We'd use it every once in a while but it was such a pain - food stuck to it really bad and it was a pain to clean.

But lots of people talk about how great it is to cook on cast iron, so I did some research and watched some YouTube videos. I cleaned it all up and then did like 5 - 6 rounds of seasoning where I'd put a very thin coat of avacado oil on it and then put it in the oven at 450 for several hours, then turn the oven off and let it cool in the oven until the next morning. Wipe it off with a soft cloth and do it again - another layer of oil and back into the oven. It made the house stink like cooking oil for a few days, but the results are awesome. It's every bit as non-stick as a teflon coated pan - I can fry eggs in it with a little bit of butter and they'll slide all over the pan. When I'm done cooking, I let it cool down and use a paper towel to wipe the excess fat and any food chunks out. If there is something that sticks to it (happens if I cook gravy or something like that in it) - I'll put a tablespoon of kosher salt and a tiny splash of water to create a salt paste, and then use my fingers to scrub off anything that is sticking to it, then rinse it off, wipe with a soft cloth, and spray another thin layer of oil on it. If there's any water on it, I'll turn the burner on until all the water has boiled off just to keep it dry and rust-free.

The thing looks like new now and the cooking results are awesome.


No real point of this post other than to say if you have an old cast iron pan sitting around, you should do this. It's worth it. It's my everyday pan now, and with a little bit of attention it's going to last forever.