Does cooking with your iron really season it, or..

[Shane Lewis]

... does the true seasoning only come when baked at a high enough temp?

 I ask because my pans only seem to really season when I actually put them in the oven with a coat of oil or grease.

[Roger Barfield]

They can build up seasoning from normal use, but it's usually faster when you bake them.

[Jeff Friend]

I have found that baking cornbread does a good job of seasoning a skillet.  Remember to preheat the skillet and have it at baking temperature (425F or so).  Then add whatever oil you are using, swirl it around, and then add the batter.  The batter absorbs most of the oil in the pan and prevents the oil from polymerizing into sticky blobs.

The nicest seasoning I have is the on the No. 7 National I use to pan fry fish.  I add enough oil to cover the skillet with about 1/16 inch of oil and heat it to between the shimmering temperature and the smoke point.  Roll the fish in egg + milk, then cornmeal, and fry.