▁v apor ization ▁of ▁the ▁l ighter ▁hydro car b ons ▁from ▁the ▁oil , ▁leaving ▁behind ▁heav ier ▁mole cules ▁for ▁optimal ▁polym er ization ▁or ▁carbon ization ▁to ▁occur . ▁ ▁And , ▁there ▁is ▁also ▁no ▁cons ensus ▁on ▁the ▁correct ▁duration ▁of ▁he ating : ▁from ▁half ▁an ▁hour ▁to ▁an ▁hour ▁is ▁often ▁recommended . ▁ ▁Season ing ▁a ▁cast ▁iron ▁or ▁carbon ▁steel ▁w ok ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁process ▁in ▁Asia ▁and ▁Asian - American ▁culture . ▁ ▁While ▁the ▁veget able ▁oil ▁method ▁of ▁season ing ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁in ▁Asia , ▁a ▁traditional ▁process ▁for ▁season ing ▁includes ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁Chinese ▁ch ives ▁or ▁sc all ions ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁process . ▁ ▁Sur face ▁chem istry ▁ ▁In ▁season ing ▁a ▁pan , ▁the ▁oil ▁under go es ▁a ▁conversion ▁into ▁the ▁hard ▁surface ▁of ▁the ▁season ed ▁pan ▁at ▁the ▁high ▁temper atures ▁of ▁cook ing . ▁ ▁When ▁o ils ▁or ▁f ats ▁are ▁he ated ▁in ▁a ▁pan , ▁multiple ▁de grad ation ▁re actions ▁may ▁occur , ▁including : ▁decomposition , ▁aut ox id ation , ▁thermal ▁ox id ation , ▁polym er ization , ▁and ▁cycl ization . ▁O ften ▁season ing ▁is ▁une ven ▁in ▁a ▁pan , ▁and ▁over ▁time ▁the ▁distribution ▁will ▁spread ▁to ▁a ▁whole ▁pan . ▁ ▁He ating ▁the ▁cook ware ▁( such ▁as ▁in ▁a ▁hot ▁o ven ▁or ▁on ▁a ▁st ov et op ) ▁facil it ates ▁the