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You want to season your cast iron whether it's old or new. New cast iron typically has a coating to protect it during shipping and storage. And old, rusty cast iron can be restored through the seasoning process. Either way, you always want to season your cast iron before using it for the first time (or if it's just been a while or needs some damage control).

If this isn't your first time seasoning the pan and you're just adding a maintenance layer, skip steps 1 and 2 and start with step 3.

*Note: This guide features a cast-iron skillet, but these methods will work for any bare cast-iron cookware.