Now that I have a wonderfully new cast-iron skillet to cook with, I need to season it. I have been reading webpages and books on the topic and this is what I have surmised.
You need to follow these steps to ensure your skillet is well seasoned and ready to use:
1. Place a baking sheet or foil on bottom rack of oven.
2. Pre-heat oven to 350°
3. Wash and scrub skillet with hot, soapy water. Be sure to scrub all surfaces, even the handle and the outside of the skillet. Dry completely with a soft cloth.
4. Apply a thin coat of flaxseed oil with a paper towel on all surfaces,inside and out. You may use vegetable oil but there are health benefits with flaxseed oil.
5. Place skillet in oven on center rack, upside down. All drippings will be caught by the baking sheet or foil.
6. Bake for an hour, then turn off heat, open door, and allow skillet to cool inside oven.
7. Skillet is now ready to use.
These steps should be followed even if you have a pre-seasoned cast-iron skillet. This will ensure your new skillet has extra protection.
From this point on you should never submerge the seasoned skillet in soapy water. If this happens you will need to season your skillet again. To clean your seasoned skillet you will need to scrub with hot water and a brush. If you have baked on residue, you can scrub with salt, a cut potato in half, and hot water. Simple hold the potato like a scrub brush and rub it firmly over the skillet. The salt should act like scouring powder to help you rub off any stuck-on food. If the skillet finds its way into the dishwasher, no worries – just repeat the seasoning process. The more you cook with the skillet the more seasoned it becomes.
I need to mention here that Dave has a germ phobia. Really. His first words about the new skillet were, “How do you keep it clean if you don’t submerge it in water or place it in the dishwasher?” To address his concerns, I did some more research and found that by placing an inch of water in the pan over high heat and letting the water boil for one minute will kill any latent bacteria. Once the water boils you can hold the skillet over the sink and swirl it around to make sure the sides are clean as well.
As I use the skillet more and more, the seasoning will become apparent and I will be able to cut down on the amount of oil I will need as I prepare meals. Also, I tend to have low iron so I am looking forward to having more energy as I cook with cast-iron! Tonight, I plan on seasoning the skillet. I will let you know how that goes and what I plan on preparing as our first meal:).
| Maybe I’ll make a breakfast frittata for dinner! |
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