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How to Create a Non-Stick Cast Iron Skillet

I'm going to teach you how to season a cast-iron skillet, how to clean it after each use, and how to cook with a cast-iron skillet.
Prep Time1 minute
Active Time5 minutes
Seasoning time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 6 minutes
Yield: 1 skillet
Author: Kyrie | Healthfully Rooted Home
Cost: $.50

Equipment

  • 1 Cast iron skillet
  • 1 Oven

Materials

  • 1 tbs coconut oil or another high-smoke point, food grade oil

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. This high heat is important to ensure you don't end up with a sticky cast iron.
  • Make sure it's clean. If it's in really bad shape you might need to strip it. Just make sure there's no food on it that will sear to the pan during seasoning.
  • Place a strip of foil on the bottom shelf of your oven to catch any oil drips from your cast iron.
  • Apply your seasoning oil. The best cast iron seasoning oil is one that has a high smoke-point; I use coconut oil. Spread a thin layer over the entire surface of the pan (including the sides) using a paper towel or tea towel.
  • Place your pan in the oven upside-down. The oven does not have to be fully preheated before you put the pan in.
  • Let your cast iron season in the oven for about an hour. After the hour is up, turn off the oven but don't open the oven door. Let the pan sit in there until it has cooled (about an hour).
  • Repeat steps 2-6 until you get a shiny, smooth luster over the pan. The most I've had to do this was 4 times.
  • Lightly clean your skillet after each uses: if it's truly non-stick you should just have to use some hot water to get any food off. If something does stick a little bit you can use a brush like this one to softly scrub it off.
  • Reseason your cast iron between uses: this is key to making sure it's non-stick. To do this just apply a thin layer of oil after each use.
  • Once this is done you'll be ready to cook! Grab my free ebook for how to cook chicken on a cast iron 3 different ways.

Video

Notes

Steps for creating a nonstick cast iron skillet

When using a cast-iron skillet remember that they crave 2 things: heat and oil. When you use your cast iron, make sure you have the pan fully preheated and use so much oil; those two components will be a great start to making sure your cast iron skillet is nonstick.
  1. Clean your cast iron skillet: depending on where you purchased, it might be rusty or dirty. If so, you'll want to strip it to get the gunk and rust off.
  2. Season your cast iron skillet: this is key in making sure it's non-stick.
  3. Preheat your skillet prior to putting food on it.
  4. Use a lot of oil prior to putting food on it: use a lot more oil than you would use for a non-stick pan and make sure the oil preheats too.
  5. Lightly clean your skillet after uses: if it's truly non-stick you should just have to use some hot water to get any food off. If something does stick a little bit you can use a brush like this one to softly scrub it off.
  6. Reseason your cast iron between uses: this is key to making sure it's non-stick. To do this just apply a thin layer of oil after each use.

Stripping your cast iron skillet

The scenario in which you would strip a skillet is only if you get it used and it's in terrible shape. If there's rust, build-up of food, or grime - definitely strip it and start over. To do this, just get some sort of scrubber. For stripping purposes, I like to use these steel wool scrubbers. I also use soap when stripping a cast iron - this is what I use. Make sure you stripped all the rust and gunk off then season your cast iron.