Oven seasoning wins every time.

Oven, and it’s not close.

The oven gives you even, consistent heat across the whole pan. That’s exactly what you want when you’re trying to polymerize a thin layer of oil into a hard, non-stick surface. Stovetop seasoning has hot spots and cold spots. You end up with patchy seasoning and sticky spots where the oil didn’t fully cure. I’ve tried both. The stovetop method works in a pinch if you’re doing a quick touch-up on the cooking surface only, but for a proper season – especially on a new pan or after stripping – the oven is the only way to go.

The process is dead simple: wipe a super thin layer of oil (flax, grapeseed, or Crisco) all over the pan, then bake it upside down at 450–500°F for an hour. Let it cool in the oven. Repeat 2–3 times. That’s it.

Stovetop seasoning is essentially a half-measure. It works for fixing a small patch, but don’t rely on it for building a durable layer across the whole pan. If you only do stovetop, you’re making extra work for yourself.