Think you need a coated “non-stick” pan to make scrambled eggs?
Not so!
It’s totally possible to make a perfect, non-sticking batch of scrambled eggs in your trusty cast iron skillet. And today I’m going to show you how.
Cooking with Cast Iron
I used to have a bunch of cheapo, non-stick pans that I used on a regular basis. But when I became aware of the health hazards connected the chemicals in the coating, I promptly ditched my collection. (Those pans don’t tend to last very long anyway– at least not for me. I was always really good at scratching them….)
However, as much as I loved my cast iron skillet, it was a disaster when it came time to make scrambled eggs… Until I figured out the tips I’m going to show you today.
Like I mention in the video, I doubt this is the official-cooking-school-approved method for making scrambled eggs, but it works for me. 😉
(Needing to add to your cast iron cookware collection? Watch yard sales (I’ve found a bunch there!), or Amazon also has a nice selection. (affiliate link))
Notes from the Video:
- Don’t skimp on the fat. (I’m a believer in the benefits of healthy, natural fats. So, if you are looking for a “fat-free” way to make scrambled eggs, I won’t have an answer for you… Sorry.)
- Use healthy fats like tallow, lard, coconut oil, or butter.
- Make sure your skillet is hot.
- Let the eggs cook for about 20-30 seconds before you stir them.
- Use a spatula with a thin edge if you are worried about stickage. (My spell checker says that’s not a word. I’m declaring that it is.)
- Although my cast iron pan does have decent layer of “seasoning” on it, it’s nothing spectacular. So don’t think you have to have the perfect pan to accomplish this.
I’ll tell you what– scrambled eggs taste a whole lot better when you don’t have a crusty egg pan waiting in the sink for you after breakfast. And that’s the truth. 🙂
Listen to the Old Fashioned On Purpose podcast episode #50 about the 5 Most Annoying Myths About Cast Iron HERE.
I love you. And I love butter. The end.
Right back-atcha girlie!
I am sorry to point out that you appear to have made a cut-up omelette not scrambled eggs
ok i know i can use coconut oil.. but love butter too, would the butter burn at that high heat?? been making scrambled eggs in my castiron skillet alot and it sticks all the time, and i just deal with it, NOT anymore!! Thank You, cant wait to try this!!
Rose
Eggs are always to be cooked on low heat.
Exactly. High heat dries them out and ruins them.
Not true. Scrambled eggs are always perfect for a quick cook on high heat. Also, fried eggs will stick to the pan if you cook them over low heat.
The reason for waiting for a minute (longer if it’s meat) is because the food “releases” after it’s formed that crust or whatever it’s called. I believe it was Cook’s Illustrated which provided the science behind it a while back, but I can’t remember the science. Something about needing to reach a specific temperature for a specific amount of time for there to be sufficient critical mass to form a seal which then constricts the skin/surface of the food, thus shrinking it away from the pan.
I have been using cast iron for years and the steps for cooking eggs that you described is the very way I do mine. The Key is a Hot pan but not smoking. The eggs will sizzle along with the fat, er butter, bon apetite. I enjoy the things you publish for others. I grew up around alot of this. We need to help others know of the old ways. They may just come in handy someday.
Thanks Mitch– I agree– I think these old-fashioned skills are still very relevant in our modern times!
I am learning to use an old cast iron pan that WAS a decoration in our kitchen. My CSA group and a few others were encouraging me to start using it. I am still learning. But, I made scrambled eggs today as you taught in your video. Easy and perfect!! Thank you!
My pre-owned cast-iron skillet is hanging on the kitchen wall as a decoration. I’d like to use it, but haven’t had the nerve. It doesn’t look good inside, I don’t think it’s properly seasoned, and I’ve read conflicting advice on the best way to do it. Therefore I’ve been using a 12-inch “Orgreenic” skillet, which has to be seasoned and periodically re-seasoned as well, but it came with very good instructions on how to do that. I’m sure my iron skillet needs a “100,000 mile” major servicing before I use it.
So, (lightbulb moment!) I’ll visit the Lodge cast-iron cookware site and see what they say…Ah ha! — http://www.lodgemfg.com/useandcare/seasoned-cast-iron
I wish I was a better “seasoner,” but I usually ask my dad to do it for me when he visits, ha! I know there are good tutorials online, though.
I just get my pan really warm in the oven then smother it in filtered bacon grease… The put in in a 500* oven for about an hour.. It’s really simple. I have to season often, cause I forget my pan in the sink or scratch it when cooking.
