How to Season & Care for Your Iron Frying Pan
If you’re used to nonstick pans, this one may feel a little different at first. If you’ve cooked with cast iron, some of the care will feel familiar.
Hand-forged from uncoated iron, it heats quickly, responds beautifully, and gradually builds a naturally seasoned surface over time. The more you cook with it, the more it becomes your own.
It may need a little care in the beginning, but once you get used to it, cooking with it starts to feel second nature.
Before First Use
To protect the pan during shipping and storage, it comes lightly coated with food-grade camellia oil.
Before using it for the first time, wash off the protective oil with dish soap and hot water, then dry the pan thoroughly over heat.
Because this pan does not have a rust-prevention varnish, there’s no need for an initial burn-off before seasoning.
Like many uncoated iron pans, it needs a little help getting started. Seasoning it before first use helps begin building the surface and makes cooking with it easier from the start.
Small marks, slight color variations, or a bit of black residue on the surface are all normal and are a natural result of the forging and finishing process.
How to Season Your Pan
Before cooking with your pan for the first time, we recommend a simple oil seasoning. This helps begin building the surface, reduces sticking, and makes the pan easier to cook with from the start.
1. Wash off the protective oil
Wash the pan with dish soap and hot water to remove the camellia oil coating from storage.
2. Dry it completely
Place the pan over heat until all moisture has evaporated, then turn off the heat.
3. Heat oil and cook vegetable scraps
Add a generous amount of cooking oil and heat the pan. Then add vegetable scraps such as cabbage cores, green onion tops, or other sturdy trimmings, and stir-fry them around the pan so the oil coats the surface evenly.
This helps start building the oil layer and can also mellow the raw metallic smell that new iron pans sometimes have.
4. Rinse without soap
Turn off the heat and discard the vegetables. Using hot water only, wash the pan with a scrub brush like tawashi. Avoid detergent here so the fresh oil layer stays on the surface.
5. Dry again, then finish with a thin coat of oil
Wipe away moisture, then return the pan to heat briefly until fully dry. Once dry, wipe a thin layer of cooking oil over the surface with a paper towel or cloth.
If you still notice black residue afterward and it concerns you, you can repeat the seasoning process once more.
Cooking With Your Pan
Iron pans cook a little differently than coated pans, and part of the joy is learning their rhythm.
This hand-forged pan is made from 1/16 inch (1.6 mm) uncoated iron, giving it a thinner, lighter feel than traditional cast iron. It heats quickly and responds directly to changes in heat. If you’re used to nonstick or other coated pans, it may take a few meals to get the feel for it. If you’ve cooked with cast iron before, some of the care will feel familiar.
Preheat first
Iron pans are more likely to stick if the pan isn’t hot enough.
A good rhythm is:
warm pan → add oil → add food
Give the pan a moment to preheat before adding oil, then let the oil warm slightly before cooking.
Start with medium heat
Because this pan responds quickly, it doesn’t usually need very high heat.
If this is your first time cooking with forged iron, start with medium heat until you get a feel for how it behaves on your stove.
Don’t leave food in the pan
After cooking, transfer food to a plate or serving dish soon after.
Leaving food in the pan — especially salty or strongly seasoned foods — can affect flavor, discolor the food, or encourage rust.
Don’t leave water sitting in the pan
After washing, dry the pan promptly and completely.
Iron and standing moisture do not get along.
Cleaning After Use
Once you get into the habit, caring for an iron pan is simple.
For everyday cleaning, wash the pan with hot water only and use a natural fiber scrub brush like tawashi to remove any food residue.
Avoid soaking the pan or leaving water sitting in it.
Dry it completely
After washing, wipe away moisture, then place the pan over heat briefly until fully dry.
Any moisture left behind can lead to rust, so this step matters.
Finish with a thin coat of oil
Once the pan is dry, wipe a very thin layer of cooking oil over the surface.
This helps protect the pan and supports the seasoning as it continues to build over time.
Can I use soap?
In general, it’s best to avoid detergent, since it can strip away some of the oil layer that helps protect the pan and reduce sticking.
That said, if the pan feels especially greasy or has a strong smell, a small amount of dish soap is fine now and then.
If you do, be sure to:
- rinse thoroughly with hot water
- dry the pan completely over heat
- apply a thin coat of oil afterward
What to avoid
- Dishwasher
- Dish dryer
- Leaving the pan wet
- Regular use of metal scrubbers or steel wool (save those for burnt-on residue or rust)
If Food Gets Stuck, Burned On, or Rust Appears
Don’t worry — this is all part of learning your pan.
Like any uncoated iron pan, it can take a little time for the surface to settle in. A bit of sticking, burnt-on residue, or even some rust can happen along the way, especially in the beginning. None of it means the pan is ruined.
If food gets stuck or burned on
Start with hot water and a natural fiber scrub brush like tawashi.
If the pan is still warm (not blazing hot), adding hot water can help loosen residue more easily.
If something is really stuck on, you can use a steel scrubber or steel wool occasionally.
If that removes some of the seasoning, don’t worry — simply dry the pan well, apply a thin coat of oil, and keep going. If needed, you can do a quick re-seasoning.
If rust appears
A little rust does not mean the pan is ruined.
If rust appears, scrub it away using:
- steel wool
- a steel scrubber
- cleanser
- or fine sandpaper
Then:
- rinse the pan
- dry it completely over heat
- apply a thin coat of oil
- re-season if needed
The area where the rust was removed may look a little scratched or uneven at first, but the pan can absolutely continue to be used.
Heat Source & Safety Notes
This pan can be used on gas stoves (open flame) and in the oven.
It is not compatible with induction cooktops or microwaves.
The pan will become hot during cooking. In my own use, the handle has stayed cooler than I expected, but as with any iron cookware, it’s always best to check the temperature before handling.
A few important notes:
- Do not leave the pan unattended over heat
- Do not fill it to the rim with water or oil
- If the pan becomes overheated, do not pour water into it or submerge it — let it cool naturally
- If the pan becomes bent or damaged from impact, discontinue use
A personal note: The manufacturer advises against deep frying in this pan. In my own kitchen, though, I’ve found the shape and responsiveness especially nice for small, shallow frying tasks. As always, use your judgment and never leave hot oil unattended.
A Final Note
An iron pan changes with use.
The surface may darken. The color may become uneven. Small marks may appear. Over time, it will look less “new” — and that’s all part of its life in the kitchen.
With regular cooking, proper drying, and a little oil now and then, the surface gradually settles in and becomes easier to cook with.
A good iron pan isn’t something to keep pristine. It’s something to grow into.
