Seasoning Cast Iron Seasoning takes a little while, but you will be rewarded with a surface that is virtually 'no-stick' (unless you always crank up the heat so much your smoke detector melts!). All it takes is some Crisco (or some other solid vegetable shortening), some paper towels and a little patience. Don't use vegetable oils, for they are too heavy and will leave a sticky residue. For those who wish to smell up the house (and raise their cholesterol level to the moon), you can try this with lard instead of vegetable shortening. To start the reseasoning process, put the iron in an oven heated to around 300 degrees for 15 minutes or so, to let the iron get hot (higher oven temp will cause the Crisco to burn). Then take it out and apply a liberal coat of Crisco, wiping up the excess. Put the piece back in the oven for another 10 minutes, and apply another liberal coat. Do this two or three times, until the paper towel you're using comes away fairly clean (the first few applications of Crisco will tend to turn the paper towel dark gray). The piece is now ready for use. Remember, now that you've got the piece cleaned up, all it takes is a little maintenance to keep the iron in great shape. You should plan on reseasoning the iron every time you use it, whether through use (with foods with a fairly high fat content, such as bacon) or by using Crisco. As described above, the seasoning brought on by years of cooking lots of fat-laden foods helped protect the metal. If your diet strays away from such treats from yesteryear as braised leg of mutton (yum), then you need to compensate by applying a little vegetable shortening each time you use the pan. An alternative to Criso is mineral oil. I've heard it is a great way to season iron for display. However, I've heard conflicting info on cooking with pans seasoned in mineral oil. Q: I have heard that you have to "season" a dutch oven before you use it. What does this mean and how do you prepare the oven before using it the first time? A: Dutch ovens do require some preparation before they should be used. To "season" a dutch oven means to bake on a coat of cooking oil to protect the iron surface of the oven. Cast iron dutch ovens can rust if not treated or "seasoned" properly. To season a dutch oven simply wipe the entire surface with a cooking oil, lard or grease. Pre-heat your regular oven at home to about 250-300 degrees F and place the oil coated dutchoven in the regular oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the dutch oven cool. It is now ready to use. Although this book is oriented toword dutch ovens, the treatment and care instructions are applicable to any cast iron skillet, griddle etc.. The secret of cast iron's long life is really no secret at all. Constant and proper care beginning with the day it is purchased will keep the oven in service for many years. All quality ovens are shipped with a protective coating that must be removed. This will require a good scrubbing with steel wool and some elbow grease. Once removed, the oven needs to be rinsed well, towel dried and let air dry. While it is drying, this would be a good time to pre-heat your kitchen oven to 350. After it appears dry, place the dutch oven on the center rack with it's lid ajar. Allow the dutch oven to warm slowly so it is just bairly too hot to handle with bare hands. This pre-heating does two things, it drives any remaining moisture out of the metal and opens the pores of the metal. Now, using a clean rag or preferably a paper towel, apply a thin layer of saltfree cooking oil. Oils such as peanut, olive or plain vegatible oil will be fine. Tallow or lard will do also but these animal fats tend to break down during the storage periods that typical Boy Scout dutch ovens experience between campouts and are not recomended. Make sure the oil covers every inch of the oven, inside and out and replace the oven onto the center shelf, again with the lid ajar. Bake it for about an hour or so at 350. This baking hardens the oil into a protective coating over the metal After baking, allow the oven to cool slowly. When it is cool enough to be handled, apply another thin coating of oil. Repeat the baking and cooling process. Again reapply a thin coating of oil when it can be handled again. Allow the oven to cool completely now. It should have three layers of oil, two baked on and one applied when it was warm. The oven is now ready to use or store. This pre-treatment proceedure only needs to be done once, unless rust forms or the coating is dammaged in storage or use. This baked on coating will darken and eventually turn black with age. This darkening is a sign of a well kept oven and of it's use. The pre-treatment coating's purpose is two fold, first and most important, it forms a barrier between moisture in the air and the surface of the metal. This effectivly prevents the metal from rusting. The second purpose is to provide a non-stick coating on the inside of the oven. When properly maintained, this coating is as non-stick as most of the commercially applied coatings. ======================= Seasoning a Dutch Oven The only way to successfully cook in a Dutch oven is to properly season it. When you by a new Dutch oven it usually has been coated with a waxy material to protect it. Peel the label and wash the pot well with mild soapy water, a steel wool pad, or S.O.S. pad is really the way to go here. Rinse thoroughly and dry it quickly. You will be surprised how quickly a Dutch will rust if you don't dry it immediately. Grease the Dutch oven with a thin coat of vegetable oil (Crisco works well) or lard using a cotton cloth. Remember to do all surfaces inside and out. DO NOT USE BUTTER, MARGARINE OR SALAD OIL. The entire surface of the oven needs to be coated. Place your Dutch in your home oven at 350 degrees for one hour. Be prepared! This may cause a slightly unpleasant odor and some smoking may occur. Turn off the oven and when the Dutch oven is still warm, not hot, wipe out the Dutch oven and ensure a thin layer of oil is on all the Dutch oven. You will notice that your oven is now golden in color, but continued use of the Dutch oven will form a patina or real black surface. This is evidence that an individual uses and cares for their Dutch oven. The blacker the pot, the better. A high gloss lacquer shows that the Dutch Oven is well seasoned. The flavor of the food is enhanced the more the Dutch oven is used. If your Dutch oven rusts or discolors or has a metallic taste this is a sign your seasoning has been removed. Repeat the seasoning steps. Reseason your Dutch oven after storage over the winter. If you haven't used your oven for a while, and it smells rancid, just repeat the seasoning process.