I totally think stickage is a word, too! So take THAT spell check! lol
So.. what if you put water in your cast iron pan.. and it maybe, kinda sorta, got a LOT rusted… can you just scrub it off and re-season w/ the bacon grease?
Thanks!
Wendy
I agree – stickage should be a word!
Wendy, I do that – often. I actually even put them in my dishwasher at times. (not recommended!) What I do to season mine is to put some fat in it and turn the burner on low and leave it for a good amount of time – maybe a half hour to an hour. . It seems to work! I have one cast iron skillet that remained fairly well seasoned even after a trip to the dishwasher!
I agree, you can add “age” to many words and it IS a valid word. There is a whole world of valid words out there that are not found in a dictionary. 🙂 And I love them all…
Even this retired English teacher likes your new word. ?
I can deal with the eggs, my issue is hashbrowns! I can’t get them to brown up no matter how much oil I use!
One thing I found useful with hashbrowns is to just put a thin layer on the bottom of the pan. Dont fill the pan with the potatoes or you will just end up with greasy mush. It takes longer to do it but I think you will find the results to be better that way.
For hashbrowns to not turn out mushy, I’ve found that I have to mop up all of the potatoes’ excess moisture with paper towels before I start frying. Also, keep the heat fairly high with plenty of fat! Hope you get it figured out, hashbrowns are delish!
Thanks! I will give it another try! 🙂
My suggestion for success is pretty much the same as Rose’s except I would actually squeeze out ALL the excess moisture from the grated potatoes. I followed the following advice and boy does it ever work! http://ournourishingroots.com/crispy-hash-browns/
Good article! A couple of things I would add. First, a hot skillet is essential BUT one key to using cast iron is to bring up the heat gradually. I set mine on a low burner while I prepare the eggs, then turn up the heat to where I want it so that it can get hot enough by the time I’m ready to put the eggs in it. At the end of the article you also said, “scrambled eggs taste a whole lot better when you don’t have a crusty egg pan waiting in the sink for you after breakfast.” I find it best to NEVER put a cast iron skillet in the sink, crusty or otherwise. Do not put water in it to “soak.” Leave it on the stove (on a burner that is cold) until you are ready to clean it. Wiping it out with a cloth is often sufficient. If it’s really crusty, add a bit of water and set it on a low burner to warm the water. Once the pan/water is warm, you can scrub it out pretty easily. I have a little scrubber that I use only for my cast iron. Never use soap, since it will compromise the seasoning. There is no better non-stick cookware than a well-seasoned cast iron pan!
Suzie, you are ABSOLUTLY correct on your post. Pan should be warming not hot. Scramble eggs should not be sizzling or they get hard and tough. I never scramble eggs with metal of any kind. Metal scrathes the seasoning you worked so hard to develope on the pan. I have always used a wooden spatula. It looks just like the metal one in the video but wooden. I use this same spatula for making gravy or any recipe that calls for constant movement of the food. Hash browns shouldbe in a hot pan with little fat. Since potatoes soak of everything (seasoning, liquid and oils) you don’t want them swimming in the pan. The trick is not over filling the pan with potatoes. A small layer is best. A griddle is better for larger amoutns of potatoes. I too put water in the pan should food stick and place it back on the stove to soften anything that is really sticky or crusty. A good reference for anyone who has questions on cast iron cooking should consult the maker (Lodge) of cast iron cooking wesite. Lodge has a excellent site with hot to season for those that are unsure, cleaning and recipes. I have many lodge products for cooking inside and outside. Seasoning a pan take a long time and patience. Sorry I added to your post this way but I tried to answer some of the questions posted below. Susie you did a great job on your post.
Yep- there are lots of different ways to do it– I haven’t had much trouble with my metal spatula scratching, though. I am careful when I use it, however.
If you are scratching your seasoning maybe you did not get a good one done. I have never had trouble with metal.
I’ve actually read that metal utensils are great for cast iron because they help your pan acquire a smoother finish over time. New cast iron pans tend to be pretty rough compared to my antique ones that are smooth as glass. I always use metal now, and I haven’t had problems. Not having to worry about scratching the pans is one of my favorite things about cast iron after years of ruining nonstick pans with the occasional fork, lol. I also agree about warming the pans slowly and cooking the eggs for a while before scrambling them. I love eggs made in my cast iron now, but I’ve definitely made some stuck-on messes over the years.
I use a pretty high heat for my scrambled eggs. They never turn out hard-always soft and fluffy.you must cook them quickly-that is key!
Hi there! Thanks for the tutorial, can’t wait to try it. Out of curiousity, though: I’ve always read that you shouldn’t use sharp utensils on cast iron. Doesn’t it mess with the seasoning? I’m not a fan of plastic, either, so I’m interested to hear your answer.
