Hi, I’m Jess and I have sinned.

I’ve committed a sin that no southern cook should do.

I used dish soap to clean a skillet.

In fact, I’ve used dish soap on my cast iron skillet every single time I’ve used them since they were handed down to me by my mom when I got married. THE HORROR.

If you’re thinking I’m crazy and wondering why on earth using soap to clean a skillet is bad, let me explain.

The Non-Stick Magic of Cast Iron

When you use dish soap on a cast iron, you strip it of it’s “seasoning” (aka non-stick magical powers). Not good. If you have a cast iron skillet that food seems to stick to like crazy, then your cast iron needs to be re-seasoned too. Are you new to the cast iron cult? (I’m kidding…sort of) Welcome. Let me share with you why they’re so great.

• When seasoned properly, they’re awesomely non-stick (read: easy to clean).
• They add iron to your food (a mineral the body needs).
• They heat evenly.
• They give an incredible sear on a steak.
• They’re oven and stove top safe.
• It’s the perfect vehicle for one-pan meals

Some people use cast iron cookware exclusively. I have two skillets handed down to me from my mother- one is an 8″ (here), and one is a 10.25″ (here). I love my little 8″ because it’s perfect for a single serve breakfast or cornbread, but I love my 10.25″ too because I can cook up a whole dish in it and have leftovers.

Have you sinned like I have? Does your cast iron skillet need re-seasoning because food sticks to it like crazy and it’s so darn annoying? Here’s how you do it:

How To Season Your Cast Iron Skillet

1. Make sure your cast iron is 200% dry. Seriously. You’re about to season it with oil, and we all know oil and water don’t mix. An easy way to dry it is to place it on the stove top on medium-high until you see all the water evaporate. Make sure it’s cooled before you handle it. 
2. Pour about a tablespoon of vegetable oil or coconut oil into your pan, and rub it in using an old rag or paper towel. I read somewhere that those blue shop-towels rock for this. You want to really rub it in all over- bottom, sides, handle, lip.
3. Using a clean rag or paper towel, wipe it all down again to soak up the excess oil. Your cast iron should look dull, not shiny at this point.
4. Bake it upside down in the oven at 500 degrees for an hour.
5. When the hour is up, just turn off the oven and leave the skillet in there to cool.
6. Repeat the seasoning process 3x.

I know what you’re thinking- THREE TIMES? The more the better, actually. But let me remind you, you should only have to do this once to get that wonderful non-stick surface. Unless you clean it with soap again (DON’T DO IT!).

Properly Cleaning Your Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet

After cooking, use warm water and a brush to clean the skillet as soon as it’s cooled down enough to handle. If seasoned properly, the food should come off easily. If there are any stubborn bits, pour some kosher salt in the skillet and rub with a paper towel.

Never soak it in water. It’s important to remember that iron will rust if left wet, or left in water. To make sure it’s dry, you can heat it up on the stove top like I mentioned in step 1 of seasoning. You can dry it out in the oven too, but I like it on the stove top so I don’t forget about it. Lastly, I use a paper towel to rub the inside of the skillet with a little bit of canola oil after it’s clean and dry just to keep it happy.

Once seasoned properly and cared for correctly, cast iron is a dream to cook with! My husband and I have mastered a pizookie recipe in our 8″ cast iron. I’m not kidding when I say it’s exactly like the ones at B.J.’s. If you’re unfamiliar with this strange named dessert, it’s like a cross between a pie and a cookie. It’s nice and crunchy on the outside with a warm, soft, gooey center. Most importantly, it’s topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream that gets all melty and lovey with the pizookie.

UPDATE: You can find the recipe for the Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie here!

We’ve only done chocolate chip so far, but have plans to try an Oreo one (our favorite) in the future. I promise I’ll be sharing the recipe soon! In the meantime, here are a few other cast iron skillet recipes I can’t wait to try!

• Breakfast Skillet – I’ve seen many variations of these, but the point is, it’s your whole breakfast in one skillet! My kinda dish.
• Chili Cornbread Skillet – Again with the all-in-one dishes. I love to crumble my cornbread in the chili, so this is perfect! A must-do for the upcoming fall.
• Cast Iron Skillet Cinnamon Rolls – This recipe is from “Taste of The South Magazine”, so you know it has to be good. My husband loves cinnamon rolls, and I’ve always wanted to make them from scratch, so this is going on our list too!

Do y’all have any other tips on caring for cast iron? I’d love to hear! P.S., how cute is this wedge pan?! I’m dreaming of perfect cornbread wedges and yummy breakfast scones.

happy cast iron cooking,