VeganMofo: Secret Training: How to season your cast iron ware

A good seasoned cast iron grill or skillet is every vegan's best friend. Now some people might try and tell you that lard is the only way to treat these bad babies but those people are just plain silly!

You have taken the first step in improving your life and seasoning your cast iron goods, let's begin.

Things you will need:
-Vegan solid shortening (I used earth balance brand)
-Pastry brush or small paint brush
-Cast iron pans
-All natural dish soap
-Scrub brush


Step 1: Scrub the heck outta those babies!!



Assemble your cast iron gear, done your rubber gloves and run that hot water! Take your brush and scrub hard, make sure you scrub all over with lots of soap and hot hot water. Once clean, towel dry completely! and move onto step two.

Step 2: Some Assembly required

Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350. (Check you oven temperatures and make sure it is at 350, those dials on the top lie! So trust your thermometers and adjust accordingly.)

*you might also want to place some foil at the bottom of the oven to catch any drippings*

One you've washed and dried all your gear it is time to melt your shortening. Take you stick (or half depending on the size) and place it into a microwave safe container. Microwave for about 2 minutes until liquid.


Step 3: The messy bit



Now here comes the get your hands dirty part, using your brush apply the melted shortening evenly in coats all over your pans. I would suggest an extra heavy layer on the cooking surface and bottom. It is probably best to do the top and handle before lifting the pan to coat the outsides and bottom. BE CAREFULL! Your heavy and lovely pots are greased and slippery, we don't want any broken toes or kitchen tiles.



Step 4: Hot potatoe

As you grease your pans place them into the oven asap, you don't want to put them down anywhere as they will make a mess. So straight into the oven with them. And move onto the next one.

Once every pan has been greased and moved into your hot oven allow them to bake for an hour. When the hour is up, simply turn off the oven and allow it to gradually return to normal temperatures and you will have lovely seasoned pots and pans.