Cooking with cast iron is hard to beat, and if you take care of the seasoning on your skillet, it will only get better with each use. Even if your pan is pre-seasoned, cooking acidic liquids like wine or vinegar in cast iron may remove some of the seasoning and make it need to be reseasoned. If this has happened to you, never fear! Here’s how to season and clean your cast iron pan like a pro.

How to Season:

1. Heat oven to 425°F.
2. Mix 3 parts salt and 2 parts oil together to make the consistency of wet sand. Note: With neutral flavors and high smoke points, vegetable oil and shortening are ideal for seasoning cast iron pans.
3. Place a ¼–½-inch layer of the mix in the bottom of the pan, then rub on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
4. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
5. Carefully rub mixture around the interior of the pan and bake for 30 more minutes.
6. Turn off oven and let cool in oven for 2 hours.
7. Remove from oven, discard salt mixture and wash with hot water and a sponge.

If reconditioning a rusty pan or one that has lost its seasoning, buff off rust with fine steel wool, then wash with hot water and season as described above.

Cast Iron Cleaning:

• Clean cast iron pans immediately after use with hot water and a soft sponge—never use soap, as it could remove the seasoning!
• For stubborn cooked-on bits, scrub with damp salt or baking powder, then rinse with hot water.
• Dry pan completely.
• Rub with vegetable oil, warm on a burner for 5 minutes and let cool before storing.

Equip your kitchen with the best cast iron pans and accessories!