Reseasoning Cast Iron Pans

New Years Day for me used to mean sluggishness and dehydration, now it has come to mean re-seasoning my cast iron pans.  How about that for a bizarre tradition?

My cast iron pans get quite a bit of use throughout the year cooking and searing various meats.  While none of them have ever seen a drop of soap, and I’m careful to always oil them after each use, the delicate seasoning does wear down over time.  This is why a regular cast iron skillet reseasoning is a great way to build that season back up – and that season is what gives cast iron its natural non-stick properties.

Why on January 1?  Well, just like replacing smoke detector batteries for Daylight Savings Teime, New Years Day is a good day when I’ve had the time on my hands to get them all out, throw on a coat of shortening and reseason them in the oven.

This is a super easy process

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and place a lining of heavy duty aluminium foil at the bottom
2. Make sure the pans are all nice and clean.  Give them a rinse in hot water and a scrub in kosher salt if you aren’t sure
3. Apply a thin layer of shortening to each pan.  Be sure to wipe off any excess as it’ll goo up in the oven and leave a sticky residue
4. Place the pans upside-down in the oven for 1 hour