Our RAW pans arrive unseasoned, ready for you to complete the initial oven seasoning process yourself. They will have a thin layer of oil on their surface for corrosion protection during transit, but otherwise, they are simply a solid wrought piece of clean, raw Aussie iron.
On this page, we've shared some of our top tips and tricks that will make your transition to seasoning, caring for and cooking with iron as smooth as possible. There can be a small adjustment period as you get used to cooking on iron, but it's so worth persevering, and soon you'll never want to cook on anything else! Your health, our planet, and future generations will thank you for it.
Have one of our original RAW pans? Click here to learn how to get started with it!
These pans will arrive to you unseasoned with a thin layer of non-GMO rice bran oil on their surface, ready for you to complete the initial oven seasoning process. Seasoning is simply layers of oil that are baked onto the surface of the pan, through a process called polymerisation. Over time, this builds to form a naturally non-stick cooking surface that continues to develop and get better with use. Your seasoning is forever renewable and can be touched up at any time with some stovetop or oven seasoning!
Some quick tips before starting:
IMPORTANT: If you are oven seasoning your new AUS-ION RAW pan for the first time, you will need to 'key' the surface of your pan before starting. This will roughen up the smooth surface a bit and give the seasoning some texture to bond to. You can do this by lightly scrubbing some steel wool or sandpaper over the entire surface of your pan. Then, simply follow the seasoning instructions below.
1. Preheat your pan/s in the oven to 90°C for 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven (take care, it’ll be HOT!), and place on a heat-resistant surface.
2. With a lint-free cloth or paper towel (avoid microfibre as it is synthetic and made from plastic, consider an old cotton t-shirt, tea towel or even a pillowcase), wipe a very thin layer of oil over the entire pan. We recommend rice bran oil, though any cooking oil with a high smoke point can be used for seasoning. You only want the lightest layer possible – wipe on, then wipe off. The pan should almost look dry, as though there is no oil left on the surface. Too much oil is one of the most common causes of weak, flaking, sticky or problematic seasoning.
3. Increase the oven temperature to 250°C. Place the pan upside down in the oven for 1.5 - 2 hours. Switch the oven off and, without opening the door, leave the pan to cool in the oven for at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight. Barbecues are ideal for seasoning and help keep any smoke outdoors.
4. Repeat the oven seasoning process three or more times to establish a strong seasoning foundation for corrosion resistance. You will notice your pan start to darken in colour.
IMPORTANT: We do not recommend stovetop seasoning for our Baking Sheets or Roasting Pans, as this can sometimes cause uneven movement and warping. Click here for our seasoning guide for these pans.
1. Heat your pan slowly on the stovetop, gradually increasing the temperature to get your pan hot (AUS-ION is highly conductive so you won't need a high stovetop heat). Drop in a teaspoon of rice bran oil or your choice of cooking/fat oil with a high smoke point*, and wipe the inside surfaces with a paper towel (use tongs for safety).
2. Continuously wipe the oil around the pan until it starts to smoke. Once smoking, continue to wipe for 20 seconds. The oil should be a very thin polish with no pools or lumps.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for at least 1 minute.
4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for 10-15 minutes, over two or more sessions, until the base is black, slick and oil repellent, or until you are satisfied with the pan’s non-stick performance.
5. Start cooking! Cook with plenty of fats/oils to begin with, and make sure you lower your heat to start with. You'll soon find your cooking groove on your new forever pan!
Mark's Ultimate Seasoning Bar Recipe:
Solidteknics founder Mark Henry has been making seasoning conditioner bars for years, and reckons he's found the perfect recipe! For those wanting to get a little creative and make your own seasoning bars at home, Mark has kindly let us share his recipe with the world!
Remember, you DO NOT need a seasoning bar to achieve great seasoning on your AUS-ION™ pans! Rice bran oil, and other high smoke point oils work excellently, as has been done for thousands of years.
Here are our top tips for caring for your AUS-ION pans!
It's okay to wash with soap if you need to!
This can be a controversial take among iron cookware users, but if your pan can survive hundreds of years of cooking, it can handle a little bit of soap! As your seasoning develops, you'll likely find that a gentle wash with just some hot water should be all it needs to remove any excess grease from your pan after cooking. Depending on what you're cooking and how often you use it, your pan may not even need a wash and you can simply wipe any excess oil from the surface. This minimal cleaning method will also help to maintain your seasoning, as you aren't harshly scrubbing the surface with each use.
However, if you have food stuck in your pan or grease that's hard to budge, or you simply like to ensure your pan is completely clean, you can of course use a small amount of gentle dish soap to help clean your pan. Just make sure to not leave the soap on your pan for an extended time, as it can eventually corrode your seasoning. At the end of the day, it is your pan so you can do whatever you like with it! Seasoned iron is forever renewable, so there's nothing you can do to 'ruin' your pan that can't be fixed.
Iron is not a fan of moisture, and if you leave your pan soaking in water or air-drying on a dish rack, it can cause rust to form on your pan. After you have washed your AUS-ION pan, we recommend getting in straight away and hand-drying with a tea towel or placing it back on a warm stovetop to ensure it is thoroughly dry.
Once you're finished cooking and have cleaned your pan, we recommend wiping it over with a thin layer of your preferred seasoning oil before storing it away. This will help to protect your pan against any rust while not in use, and will also help to naturally build your seasoning whenever you preheat your pan next. It's a good habit to get into between cooks!
Here are our top tips for cooking on your AUS-ION pans!
Our pans are highly conductive, so in most cases, medium will be your new high. We recommend starting with a lower temperature before turning up the heat. With induction, you’ll rarely need to go above medium heat, and we strongly advise against using the boost setting.
NOTE: It's important to always match the size of the stovetop element to the pan – this FAQ shows the ideal element-to-pan size ratio.
While our cookware doesn’t have any synthetic, toxic non-stick coatings, you can easily achieve a non-stick, easy-release surface when cooking on iron. The key is a well-seasoned pan, and good heat and fat management!
Click here for our top non-stick iron tips and tricks.
If you're finding that your food is starting to stick again, a quick stovetop seasoning will help to refresh your natural non-stick surface.
A well-seasoned pan will often be patchy in reality. Unlike synthetic chemical-coated pans, our pans are simply naturally seasoned iron. This means that their appearance will naturally change over time, and their seasoning will continue to develop and get better the more you cook. It is very normal to have patches and scratches on the surface of your iron pan (they are built to be workhorses, after all!), and we see these as beautiful features that make every AUS-ION pan unique.
What matters most is how your pans cook, not how they look.
Below is a photo of our founder Mark Henry's pans from his home collection, in all their patchy, scratchy glory!
For seasoning and cooking tips and tricks, visit our Seasoning FAQs.
If you still haven't found what you’re looking for, please email us for one-on-one help from our awesome Solid customer service team: info@solidteknics.com
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In the spirit of reconciliation Solidteknics acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.