Thanks again,
~Angela
Well, I really haven’t had a problem– although I try not to get too aggressive with my metal spatula. 🙂
Where did you get the spatula?
I found a good thin stainless spatula at wal-mart. You want one that is flexible but still fairly stiff. Dont get one of the plastic ones, they melt too easily.
Thanks!!!
I think I got it at the Dollar Store a looooooong time ago. Once of my few (only?) Dollar Store purchases that has actually lasted this long!
Hi, this is the way we do this as well!! You mentioned that you sometimes use coconut oil? That hasn’t worked for me, it usually sticks. Do you have any special tricks that keep it from sticking with coconut oil?
I’d like to know this too!!!
When I use coconut oil– I use the same technique I showed in the video. In fact, I usually use coconut oil– but I was out the day I shot the video. 🙂
Thanks for posting this. I really like my cast iron skillet as well, but was always too scared to make scrambled eggs in it. Thanks for the tips and the courage to try it! Have a great day!
You can do it Cynthia! 🙂
The most important tip on there, ?Make sure your skillet is hot. If you dont, the stuff will stick, regardless of how much fat or “seasoning” your pan has.
Keep up the good tips, I pass these on to my FB friends. You explain these things so much better than I do.
Thanks Al! Happy to have you as a reader! 🙂
Yummm! I literally told my hubby last night I wanted to get a cast iron skillet –I have a giant cast iron pot but haven’t used it much. What size skillet is the one in your video? If I could only get one pan, what size do you recommend?!
Um…. This is a large one– I think 12″? That would the size I’d recommend if I had to have just one. 🙂
I got one! I have to clean it up/ re-season it though, found it at a local flea market for a lot less than a new one!
Thank you for the help and love your blog! We just bought our first home in the middle of nowhere southern Louisiana and we are trying to live life like grandma did! Or at least as natural as possible and your blog as inspired so much of it thus far!
A chef once told me the cardinal rule for non-stick cooking in any pan…hot pan, cold oil. It seems to work for me. I heat the pan first and then add the oil. On the subject of non-stick cookware, I got rid of all of it, including some small appliances that had non-stick coatings on them…I would love a Foreman Grill but those things all have the non-stick coating. I have a cockatiel and he is often in the kitchen because he likes to be wherever I am. The chemicals coming off non-stick cookware has been known to kill many birds. On a bird forum I frequent someone decided to use new electric roasting pan they were given as a gift, never thinking about the non-stick coating in it. When she came home from shopping her roast was done and her parrot was dead. She was devastated. If it kills birds, God only knows what it does to people. I’ll take cast iron or enamel ware any day.
Yes! My sister was once renting a home where the landlords had a canary. She said every time she’d bake, it start acting very strange and sick. She then figured it out was the fumes from her cheap cookware– scary!
I disagree that Lard is a healthy fat…..in any context.
Yes, I know that current medical establishments still hold to the old belief that animal fats are bad and processed, man-made fats are better (aka Crisco, margarine, etc) but I tend to disagree.
I was wondering what your take was on lard from the store. I bought a tub the other day and it has hydrogenated lard, how is that any better than crisco, because I know that hydrogenated oils are not good for you? I would prefer to make lard from my own pigs but they just don’t have that much fat on them.
Yes– most lard you get from the store is hydrogenated and just as bad as Crisco. 🙁 I would suggest finding a local butcher or farmer and asking if you can purchase fat from them to render into lard. I think there may be a few places online to purchase quality, non-hydrogenated lard as well.
I’ve been using lard for seasoning the cast iron skillets for years without an issue. However you must get it from a local farm or even an Amish stand. Enjoy the skillets!
Thank you!! Oh, and also, thank you. And by the way. THANK YOU! I’m so tired of scraping egg out of my cast iron pans.
Hope you never ever have to scrape a pan again Debbie! 🙂
Does anyone use cast iron on a flat electric cooktop?
I do, I have not had any problems. It does tend to scratch the glasstop though.
I used to have a flat top and often used cast iron. Like Al said– it can scratch if you aren’t careful.
I’ve been using my cast iron stuff on one of those induction cook tops,,,, works great,,, plus I used the induction cooker to season some cast iron very easy to control the temperature
Great post. I love my cast iron and I cook with it every day! When it was new, I made a point of cooking things that had a lot of oils/grease in them such as hamburger, sausages, meat loaf, etc. To help get them seasoned well. It worked wonderfully. Also, those plastic scrappers they sell to clean stone wear with, work wonderfully on cast iron too.
