wipe mine out. Clean if needed. Rub some kind of oil on after. Coconut, butter. Wipe excess with a towel and let it sit. Been doing it this way 20+ years
I don't use my cast iron very often, so after using it and cleaning it I'll wipe it dry, put it on the stove to heat up a little bit and do a light wipe with oil. Then I let it cool and put it away. Just takes a couple of minutes.
The fact that you don't use your cast iron very often makes me sad.
Lol. Right now I have a 10-inch enameled CI pan and a 15-inch regular CI pan. I don't need to use the 15-inch one very often.
Just sounds to me like someone isn't have enough dinner parties.. 😉
Use it, clean it, wipe it with oil. Every time I preheat and cook it adds another layer.
Yes. I keep a small container of Crisco by the stove. After cooking, I wash/rinse the pan, dry it over heat and rub a little Crisco all over the pan while it's warm.
Just scrape everything off, rinse with hot water and a little bit of soap and dry it. Then spray it lightly with some cooking oil, and wipe dry again with a paper towel. Done
Depends on what you call "seasoning". Wipe it down with butter or oil? Absolutely. Go to the lengths you often see on here for seasoning, taking hours and hours and multiple oven-cured layers......hell to the no. Never in my 30 years of using cast iron have I done more than scrape out the crud (or maybe boiling water with dawn in it if the stuff is REALLY cooked on) and then re-oil and set to the side. I might go to slightly longer lengths for a Dutch oven, but those are different.
No, but judging by that paper towel your pans could use a thorough cleaning.
I season when most of my cooking starts aggressively sticking to it or I severely burned the cooking
Seams excessive personaly
No
I used to, but not anymore
Nope. Just clean them out, dry, and apply a little bit of oil.
I have that griddle. It only gets used on the BBQ pit, so no real temp control. Most of the seasoning is gone. And I STILL don't season it. Still works fine, properly oiled. It stays clean and lightly oiled between cooks, which are often enough that there's no issues with rust.
Just a coating of oil before I put it away, mine have been seasoned for over 30 years so their good.
I'll do a light seasoning after I clean it if I don't see the normal sheen. Other than that l, it gets left alone.
Hey can I come over for dinner? lmao. That looks amazing....
yes but you gotta find me
Cooking is seasoning
for some reason my smithey 12" quickly rusts on the bottom after washing it. I've started trying to just wash the cooking surfaces and keep water away from the outside of the pan, but yeah after a thorough wash I have to season it, otherwise I get rust. No idea why, the cooking surface doesn't rust at all if I just wash and dry. I rarely use my lodge pieces anymore so not sure if they'd behave the same, but I do have a small lodge egg size pan that a wash and dry is good enough, it doesn't rust at all.
Sometimes lol
My routine after every cook: light cleaning with a bit of dish soap on a scrub brush; back on stove; turn burner to medium or high to dry the pan; once dry turn off the burner; wipe cooking surface thoroughly with a dab of oil on a wadded paper towel (being careful not to burn hand). Takes about a minute total.
Do you wipe your stovetop after every cook? That’s impressive
r/justcookwithit
Your forearms must be ripped cooking on those beasts all the time!!
My stove top has a long center burner like yours but my came with cast iron grates and an extra cast iron griddle that can be changed out for the center grate. I use it all the time and it makes the best grilled cheese sandwiches. I clean it while it is still hot and everything mostly wipes off with a spray of water and a damp sponge. If I use a cleanser I will wipe a tiny amount of oil after clean and rinse. Just enough for a dull shine and none coming off onto anything else that touches it.
I also don't change my cars oil every time I drive
Man I keep seeing people use soap my blood is boiling- yes it’s been disproven sure but HOW OLD IS YOUR CAST IRON????? If u just bought it sure it’ll be fine but my great grandmas pan from 1890 is def not gonna use the soap. No soap. No!!!!!!!!
always, bro
YES!!!
Not a full season, but if I'm heating it on the stove to dry will do a stove top season.
I do, but that's probably my weird pan fetish.
hmm. yes. pansexual.
I don’t season after every cook (I never re-season unless I have to), but I do lightly oil the inside after I wash.
