I LOVE cast iron skillets. My aunt had several. And they were OLD old. Older than me kind of old. And that is why I love them. Cast iron cookware just seems to last forever.
She made everything from fried chicken, to scrambled eggs, to even grits in her cast iron pans. When I started cooking for myself, I couldn’t figure out why my, for example, scrambled eggs didn’t taste the same. I did everything the same way as I did coming up.
Then it hit me. The pan. I was now using nonstick pans.
My husband recently bought me a cast iron skillet and boy did it make a difference! Besides adding a little extra iron to our food, the flavors were closer to my aunt’s kitchen! Ues, I was excited.
I was excited until I realized I would have to reseason my cast iron. No, I am not talking about salt and pepper seasoning.
You can find preseasoned cast iron skillets everywhere but, reseasoning is part of caring for your skillet so maybe you can pass it down.
It’s simple
What you will need:
- Cast iron skillet
- Mild dish detergent
- Cooking oil. Corn, vegetable, or canola are best.
- Paper towels
- Aluminum foil
What you do:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Clean your skillet in warm water and mild soap.
- Dry it THOROUGHLY and IMMEDIATELY. You do mot want rust spots. This is iron afterall.
- Pour some cooking oil into the pan. Not too much, maybe 2-3 tablespoons.
- Use a paper towel to spread the oil all over the inside of the pan, including the sides.
- Place some aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven.
- Place the skillet upside down on the top rack.
- Let it “bake” for about an hour then turn the oven off.
- Leave the pan in the oven to cool as the oven cools
- Remove from oven once cooled.
So, you won’t have to do this entire process every time you use and clean your cast iron. Simply repeat the steps above but, instead of using the oven, you will heat your lightly oiled skillet on the stovetop. How long? Until it smokes a little. Just a little.
That’s it! Your skillet is now seasoned.
FourWheel Kitchen 