For some of you, getting your new Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan meant ripping off the branding and setting it straight to work, making it your kitchen work horse. For others, you might have felt chuffed but popped it away for a special day, and perhaps a few of you used it once or twice and it didn’t behave quite as you were used to, which prompted a hiatus.
After using Lodge in our test kitchens a while, we’ve learnt a few things and we’re here to make sure you love your pan as much as we do! A big part of loving your pan comes down to the seasoning, and the way you look after it…
Seasoning, and how to keep it!
What is seasoning?
- Lodge Cast Iron is just iron and a layer of vegetable oil, and that oil layer is referred to as seasoning. Often when you buy cast iron pans, they aren’t pre-seasoned which means you have to do it yourself. But Lodge makes it easy and does it for us! They bake the oil onto the pan in high temperature ovens shortly after crafting your skillet, so that your pan is ready to use right away.
- Seasoning is also what keeps your food from sticking to the skillet. But sometimes that seasoning wears down through acidic food or heating your pan too high.
- In saying that, don’t be scared of that, or of using your skillet. The more you use it and cook with it, the better your seasoning and more non-stick your skillet will become.
How can I protect the seasoning?
- Heat your pan slowly to protect your seasoning, which will in turn help to stop food from sticking. If you’ve walked away for a second and it is smoking hot, let it cool down a little before you add your food to the pan and if you need a very hot skillet, then start low and increase it every minute or so.
- Always use an oil or fat before you start cooking!
- After each use, wash, dry, then apply a little oil with a paper towel or old clean cloth before putting it away (placing it into a warm oven to bake it on also helps) – this will continue to build up the seasoning.
How do I wash it?
- We know there is a debate about whether to use soap or not on cast iron. We find a little soap is okay, but it isn’t necessary. The oil and fat residue after rinsing will only add to the seasoning of your pan. If you find you have stubborn food or fats that are hard to remove, pour some water into your pan, heat it on low until it loosens and then try again to remove as normal, being careful not to burn yourself.
- Make sure when you wash it, you dry your pan thoroughly (to prevent rusting) and then don’t forget to reapply some oil after drying!
- Lastly, if you feel your seasoning has taken a beating, just head to https://lodgecastiron.co.nz/blogs/use-care to learn how to re-season your Lodge Cast Iron and bring it back to its former glory.
Lodge Cast Iron is incredibly versatile. The grill pans are great for searing and grilling meat, vegetables, bread – the list is endless! They’re great on all heat sources, including in the oven, on any stovetop, your BBQ… So don’t be shy and we promise your Lodge pan will become one of your most prized kitchen possessions!