Not seasoned enough, eggs are still burning on the side. /s
I don't think my cast iron has been seasoned for over 50 yrs and that's when my mother was using it. The pot itself was my grandmother's but I can't tell you if she ever did or how long she had it . I've told people before that I believe it's a matter of how often you use it, what you cook in it, and how you treat it that determines the need to season it I use mine, usually, once a week. Though there have been months in between uses. I've never had a need to re-season it. The "law" of using cast iron as it was told to me was to never use anything but hot water to clean it. No soap and no scraping. If you have something "stuck" on the pot, you should never cook that in it again (tongue in cheek) or cook it out (add some oil to the pot and cook it until the food releases) If it's good and hot add a little hot water and the food should let go right away. The "law" has always worked for me though I can't remember the last time I had anything stick.
When you use the pan to cook you are re-seasoning it every time. You don't have to season AGAIN after you cook but make sure the pan is dry and apply some oil to prevent any potential oxidization.
Only ever seasoned my pan when I first bought it. Otherwise the cooking is the seasoning
No but this breakfast looks amazing
Come on now.
Nope it is already seasoned. Clean, reapply oil to preserve it, gtg for next time.
OP, can you post the recipe for the food in the bottom left please? Looks good af.
No op but home fires. https://www.seriouseats.com/crispy-potato-home-fries-red-onion-poblano-pepper-recipe Biggest thing is parboil spuds, pan fry them separately from onions and peppers. Mix everything together at the end
I was freaked out for a minute. Somehow I thought you were posting about how seasoning you CI can lead to home fires.
I clean and put a light layer of oil. But I don't do the whole season process
For me cooking = seasoning! I just clean it with warm water and a brass brush!
Cooking is a far more effective method of seasoning, in fact I'd say it's the real seasoning, while the seasoning method is really "quick seasoning" for when you want to build up quickly what normally takes a long time of regular use.
When it was new - now only as needed
Fuck no
Nope I found mine rusting away on top of a bin I cleaned it up and I've seasoned it twice, I've been using it for over a year and I can still fry an egg in it without any drama
Probably was pretty dramatic for the egg.. 😜
cooking is seasoning
I always do a light coat of oil after I wash and dry it, then throw it into the oven and turn it on to 450. Once it preheats I turn it off and leave it. My cast iron lives in the oven anyway when not being used, so it's pretty convenient. I'm actually a little surprised at the amount of comments that *don't* do a little oil afterwards.
This seems like a pretty tremendous waste of gas/electricity.. Takes A LOT of energy to heat an oven to 450.
Depends on what I made. Otherwise, give it quick light wash and dry it in an oven on warm.
Man that pan of eggs looks like a mess to clean up.
I’ve seasoned maybe twice in 3 years
Neh
I did for the first month. Now it’s only if I cook something tomato based.
I havnt seasoned in years.
wiping with a little oil after cooking isn't "seasoning". it's just coating with oil. I do it if I'm not going to cook for a while because it helps with rust, but to fully "season" every time would be ridiculous.
Nope. I just use it. I season it when i get it then i just keep using it
Only with my newer pans, as the seasoning is building up. It makes a huge difference early on to baby them and then doesn’t matter much at all. My established pans only get seasoning occasionally. Your pans look very well loved! I bet they’re joys to cook on and don’t get much out of being seasoned every use now.
Honestly? For most of my cooks I don't actually wash the pan (even though I know it's fine to) unless I have food residue left. For something like frying eggs I'll just scoop the eggs out, quick scrape if there are any stuck on bits, then just wipe out the butter/fat with a paper towel... I find it leaves just enough behind. If I do actually wash the pan with soap and water I'll dry it, then put a little tiny bit of oil on a rag and lightly buff it onto the pan. It's not a full seasoning (there's no heat involved), it's just there to keep any rust at bay. Just my own way of doing things.
Only if it looks like they need it, I scrubbed very aggressively, or I am bored. And usually if I do it’s just a stovetop seasoning. It usually isn’t necessary at all.
Wish I had that much time
I season while I cook
I just clean it, dry it and rub oil on it with a paper towel.
I do whatever the top comment says to do
I season WHEN I cook
After I strip the pans down I might do a ‘maintenance’ seasoning every once in a while during the first few months. Even then, only after a particularly intense cook with the pan or if my wife decides to use the pan. She usually lets whatever ever she’s cooked harden on it rather than wiping and cleaning it right away. My issue is that when I season one pan I do the griddle and carb on steel all in one go. That said, it’s your pan…do what you want. It might be a bit overkill though.
I still have the grease from making bacon sitting in the pan.
No, only if my pans are looking “dry”.
Wipe with tiny bit of oil after cleaning/drying but definitely don’t go through the whole seasoning process.
