Use a dry towel, not a potholder

Grab the handle with a folded, dry kitchen towel.

Wet towels create steam, which can soften or blister the seasoning. Potholders are fine, but they trap heat and can slip. A thick, dry cotton towel gives you the grip and control you need.

You don’t need to worry about thermal shock here — moving from a hot stovetop to a hot oven is negligible. The seasoning is already cured at 400–500°F. Just don’t touch the pan with anything wet.

Also, ditch the silicone handle covers. They melt above 450°F and trap moisture underneath. Lehr’s rule: if it’s not oven-safe past 500°F, don’t trust it.

Your hands are worth more than a slightly brittle seasoning layer.