How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet With Avocado Oil

Can I use avocado oil to season a cast iron skillet?

In this article, we will be discussing how to season a cast iron skillet with avocado oil.

Avocados are an amazing fruit that can be used in many ways other than eating them, and seasoning cast iron just happens to be one of them.

I really enjoy eating avocados, too, though. I like to slice them and eat them with salt and pepper. And I definitely love making and eating guacamole out of them, too!

But in this article, we are not talking about eating an avocado or making guacamole.

The big question was, can avocados and, more specifically, avocado oil be used to season cast iron?

The short answer is yes, you can. One of the biggest benefits of using avocado oil to season cast iron is its high smoke point.

What Is Smoke Point

In case you are not aware of what is meant by the smoke point of an oil, it is the point at which that particular oil begins to smoke when it is heated.

When oil is heated above its smoke point, it begins to break down.

You may be wondering what temperature to season cast iron with avocado oil. For best results, I typically heat it at the smoke point or just slightly below that temperature.

Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of all seed or plant-based cooking oils. Lodge’s chart shows an avocado oil polymerization temperature of 520 degrees, making it an excellent choice for seasoning cast iron. Another great option is Crisco.

You want to use a high smoke point oil so the seasoning on your cast iron skillet doesn’t chip or flake off when heated to higher temperatures.

In addition, avocado oil has a neutral smell, so you won’t have any weird tastes or odors when you use it to season your cast iron pan.

Cast Iron Seasoning

I don’t always use oil when seasoning cast iron skillets, but when I do, I use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, and bacon grease to establish an ideal base layer of seasoning.

What is seasoning exactly?

Cast iron seasoning is something that many people feel is a complicated process, which it really isn’t.

Seasoning cast iron is necessary to protect it from moisture, which can penetrate the iron and cause it to rust. That’s the sole purpose of seasoning cast iron. Learn how to fix a rusty cast iron skillet before seasoning.

If you’re looking for an overall guide on seasoning your cast iron skillet, check out our complete step-by-step seasoning guide.

But that poses another question.

What is the BEST OIL for seasoning cast iron? 

There are many views and opinions surrounding seasoning cast iron, but cast iron seasoning is really not that complicated.

I’m certainly not an exception because I have opinions about the best oil for seasoning cast iron.

Generally speaking, when I purchase a new piece of cast iron, whether it’s Lodge or some other brand, I wash it, dry it, and begin cooking in it.

Most of the time, I use bacon grease because I cook a lot of bacon.

But grapeseed oil is great for seasoning cast iron as well.

But we’re talking about avocado oil.

Avocado oil has the highest smoke point of all the other oils.

So, that makes it an excellent choice to season your cast iron.

But always remember this. Seasoning is nothing more than a very thin layer of oil baked onto the cast iron.

You just don’t want to apply too much!

How To Season A Cast Iron Skillet With Avocado Oil

As I mentioned earlier, seasoning cast iron is a process that is not extremely complicated.

FAQ

In Conclusion

If you use cast iron for cooking, seasoning is something that we have to do to maintain our cast iron to keep it in good shape and protected from rusting.

What is the best oil to use when seasoning cast iron? Again, it will come down to what works best for you.

I cook so much bacon that my cast iron stays in good shape year-round. Avocado oil is also great for cooking steak!

But if you need to season your cast iron cookware, I highly recommend trying avocado oil.

Leave us a comment and let us know what oil you use and what oil you would never use! And if you have other questions, be sure to check out our frequently asked questions section for more practical answers.