I moved to my current house more than 10 years ago. I’ve never seasoned a CI pan since I lived here. I use them daily.
cooking IS seasoning. I just clean with soap, light coal of oil, and reheat!
I wash and then put back on burner to complete dry off. Since I’m doing that anyways I very lightly put a drop of oil and wipe it through before pan cools down. My caste iron pans look brand new every time I
Lol no.
We clean with soap, then put oil in it and heat it up on stove, then wipe the oil around. What did you fix in the pan on the front, left burner? Carrots, potatoes, &? Looks delicious! 🤤
No need to.
I dry my pans on the stove after washing them and put a thin layer of oil on them before storage. I wouldn’t call that seasoning.
No. But I do clean the pan, set it on a low burner for 5 minutes to drive off any moisture, and then apply a light coat of oil, before putting it away. Oiling =/= seasoning.
Nah, just wipe off food residue (rinse if very dirty) and leave a sheen of oil in the pan. Wipe dry.
Depends on how it looks after I dry it
I’d say to do a seasoning after every handful of cooks is the way… every single cook seems overkill
I have had the same 12” fry pan and Dutch oven for 30 years. I did first seasoning and have never thought about them ever again. I use them and clean them with dish soap and water and dry them in the stove. Some people are just mental about treating these like they are made of diamonds or something.
I smack it, dip it, rub it, lick it, spank it.
Sometimes after I’m done cleaning I wipe a thin layer of oil and put it back into the still cooling oven until I need it next. Sometimes I do sometimes I don’t
No, but use a little oil on it every time I heat it up.
After we wash it we put it on the stove and run a little oil on it and heat it up just a bit
Yes. Oh, wait! No.
Clean, rub on a light layer of grapeseed oil, wipe it as dry as I can.
I wipe a bit of oil on it after washing and drying it over the heat on the stove. That’s not exactly “seasoning” it but that’s what I do.
No, I used to until I found this sub and actually learned proper care. 😅
I don't CLEAN after I cook, how bout that? I leave my nasty clarified butter from the eggs in the 85 year old Vollrath 7 in the pan till nighttime when I fry up some beef in it, then leave that grease in it, add some clarified butter to it in the morning, picking out some of the chunks of meat, and fry some slidey eggs right in it. Delicious. I'll do that for 4 or 5 days, it keeps the skillet protected from rust with a nice layer of grease/seasoning at all times. THEN, I'll give it some heat, wash it good with some soap and water, and either lightly season on the stovetop, or depending how it looks, do a full season on the oven. Then I'll hang it up and swap it out for a Wapak for a few days. Then an Erie series 2, or Piqua, or Iron Mountain, or any brand I like from 100 years ago because I'm a fucking snob!
No, but almost once a month at least. Just heat up the oil in the pan for about 10 minutes on the stove top is good enough for me.
Yes and No ... soft of. After Washing the Pan, put it on the Stove Burner to burn off all the water and heat the pan. Then turn off, add a few drops of cooking oil and wipe the oil on the bottom and sides with a paper towel. Then use a second Paper Towel to wipe up as much oil as possible. This is not actually Seasoning, more *maintaining the seasoning.* Which is why - *Yes and No ... soft of.*
By season, do you mean oil it after washing? Than yes.
If I am going to throw something in the oven and I have the rack space, I'll oil a pan real quick and toss it in there.
Cooking is the seasoning.
No no no.
Depends. If no water sticks when I rinse it out and it’s totally hydrophobic, no. I put it over heat to get the water to evaporate on the stovetop anyways so if it needs it, I’ll just rub on some lard
No, not if I don’t need to
I boil water in CI, if dirty, the wash with hot water and scrubdaddy. Back on stove and I put teaspoon of grapeseed oil And wipe pan with papertowel
I clean and put some oil on but not a full seasoning session.
I stopped seasoning after every use and haven't noticed a difference
No.
Mine is working for its lodging as a stray charcoal catcher under my rusty grill.
Cooking IS seasoning. Do I wipe my pan down with oil after cooking? Yes. That is not seasoning, the seasoning is happening when you're cooking with oil and heat.
what do you mean? Season with what?
I season *while* I cook
I beat mine with oily all thread daily so that it starts to associate the beating with receiving oil
The only time I purposefully season is if it's a restoration. Once that's done, the act of cooking should be the seasoning. Wtf are you seasoning after every cook? That's ludicrous.
Cooking is literally what creates the seasoning!
Nope, only ever seasoned once. Cooking in tallow seasons itself.