How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet (and Keep It That Way)

Seasoning is nothing more than oil baked onto iron until it transforms into a hard, slick layer called polymerization. Start with a clean, dry pan, rub the thinnest possible film of a neutral high-smoke-point oil over every surface, then wipe it back off as if you made a mistake. That almost-dry coating is the secret; too much oil turns sticky and tacky instead of smooth.

Bake the oiled pan upside down in a 450 degree F oven for an hour, then let it cool inside. Repeat the thin-oil-and-bake cycle two or three times and you will have a foundation that only improves with cooking. Every time you fry an egg or sear a steak, you are adding another microscopic layer.

Maintenance is simple: cook in it often, clean it with hot water and a brush while it is still warm, dry it on the burner, and rub in a whisper of oil before it goes away. Avoid long soaks and the dishwasher, and do not panic over the occasional acidic tomato sauce. Treated this way, a skillet you buy today can outlive you.