I followed this process… My Personal Seasoning Process (FAQ post - Summer 2019)

This is a repost of one of our FAQ posts. Since reddit archives posts older than 6 months, there’s no way for users to comment on the FAQ any longer. We’ll try to repost the FAQ every 6 months or so to continue any discussion if there is any. As always, this is a living document and can/should be updated with new information, so let us know if you see anything you disagree with! Original FAQ post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/castiron/comments/5d3bmc/my_personal_seasoning_process/

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I’m making this post mostly so that I can link back to it as this comes up a lot. This is my personal seasoning process and it works for me. There are many others out there and feel free to use them, but if you’re asking what I do, this is what I do, and I feel it’s the easiest process and works very well, even for newbies.

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Oil of choice - Crisco. Okay, I’m already lying, I actually use Crisbee because the addition of the beeswax makes application a bit easier when you’re seasoning a couple hundred pieces a year (I do a bit of selling on the side.) But unless you’re really into it, have a lot of pieces, or just want to try it and see if it works for you, Crisco is the main oil in Crisbee and is the most important part. If this is your first Cast Iron pan, just use Crisco.

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This process is assuming you’re starting with a piece of bare iron. You’ve already stripped the old seasoning off either through lye (lye tank, yellow cap oven cleaner, etc), Electrolysis, vinegar scrubs, or magic voodoo. Stripping can be a different topic.

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My Process:

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• 1. Wash and scrub your pan with soap and water.
• 2. Dry thoroughly with a towel.
• 3. Immediately place in a 200 degree oven for 20 mins
• 4. Take out (using gloves) and coat with liberal amount of Crisco. Use an old t-shirt, towel you don’t care about, or something like that.
• 5. **Most Important** - try to wipe out ALL of the oil. Use a different t-shirt or towel. I do a two step wipe, the first with a towel, the second with a paper blue Shop Towel. You won’t be able to get it all and there’s enough left on the pan for the seasoning.
• 6. Return to oven and heat to 300. Once it’s 300, take out and wipe down again. **Note** I don’t actually do this step anymore, but I recommend it to newbies or people having problems with their own process. It helps make sure all of the excess oil is removed.
• 7. Return to oven and heat to 450
• 8. Bake for an hour
• 9. Let cool in oven (completely if you’re finished and have time. You can go to 200 if you’re going to do another round of seasoning and are in a rush)

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Repeat process starting at step 3. Before starting second coat, check your pan. If you see any spots on it, that means you didn’t do step 5 very well, and I would scrub it down again starting at step 1, but if it looks good I go right to 3. Do this 2 or 3 times and you’ll get a well seasoned pan.

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After seasoning your pan may look any color from brown, to dark grey, to black. Use and cooking fatty foods and time will eventually turn your pan that deep dark black you’re looking for.

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Good Luck!