Yes– oily stuff definitely helps to get that awesome seasoning layer. 🙂
Thanks for this tutorial. I’m still fairly new to cast iron cooking (I LOVE IT!) and I haven’t got the hang of scrambled eggs, yet. I have discovered the best way to make regular eggs. I have an electric stove – I put the pan with oil on the burner and turn it on. When it’s hot enough that a tiny splash of water “skips”, I put the eggs in the pan, and cover them with a lid, checking a couple of times for “doneness” (I don’t flip eggs.) I’ve discovered (as you said) that the best spatula is one with a very thin blade. Nothing sticks, and all it takes is a quick wipe with paper towels. As far as scratching off the seasoning – I don’t think the spatula does much damage. I do use wooden spoons and utensils if I’m cooking something that needs to be stirred, etc. If I think the seasoning needs to be touched up, I warm the pan and swipe a paper towel with bacon grease on it lightly across the surface. Mine cast iron has better non-stick surfaces than some of the “real” non-stick pots and pans I’ve owned.
Awesome tips Deb! Thanks for sharing!
Jill, is bacon fat considered a healthy fat? We use Beeler’s pure pork bacon. No nitrates, no antibiotics, no growth hormones, fed vegetarian feed.
Well, it depends on who you talk to- but yes, in my opinion, as well as the opinion of most of my real food loving friends, bacon fat is considered a great choice– especially for eggs! 🙂
Can you use cast iron on glass cookbooks? The house we bought came with appliances. I HATE this stove, but that is a different topic. We had some ceramic cookware but then found out it still has a nonstick coating over the ceramic. Our only other pans are stainless steel. It works great for fried eggs, but I haven’t scrambled any yet.
My parents always used cast iron, but I seriously can’t afford to buy new pans that won’t work again. (And I DEFINITELY can’t afford to replace a stove.)
I so miss the old days when a stove was simply a stove and you didn’t have to research if everything was compatible.
Hey Jenny,
I used to use cast iron on my glass top, and I never had an issue. However, be extra careful, as they do have the potential to scratch the surface.
Thanks! (And I meant cook tops. Ugh. Autocorrect!)
Great information; thank you. My troubles with cast iron & eggs are when I make them over easy. They taste fine–just not pretty. Please advise.
Question. I tend to shallow fry in either canola or or peanut oil, is that a bad idea? Should I use coconut oil exclusively?
I personally avoid processed vegetable oils- this is a good post explaining why: http://thankyourbody.com/vegetable-oils/
So, I prefer fats like coconut oil, although bacon fat/lard/tallow would work as well. But- in the end it comes down to your choices/preference. 🙂
I have found with cast iron that after I use it I leave (or add) a thin layer of bacon grease in it. I always leave my cast iron with a ‘glow’ on it.
To season it I have found an easy method for me. I do not have an oven, everything is done on the grill or in a pot. So when I cook on the grill, almost every day, I only use half of the rack. The other half I place my coated cast iron for an hour or two that my roast or whatever is cooking. Cooking and seasoning ~ The most multitasking thing I am able to do.
My husband is the one who finds my cast iron and most of it is antique. I hated to season my cast iron before I realized I could do it while I cook. This saves me time and fuel, who does not love that. I have a waffle maker that took me one year to season to the right level that we need. (Of course we were still eating thoses ‘messes’ that I pried out.) Now everyone wants waffles!
For cast iron there is nothing like bacon grease, not sausage or ham. My great-grandmother on down through to me on both sides of the family guanrantee it!
I successfully srcambled eggs in a cast iron pan this weekend! I was so excited, I posted a picture on Facebook 🙂 I tried to tag you, Jill (since it was thanks to this video I had such good luck) but I don’t think it worked… Thanks for the tips!
Here’s the thing, I want my eggs over light and have been ‘flipping’ my eggs forever with the flick of the wrist. Was easy enough with teflon pans back in the olden days before I gained healthy knowledge. Now I flip them in a ceramic 8″ pan. Don’t think a cast iron pan would work but I’ll give it a try as soon as my broken right wrist is healed because I’m still on the up-side of the learning curve with using my non-dominent left hand to flip my eggs :-/
True– those cast iron skillets are heavy! 😉
Thank you.. Thank you.. Thank you… I NOW know what my problem is as to why my “fried in coconut oil eggs” sometimes stick and sometimes don’ t.. I don’ t always let the pan get hot enough…. I usually turn it on, put the coconut oil in (which is usually already melted in my jar since its summer) and then throw my eggs in.. Wish my pan was as nice and seasoned as yours is. 🙂
You are most welcome! And don’t feel too bad– I honestly don’t care for mine as perfectly as I should *hides*, but it still forgives me. 😉
I never knew this was even a thing. This is the way it’s always been done. I checked out your video expecting to learn something new but I was disappointed. I’m disappointed that people have lost the the knowledge of basic cooking and that people like yourself have to re-educate the public. I learned to cook on a wood cook stove, using cast iron skillets and butter, lard or bacon grease. It’s sad that people have forgotten this art. I do, however, congratulate you for helping others learn the old school ways.
