Video:How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet
with Ben KurtzmanThere are few kitchen utensils more enjoyable to work with than a perfectly seasoned cast iron pan. See how to season cast iron skillet to create a natural nonstick finish.See Transcript
Transcript:How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet
Hi, I am Ben Kurtzman for About.com Food, and today I am going to show you how to season a cast iron skillet.Seasoning a skillet gives it a nice, natural, glossy nonstick finish. It turns it from something that looks like this, into something that looks like this.
Coat the Surface of the Pan
So let us begin by coating the entire surface of the pan with vegetable shortening. If you are into aesthetics, as you can see I am, you can coat the entire pan, but it is not essential to do the underside or any part that the food does not touch. It just comes out looking more uniform, at least in terms of color.Cook the Pan
After we have coated the pan, we are going to put it in the oven, and we are going to cook it at 350 degrees for about an hour. When you go to put the pan in the oven, do it upside down so that the grease does not collect in the bottom of the pan. You are also going to want to put a cookie sheet underneath the pan so that it will catch any drippings.After an hour, remove the pan from the oven, and remove any excess vegetable shortening that remains with a paper towel. And you should be all set.
Seasoned Pan Care
To keep your pan seasoned, you want to avoid washing it with detergent. But, if the seasoning does come off at any point during the life of the pan, simply repeat this process and once again, you will be all set.Thanks for watching, and to learn more visit us on the Web at Food.About.com.
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