BEFORE AND AFTER
This is how your pan arrives and how it should look after seasoning.
The color will intensify with use.
Prior to treatment
After curing
Initial cleaning
Wash the pan with hot water, dry it thoroughly.
Oil application
Use vegetable oil (linseed or sunflower, olive oil), spreading it evenly over the surface, including the edges and the outer surface.
Heating
Heat the pan over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. The desired effect is similar to scorching. Once the pan turns black, the seasoning is complete; let it cool naturally. This step can also be done in the oven to achieve even seasoning across the entire surface.
Cleaning
Gently blot the surface with several layers of paper towel to remove burnt oil.
Next maintenance
After cooking, you can remove any excess fat that has formed by adding coarse cooking salt and rubbing with absorbent paper. Then re-apply oil.
SEASONING
1. What is Seasoning and Why It is Everything
The Basics
Seasoning is the process by which very thin layers of oil are polymerised onto the iron surface at high temperatures, forming a hard, smooth and natural non-stick coating.
What It Really Is
It is not a varnish. It is not a chemical treatment. It is basic physics and chemistry: the oil oxidises and transforms into a solid resin that bonds to the metal. Every time you cook on a well-seasoned iron pan, you add a new microscopic layer to this coating. The pan literally improves with use.
What Do You Get?
This is why a properly cared-for iron pan:
- becomes increasingly non-stick over time
- releases no chemicals into food
- lasts for decades
Why Choose Iron
A traditional non-stick pan, on the other hand, works in reverse: with use it degrades, gets scratched, and after a few years needs replacing.
WASHING
The Initial Clean
New iron pans are often treated with a light anti-rust protective coating for transport. This must be removed before you begin.
AT HIGH TEMPERATURE
Seasoning
You have two methods available: on the hob or in the oven. The oven delivers more even seasoning; the hob is faster and more intuitive. For the first use, the oven method is recommended.
WHAT DO I USE?
The right oil:
choose oils with a high smoke point, which polymerise better. Flaxseed oil (the best by far), sunflower oil, seed oil. Olive oil works but is not ideal for initial seasoning.
Why Should I Choose It?
FERRO VS ANTIADERENTE
Rivestimento naturale: strato antiaderente ottenuto tramite stagionatura (olio polimerizzato), senza sostanze chimiche.
Migliora con l'uso: ogni cottura rinforza lo strato antiaderente. Con il tempo diventa sempre più performante.
Sicurezza alimentare: nessun rilascio chimico nel cibo, nemmeno ad alte temperature.
Durata: decenni o più, se curata correttamente.
Alte temperature: regge qualsiasi calore senza limitazioni.
Manutenzione: richiede asciugatura e oliatura dopo ogni uso — gesti semplici che diventano abitudine.
Rivestimento chimico: basato su PTFE/Teflon o ceramica, applicato industrialmente.
Si degrada nel tempo: l'uso continuo graffia e consuma il coating, riducendo le prestazioni.
Rischi se danneggiata: un rivestimento graffiato o surriscaldato può rilasciare sostanze nocive nel cibo.
Durata limitata: va solitamente sostituita ogni 3–5 anni.
Temperatura massima: il PTFE inizia a degradarsi oltre i 260°C — incompatibile con il fuoco vivace.
Manutenzione minima: più semplice da gestire quotidianamente, ma non dura.
RUGGINE
How to Prevent It and How to Fix It
Natural iron rusts if exposed to moisture without protection. But rust is not the end: it is a fixable problem.
Prevention:
- Never leave the pan wet
- Always dry after washing
- Store in a dry place
- The thin layer of oil after each use is your main protection
If rust appears:
- Scrub with coarse salt or steel wool until the rust is removed
- Wash and dry completely
- Re-season from scratch
A rusty pan is not to be thrown away. It just needs restoring.
BeSteel
