How to season a Dutch Oven or any other piece of cast iron

Regardless if it is brand new for found in a flea market or yard sale. A Cast Iron piece can become a real treasure in your cooking world. More importantly you cast if seasoned and cared for properly will last a lifetime.

So you’ve conquered the cooking aisle or the rummage sale and come home with the prized Dutch oven. So what’s next?

1. Well most cast iron oven most manufacturers put a protective coat on the item. Before you begin cooking, this coating needs to be removed. Also if you inherited or purchased a used Dutch oven it will need to be seasoned. Wash the piece with warm soapy water and scrub well. NOTE: This is the only time you will use soap on your Cast Iron.
2. Completely dry with a paper towel. Make sure the oven is totally dry, place in an oven @ 200 deg F. for 15 min to finish.
3. Remove Dutch from oven and set oven to 350 deg.
4. Coat Dutch oven including lid with quite a bit of vegetable oil. Rub it in really good and wipe off excess.
   
5. Place a oven liner in the bottom of the oven to catch drippings from cast.
6. Place lid with handle up on the oven rack and the dutch oven upside down next to the lid. Bake 1 hour.
7. Remove Dutch and wipe off excess oil.
8. Apply another layer of oil inside and out.
9. Follow step 6 bake 1 hour.
10. When timer goes off, turn off oven and let cool in oven until it is cool enough to remove with bare hand.
11. Wipe off any extra oil and apply another very light coat, wipe off any extra oil.
12. Your Cast iron is seasoned, should be slightly shiny; and is now ready to go.