Seasoning a Carbon Steel Pan - Another Day in Paradise I do most of my day-to-day cooking in carbon, or stainless steel pans. Coated nonstick pans are useful but damage easily and often need to be replaced so I use them sparingly. Seasoning forms a natural, easy-release cooking surface on a carbon steel pan and helps prevent rusting. If you maintain them well they can last you a lifetime. Step 1. Clean the pan with boiling water and soap. The pan will have a beeswax coating that needs to come completely off. A paper towel should have no residue after wiping. Step 2. Open windows and turn on a fan - or you can do this outside if you have a BBQ. Step 3. Put enough flavourless oil (I used canola) in pan to cover the bottom (about 1cm) Heat for around 5 minutes. The pan should have started to change colour. Drain the oil. You can stop here as this is the first layer of seasoning and cooking would build the rest over time. I like to just get a new pan fully done so continue with small layers of oil for about 10 minutes - wiping a layer on, letting it smoke off and repeating. It should have a smooth buffed black finish when done.