Lodge 5 Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Skillet - Signature Teardrop Handle & Assist Handle - Use in the Oven, on the Stove or Grill, or Over a Campfire - Black | camping-cooking-utensils

L. CollierUnited States

Cast iron isn't what it used to be!!

This is a great pan. I have several frying pans, and am saving up for a certain style Dutch oven and double-burner griddle. Cast iron, like anything, has its pros and cons. It is heavy, making it hard to lift and carry; but it also doesn't move if you bump the handle or are using both hands to hold another vessel that you're pouring from into the pan. It comes preseasoned, eliminating that step that should be repeated several times on a non-preseasoned pan prior to use. Things DON'T stick to this pan, as is always the misconception, precisely because of the preseasoning. It imparts a small amount of iron into the food, which is good, as most people are deficient in iron. Cleanup is a bit tedious (no soap or detergent, hot water with a stiff brush, no dishwasher, dry immediately); a small amount of extra time for the care and upkeep, but time well spent in the scheme of things. If it were to rust for whatever reason (you found grandma's pan in the leaky basement; she put it in storage twenty years ago when she moved and forgot about it), it is easily scoured, seasoned, and ready to go. Rarely, except under extreme circumstances, would you ever have to replace a cast-iron pan. I started making the switch to cast iron about six months ago. My husband cooks, I don't; he didn't want cast iron, I did. The deal that we had before the cast iron continued--he cooks, I clean. He has no complaints (other than the weight, from time to time), and that he sometimes forgets to put the insulated handle on before grabbing the handle of the pan. But that's "operator error", nothing to do with the pan itself. I switched to cast iron because of the toxicity of nonstick coatings, such as Teflon. Cast iron is better for your health, it will last generations with proper care, it does not offgas toxic fumes, and it does not flake like nonstick coatings which, it is recommended, have to be discarded. My 11-year-old has taken a great interest in cooking and watches cooking shows a lot, namely on the Food Network. He is very aware of tools used and techniques employed, and noted that many of the chefs and cooks use cast iron, and the ease and sometimes importance of being able to leave the food in the pan but transferring the pan from the stove to the oven. Only with cast iron can you do this safely. Self-basting lids (when lids are used) help to evenly distribute "condensation", keeping the food uniformly moist. I researched pans vs. Dutch ovens, skillets vs. frying pans, handle vs. tab, and am very happy with all my purchases. If you are thinking about purchasing cast iron, of course consider your needs, but also look carefully at product descriptions as to size of pan (diameter and depth), and try different search terms as this will sometimes yield different results. The terms 'skillet', 'frying pan', 'deep fryer', and 'chicken fryer' will give you a bigger variety of similar pans from which to choose. I would also recommend paying a little more for an American-made product (I prefer Lodge; it has a long history to look at); they are heavier (better quality, more evenly distribute the heat); and American products from a reputable company will more than likely follow governmental guidelines for safety. What you're cooking in the pan will go in your body; be cognizant about what can leach from the pan into the food.

Blarney77United States

GREAT Cast Iron, Deep, Large, and it's Lodge! Really can't go wrong!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this pan! First off, I have fallen in love with Cast Iron (CI)!! CI when you take the little bit more time to keep properly seasoned, almost never has food stick. Even then it's really easy to clean. It's wonderful, but if you have a glass top stove you need to be careful to NOT drop it or be rough with it on the glass top. Fantastic with GAS ranges. But, THIS PAN IS DEEP! It's BIG! We do many dishes that we cannot do in the standard 12in. CI pan. It would run over the edge. THIS one we just did spaghetti where we just toss everything in the pan once the ground beef is done. Sauce, Meat, Pasta, all together and it's great. LOTS of room! Yes it's heavier. If weight is a problem for you then this might not work for you. Our "Mexican Lasagna", our Skillet Meatloaf, our Skillet Lasagna, we have room in this pan. Our Shepard's Pie is great to cook up in this partly because we can set it up well in the pan and just slide into the oven! CI is great for that too! Weight is an issue for some people. This pan IS even heavier than the regular 12" CI pan. I personally LOVE the weight because you can stir your stuff and not push the pan around the stove! It stays where you put it! Great for foods that normally stick. My Wife's potstickers require very little effort to pop off the bottom of the pan. Cleanup is easy, and I use either the CI 12in. cover or a 12in. glass cover that fits it from another pan. Never have to scrape food out of a pan anymore.

DWCCanada

I just love Lodge cast iron deep skillets

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I just love the traditional look and weight of Lodge cast iron skillets. Makes me think of my Mom's cooking. And I get additional comfort of quality since made in Tennessee, USA. Lodge invokes a feeling of old-fashioned quality. Practically speaking, the thick cast iron retains heat for a long time. My wife cooked beans, garlic, and chili sauce with it, and I swear the high heat retention made the beans taste as good as the ones cooked in giant woks in Chinese restaurants. I haven't used it long enough to personally experience that it becomes more and more non-stick with use, but I know this will happen. Like all cast iron skillets, you have to wash in plain water, wipe it clean, and apply thin layer of oil to prevent it from rusting. One of my 20 something colleagues mentioned that it was expensive, but I was lucky and bought for $43.91 CAD. it's of such good quality that I will pass it on to my children.

Weak RightUnited States

Great skillet

Great skillet for a couple or small family. Deep side walls allows for making dishes with sauces, or stews. Lodge makes great products. You can easily pass this one down to the next generation. The trick is to get them used to cooking with cast iron. This skillet isn't particularly heavy, so women should be able to handle it. It comes seasoned, but breaking it in properly will take time.