I have a cast iron pan and was told that I have to treat it before using it..How do I do that?

Answer 1

Coat the inside with cooking oil and place in a 400 degree oven for about 1/2 hour.

Answer 2

How to Season a Cast Iron Pan
Before you start, give it a good cleaning. Use hot water and mild soap with a stiff brush, rinse well. Some new items may have come with a protective coating, some of the older items may just need old patches of built up grease removed.
Pre-heat your oven to 300 (F) degrees. Using a kitchen cloth or a small brush, apply a thin even coat of oil onto the entire surface of the pan. It is best to use regular vegetable oil. Be sure not use too much oil or you'll end up with a thick, sticky film.

Next we need to bake the oil on. Place the pan in the oven and let is sit until the oil is absorbed. This amount can vary on the pan. It can take only 30 minutes, mine usually take about 3 hours.

Using an oven mitt, remove the pan from the oven and gently wipe off any excess oil. Let the pan cool. The surface should be slightly shiny but not sticky. Now you are ready to cook!

To keep it seasoned, don't wash it with soap. Instead soak it for several minutes if necessary and scrub it with a plastic scouring pad or brush under hot water. Be sure and dry it thoroughly right away. Wipe it with a wee bit of oil if it seems dry.

Answer 3

It is called seasoned. To season a cast iron skillet coat it well with some kind of oil or I use bacon grease. Never ever wash your skillet in dishsoap as it takes the seasoning out of the pan and you must grease it again. The more you use the better things will taste. Just remember always wipe out the pan with a papertowel. You can clean with a scouring pad and hot water, dry with paper towel, put on stove high heat to dry the pan and regrease it until next use.

Answer 4

Do this in the evening before going to bed, that way the pan can cool in the oven overnight:
Preheat oven to 350. Wash pan in hot soapy water. Rinse and dry completely. Rub on a thin coat of melted shortening or vegetable oil. Put a foil covered cookie sheet on bottom oven rack. Put pan upside down in oven. Heat pan for 1 hour. Turn off oven. DO NOT remove pan for several hours.

To clean your seasoned pan:
Clean skillet after use while still warm with hot water and a plastic scrub brush. (NO soap)
DO NOT put in dishwasher or wash with soap or dishwashing detergent.
Dry cast iron cookware thoroughly after washing, then coat lightly with vegetable oil Wipe dry and store.
Never store cookware with lid on; cast iron cookware needs air circulation.
Reseason cookware after cooking beans or acidic foods (such as tomatoes). Frying or cooking foods with fat content helps expedite the seasoning process.
Do not use cast iron cookware for storage of food.

Answer 5

Coat the inside of the pan with oil covering the sides. Place in oven for an hour at 250 degrees. After cooling wipe with paper towel and store upside down or with the lid on. Don't wash with soap. Rinse with water after cooking and reapply a little oil after wiping out with paper towel.

Answer 6

Rinse it out with hot water. Set it on the stove burner and fill it half full of water. Set the burner to a boil and let the water boil for just a bit. Pour the water out and wipe the pan down with a paper towel. Pour just a little cooking oil into the pan, and taking another paper towel, coat the entire inside with the oil. Let it set and dry. That's it. Every time you use the pan to cook, do the same thing to clean it. Clean the pan with hot water and a dish brush, rinse, and boil it clean. You won't always have to treat it with the oil, however, just every so often as needed.

Answer 7

This is called seasoning your pan.

1. Wash skillet in hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely.
2. Apply a thin coating of melted shortening (Crisco, for example) or vegetable oil with a solf cloth or paper towel.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place skillet UPSIDE DOWN on top oven rack.
4. Place foil on a cookie sheet and place on bottom rack of oven. This will catch the drippings from the skillet.
5. Bake in oven for one hour.
Turn oven off. DO NOT OPEN. Allow skillet to cool down in oven (several hours). There may be a film on your cookware, this comes off after use. You will have to use it a couple times as a test.

Answer 8

Seasoning a cast-iron skillet with oil builds up an artificial protective layer, thereby protecting it from rusting.

Instructions:
STEP 1: Scrub a new skillet with steel wool to remove its protective coating, and wash with mild, soapy water. (If reseasoning an old skillet, just scrub with hot water and a brush.)
STEP 2: Use a paper towel to coat the skillet with vegetable oil.
STEP 3: Heat, uncovered, for 2 hours in an oven at 250 degrees F.
STEP 4: Let cool before use. Tips & Warnings

Once you've seasoned a skillet, avoid washing it with soap whenever possible. Clean instead by wiping with a damp cloth after each use. If you must wash it, clean with mild soap, avoiding detergents and scouring pads; rinse and wipe dry immediately after washing, then oil lightly with vegetable oil.
If food sticks to the skillet after cooking, rub with a paper towel and an abrasive such as salt, then reapply vegetable oil. Store uncovered.
If food starts sticking to the skillet during cooking, reseason it.

Answer 9

i have been using them all my life my mom still uses them heres what you do put a littel bit of oil in the pan and do it with a paper towel then after you cook use a sos pad you can buy them at the store wash it and put it on your stove to dry for about 10 mins or till the water is gone and then put oil in them again and put it away if you dont put oil in it it will rust

Answer 10

put some cooking oil in it - vegetable oil, or olive oil and smear it around w/a paper towel and then put it on low heat on the stove for 5-10 minutes. wipe clean and then use.

Do this occassionally after use and washing as it will keep the metal taste out of the food and minimize any rust.