So I tried to season an old cast iron pan today, but I think I did something wrong. I followed Alton Brown's instructions, which say to use a paper towel to spread fat over all the surfaces of the pan, then place upside down in a 350 oven for an hour with a drip tray underneath.

After it became cool enough to handle, I took it out, but the surface was sticky and uneven, with little splotches of fat scattered about.

What might I have missed? Did I use too much fat?

Hard to say exactly what the problem was or if you used too much fat. Perhaps, you may want to have a quick look through the forum as there have been quite a few discussions already started on this popular subject.

I searched for "cast iron" and found quite a few. You could also try "cast iron pans" and/or "seasoning cast iron".

Let us know if that helps you out. Cheers!