You can generally use whatever oil you prefer, as long as the cooking temperature is below the smoke point of the oil. Olive oil, vegetable oil, sunflower oil, and grapeseed oil are all great multipurpose cooking oils—you can use them for everything from sautéing to baking.
Olive oil has a high smoke point and when done properly you can keep your pan in good shape for years and years. Keeping your cast iron seasoned will stop rusting and staining and it will let you cook your food to perfection. In this case, olive oil is definitely one of your best friends.
Apply a thin layer of olive oil to the entire pan: bottom, handle, sides, and interior. Add some olive oil into your cast iron pan and spread it with a paper towel. You don't need to be too generous with the coating. Just make sure you cover the entire pan.
What oils can I use to season cast iron? All cooking oils and fats can be used for seasoning cast iron, but based on availability, affordability, effectiveness, and having a high smoke point, Lodge recommends vegetable oil, melted shortening, or canola oil, like our Seasoning Spray.
Due to its high smoke point, Canola oil is the perfect for grilling, cooking, frying and seasoning a cast iron skillet. Canola oil's smoke point is approximately 450°F; season your pan with Canola oil at 470°F.
Best High Smoke Point Oils
Refined Avocado Oil - The smoke point of refined avocado oil is between 480 to 520 degrees Fahrenheit. Canola Oil - All canola oil is refined and has a smoke point between 400 and 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Grapeseed Oil - Grapeseed oil has a high smoke point of 420 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sticky Surface
If the seasoning in your pan is sticky, this is a sign of excess oil built up on the cookware. The Fix: To remedy stickiness, place the cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven and bake at 450-500 degrees F for one hour. Allow to cool and repeat if necessary.
Should I Oil My Cast Iron After Every Use? After each use, to get the most out of your cast-iron skillet, it is best practice to apply a thin layer of oil on the surface. Regularly oiling your cast iron skillet will provide a protective layer to the surface and help keep it from rusting.
How often should I season my skillet? — To get the best out of your cast iron skillet, it's recommended that you oil it after each use. However, depending on how frequently you use it, 2-3 times a year is sufficient.
Dry thoroughly right after you clean—do not let your cast iron air dry. Thoroughly coat with vegetable oil inside and out. Use a little more oil than you would for seasoning after cleaning.
You should only need to fully re-season your cast-iron cookware one to two times a year, but you may also want to give it some extra seasoning love anytime you cook something that requires a heavy-duty cleaning.
How often should you season your cast iron skillet? Generally, we recommend seasoning your cast iron about once per month, but after every time you use it works as well if you find that it could use some seasoning. What type of oil is best for seasoning a cast iron skillet? Canola, vegetable, or coconut oil are best.
But can you use coconut oil to season cast iron? Yes! It's important to warm your pan before adding the coconut oil; 350 F ideally. If you're careful to make sure that your pan is seasoned well, this oil is also perfect for daily cast iron cooking.
Preheat your skillet before adding any oil, fat, or food.
You always want to preheat your skillet before cooking with it on the stovetop. Putting cold food in a cold cast-iron pan will make your food stick.
Using too much oil, anything more than about the size of a quarter will just build up and cause an oil slick on your pan. When it's time to season your cast iron skillet, you simply can't do this with a cold skillet. This will cause build up of that oil residue, and cause stickiness.
First, it's important to always heat up the pan prior to adding any oil, butter, or fat. When cooking on cast iron, when it comes to fat, less is not always more. It's better to err on the side of too much fat, and then simply drain any excess after cooking.
You're going to have to give your skillet at least six coats of oil and baking to create a hardwearing non stick base. Basically, new cast iron needs some intense TLC for the first year or so of it's life.
Daily Upkeep
Gently clean your skillet after each use with water and very little soap, if necessary. Use the firm scrubbing side of a two sided sponge rather than an abrasive metal scrub. After you finish washing and rinsing the cast-iron, dry it thoroughly with a towel and return it to a warm oven for 10 minutes.
Oil is baked into the pores of the iron to prevent rusting and to eventually provide a natural, non-stick cooking surface. It's important to re-season your cast iron cookware by applying a thin layer of vegetable oil before you cook and after each cleaning.
Although it seems odd, it is technically possible to over-season a skillet. Too much oil baked into the cast iron will cause it to polymerize unevenly and eventually will cause the surface of the skillet to flake. Adding too much oil when seasoning will also cause your pan to become sticky, notes Lodge.
A well-seasoned skillet will have a dark, semiglossy finish and won't be sticky or greasy to the touch. It won't have any rust or any dull or dry patches. An easy way to test a skillet's seasoning is to fry an egg (heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, then add egg).
Can I use steel wool or a metal scrubber to clean my cast iron pan? No! We recommend using a pan scraper or the Lodge Chainmail Scrubber to remove any stuck-on residue.
When using olive oil to season your cast iron skillet, be sure to use a light olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point and is more likely to burn. In conclusion, olive oil is good for your health as well as cast iron skillet seasoning.