Yes– it is very sad how much knowledge our society has lost– it really bugs me– but that’s why I keep this blog going. 🙂
The video could have been recorded in my kitchen. It looks like we have the same counter top and stove, and we both have white cabinets. I keep a soup can beside my stove and any bacon grease, hamburger grease, etc. goes into the can. When I’m ready to cook in my cast iron skillets, I just brush some of the grease on the bottom of the skillet. Love my cast iron! And yes, it is a lost “art”.
Oh how cool! And yes–love that bacon grease. 😉
Ok, I got my first set of Cast Iron pots and pans this week.. I used one to cook scrambled eggs this morning and have a HUGE mess to scrape out now. That’s what led me to this post! So I will have to try that, but I have a few more questions….does seasoning with coconut oil leave your food tasting like coconut? My husband is not a fan of coconut oil in some dishes (despite me using it for well over a year in 90% of our meals). Also when cleaning, I’m gathering that we shouldn’t soak, use soap or metal scrubbers? And do you coat it with coconut oil after each wash? I think that is all for now. I tried to get all my questions in one post, but can’t promise ???? Thanks Jill! You are awesome!
It depends on the type of coconut oil you use–extra virgin oil will taste like coconuts. I prefer expeller pressed coconut oil that doesn’t take like coconuts at all. Yes–don’t soak the pan if you can help it. I do like to give it a quick wipe with oil after each use, but sometimes I forget and it’s ok. 🙂
It worked, it worked, it worked!! Yay!!!
Wahoo Nichole! Way to go!!!
I’ve found that cooking any style eggs I get the best results by using a combination of butter and coconut oil.
Having used cast iron for many years including my 10.5 inch pan that I have had since 1995 seasoning it is easy as is re-seasoning…Here is what I do.
Pre-heat oven to 500degrees…..Cover in side of pan with either bacon grease or lard wipe in good with paper towel.
Put pan UPSIDE DOWN in oven on middle shelf ( might what to put some foil in bottom of oven to catch any drippings).
TURN OVEN OFF COMPLETELY .
Let oven cool down with pan in it….Probably will take about 4-5 hours. Touch lightly with finger tip to check before removing.
You will have a wonderful season pan for all your needs INCLUDING non-stick eggs.
Prior to any usage add some butter or bacon grease or canola oil..Forget the olive oils and stuff. If you want low fat….Eat cottage cheese…But..If you want flavor from eggs to hamburgers,pork chops or anything in between..This is the route to go.
Have fun with the cast iron….Video was great…
Ray 🙂
Awesome tips Ray– thank you!!
I’ve cooked with cast iron for many, many years and never had to season a pan as I use my Mom and Grandmothers pans, until I purchased a huge Lodge skillet at a garage sale.. It was in bad shape and I only paid $2 for it. I came home and popped it into my oven, set it on “self clean” and waited…… It burned off all the crud, and I re seasoned it with Lard and put it back in the oven on about 300 for a few hours, repeating this step a couple more times with more lard all over the skillet, inside and out. I was able to use it then, and I always greased the inside really well after using. It’s been a few months now and it’s become my favorite pan ! Dark black and slick as a whistle. Never soak cast iron and if something sticks, leave the pan on the burner on low and usually it will dry up and you can gently scratch it off.
More than 50 years ago, my new mother-in-law gave me a 6″ cast iron skillet with a clear glass lid to fit. She told me to season it with butter and then use it only for frying eggs in butter with the lid on for over easy eggs or off for sunny side up. I still have that pan and several others that I love.
You left the heat on those eggs way too long! I don’t like dry eggs! The skillet is so hot the eggs will continue to cook until done.
Yes, I know– this batch was dry. My timing is usually better when I’m not talking/recording.
I scramble and fry eggs all the time in my cast iron without using all that lard, tallow, etc. I also NEVER use metal tools or toxic plastic in my cast — only bamboo utinsels. Just a dab of butter and then, keep the heat low. If your eggs are sticking, the heat’s too high. Cooking on cast is different than other types of materials like aluminum (ugh!) or stainless, just as cooking with gas is different than electric or wood. Cast iron only cooks good if you know how to cook good with it.
low heat, little to moderate fat…stickage
Never had a cast iron pan that didnt while trying those two things,
Hi Jill – I have had trouble seasoning my cast iron too, until I cam across this blog post by Sheryl Canter. I was skeptical – but tried it and it really works! My cast iron has never been this good. Give it a try and see what you think.
