Seasoning a cast iron skillet refers to baking the layers of oil onto the pan, polymerizing them and creating a porous cooking surface. This surface can, with time and care, become almost non-stick, durable, and easy to clean.
The tools are simple:
Different oils can be used to season your cast iron. When choosing an oil, it is important to consider affordability, smoke point, and flavor. Some of the more popular choices include vegetable shortening and grapeseed oil. It is also not uncommon for some oils to flake off later when cooking. This seasoning in your food won’t hurt you, but it is a sign to reconsider your oil of choice.
To begin, take one of your lint-free cloths and use it to apply a thin coat of your oil of choice to the dry, bare iron. Coat the entire skillet, even the non-cooking surfaces. This will prevent rust.
Then, using the second cloth, wipe off all of the oil you just applied. Your iron should be glossy, not wet; slick, but not sticky. Once you believe you have wiped off all the remnants of the oil, place it in the oven and heat to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Once there, repeat, again making sure to wipe out all oil. Then bake the pan for an hour at 450 degrees.
You may repeat these steps as necessary, but your seasoning will continue to accumulate as you cook with your skillets.
You might immediately see errors in your seasoning.
In the images below, see if you can diagnose the error with the seasoning.
Cast_iron_seasoning_errors