Stainless Steel Pan Seasoning: A Beginner's Guide

Stainless steel pans are a fantastic choice for your kitchen. They are elegant, durable, and functional, with great heat conductivity. While it is not required to season your stainless steel cookware, many professional chefs and home cooks choose to do so. Seasoning your stainless steel pan will help seal in the pores in the metal, giving it more of a non-stick surface, which will make cooking and cleaning easier.

To season your pan, start by washing it with dish soap and warm water, then dry it completely. Next, heat up your pan on the stove and add a little bit of oil with a high smoking point, such as sesame, vegetable, peanut, or soybean oil. Once the oil starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Finally, use a paper towel to remove the excess oil, and you're done! When you notice food starting to stick to your pan again, simply repeat the process.

Wash the pan with dish soap and warm water

To season a stainless steel pan, you must first wash it with dish soap and warm water. This is an important step as it ensures that your pan is free of any residues and ready for seasoning. Here are some detailed instructions on how to wash your stainless steel pan before seasoning:

• Fill your sink with warm water and add a mild dish soap. You can also use hot water if you prefer, but be sure to allow the pan to cool down before submerging it in the water to avoid thermal shock, which can cause warping.
• Use a soft cloth, sponge, or non-abrasive scrubber to gently wash the pan with the soapy water. Avoid using steel wool or harsh scrubbers as these can scratch and damage the finish of your pan.
• Pay special attention to the cooking surface, ensuring that it is thoroughly cleaned.
• Rinse the pan with warm water to remove any soap residue.
• Dry the pan completely with a clean cloth or towel. Ensure that you dry it immediately to prevent water spots from forming.

Now that your pan is clean and dry, you can move on to the next step in the seasoning process. Remember that proper care and maintenance of your stainless steel cookware will ensure its longevity and keep it performing at its best.

Choose an oil with a high smoking point

When seasoning a stainless steel pan, it is important to choose an oil with a high smoking point. A high smoking point means the oil will react more readily to the heat and will stick better to the pan, making the seasoning last longer and be more effective.

Some of the best oils for seasoning stainless steel pans include avocado oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, coconut oil, corn oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, and vegetable oil.

It is recommended to avoid oils with a burning point lower than 300°F (149°C) as they cannot appropriately coat the surface of stainless steel pans.

Heat the pan on the stove for 2-5 minutes

Heating your pan is an important step in the seasoning process. It helps to create a non-stick surface that will improve the performance and longevity of your cookware.

To begin, place your pan on the stove over medium heat. Allow the pan to heat up gradually—this ensures even seasoning. Once the pan is warm, add a small amount of oil. You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, corn oil, or shortening. Avoid using butter or olive oil, as they have lower smoke points and can lead to a sticky residue on the pan.

Using a clean, dry towel held with a pair of tongs, spread the oil evenly across the entire surface of the pan, including the sides. Continue to heat the oil until it starts to smoke slightly. This indicates that the oil is polymerizing and creating a protective layer on the pan's surface.

Turn off the heat and allow the pan to cool down completely. Once cooled, wipe off any excess oil with a clean paper towel.

Repeat the process of heating, oiling, and cooling the pan up to three times to build up a durable seasoning layer. Now your pan is ready for cooking!

Remove the pan from the heat when the oil starts to smoke

When you see the first wisps of smoke curling up from the pan, it's time to remove it from the heat. The oil is ready, and you should take the pan off the burner and move it to another burner. This will prevent the oil from burning. It's important to act quickly at this stage, as the oil can go from smoking to burning very quickly.

Once you've removed the pan from the heat, let it cool down. The oil should be lukewarm or, ideally, room temperature. You want to make sure it's cool enough to handle safely. This will take at least 30 minutes, but you can also leave it overnight.

After the pan has cooled, pour the excess oil into a sealed container and dispose of it in the trash. You can also compost the oil or ask a community garden if they can make use of it. Just make sure you don't pour it down the sink, as cooking oil can damage your pipes.

Wipe the inside of the pan with a paper towel or a clean, dry cloth. This will remove any remaining excess oil and give the pan a nice shine.

Let the pan cool down

Letting your pan cool down is an important step in the seasoning process. After you've heated your pan and added oil, you'll want to let it cool completely before removing the excess oil with a paper towel or a clean, dry cloth. This is because a sudden change in temperature can cause something called "thermal shock", which can ruin your pan over time.

When a hot pan is placed under cold water, the metal experiences rapid contraction, which can cause warping and cracking. Repeated thermal shock can cause your pan to become uneven, leading to hot and cold spots during cooking. It can also cause the finish to come off, resulting in chipped enamel or a non-stick coating that may flake into your food. Therefore, it's best to let your pan cool down gradually on the stovetop or on a trivet or heat-proof surface. This will ensure that your pan remains in optimal condition and doesn't sustain any damage.

Frequently asked questions