Chemistry of Cast Iron Seasoning: A Science-Based How-To
January 28, 2010, 6:31 pm
The post after this one on “black rust” describes why you should heat the pan before applying oil for seasoning. This helps the seasoning to adhere and makes the pan pleasantly black.
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/02/black-rust-and-cast-iron-seasoning/
In a previous post, I illustrated how I cleaned and reseasoned an antique cast iron popover pan. This was my first attempt, and my seasoning technique was somewhat haphazard because I couldn’t find consistent, science-based advice. I used a combination of organic avocado oil and strained drippings from organic bacon. This worked pretty well on the popover pan, which doesn’t have a polished surface. But the smooth inner surface of a skillet showed an unevenness of color and texture, and the seasoning wasn’t hard enough. It was too easily marred by cooking utensils or scraping against oven racks.
I wanted to understand the chemistry behind seasoning so I’d know how to fix this, but there is nothing that addresses this issue directly. A Web page on cast iron posted by someone similarly obsessed with the science gave me two crucial clues, the phrases “polymerized fat” and “drying oil”. From there I was able to find the relevant scientific literature and put the pieces together.
The pictures below are both of the same antique cast iron skillet. The “before” close-up on the left is from a picture of the skillet in my previous blog post on making German Pancakes. I stripped the pan with oven cleaner and reseasoned it based on my new understanding. The “after” close-up on the right shows the result.
Griswold skillet closeups: old seasoning on left, new seasoning on right
Griswold skillet closeups: old seasoning on left, new seasoning on right
Start With the Right Oil (It’s Not What You Think)
I’ve read dozens of Web pages on how to season cast iron, and there is no consensus in the advice. Some say vegetable oils leave a sticky surface and to only use lard. Some say animal fat gives a surface that is too soft and to only use vegetable oils. Some say corn oil is the only fat to use, or Crisco, or olive oil. Some recommend bacon drippings since lard is no longer readily available. Some say you must use a saturated fat – that is, a fat that is solid at room temperature, whether it’s animal or vegetable (palm oil, coconut oil, Crisco, lard). Some say never use butter. Some say butter is fine. Some swear by Pam (spray-on canola oil with additives). Some say the additives in Pam leave a residue at high temperatures and pure canola oil is best. Some say it doesn’t matter what oil you use.
They are all wrong. It does matter what oil you use, and the oil that gives the best results is not in this list. So what is it? Here are some hints: What oil do artists mix with pigment for a high quality oil paint that dries hard and glassy on the canvas? What oil is commonly used by wood turners to give their sculptures a protective, soft-sheen finish? It’s the same oil. Now what is the food-grade equivalent of this oil?
The oil used by artists and wood turners is linseed oil. The food-grade equivalent is called flaxseed oil. This oil is ideal for seasoning cast iron for the same reason it’s an ideal base for oil paint and wood finishes. It’s a “drying oil”, which means it can transform into a hard, tough film. This doesn’t happen through “drying” in the sense of losing moisture through evaporation. The term is actually a misnomer. The transformation is through a chemical process called “polymerization”.
The seasoning on cast iron is formed by fat polymerization, fat polymerization is maximized with a drying oil, and flaxseed oil is the only drying oil that’s edible. From that I deduced that flaxseed oil would be the ideal oil for seasoning cast iron.
As a reality check of this theory, I googled “season cast iron with flaxseed oil” to see what came up. The very first hit is a page written by a guy who seasons his cast iron cookware with linseed oil from the hardware store because it gives the hardest surface of anything he’s tried. (I’m not sure how safe that is; I don’t recommend it.) Below that were several sites selling traditional cast iron cookware from China, which they advertise as being “preseasoned with high quality flax oil”. I don’t know whether they really use food-grade flaxseed oil (which is expensive) or linseed oil from a hardware store. What’s significant is the claim. Seasoning with high quality flaxseed oil is something to brag about.
With this encouragement, I stripped one of my skillets and reseasoned it with flaxseed oil. As you can see in the picture above, the result was a dramatic improvement. The finish is smooth, hard, and evenly colored.
