Too much oil is your problem

Yes, all that smoke is excess oil burning off, and the fix is using less—way less—than you think you need.

Cast iron seasoning is polymerized oil that bonded to the metal at high heat. That bond is strong and won’t smoke until you get really hot (like 500°F+). But any oil sitting on top of that seasoning will burn and smoke at its smoke point. So if you’re seeing smoke when preheating at medium or medium-high heat, you’ve got a layer of unseasoned oil on the surface.

The fix: after you oil your pan, take a clean paper towel and wipe it out as if you made a mistake and are trying to remove all traces of oil. Seriously, you want it looking almost dry. That thin invisible layer is all you need for both seasoning maintenance and cooking.

Also check what oil you’re using. If you’re using butter, olive oil, or anything with a low smoke point for seasoning (I see you, flaxseed evangelists), you’re asking for smoke. Stick with grapeseed, avocado, or canola for seasoning maintenance.

Preheat slower than you think. Cast iron distributes heat unevenly until it’s fully hot, so a medium preheat for 5-7 minutes gives you a better surface temperature than cranking it to high and watching it smoke.

Your pan wants to be