With many cooking oil options to choose from, deciding what oil to season a cast-iron with can be overwhelming. Here is a guide to the best oils to season your cast-iron skillet with so you can keep your cookware lasting and beautiful.
Why Should I Season My Cast-Iron?
Seasoning is the process of baking oil onto a cast iron through a process called polymerization. Using the proper cooking oils, the cast-iron will absorb those oils into the pan and become part of its slick layer. The cooking oil will fill the tiny pores that are naturally a part of any cast-iron pan, pot, or skillet. Once you heat up your cast-iron and essentially cook those oils into your pan, you will be left with a smooth surface for cooking. With a smooth surface, you can cook with fewer fats and oils, making your meals lower calorie overall.
Seasoning forms a natural, easy-release cooking surface, and helps prevent your pan from rusting. Cast-iron pans need to be seasoned before you use them, otherwise, you'll find it next to impossible to release any of your food from the pan. For an in-depth guide on how to season a skillet or other cookware properly, read our article that explains How to Season Your Cast-Iron Skillet.
Best Oils To Season Cast-Iron Skillets
During the cast iron seasoning process, make sure to exceed the smoke point of your oil of choice by at least 20 degrees. This will allow the oil to polymerize and form the oil barrier that you are trying to achieve. If you do not season the skillet at a higher temperature than the smoke point you might end up with a sticky finish. We recommend you use polyunsaturated oils and avoid rich, fatty oils.
- Canola oil
- Canola oil is a great inexpensive cast iron oil option for seasoning your pan. It has a high smoke point and neutral flavor.
- Our Organic Canola Oil has a delicate flavor and smooth texture, making it one of the most versatile oils as well as one of the healthiest to use with its low saturated fat and 1-gram omega-3. Due to its high smoke point, Canola oil is perfect for grilling, cooking, frying, and seasoning a cast iron skillet.
- Canola oil’s smoke point is approximately 450°F; season your pan with Canola oil at 470°F.
- Sunflower oil
- Sunflower oil is a great cast iron oil option due to its high smoke point and light taste.
- Our Organic Sunflower Oil has a delicate. light flavor and smooth texture making it one of the most versatile cooking oils. Due to its high smoke point sunflower oil is the perfect grilling, cooking, and frying partner.
- Sunflower oil’s smoke point is approximately 450°F; make sure to season your pan with Sunflower oil at 470°F.
- Grapeseed oil
- Grapeseed oil is great for seasoning cast iron skillets due to its high smoke point, mild flavor and inexpensive price point.
- La Tourangelle Expeller-Pressed Grapeseed Oil has a light flavor and contains a high level of polyunsaturated fat. It can also be heated up high, making it an ideal healthy cooking partner.
- Grapeseed oil’s smoke point is approximately 375°F, season your pan with Grapeseed oil at 395°F.
- Avocado oil
- Avocado oil has high levels of unsaturated fats to help polymerize and oxidize, which will result in a very tough cast iron oil seasoning coat.
- La Tourangelle Avocado Oil is 100% pure, all-natural, and handcrafted from premium avocados. We use only the freshest, most high-quality local ingredients to make our artisan avocado oil better than any other.
- Our avocado oil is a blend of virgin and refined oils, giving you the benefit of the high smoke point of refined avocado oil and the antioxidants and nutrients of virgin avocado oil.
- Avocado oil’s smoke point is approximately 375°F; make sure to season your pan with Avocado oil at 395°F.
Cast-Iron Recipes
The Pommes Anna, a pretty spiraled disc of thinly sliced potatoes is the perfect side next to roast chicken, steak or even at brunch with eggs and a lemony salad. These potatoes can get ultra golden brown and crispy on the outside with a creamy center, thanks to our Avocado Oil.
This Apple Sage Pork Chops with Grapeseed Oil is a one pan wonder! The flavors of fall come together in this hearty seared pork chop recipe. Apples take a savory turn when roasted with earthy sage and thyme in our light Grapeseed Oil. Be sure to pour all the pan juice over the chops for a delicious finishing sauce.
Strawberry Ginger Pecan Skillet Streusel Cake is extremely satisfying. It is outrageously moist and juicy - thanks to our Roasted Pecan Oil, kefir, and cooked fruit. The buttery-crispy pecan streusel makes an excellent contrast, and the batter, fortified with buckwheat and orange zest, makes the cake itself earthy and bright. All the elements come together and produce one of the best baked fruit treats ever!