Amazon.com: Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening, 16 Ounce : Grocery & Gourmet Food (original) (raw)

Okay, first things first—I would never cook with this stuff. Seriously. If you’re thinking of slathering this on your veggies or using it in a healthy recipe, just stop right there. This isn’t “cooking oil”—it’s the equivalent of a couch potato in a can. The kind of product that’s like, "Hey, I’m here to make your cookies super greasy and your arteries question all your life choices."

But here’s the plot twist: it’s a cast iron seasoning miracle. Yep, that’s right. While I wouldn’t dream of using Crisco for anything that’s meant to go in your body, I absolutely adore it for keeping my cast-iron skillets looking like the elegant cooking tools they were always meant to be. (I’m still working on convincing my cast iron that it’s more “sleek and sophisticated” than “rusty and sad.”)

Crisco is perfect for seasoning. It glides onto the surface of your pan like butter—except it’s not butter. It’s like the fairy godmother of cast-iron care, turning your neglected pan into a slick, non-stick beauty with a crispy, golden sheen. Seriously, this stuff will coat your skillet like it’s preparing for a spa day. And let’s be real, who wouldn’t want a spa day for their pan?

As a seasoning agent, Crisco gives your skillet that classic, deep-black patina you see on cooking shows where they dramatically wipe a rag across a gleaming pan and then toss in a steak like it’s no big deal. No one needs to know that you didn’t season it with olive oil, and that’s the beauty of it.

Just remember: do not cook with this, unless you’re planning to feel like a greased-up greaseball yourself. But for seasoning cast iron? 10/10—would recommend. Just don’t eat it.