Appreciation post: my neighbor's grandma taught me how to actually season a cast iron pan

I've had the same cast iron skillet for about 8 years and always thought I was doing fine with it. But last Tuesday I was outside cleaning it with salt and my elderly neighbor Mrs. Garcia came over to ask why I was being so rough with it. She showed me her method which is basically just wiping it down with a thin layer of Crisco after every use and putting it on low heat for 10 minutes. I tried it and now I finally get that non-stick surface people talk about. No more scrubbing or worrying about rust spots. Has anyone else had a cooking revelation from someone older who just knows better by experience?

2 comments

2 Comments

eva_thompson101h ago

Point out how Mrs. Garcia probably has had that pan for longer than most of us have been alive. @keith264 It just shows what happens when you actually LISTEN instead of trying to follow some influencer's complicated 10 step seasoning guide. I had the same issue with my cast iron for years because I kept reading about flaxseed oil and oven cycles. Turns out the old way is the SIMPLE way. Did she also mention something about never using soap or did she have a different take on that?

keith2641h ago

You use Crisco too? That's what my granddad always did with his pans. Took me years to realize he wasn't just being old fashioned.