How to keep your Iron Skillets seasoned

The Dutch oven and Iron skillet goes back as far as the early 1800's. They had multiple cooking uses and could be heated and cleaned quickly. The Pioneers used it to bake bread, fry fish or make stew. without causing much delay to your travel time.
It is one of the most efficient cooking utensils ever built and it still is!
Keeping your iron utensils properly seasoned is a necessity for it's use.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Iron Pots
• vegetable oil or shortening
• warm soapy water
• cotton towels
• paper towels
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. New cast iron pots and skillets are often coated with waxy material to keep them protected. Wash the pot with soapy water, and use a steel wool or soap pad to remove the coating; rinse thoroughly, dry quickly. It will rust quickly if not dried immediately.

2. Grease well inside and around edges with a thin coat of vegetable oil or shortening using a cotton cloth.. DO NOT USE BUTTER, MARGARINE or SALAD OIL.

3. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about one hour. Be prepared for lots of smoke.

Tips & Warnings

• A newly seasoned oven is golden brown in color, and develops a shiny black surface over time. The blacker the pot the better
• Store in a dry place with the lid ajar so that air can get inside. Place a paper towel inside to absorb moisture. This will cut down on possible rust.
• Wipe down with a paper towel coated with oil or shortening after each use.
• when rust appears or the skillet or it has a rancid smell it can cause the food to have a metallic taste.
• NEVER wash the Iron utensils in the dish washer.
• Never soak in water.
• Never Fry things such as Potatoes or eggs in the skillet that you
• cook your corn bread in. It will cause your bread to stick