How to Use a Cast Iron Skillet

Cast iron is one of the most versatile pieces of cookware you can own. It works on a stove top, in the oven, on a grill, over a campfire, and on induction, gas, or electric cooktops. Sear a steak, bake cornbread, scramble eggs, braise a tomato sauce - the pan handles all of it.

It is heavy and it can be a bit of an investment, but a good cast iron pan lasts generations. The one shown here came from family and still works perfectly. Use it on everything and get your value out of it.

Set the pan on the burner over medium heat and walk away for a couple of minutes. Cast iron holds heat beautifully but takes time to come up to temperature evenly. Cranking the burner to high right away creates hot spots, can warp the pan over years of use, and burns whatever you add first.

A drop of water on the surface should sizzle and skate before you add oil or food. That is your signal the pan is ready.

Use avocado oil, rapeseed oil, grapeseed oil, or a dedicated cast iron seasoning blend. These have high smoke points and are the same fats that maintain the seasoning between uses. Every time you cook with them, you reinforce the non-stick surface.

Extra virgin olive oil and butter have low smoke points - they break down at cast iron temperatures and can degrade the seasoning. Save them for finishing a dish off the heat. Bacon fat, lard, and beef tallow are excellent traditional choices.

This is the one mistake that genuinely breaks cast iron. Going from 400 degrees in the oven straight into a sink of cold water can warp or crack the pan. Any imperfections in the iron get exploited and the metal splits.

The same applies in reverse - do not put a freezer-cold pan onto a screaming hot burner. Let it warm up on medium first. If your pan is really hot or really cold, give it a few minutes to settle before changing its temperature.

While the pan is still warm, rinse it under hot water and scrub with a stiff bristle brush. The warmth releases stuck-on bits much faster than waiting until the pan is cold. For really stubborn gunk, a chain mail scrubber lifts cooked-on food without stripping the seasoning.

If something is truly burnt on, pour a generous pile of coarse kosher salt into the pan and scrub with a folded paper towel. The grit lifts everything off without damaging the iron. Skip the soap unless you are willing to re-season after.

After cleaning, set the pan back on the burner over medium heat. Let every drop of moisture evaporate completely - the iron will change color slightly as it dries. This step takes a minute or two but is non-negotiable. Wet cast iron put away wet is what creates rust spots.

Once the pan is bone dry, turn off the heat. Drizzle a few drops of high heat oil onto the cooking surface and wipe it across the entire interior with a folded paper towel. The film should be so thin it almost looks like nothing is there. Done.

Once a year, give the pan a full re-seasoning to maintain that glossy black cooking surface. Coat the entire pan - inside, outside, sides, handle - with a thin layer of high heat oil. Wipe off the excess so there is no pooling, just a film.

Flip the pan upside down on the oven rack with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. Bake at 400 degrees for one hour, then turn the oven off and let the pan cool completely inside. Repeat three or four times to build a smooth, shiny, near non-stick finish.

Hang cast iron on a wall rack or stack on a shelf. If stacking, put a paper towel or thin dish cloth between each pan. The cloth keeps surfaces dry, prevents dust from settling into the seasoning, and stops the pans from clanging against each other.

Moisture is the enemy. Never leave water sitting in the pan, never store it wet, and never put a wet pan into a cabinet. Even humidity from a basement can cause rust spots over months. A dry, airy shelf above the stove is ideal.