Cast iron cookware question

Denverdave

Denverdave

Resident Ragamuffin
I think I already know the correct answer to this, but knowing a few out here must use cast iron I decided to throw this out to the huddled masses on the forum.

I have a 12" cast iron frying pan I use quite often. To clean it I have a separate scrub brush and never use soap. I always dry it with a paper towel and set it on cool burner on the stove to dry completely.

Here is my question. I saw a video someone posted describing how to clean a cast iron pan and they added one additional step. After the pan is totally dry they add a bit of canola oil to the pan and wipe it around the inside, then heat the pan to the point where the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat, and allow the pan to cool to room temps before putting it away. I have never done that final step nor do I remember that step being on the instructions I received when I got the pan. Does anyone else do that final step? Is it really necessary?
 
Adding oil (seasoning) at the end depends on what you’ve just cooked. Some foods allow oil to soak into the pores of the iron so you don’t need to season after washing. Other foods strip the oil away. I just look at the pan after I wash it and decide what to do. If the pan is shiny I put it away. If the pan is a little dull wipe with oil and put it away. If the pan is sticky or looks dull or has mineral stains I rut it with oil and let it sit on medium heat for twenty minutes (set a timer on your phone so you don’t forget). If the oven is still hot I just leave the pan in there for a few hours.
 
As needed.

But typically, I just pour a few drops of oil on a piece of paper towel, wipe the pan with that, and put it away.
 
I think adding oil when you're done washing/drying it only makes it shiny and helps keep it from rusting/oxidizing from moisture in the air.

I've never heard of anyone heating it up when you're done though. My mom used to wipe all the cast iron down with Crisco when she was done using it.

Those things are still around somewhere......
 
keep skipping that step. it's not necessary to do every time, and can actually make things worse. If you get too much of that polymerized oil (what happens when you heat it) on the surface of the pan it can gunk it up and actually make it more sticky, rather than less.
 
got my first cast iron in november. I seasoned it (and probably didn't do a great job of it) when I first got it and now I just give it a rinse and scrub with water the dry it off with kitchen roll. No problems so far.
 
And on the subject of cast iron, I recently found out that Dobie pads are great for cleaning cast iron.
 
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