Today we take a skillet for example. Read the instructions to check the grill pan you bought is a pre-seasoned one, normally it was.

New grill pan cleaning

When you take the new grill pan, remove the label or the plastic bag, wash it with water. Normally, the manufacturer adds the vegetable oil on the whole pan as a protection for the transportation and storage, we call it pre-seasoned.

Add some washing-up liquid, use cleaning implements like a damp rag or sponge to wash the inside and outside of the pan. Here is a tip, please don’t use the hard brush or steel wool, avoiding scratches. Then clean it up with water.

Deep clean and rub the oil

Hold 70%-80% water in the pan to boil about 3 to 5 minutes. Please be careful to pour out the boiling water. Heat the pan and cooked no water anymore, add some edible oil 5 to 10 ml into a bowl, depending on the size of your skillet. Kitchen towel, soft cloth or brush, anyone you easily to wipe the pan inside out, completely surface covered by the oil, handle and bottom as well. Tip: Rub the oil evenly and don’t accumulate it. 

Seasoned again

Put it into the oven, 450 Fahrenheit degree and one hour. Take it out after cooling. A glove or non-slip silicone handle holder is needed when using.

First cook

Frying a steak with gentle heat. Cast iron cookware owns great performance on the thermal insulation properties, which is one of the important features. Thus, we can close the fire ahead of one minute, since that the temperature left is still high. In this step, the oil will leak into the tiny holes of the pan, fulfilling and forming a protection cover. 

Tip: Don’t wash the pan when it’s still hot.

Clean

It will be better to wipe the oil out with kitchen paper firstly. And use 20-30 degree water and a cleaning block to clean it up.

Tip: Don’t use the detergent to wash, which may remove the protection oil cover and non-stick effect. 

Maintenance

Open fire again to cook it no water anymore. Stop the fire and wipe edible oil inside out with kitchen paper (not too much this time). It is better to do this step after each cooking for first several times. It is the reason why the cast iron cookware will be non-steak in the right use&maintenance, and cook food more evenly.

It’s time to choose a proper size of cast iron cookware, whatever pan or skillet in what size. Just try one, then you will feel the difference when cooking.