Best Oil for Cast Iron Pan

I love using my cast iron skillet to make many Cast Iron Skillet Recipes. The more I use it the better it cooks which leaves my food tasting perfectly. If you need help cleaning your cast iron cookware, check out How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet.

We get many questions on what is the best oil to use to season cast iron skillet and these 6 options will help answer all the questions. The short answer is oil and heat in the oven to create the best cast iron skillets.

Why Seasoning Cast Iron Skillet is Important?

Seasoning your cast iron skillet is important to create the perfect layer to prevent rust and a non-stick surface. When your skillet is properly seasoned you can easily bake a cake, eggs or cook the best steak.

When your cast iron skillet is properly seasoned it allows you to save money. The skillet helps your food taste even better and there is no need to keep buying skillets because a properly seasoned Lodge cast iron skillet will last you forever.

Why Makes a Great Oil?

If you have decided to start doing cast iron cooking there are a few factors to ensure you are using the correct oil.

• High Smoke Point – You will need to choose an oil that has a high smoke point because the best foods are cooked at a high temperature.
• Higher Concentration of Unsaturated Fats – Using the right oil helps to polymerization helps to occur the perfect cast iron seasoning process. So coconut oil and palm oil is not great options.
• Neutral Flavor – You want to cook with an oil with neutral flavors. This helps to prevent the food to take on the taste of the oil. This also helps to not to spend a lot of money on oils. We like using vegetable oil because of the neutral flavors.

Avocado Oil

Refined Avocado oil is my first option to use on my cast iron skillet. It has many health benefits and I can use it with any recipe. It is also a great option to use as a layer of seasoning.

Vegetable Oil and Canola Oil

Another top oil to use is vegetable oil and canola oil because of the neutral flavor and that it is budget friendly.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is a great choice for cooking your favorite foods but it is not best for cast iron seasoning oil. It is more of drying oil and it does cost more than other oils.

Grapeseed Oil

This is another oil that I like to use on my cast iron skillet. It meets all the requirements and can easily be found at the grocery store.

Olive Oil

Olive oil can be a good choice if that is all that you have. If you use extra virgin olive oil it has a low smoke point so it may not be a good choice. If you like using olive oil, make sure it is light or refined version.

Bacon Fat and Lard

These are classic options that my grandparents used as that was only the only options. These options create a delicious cooking surface. Make sure to save your leftover bacon grease to add flavor to your next meal.

What Not to Use to Season Cast Iron Skillet?

Coconut oil and butter are two options that are not recommended to use on your cast iron skillet. If you use butter make sure to add some oil which helps to prevent the butter from burning.