When to add oil to cast iron

[OriginalCrash]

Question for you CI users here... When cooking, do you add oil before preheating the pan or right before cooking?

[Flynnster]

I usually put oil in as it's heating up, not necessarily right away, but before it is all the way hot. Gives me a better idea of how how the pan is as I can see when the oil is smoking.

[Talal]

Yea i do the same as flynnster, i usually preheat on a low heat, juice some oranges, then set it to the heat im going to be cooking at a few and put some coconut oil in. Ill clean the juicer in 2-3 minutes then proceed to fry the eggs and the pan is usually good to go. It usually has a touch a of grease from last breakfast anyway .

[BingeAndPurge]

Pretty much the same as Flynn for me as well.

[Pkrankow]

Oil in the pan when I put heat to it, more or less, like everybody else.

If needed I add more oil later and just swirl the oil so it all heats quickly.

Phil

[KindestCutofAll]

My rule is always oil right away.

Oil when first heating, then I oil right after it has been heated and dried for few minutes.

[stobes21]

I usually add oil as soon as I turn on the heat. No real reason other than that I'm standing there anyway. I don't see how it makes a difference one way or another.

[Slash McCoy]

Heating a nearly dry skillet will oxidize what small amount of oil is already in the pan. Taken to extreme, it will make the seasoning scale off. I always make sure there is some grease or oil in the skillet before it gets very hot at all.

[NickCutlip]

I add oil before preheating.

[StillShaving]

Seems there is a diner in Memphis that effectively never removes the oil from their cast iron: Memphis: Dyer's Deep-Fried Burger

[Prince]

Seems there is a diner in Memphis that effectively never removes the oil from their cast iron: Memphis: Dyer's Deep-Fried Burger

That is the one where the grease has been in the pot for almost 100 years. Crazy huh?

[hugh4]

That is the one where the grease has been in the pot for almost 100 years. Crazy huh?

Living in Memphis I have had my fair share of Dyer's. Place is damn good!

[Chevyguy]

Shouldn't have to, just wipe it out. Now if you burn something in it thats a different story. Only time you need to reseason cast iron is when you clean with detergents. When I cook in cast iron I just melt a little butter inside the pan.

Clayton

[The Chandos]

I wipe the CI with a cloth soaked in olive oil first. Then I turn on the heat. If I need more oil I'll add and swirl like Pkrankow. I typically scrape it clean when done and then rewipe it so it always a coat of oil.

[SteveWY]

Similar to the rest. Some oil from the beginning and bring pan up to heat. I just have an aversion to heating a dry pan. Also this way the the oil and pan are at the same temp for cooking. After cooking, scrape out, put some hot water in pan, scrub under ruuning hot water, put on low heat to dry, and finsish with a very light coat of oil and wife off excess. Seems to work.

[_JP_]

I've always heard, "Hot pan, cold oil, food don't stick!" Works for me. But I do wait for the oil to heat up after it goes in.