Seasoning Is Not Cooking: Different Principles Apply
The first time I seasoned a pan I chose avocado oil because it’s monounsaturated and doesn’t easily go rancid. It also has the highest smoke point of any edible oil, 520°F, so I could heat it in a 450°F oven without passing the smoke point. I knew that when cooking, you should never heat an oil past its smoke point because that causes the release of “free radicals”, which are carcinogenic. I was careful not to choose a polyunsaturated oil – and especially not an oil high in omega-3 fatty acids – because these are especially vulnerable to breakdown with heat and the release of free radicals.
Ironically, it’s for exactly these reasons that the best oil for seasoning cast iron is an oil high in omega-3 fatty acids – in particular, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Free radicals are actually what enable the polymerization. Drying oils, which produce the hardest polymers, are characterized by high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially the omega-3 fatty acid ALA.
The lard that was traditionally used for seasoning 100 years ago was much higher in ALA than fat from pigs today, because back then pigs ate their natural diet. Today they are raised on industrial feedlots and forced to eat grain, making their fat low in omega-3s.
Since lard is traditional but no longer readily available, many people substitute bacon drippings, but this is a bad idea. If it’s conventional bacon, you’re baking in carcinogenic nitrates. But even organic bacon is not good for an initial seasoning because it’s filled with salt.
The reason that Pam seems to work well in seasoning is that its main ingredient is canola oil, which is relatively high in ALA (10%), making it a “semi-drying oil”. Flaxseed oil, a drying oil, is 57% ALA. But it’s not a good idea to use a spray oil, no matter what oil it’s made with, because of its additives. You’re doing chemistry here. If you want good results, use pure ingredients.
Fat polymerization can be triggered or accelerated in a variety of ways. As best I can tell from my reading, the cast iron seasoning process is an example of “radical polymerization”. The process is initiated when something causes the release of free radicals in the oil. The free radicals then “crosslink” to form the tough, hard film you see in a well-seasoned pan.
So what is the “something” that initiates the release of free radicals in fat? Iron, for one thing. High heat, light, and oxygen, for some others. To prevent cooking oils from going rancid – i.e., breaking down and releasing free radicals – you need to store them in dark, tightly sealed containers in a cool location. To initiate or accelerate the release of free radicals, put the oil in contact with bare iron and heat it above its smoke point, which will cause even non-drying oils to release free radicals.
I haven’t defined “free radical” or “crosslink” because that gets into details of chemistry that you don’t need to understand to season a cast iron pan. All you need to know is that the molecular structure of the oil changes and becomes something else, something tough and solid. The process is initiated with the release of free radicals, which then become crosslinked, creating a hard surface.
Free radicals are carcinogenic inside your body, and also a cause of aging. So don’t ever heat oil you’re going to eat above its smoke point. If the oil starts to smoke, toss it out and start again. When you’re seasoning a pan, you’re not cooking food. By the time the seasoned pan comes out of the oven, there are no more free radicals.
The Recipe for Perfect Cast Iron Seasoning
The basic idea is this: Smear a food-grade drying oil onto a cast iron pan, and then bake it above the oil’s smoke point. This will initiate the release of free radicals and polymerization. The more drying the oil, the harder the polymer. So start with the right oil.
Go to your local health food store or organic grocery and buy a bottle of flaxseed oil. It’s sold as an omega-3 supplement and it’s in the refrigeration section because it goes rancid so easily. Check the expiration date to make sure it’s not already rancid. Buy an organic flaxseed oil. You don’t want to burn toxic chemicals into your cookware to leach out forever more. It’s a fairly expensive oil. I paid $17 for a 17 ounce bottle of cold-pressed, unrefined, organic flaxseed oil. As it says on the bottle, shake it before you use it.
Strip your pan down to the iron using the techniques I describe in my popover post. Heat the pan in a 200°F oven to be sure it’s bone dry and to open the pores of the iron a little. Then put it on a paper towel, pour a little flaxseed oil on it (don’t forget to shake the bottle), and rub the oil all over the pan with your hands, making sure to get into every nook and cranny. Your hands and the pan will be nice and oily.
Now rub it all off. Yup – all. All. Rub it off with paper towels or a cotton cloth until it looks like there is nothing left on the surface. There actually is oil left on the surface, it’s just very thin. The pan should look dry, not glistening with oil. Put the pan upside down in a cold oven. Most instructions say to put aluminum foil under it to catch any drips, but if your oil coating is as thin as it should be, there won’t be any drips.
Turn the oven to a baking temperature of 500°F (or as high as your oven goes – mine only goes to 450°F) and let the pan preheat with the oven. When it reaches temperature, set the timer for an hour. After an hour, turn off the oven but do not open the oven door. Let it cool off with the pan inside for two hours, at which point it’s cool enough to handle.
