The Best (And Worst) Oil To Season Cast Iron Pans With

If you use a cast iron pan, it's vital to keep the kitchen tool properly seasoned. This helps to prevent your pan from rusting and food from sticking to it during the cooking process. Seasoning a cast iron pan involves coating it with a fat such as oil and heating the pan, repeating this process multiple times to build up layers. Among the best oils to use with your cast iron pan, grapeseed oil stands out as the top choice, while coconut oil is the worst.

This ideal seasoning oil is made from the small seeds found in grapes and is produced during the process of making wine. It has a high smoke point and a neutral flavor, two qualities that make it the best pairing for a cast iron pan. This oil provides a rich, saturated fat for a protective coating in your pan that won't affect the flavor of foods cooked in it.

Contrasting the versatility and neutrality of grapeseed oil is coconut oil. Although it has a number of uses in the kitchen, coconut oil is the worst type for seasoning a cast iron pan. Unlike grapeseed oil, it's a saturated fat, which makes bonding to a hot cast iron pan markedly difficult. Further, it has a significant flavor profile and a lower smoke point than grapeseed oil, neither of which works well with a cast iron pan.

Start the seasoning process by washing your pan and fully drying it. In the cooled pan, gently apply your first layer of grapeseed oil, taking care to spread it in a thin layer and wiping away any excess. Warm your pan in a preheated oven set between 350 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit for around 40 to 60 minutes. Carefully repeat the coating and baking process at least three or four more times, using oven-safe gloves to handle the pan and a folded paper towel nested in a pair of tongs to spread the oil.

With a cast iron pan that's been seasoned correctly, there's no limit to your culinary creativity. Some of the absolute best uses for a cast iron pan include searing steaks, making deep dish pizzas, and even baking cornbread and cookies. You can be confident in your coating of grapeseed oil to enhance the efficacy of your cast iron pan for preparing all of these dishes and more.

Remember that it isn't necessary to frequently re-season your cast iron pan. Once it's got a good layer of grapeseed oil bonded into it, it's simply a matter of cooking with the pan frequently and touching up on occasion. Use minimal oil for any spot retouching and always exercise caution when handling a heavy kitchen tool with high heat. Skip coconut oil and keep a bottle of grapeseed oil on hand for your cast iron cooking and seasoning needs.