Forgot to season a cast iron griddle before using.?

I did that too, once, some forty years ago and I still haven't heard the last of the ribbing I got for it. Yes, you can still season it - and you really should. Just wash it again as you did the first time - a good scrub with hot soapy water. Dry it thoroughly - best way to do that is stick it in the oven and actually bake it for a bit. While it's still warm, apply a light coat of Crisco inside and out, and put 'er back in the oven, upside down. It works well if you put a layer of aluminum foil on the bottom rack and set the griddle on the top rack. That will catch any drippings and help keep your oven clean. Some folks use a cookie sheet instead of the foil - up to you which you use, but be sure the foil does not inadvertently touch the bottom heating element if yours is an electric oven.

Close the oven and set the temperature control on 250 degrees and let the griddle bake in there for two hours. Turn off the heat and let it sit inside until it's cool, then take it out, wipe it down inside and out with a clean cotton cloth (paper towels tend to leave a lint-like residue on the iron) and store it in a dry place.

HINT: if you have a power ventilator over the top of your range, turn the thing on - the seasoning process does produce a pronounced odor, and although it is not terribly foul, most folks would rather not fill their house with that. It may also produce a bit of visible smoke. If you don't have one of those ventilating hoods, another way is to bake it in one of those covered gas grilles outside and let Mother Nature have the full benefit of the seasoning "perfume". You will need to repeat the seasoning occasionally. The newer cast iron cooking implements, especially those from Lodge, come pre-seasoned from the factory. Look on the label; it'll tell ya if that's the case. And even those need re-seasoning once in awhile. It's just the nature of cast iron cookware - but I'll tell ya, a lot of expert chefs prefer cast iron cookware. I have twenty pieces of it in my collection - more if you count the lids separately. I can even bake ya a wedding cake in my big three-legged cast iron Dutch oven (properly called a camp oven)!

To season any cast iron pan or griddle...

1) Clean it very well with soap & water and a scrub brush. Don't leave any food residue on it at all.

2) Make sure it is completely dry and then coat it inside and out with a thin coat of shortening or canola oil. Use a paper towel to wipe away any excess.

3) Then place it into a 350 degree oven for 1 hour. When it comes out, allow it to cool and it will be seasoned.

It takes a minimum of 1 hour at 350 for the oil to be seasoned enough to stick to the pan. When it comes out of the oven it should feel "tacky" and not oily. If it is a brand new pan, you can repeat steps 2 & 3 a second time.

After each use, you can lightly scrub out any residue with soap & water, but you want to have the brown coloring in the pan. Be sure to dry the pan toroughly immediately after washing or it can rust. Never scrub so much that you see bare metal.

Reseaon it every time you use it. (The oven's still hot, why not?) I just rub canola oil or lard on it with a paper towel, and bake the empty pan in the oven for an hour or until I remember it. Let it cool down, wipe it out again and put it away. I layer my cast iron with a light dishtowel or paper towel to prevent scratching and absorb moisture.

It seems like it took a while before they were well seasoned, but I've had mine now for 15 years. Even if you're bored or something, just season them and toss them in the oven. You don't have to wait until you cook something.

Martha Stewart has a guide to seasoning your cast iron cookware. I have many pieces of ironware, I have taught my daughters that it will last forever and needs little care. I have found that heating up the pans in a 350 oven with oil in them helps to season a pan. Then all you need to do is rinse, wipe and put away. Your pans should last you a life time.

Don't worry it's ok. just go ahead and season it now. lots of cooking oil 350 oven wipe down no soap. If later on it accidently gets soaped and watered again, just reseason, you can't season cast iron too many times.

clean it well.

dry it good.

coat it with vegetable oil.

bake it in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

then, it is "seasoned".

after use, do not wash with soap.

run under hot water for just a bit and wipe it out with a clean cloth or paper towel.

initially, by no skill wash your forged iron skillet with cleansing soap/detergent. consistently in simple terms wash out with a scrubber and warm water. pat dry. placed in simple terms somewhat of cooking oil on the pan and unfold all of it over the soreness with a paper towel. every time you cook dinner with the skillet, the oils from the meals "season" the pan. additionally, including oil to it enables save meals from sticking the subsequent time you utilize it. the greater that's used, the swifter it truly is going to grow to be "pro".