One of my children is interested in purchasing cast iron cookware and is wondering how to treat it.
Season new cast iron by rubbing lightly with vegetable shortening. You will want to coat the interior where the food will touch. The vegetable oil will leave it sticky.
After coating, heat the pan in a 250 degree F oven for 2 hours. It may be necessary to add extra shortening to the pan. Do not let it dry out.
Let the cast iron get stone cold and wipe out with a paper towel.
Remember when you need to wash the cast iron, don’t let it soak in the water for an extended period of time or you will need to re-season.
If you find some older cast iron pieces at a garage sale that you would like to use, simply scour and scrub them with steel wool. Then season and enjoy.