How To Season a Carbon Steel Pan

Step 1

Heat your pan: Preheat oven to 400°F. Put pan in oven for 10 minutes while oven is preheating.

Step 2

Remove pan from oven: Use those oven mitts!

Step 3

Oil your pan: Coat a clean dishcloth or paper towel with vegetable oil. Using oven mitts to hold the pan and tongs to hold dishcloth or paper towel, spread oil all over the interior and exterior of pan until completely coated.

Step 4

Place a foil-lined baking sheet in the oven: Layer a baking sheet with tinfoil. Place in the oven on the bottom rack.

Step 5

Place coated pan upside-down in oven: Place your oil-coated pan on the rack above the baking sheet. The baking sheet will catch any oil drips. Leave pan in 400°F oven for 1 hour.

Step 6

Let the pan cool in the oven: Turn off oven and let pan cool completely inside oven. Remove pan when cool.

Step 7

Heat your pan: Place pan on stovetop burner set to medium-high heat. Heat pan until hot. Wisps of smoke will rise and pan will start to turn brown.

Step 8

Remove pan from stovetop: Again, use those oven mitts; the pan will be hot!

Step 9

Grease your pan: Coat a clean dishcloth or paper towel with vegetable shortening or lard. Using oven mitts to hold the pan and tongs to hold dishcloth or paper towel and spread vegetable shortening or lard all over interior and exterior of pan until completely coated.

Step 10

Place pan back on burner set to high heat: Heat until fat starts to liquify and turn black.

Step 11

Remove from heat: Remove pan from heat and wipe away excess oil with paper towel.

Step 12

Let pan cool: Set your pan somewhere safe, where you won’t bump into it, and let it cool completely.