A kitchen catastrophe was just barely avoided this past week, though my once-perfect skillet wasn’t so lucky. One small mistake turned a trusted, well-seasoned pan into a scorched, battered mess. But this isn’t just a story of misfortune, it’s a tale of redemption. With patience, determination, and a little avocado oil, I set out on a mission to bring my skillet back to life. Follow along on the journey to recovery.

Seasoning a cast iron pan involves applying a thin layer of oil and heating it until it polymerizes, forming a hard coating that protects the pan. The best oils for seasoning have high smoke points, rich unsaturated fat content, and excellent polymerization properties.