I just remember washing and coating with oil and placing in oven
here is a site that answers a lot of ?'s

Here is a link that might be useful: cast iron

Are you seasoning or reseasoning?

Here's for new pans!

New Pans
Heat the oven to 250o - 300o
Coat the pan with lard or bacon grease. Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned.
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.

NEVER use oil--it makes a mess. You'll have to clean it off totally and start over.

If you don't have bacon grease, you can use solid shortening like Crisco.

Rather than baking in the oven, I prefer to season on my gas grill out back (charcoal works, too)--that keeps the mess and smell outside. Just keep an eye on it--it IS possible to go past perfectly seasoned to bare iron.

Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned

Just a hint after you have seasoned it. Never wash it with soapy water. Just rinse out and wipe dry.

"Don't use a liquid vegetable oil because it will leave a sticky surface and the pan will not be properly seasoned"
well........ maybe that's why i never liked my castiron pan! ahahhahahhhahahahah

MaryAnn~TX... did you get the little package I sent you?

Now I know why I never used my cast iron skillet. I am going back many years now ,it was seasoned with cooking oil and what a disaster . Sticky is an understatement.I thought all the people that raved about cooking with cast iron were crazy. LOL. Little did I know.

june

You can clean your cast iron skilled in your self-cleaning oven.

Done that!

Just be sure to put something underneath to catch the stuff that comes off the skillet.

Did my mothers sticky cast iron cornstick pan, last year, in my self-cleaning oven.

It is a regular battle in my kitchen, DH takes soap and a scrubber to my grandmother old pans. I want to kill him every time. He says "that's how we do it in the firehouse" and I tell him "then you're ALL wrong". I should be happy he is cooking and cleaning, but I always have to re season after him. (that and he uses canola oil when I have a perfectly good tub of Crisco in the pantry)

I agree with Kat! I used vegetable oil many years ago on mine and hated it! I hated touching it, hated cooking in it and hated cleaning..or lack of cleaning it! I hated the fact that you just wiped it out to clean it...yuk! I have now gotten hooked on the cast iron with baked on enamel...just love them. I have a dutch oven and two frying pans with the enamel coating. I use no others now.....

I have used vegetable oil on mine for years, and I have never had a problem.

But, I think I see the reason why some people don't like liquid oils...

1. They're putting them on WAY too thickly.

2. They're not letting the pan bake long enough.

You want as thin a layer of oil as you can get on your pans.

Then, you want to bake them long enough that you cause a complete and total breakdown of the oil. Essentially, you want to drive off ALL of the volatile compounds -- hydrogen chains, mainly -- and you want only a layer of carbon atoms to be left on your pan.

Until a few years ago I always had problems with getting a sticky mess on my pans no matter what I used. I didn't understand that I wasn't baking my pans long enough to drive off the hydrogen compound components of the oil.

Since I've been doing it the proper way, though, it hasn't mattered what kind of oil I've used -- liquid, shortening, lard, etc.

As long as I bake it long enough, I'm left with a PERFECT seasoning layer that does wonders.

And, if you have a properly seasoned skillet, don't worry about washing it with soap and a soft sponge. You have to scrub like hell to hurt a properly seasoned skillet.

Thanks to all of you for your instructions and tips. I plan to season my skillet this weekend.

Kat, yes, I got your little package and loved it! I thought I sent you an e-mail about it. Well, maybe I didn't. My mind doesn't always work too well. I blame it on the chemo. :o)
Did you use the same pattern that Flamey used? It's lovely!

I just found this on the internet.........should give all the advice you need.

How to Make a Cast Iron Skillet Last a Lifetime

by www.only-cookware.com

If treated properly, a cast iron skillet can last a lifetime, or even longer. One of the most important ways to protect your skillet and prolong its usefulness is proper seasoning. WeÂll show you how to season it the first time you use it, and how to maintain its good condition while you use it.
When you look at a cast iron pan, you will probably see a smooth surface, but the truth of the matter is that cast iron is full of pores. These pores can trap bits of food in them, causing your meals to stick, and making cleanup nearly impossible  unless you season your pan first.

Seasoning fills the pores with tiny amounts of fat, which has the same effect as a non-stick coating, without the risk of having your coating peel or scrape away with time.

To season your cast iron cookware, start by washing and drying thoroughly. Then use a solid shortening to grease the inside of the pan well, just like you would grease your bakeware before cooking.

Place your pan upside-down on a cookie sheet and bake in an oven for an hour at 350°F (175°F). The cookie sheet will catch any drips from excess shortening.

ItÂs a good idea to repeat this process a few times before using with acidic foods, such as tomato sauce, to ensure that youÂve built up enough of a coating that the pan wonÂt react with your food.

You should also repeat the seasoning steps any time the pan starts to look dry, or if you have trouble with food burning too easily.
In order to prevent disturbing your seasoning layer, you should never wash a cast iron pan with soap. Simply use water and a damp cloth or brush with stiff bristles to remove food.

Salt can also be used as an abrasive, to remove tough residue.

Make sure you dry your cast iron pots and pans thoroughly after use, to prevent rusting and corrosion.

By following these simple steps, you can use your favorite cast iron pans throughout your life, and even pass them down to your children and grandchildren.

Ditto what kframe says. I have over 100 pieces of cast iron and I scrub the heck out of them all the time. Most of the skillets are so well seasoned you can practically fry an egg like on teflon.

Do not ever spray Pam on them. The best thing for cast iron is to use it. Make sure it is completely dry when you put it away. I dry mine over a low flame.

When I get a "new" one...which is really an old, crusty one, (because I have never bought a new one) I make a fire and when it has burned down to coals, I stick it in there and all the old crud comes off. Then I scrub it thoroughly. I take oil or bacon grease or anything and rub on the inside and heat it up and coat the inside. Then I wash it. Then I do that again, and rub some on the outside, and wipe it off. Then I wash it. Then I use it as much as I can to get it well seasoned. A good cast iron skillet should look like black glass on the inside. The main thing is to not leave them wet, and use them frequently. Once they are well seasoned tho, as long as they aren't getting wet, they will be good to go.

I scrub the bejeezus out of mine all the time. If I have gravy or anything stuck to it, I put water in it and boil it. Many of mine belonged to my grandmother, who died in the early '50's. Don't be afraid to wash them...just don't let them stay wet.

I love my old cast-iron, and season it with Crisco after hand washing with warm dishwater and a plastic scrubber sponge.

Have some good pieces of cast iron, but the bestest is my cast iron griddle pan. Makes the bestest hoe cake!