How to Cure an Iron Skillet With Bacon Grease

Fry bacon in a frying pan or make bacon on a microwave-safe bacon tray. Pour the hot bacon grease carefully into a heat-safe bowl. Let the bacon grease cool and become a solid at the top.

Scoop the solid bacon grease off the top, leaving the liquid and impurities on the bottom of the bowl. Place the bacon grease into the iron skillet. You will need 1/4 to 1/3 cup of solidified bacon grease.

Fold up two to three paper towels and use them to spread the bacon grease over the interior surface of the iron skillet.

Turn the oven on and heat it to 400 degrees F.

Line a cookie tray with aluminum foil to catch dripping bacon grease in the oven. Place the cookie tray on the second rack inside of the oven.

Open windows and turn on an exhaust fan; curing iron skillets typically generate smoke.

Set the bacon grease-coated skillet upside down on the top rack of the oven, positioned directly over the cookie tray. Let the skillet remain in the oven for one hour.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Set the skillet right side up on a heat-resistant surface. Let the skillet cool for five to 10 minutes.

Wipe the excess bacon grease off the iron skillet with three to four folded paper towels. Let the skillet cool until it is just warm and wipe the skillet again. Repeat the process, as necessary, to attain a nonstick surface.