How to season a frying pan or saucepan?

Seasoning a pan or saucepan

The steel pan is appreciated for its efficiency and durability. This type of cookware requires specific care to ensure perfect cooking results. It is indeed necessary to season it to make it more efficient and long-lasting.

What is the purpose of seasoning a frying pan or saucepan?

To improve the efficiency and lifespan of your iron pans, seasoning them is a step that should not be overlooked. Before using them for the first time, it is very important to properly season your pan or saucepan, whether it is made of steel, unenameled cast iron or iron. This process involves treating the surface of the cookware with heated oil or fat to create a layer that resists rust and also acts as a natural non-stick coating. If your cast iron pans or saucepans are not seasoned, they may corrode more quickly due to oxygen and moisture. As a result, food may stick to this metal cooking surface. Once well seasoned, the cookware will gradually lose its original colour and turn black. There is nothing to worry about, this is a completely natural change. The darker the cookware becomes, the less food will stick.

Tutorial: how to season a frying pan or saucepan?

To achieve effective seasoning for your cookware, you need to follow a few steps.

1 – Preparation for first use

Before starting the treatment of your pans or cast iron saucepans, you must prepare them first. To do so, wash them with hot water, a little washing-up liquid and a soft cloth or non-abrasive sponge. This preparation is essential to remove manufacturing residues, germs or greasy substances that could reduce the effectiveness of the seasoning process.

2 – Preparation for already used cookware

Over the years, your cookware may develop a thick layer of grease on the surface, which makes it less effective. To remove this unwanted build-up, you will need to clean it properly. To do so, heat your steel pan on the stove and pour a generous amount of salt over the entire surface, making sure it is fully covered. The salt spread across the surface will absorb grease and moisture.

3 – Now move on to the seasoning process

Whether it is a stainless steel pan, a cast iron saucepan, an iron pan or enameled or unenameled cookware, the process remains the same. Once cleaned and thoroughly dried, your cookware is finally ready to be seasoned. You will need 3 things:

1. A little oil. It should be vegetable oil and well refined. You can use sunflower, walnut, olive, rapeseed or soybean oil. Do not use recycled oil: it must never have been used before.

2. A brush (or paper towel).

3. A hob or stovetop.

To properly season your saucepans, frying pans and casseroles, you should:

- Place your pan on medium heat for a few seconds to warm it up.

- Once your stainless steel pan or any other cookware is hot, pour in a small amount of oil and spread it with the brush, making sure to cover the whole surface evenly. The layer must be thin and uniform.

- Once the oil starts to smoke, you should notice a colour change. At this point, turn off the heat and let your cookware cool down.

Your pan is now seasoned and ready to use. The more you use your iron pan, or any other seasoned cookware, the better your cooking results will be. If you wish, before storing your seasoned pans and saucepans, you can protect them with a very thin film of oil. This method can be repeated after each wash before storage. It helps protect the cookware from corrosion and contributes to maintaining its quality.

The benefits of seasoned cookware

Seasoning your cast iron pans or saucepans offers many benefits, both for you and for the success of your dishes.

Your saucepan, frying pan or casserole will be more efficient and last longer.

The food you cook will no longer stick to the cooking surface.

You can cook different foods one after another in the same iron pan.

They can be used for any type of dish, whether on the stove or in the oven.

Some tips

To make the most of a well-seasoned cast iron saucepan or pan, here are a few tips.

During the seasoning process, do not rush the steps and be patient. To preserve the effectiveness of the treatment, you should absolutely avoid scrubbing the cooking surface with abrasive products.