You have to start somewhere. This is, in my opinion, the most versatile piece of gear in the kitchen. I use it in some capacity almost daily. If you invest in a cast iron skillet, season it properly and keep it in good shape, it will deliver a lifetime of performance that the crappy teflon coated skillets can’t touch. I got my skillet over ten years ago and it is in perfect condition.
It is simple to season a new cast iron skillet. While some say that you only need to do this once, I like to do it once a year or so. No idea if it helps or not, but it works for me. Hey, I never said all my advice was going to be professionally vetted. It’s a freaking blog, for crying out loud.
Preheat your oven to 350.
Scrub your new skillet clean with soap and water. Dry it off.
Smear a bunch of Crisco shortening all over the skillet, inside and out. Including the handle. Don’t skimp.
Put it in the oven (on the middle rack) upside down for an hour. Put some aluminum foil on a rack below it to catch oil drips.
After the skillet cools, wipe up any excess with a paper towel, and you’re done.
When washing the skillet, just use warm water and a nylon scrubber. After drying it thoroughly, wipe a thin layer of Crisco or olive oil onto the inside of the skillet with a paper towel.
[...] griddle/grill is seasoning as I write this, per the instructions in one of my first posts here. I can’t wait to give that bad boy a lifetime of kick-assery. [...]