Seasoning New Cooking Utensils

Why should you go to the bother of seasoning new cooking utensils?

Well if you ever looked at your kitchen utensils under a microscope you would discover that instead of being all shiny and smooth the surfaces are actually pitted.

Food debris gets caught in these pits and sticks to the surface.  Seasoning new cooking utensils prevents this build up and makes your kitchen utensils easier to clean and prolongs their life.

How to season new cooking utensils

Metal cookware

First wash metal cookware in warm soapy water to clean off any factory residue or grime picked up in transit.  Dry off with a clean towel and place on a hot plate on top of a range or in an oven for five minutes or so to ensure it is fully dried off at around 250 to 300 degrees. 

Then using oven mitts, remove the pan and apply cooking fat or cooking oil with a paper towel to your pan.

Be careful to use an oil or fat that has a high tolerance to burning like lard or peanut oil. 

Return your pan to the heat for another two to three hours. Wipe off any excess when done then wash in soap and water and dry.

After seasoning new cooking utensils store them in a dry atmosphere and do not place the lids on them as this helps to prevent moisture build up.

Seasoning new cooking utensils like cast-iron and aluminum and steel pots helps to protect them damage by moisture and rust. In addition it helps prevent your cookware from imparting a metallic taste into your food.

Cast iron cookware

Follow the instructions for seasoning new cooking utensils made out of cast iron but omit the final step of cleaning with soapy water. Just wipe round with a damp cloth.

Wooden Utensils

If you take the trouble to season your wooden cooking utensils then you will protect them from cracking, warping and drying.

As before, wash your utensil in warm water with a very small amount of soap, then dry immediately to clean off factory residues etc.

This will help to prevent drying and subsequent warping. Be careful not to use hot water.

Next rub the utensil with about one teaspoon of food-grade mineral oil.

Let the item stand for a little while, then wipe off any excess oil with a dry cloth or paper towel.

Seasoning new cooking utensils enables you to get the most out of them and prolong their life.