I bought my first cast iron skillet and immediately ruined the seasoning on the first cook. Eggs stuck, the pan rusted in spots, and I almost threw it out. Then a buddy who cooks on nothing but cast iron showed me the ten-minute fix.

Seasoning is just a thin layer of oil that has been heated until it polymerizes. That is it. The process sounds fancy, but it takes one pan, one oil, and ten minutes.

What You Need

• A clean, dry cast iron skillet
• Neutral oil with a high smoke point, canola or grapeseed work well
• Paper towels or a clean cloth
• An oven set to 400 degrees

Skip the flaxseed oil hype. I tried it and it flaked off. Plain canola has never let me down.

The Ten-Minute Routine

Wipe the skillet completely dry, then rub a very thin layer of oil over the whole thing, inside and out. Here is the part everyone gets wrong: after oiling, wipe it again with a clean towel until it looks dry. The oil should be invisible. If you can see it, it is too thick and will turn sticky.

Place the pan upside down in the oven with a sheet of foil underneath to catch drips. Bake for one hour, then let it cool in the oven.

Repeat After a Few Cooks

One seasoning pass is enough to start, but the coating gets better with use. After cooking something greasy, just wipe the pan clean, reheat it with a dab of oil, and you are maintaining the seasoning without any oven time.