Caring for Cast Iron Cookware Daily

Seasoned Cast Iron can be considered the "Grandfather" to today's "non-stick" cookware. Cast Iron Cookware must be cared for and seasoned properly and it will last a life-time.

Seasoning a cast iron pan is a natural way of creating non-stick cookware. And, like you cook and clean the modern non-stick cookware with special care to avoid scratching the surface, your cast iron cookware wants some special attention too.

Clean the cookware while it is still hot by rinsing with hot water and scraping when necessary. Do not use a scouring pad or soap (detergent) as they will break down the pan's seasoning, and could cause rust spots to develop.

Never store food in the cast iron pan as the acid in the food will breakdown the seasoning and the food will take on a metallic flavor.

Store your cast iron cookware with the lids off, especially in humid weather, because if covered, moisture can build up and cause rust. Should rust appear, the pan should be re-seasoned.

When you purchase cast iron cookware from Cast in Style, they will already be pre-seasoned, but will require care as described to keep them working perfectly. At the end of the day if you have a problem with your cast iron cookware you can always re-season it using the procedure above to keep them cooking great. This is normal and should be expected, in fact this is a good healthy cast iron pan.

View our extensive range of Cast Iron Cookware and Cast Iron Kitchenware.

New Cast Iron Pans

Heat the oven to 250^o - 300^o
Ideally coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. You can use a liquid vegetable oil but it may leave a sticky surface .
Put the pan in the oven. In 15 minutes, remove the pan & pour out any excess grease.

Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

Repeating this process several times is recommended as it will help create a stronger "seasoning" bond.
Also, when you put the pan into service, it is recommended to use it initially for foods high in fat, such as bacon or foods cooked with fat, because the grease from these foods will help strengthen the seasoning.

Cast Iron Pans Needing Re-Seasoning

Our cast iron cookware is already pre-seasoned to get the seasoning process going. You can tell this as it is black from the oil which has been baked onto its surface. (Bare cast iron metal is normally a light grey colour). Over time the seasoning builds up in layers and gets thicker making the pan become more non stick with age and use. A good seasoned pan can take some time and care to build up but will last a lifetime and be completely worth it.

If a portion of the seasoning wore off and food sticks to the surface or there is rust, then it should be properly cleaned and re-seasoned
Remove any food residue by cleaning the pan thoroughly with hot water and a scouring pad, do not use washing up liquid.
Heating the pan first to a temperature that is still safe to touch helps open the pores of the metal and makes it easier to clean.
Dry the pan immediately with dish towel or paper towel.
Season the pan as outlined above.