Cast Iron Skillet Seasoning Question

[Indianamom2]

I bought a 12 inch Lodge brand cast iron skillet. It is supposed to be pre-seasoned, but I noticed in some reviews that some people still seasoned theirs. I'm a complete cast iron novice....do I use as is, or do I season it myself somehow also...oh and what method do you recommend to season it if I need to?

Thanks!

[lhafer]

I don't know what others did to season theirs but I have several of the same skillet. I didn't do any additional seasoning to mine. I cooked meats in it - especially bacon to help season it. I used oil or butter to cook food with at first. Now that I've had it for a year or so, it's totally awesome! I rarely use oil anymore, and stuff comes right off when I wash it. I never use soap to wash it - only hot water and steel wool pad or something similar. Always dry it immediately or rust will form on it. I would then wipe a small amount of oil around the bottom and sides (with a paper towel) after I dried it, and would put it away. Now I don't put the oil layer on it after washing unless it is looking "dried out".

[OKKiddo]

Here's a good tutorial and one of my favorite places for recipes. http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/blog/?p=1982

Also, this guy on youtube is a man who loves his cast iron. I think he has a problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Tz3HnnCFs

[Indianamom2]

Thank you both. I will check into the resources you gave OkKiddo. I had planned to cook bacon in it as one of my first things because I thought that would probably be a good thing to start with. Good to know that after a year or so you still love it, lhafer!

[OKKiddo]

Thank you both. I will check into the resources you gave OkKiddo. I had planned to cook bacon in it as one of my first things because I thought that would probably be a good thing to start with. Good to know that after a year or so you still love it, lhafer!

Oh yeah, bacon and sausages, etc are great for the cast iron skillet. Another great thing? Cornbread. Cast iron skillets just beg for cornbread (get the butter flavored crisco to grease the sides and bottom and it will help season the pan while cooking the cornbread (and it gives it this wonderful crusty outer layer). YUM! I have the same cast iron Lodge pan that my mom gave me when I graduated high school. It has the smoothest surface from years of use and my husband ruined my seasoning on it more than once. I just used the method just like on hillbilly housewife and it was beautiful again in one day. Love my cast iron (but my carpal tunnel does not). I do want to get a cast iron dutch oven too though. I've always wanted one of those.

[OKKiddo]

Thank you both. I will check into the resources you gave OkKiddo. I had planned to cook bacon in it as one of my first things because I thought that would probably be a good thing to start with. Good to know that after a year or so you still love it, lhafer!

Oh yeah, bacon and sausages, etc are great for the cast iron skillet. Another great thing? Cornbread. Cast iron skillets just beg for cornbread (get the butter flavored crisco to grease the sides and bottom and it will help season the pan while cooking the cornbread (and it gives it this wonderful crusty outer layer). YUM! I have the same cast iron Lodge pan that my mom gave me when I graduated high school. It has the smoothest surface from years of use and my husband ruined my seasoning on it more than once. I just used the method just like on hillbilly housewife and it was beautiful again in one day. Love my cast iron (but my carpal tunnel does not). I do want to get a cast iron dutch oven too though. I've always wanted one of those.