The Old-School Fat That Seasons Cast Iron Better Than Oil

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There's a reason your grandma loved her cast iron skillet, and it's not because she didn't have access to other cookware. There are multiple pros to cooking with cast iron, one being that properly seasoned cast iron will develop its own non-stick coating. For this reason, scores of home cooks have ditched their Teflon and stainless steel pans for exclusive cast-iron cooking. For some, the idea of seasoning cast iron can seem confusing, but the simple fact is that you only need to treat the cookware with a high-heat fat or oil. But what's the best to use? Chef and restaurateur Antonia Lofaso tells us that animal fats are best up to the task, and beef tallow for cooking is better than any oil.

The Food Network chef and author is a participant in the 2026 Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival, and answered our questions about seasoning a cast iron pan with beef tallow, the nutrient-rich animal fat that's made an impressive resurgence due to its valued uses in cooking, baking, skin care, and beauty products. "I think that you can season cast iron [with anything] as long as it's fat," Lofaso says. "I think it's a great idea. I'm a big beef tallow person in general. ... Sure, you can do a little bit of olive oil, but I think animal fats are the best." Beef tallow is not only an ideal fat for keeping your cast iron properly seasoned and non-stick, it has numerous other benefits.

In addition to coating cast iron, animal fats provide a flavor (thus the term "seasoning") that most cooks swear enhances the taste of food. Beef tallow is simply rendered fat from around the kidneys of the cow. Like pork lard, beef tallow melts easily into liquid and is ideal for cooking, and even baking. You can make your own at home, but keep in mind that even the fastest way to render beef tallow is still pretty slow. Like duck or chicken fat, beef tallow has a rich, savory flavor that infuses an umami profile to most foods. When used to season cast iron, beef tallow can leave a negligible trace of flavor. We asked Chef Lofaso if the tallow can impact the taste of the food cooked in cast iron. "I do think, without question, if you're using any kind of pork fat or beef fat, it's going to flavor it for sure," she says. "But who doesn't like tallow flavor?"

Indeed, the robust taste of beef tallow can slightly flavor anything cooked in cast iron, but the science behind cast-iron seasoning is fascinating, and in the long run, subtle enough to make tallow a perfect animal fat for buffering the cookware and protecting it. As a nutrient-dense fat, tallow will augment the absorption of vitamins in the food cooked. Health benefits of tallow in general include hormone and immune support, anti-inflammatory benefits, and brain health. If you're reaching for an animal fat to use as a seasoning on your cast iron, grandma likely knew best when she used beef tallow.