Three cast iron skillets of different sizes stacked inside one another on a striped kitchen towel resting on a wooden countertop.

Cast Iron Care: A Simple, Honest Guide

Good morning, my friends.

It’s time for a little cast‑iron cooking review. We’ve talked about cast‑iron cookware and how to care for it before, but there are always more questions. I’m no expert, but I am a die‑hard cast‑iron lover. I’d say 90% of my meals are made in a cast‑iron skillet, so I’ve learned that proper care is the difference between a kitchen workhorse and a rusty headache. And trust me — I’ve ruined more than one skillet over the years through neglect or pure stupidity. The good news? With patience and elbow grease, I’ve restored every single one.

So let’s talk about that humble hero of the kitchen: the cast‑iron skillet.

Three seasoned pork chops arranged in a black cast‑iron skillet, coated with a reddish-brown spice rub and ready to cook, with a sprig of rosemary nearby on a light surface.

Seasoned Pork chops ready for frying

Choosing Your Skillet

I have a full set — from a tiny 6‑inch up to a hefty 12‑inch — but my favorites are my two 9‑inch skillets. They’re smooth, glossy, nonstick, and easy to clean… but that finish didn’t happen overnight.

If you’ve just bought a shiny silver cast‑iron pan, or someone gifted you one, please don’t cook with it yet. And whatever you do, don’t scrub it to “keep the shine.” That shine is actually bare metal, and it needs seasoning before it becomes usable.

If you’re restoring an old, rusted, dinged‑up pan, you’ll also need to scrub it down to the base surface. It won’t look shiny, but it will smooth out, and the rust will come off.

Seasoning: The Step You Cannot Skip

A golden, puffed‑up apple pancake baked in a black cast‑iron skillet on a stovetop, with crisp edges and a risen center, surrounded by everyday kitchen items in the background.

High Rise (puff) apple Pancake

Seasoning is what creates that beautiful nonstick surface. It’s the step most people try to skip — but don’t. If you want a pan that lasts forever, this is where the magic happens.

Gather your tools: Water, soap, a scrub brush, steel wool, and a neutral cooking oil.

Yes, soap. Yes, water. and yes, even steel wool. You’re starting fresh.

A classic Bickford‑style apple pancake baked in a black cast‑iron skillet, with thin apple slices arranged in a circular pattern over a golden, custardy base and lightly dusted with cinnamon and sugar.

Bickford’s‑style baked apple pancake

Step 1: Clean the Skillet

If you just used it, let it cool, rinse with warm water, and wipe out any food bits.

If you’re restoring an old skillet, get ready to work. This is where the steel wool comes in. Scrub until the rust is gone and the surface feels even.

Step 2: Scrub Thoroughly

Golden cornbread baked in a black cast‑iron skillet, with a large wedge cut out to show its moist, crumbly interior, sitting on a stovetop.

Skillet Corn Bread

Use warm, soapy water and your scrub brush to remove stubborn bits. Use steel wool for anything that feels gritty or raised. You want the surface smooth — no sandpaper texture. Rinse well.

Step 3: Dry It Completely

Dry every inch of the skillet — the cooking surface, the sides, the handles, the bottom. Cast iron rusts fast, and moisture is the enemy. I use paper towels and make sure it’s bone‑dry.

Two golden, oven‑roasted chicken breasts resting in a black cast‑iron skillet, lightly browned with melted butter and herbs, set on a cloth-covered countertop.

Oven Roasted in cast iron pan chicken breast

Step 4: Oil the Pan

Add a drop or two of neutral oil. Wipe it around the entire pan and wipe off any excess. Too much oil will puddle, get sticky, and send you right back to Step 1.

I put the oil directly on the paper towel so I can control the amount.

Step 5: Heat It — Two Different Ways

For Maintaining a Seasoned Skillet

Set your oven to 200°F. Place the lightly oiled skillet face down on the center rack with a drip pan underneath. Heat for 30–40 minutes. This sets the oil and removes any lingering moisture.

For Building a New Seasoning Layer

If your pan is brand new or freshly stripped, you need a strong base layer.

Set your oven to 450–500°F. Bake the pan for 1 hour, then let it cool in the oven. You may need to repeat this a few times until the surface turns dark, smooth, and slightly glossy. You’ll see the difference — it becomes slippery, slidey, and wonderfully nonstick.

Cooking With Cast Iron

I make everything in my skillets — pies, apple pancakes, roast chicken breasts, meatloaf. I fry, bake, and sauté.

The one thing I don’t make is tomato sauce. Experts say you can, just don’t let it sit in the pan. The acid can damage the seasoning you worked so hard to build. I’ve learned that lesson the hard way.

But for almost everything else? Cast iron is unbeatable. My skillet apple pie is legendary, and I wouldn’t dream of making an apple pancake in anything else.

A Final Thought

Remember, you’re seasoning your skillet every time you cook. Many pans come “pre‑seasoned,” meaning the manufacturer started the process for you. You can cook with them right away, but good maintenance will keep that seasoning building. But always check the packaging to be sure.

Be patient. Once you develop that seasoned base, treat it kindly and your skillet will be your friend forever. Maybe someday your grandkids will still be using it in their own kitchens.

And you know… I haven’t tried baking a cake in a cast‑iron skillet yet — but maybe I should. If pies and cornbread come out this good, a cake might be my next great adventure.

A freshly baked pepperoni pizza in a black cast‑iron skillet, with a golden crust and melted cheese, sitting on a light cloth beside a metal pizza cutter

Another Cast Iron Skillet Recipe

I can’t believe I have another cast iron skillet recipe to share—and this one is so simple it’s almost laughable. Honestly, I don’t know why I never thought of it before.

Chicken is a staple in my house. It’s usually cheaper than beef and always easy to find. I keep chicken breasts or tenders wrapped and frozen so I can thaw them for a quick meal. Roast chicken, schnitzel, chicken and broccoli… the list goes on.

Recently I read a cooking article claiming that roasting chicken breasts in a cast iron pan gives you juicier, more tender results than using a baking dish. I’ll admit, I raised an eyebrow. But I do love my cast iron pans, so of course I had to try it. And I bet you know where this is going—the expert was right. Cleanup was a breeze, too.

They offered all kinds of variations, but for my test run I kept it simple. No cheese, no breadcrumbs—just a naked chicken breast with a little salt and pepper.

Cast Iron Pan–Roasted Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

2 bone‑in chicken breasts (I only had boneless and they worked perfectly)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°.
Preheat your cast iron pan on the stovetop for a few minutes (a 10‑inch pan fits two breasts).
Generously salt and pepper the skin side of the chicken breasts.
Add butter and oil to the pan at the same time.
When the butter and oil are melted and hot, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down.
Let it sear for a few minutes.
Season the other side with salt and pepper.
Flip the chicken and let the second side sear for a minute or two.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 20–30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165° (use an instant‑read thermometer).
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

I served mine over boil‑in‑bag rice cooked in water flavored with chicken broth. Add the sliced chicken, a squeeze of lemon juice, and voilà—a meal to remember. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, the salt and pepper formed a beautiful crust, and my well‑seasoned cast iron pan wiped clean without a fuss.