The pan will come out of the oven a little darker, but matte in texture – not the semi-gloss you’re aiming for. It needs more coats. In fact, it needs at least six coats. So again rub on the oil, wipe it off, put it in the cold oven, let it preheat, bake for an hour, and let it cool in the oven for two hours. The picture above was taken after six coats of seasoning. At that point it starts to develop a bit of a sheen and the pan is ready for use.
If you try this, you will be tempted to use a thicker coat of oil to speed up the process. Don’t do it. It just gets you an uneven surface – or worse, baked on drips. Been there, done that. You can’t speed up the process. If you try, you’ll mess up the pan and have to start over.
The reason for the very hot oven is to be sure the temperature is above the oil’s smoke point, and to maximally accelerate the release of free radicals. Unrefined flaxseed oil actually has the lowest smoke point of any oil (see this table). But the higher the temperature the more it will smoke, and that’s good for seasoning (though bad for eating – do not let oils smoke during cooking).
I mentioned earlier there’s a myth floating around that vegetable oils leave a sticky residue. If the pan comes out of the oven sticky, the cause is one of three things:
You put the oil on too thick.
Your oven temperature was too low.
Your baking time was too short.
It’s possible to use a suboptimal oil for seasoning, like Crisco or bacon drippings, and still end up with a usable pan. Many (most) people do this. But the seasoning will be relatively soft, not as nonstick, and will tend to wear off. If you want the hardest, slickest seasoning possible, use the right oil: flaxseed oil.
Wow– great info–thank you!
I use to have the same problem with fried eggs but hate using all that fat. Finally found Simply Calphalon fry pans and use very little fat and no sticking. The eggs truly slide in the pan. Love it.
Love fat but hate the expense for quality fat that is wasted on the pan and diesnt make it into our bodies.
Caphalon only lasts about 3x and then you need tons of fat again. Yep, I bought several. Same every time with the new pans.
I hate wasting fat and I hate feeding the pan an egg every time too. Quality eggs are expensive too!
Tried your method this morning. IT WORKED! Thank you so much for your tip.
YAY!!
I was raised on cast iron and aluminum pans — your tutorial is spot on! 🙂 As a survivor of Stage III-A colon cancer, just one more caveat — use organic eggs and organic butter. I little real butter is good for you — as long as it’s organic.
Bacon Grease all the way here season skillet about three times in a 400° oven for about an hour each seasoning. Boom non stick everytime.
What do you season the cast iron pan with? I heard flaxseed oil is good for it to polish after clean it with gentle bubbling boiled water and then scrub it with coarse salt and dried right? <— she's deaf and wished you had closed captioned here. Thanks, love your website about the chickens and their eggs! 🙂
Whoa, those are some seriously over-cooked scrambled eggs!
Curd? What is this curd you speak of! 😉
Thank you for all the divide. I just bought my first cast iron pan and I have seasonsed it but my eggs were sticky. I will definitely try your method. I bought it specifically for eggs and pancakes. Do you have a video for pancakes?
Hi Jill, I found that out myself the hard way. I found that a hot enough skillet and lots of fat actually makes the best eggs. Last summer while caamping is when I made that connection. But I was having a hard time to figure out whe the entie skillet was h enough. The middle would be hot and at the sides the eggs would stick. And then I decided to put a little bit of cut up ginger in the skillet near the rim and when that was sizzling nicely I knew I could put in the eggs. And yes I took one of my cast irons camping. It is the best pan for it. I can use it at my omni fuel cooker or on an open fire or even on the grill. But thanks for that post. I wish I had seen that before all the stuck eggs and the scraping afterwards. I found the best way to clean anything stuck to my skillet is with a little water and a copper “sponge”. That will get out almost anything. No soaking necessary.
I use chain mail dry
Toooooons of expensive fat and high heat is the key with every vid I watch for eggs or hash browns in cast iron. Yet, cooking protein on high, hurts the protein. I cook hambs on med even, eggs on med low.
EGG STICKAGE
Sigh
For seasoning you want an oil with a low smoke point that will quickly oxidize and carbonize from the heat. It’s the carbonization (burning) of the oil that creates the “seasoning” (non-stick) layer on top of the cast iron.
Flaxseed oil is often used for quick seasoning because it’s smoke point is 225°F/107°C. Second best is vegetable shortening with a smoke point of 360°F/182°C. Now, there’s some discrepancies as EVOO and coconut oils will vary and can be above or below the smoke point of vegetable shortening falling in the range of 325°-385°F/175-196°C. When you’re actually cooking food is when you want to use the oil with a smoke point that is well above the temperature you wish to cook at.