I just got mine a few months ago, a pre-seasoned Lodge pan, and I love it. I made fried rice on it the other day and the rice ACTUALLY FRIED, not to mention that the veggies were fantastic. I made fish last night on it for the first time and with a little olive oil/butter and being careful not to let it get too hot, I got great fish that didn’t stick and had that nice, crispy texture on the outside. My partner has even mentioned how much food texture has improved since I started using it more.
It did take a learning curve- even though it’s pre-seasoned, if you let things burn, you are right back into no-stick land and have a good deal of scrubbing and re-seasoning to do but nothing too bad. Plus, if you let the oil get to the smoke point, be prepared to eat dinner in a smoky haze with the all windows open and the fire dectector being really pissed off. I’m getting better about that ;)!
FWIW, I have a few Lodge pieces, and I’ve not been thrilled by the smoothness of the cooking surface or the seasoning. I recently stripped down one skillet and used 80 grit sandpaper with an orbital sander to smooth out the bottom. Lodge doesn’t machine the pans, so they have a much rougher texture than some of the older, more expensive pans like Griswold that got the extra milling step.
After flattening down the bottom, I reseasoned the pan using flaxseed oil, using the directions from here, as recommended by Cook’s Illustrated. I’ve got to say that it’s head and shoulders above the previous seasoning that I’d done with Crisco, although that may be result of the smoother starting surface. It’s almost glassy, unlike the previous seasoning which felt kinda waxy. At any rate, I’ll be doing the same with my other skillet and dutch oven.
I had one with a wood handle which I ended up removing because I would sear on the stove and finish in the oven, or use it for baking. The handle was a hollow dowel with an eye bolt through that screwed into a threaded hole under the outside rim of the pan. Ended up getting rid of it and replacing with a more traditional one. Because a handle is handy on a hot pan.
And I’ll add my voice to the chorus that says they are worth the extra time/care required.
I already knew the thing about letting meat release on its own but I think I fucked it up by caramelizing onions in it with too fresh a seasoning. The seasoning itself is broken up. There are sections that are smooth, flat and glossy that work really well and parts that are more bumpy and matte looking. I think today I will scrub it down and try to reseason it.* I’ve been trying to clean it with a bit of oil, kosher salt and a paper towel but I end up using 3 or 4 paper towels and that just feels wasteful.
*I have not had a lot of free time this semester and baking something for multiple hours is just not an option when I leave at 8 in the morning and come back at 11 at night. But today I actually have some free time, hallelujah.
Lodge cast iron cookware has a pro series that has cast iron cooking area but has handles that are not hot when grasped. I love cast iron cookware it has far superior heating and searing qualities. I prefer the fully molded pan but the pro series are good to you have to wash the handle and shaft that connects the handle. They are not seasoned so stuff can stick them.
I recommend these. I have a pair, and they’re excellent for dealing with hot stuff, whether on the stovetop, in the oven or on the grill. They beat the heck out of potholders.
You wouldn’t have to screw the handle into the pan, you could screw the pan into the handle.
My seasoning has broken before, but only after cleaning with salt. I just put more just oil on it, and cook it on the stovetop for a bit, and then just leave it. The surface is smooth by the next time I use it. And, no, the oil has not gone rancid, either.
That what mine is, though I don’t know where it was made, as I picked it up from a yard sale. I haven’t seen the milled variety in stores for a long time, and the nubby ones seem like they wouldn’t get that black, non-stick sheen until they had been seasoned for a very long time.
Hey, while we’re on the subject… I have a recipe that calls for an oven-proof non-stick skillet. I don’t have one of those. Is there any reason why I can’t just use my cast iron skillet instead?
Not that I can think of. Unless there’s something really magical they’re looking for, the recipe should work fine. The call for non-stick is probably to avoid mess, and your cast iron should clean up nicely.
General tip, which the cast iron users no doubt already know, but for the newbies: deglazing isn’t just for making gravy. It’s also a great way to get leftover bits off your cast iron in a hurry. Finished with making burgers and looking at a mess? Crank up the heat for a couple of minutes until it’s sizzling, then pour a couple of ounces of water (or wine, but hey, why waste the wine) into the pan. The cooked-on stuff will simply slide off as the boiling water works its magic.
Handy tip: Never reach across your cast iron skillet to grab something. The inch-long scar on the inside of my right forearm attests to how stupid that action can be.