How to Use Your Cast-Iron Skillet Like a Nonstick Pan—Only Better It's our go-to pan for cooking everything from eggs to steak to baking cornbread. Close Credit: Ilya Binus / Getty Images A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is a kitchen treasure. With regular use, it can perform just like a nonstick pan, but with far more versatility, heat tolerance, and swagger. From pizza and paella to cakes to cornbread, cast iron can do it all. With proper care and a little know-how, your cast-iron skillet isn’t just a nonstick pan. It’s the ultimate culinary companion, ready to transform every meal into something exceptional. We're fans of the cast-iron skillet, and we spoke to experts to find out how to keep it in tiptop condition so it's better than any nonstick. Katie Muscarella, co-founder and managing partner of Field Company, American-made cast-iron skillets Mark Longnecker, co-founder of Lancaster Cast Iron, American-made cookware 35 Easy Cast-Iron Skillet Recipes The Whole Family Will Love The Secret to Slick Cast Iron Credit: Courtesy of Williams Sonoma "Food sticks more to uneven surfaces," says Katie Muscarella, co-founder and managing partner of Field Company, makers of cast-iron skillets. "To get the best nonstick performance, the secret is smooth and even seasoning layers." She's not talking about seasoning food with salt and pepper, but about developing a glossy, resilient layer on the skillet's porous surface. Mark Longnecker, co-founder of Lancaster Cast Iron cookware company, adds that most modern cast-iron skillets come pre-seasoned so that you can begin cooking right out of the box. From there, every meal cooked with a neutral, high-smoke-point oil only enhances the skillet's natural polymer coating that performs like a synthetic nonstick pan. Simple, Not High, Maintenance Caring for cast iron doesn’t need to be complicated. After washing and drying your skillet, set it on the stove over low heat for a few minutes to eliminate any trace of moisture. Turn off the heat, rub the surface with a very thin layer of neutral cooking oil while the pan is still warm, and allow it to cool completely before storing. Done consistently, this routine will leave your pan smoother, slicker, and nearly effortless to cook with. With proper care, it could even become a family heirloom, passed down for generations. The Science of Seasoning Seasoning is chemistry at work. It's the process of polymerization, where fats in oil break down under heat and reorganize into long-chain molecules that bond to the skillet's surface. These create a slick, plastic-like finish that mimics the function of synthetic nonstick, but it's entirely natural. For the best results, work with a neutral oil with a high smoke point (such as grapeseed) and heat it just past its smoke point. Each round of cooking builds a stronger, more durable layer. Don't Miss Why Every Home Cook Should Have a Dutch Oven—and the Many Ways to Use One What Is a Griddle and How Do You Cook With One? 3 Steps to Peak Nonstick Performance Credit: Lennart Weibull Use a Well-Seasoned Pan The skillet should have a smooth, black, semi-glossy finish. It should feel dry, not greasy or sticky. This is your foundation for effortless cooking. Preheat With Patience Cast iron is a poor heat conductor, meaning it heats slowly and unevenly compared to steel, aluminum, and copper. This can create hot spots, which cause food to scorch and stick. The solution? Preheat gradually. Oven Method: For the most consistent results, place your skillet in a cold oven, turn the heat to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, and once preheated, carefully transfer the skillet to the stovetop over medium heat. Add oil, let it shimmer and just begin to smoke, which is a sign that the oil is hot enough to brown and release food quickly. (When using this method, remember that the handle will be too hot to touch.) Stovetop Method: Heat over medium for 3 to 5 minutes. A tiny drop of water should sizzle on contact. Add oil and wait until it just begins to smoke before cooking. Let Fat Do the Work Oil isn't the enemy; it's your ally. Use enough to coat the bottom of the pan and allow food to sear undisturbed. Resist the urge to move or flip it too soon. Patience rewards you with a golden crust and a natural release. Why Cast Iron Beats Nonstick Every Time A Safer Bet "Studies increasingly show that chemically engineered coatings can be unsafe—including newer "nontoxic" ceramic coatings and hybrid honeycomb pans," says Muscarella. Cast iron, by contrast, is a natural, enduring metal with no chemical coatings to wear down or flake off. Born for High Heat That slow heat transfer requiring patience on the front ends pays off later: cast iron retains heat long after it's off the burner, perfect for creating "crispy golden crusts on cornbreads, cakes, and pies," Muscarella adds. Unlike nonstick pans that max out at 450 degrees, heat isn't a problem for cast iron; in fact, it’s an advantage, unlocking superior browning, caramelization, and crisping. It moves seamlessly from stovetop to oven, grill, pizza oven, or even campfire. Whether it's a Maillard-crusted steak, blistered peppers, caramelized onions, or a fried egg with irresistibly crisp edges, cast iron delivers flavor and texture that coated pans simply can't match. Explore more: Food & Cooking Cooking How-Tos & Techniques Sources decorvow is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy. Matthew Cole, Alessio Gomiero, Adrián Jaén-Gil, Marte Haave, Amy Lusher, Microplastic and PTFE contamination of food from cookware, Science of The Total Environment, Volume 929, 2024, 172577,ISSN 0048-9697, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172577.