Cast iron skillet recommendations


 
Yeah it is but will it give you 5x more enjoyment from what you cook in it? IOW if you spend $130 on a 12" skillet and $30 on a Lodge 12" will the steak you cook in it (or whatever) be 4x or 5x better?
 
I've almost become as much of a fanatic about Lodge as I am for Weber. Only thing left is for Weber to just buy Lodge so they can make all the custom pieces directly for the Webers. lol. Just sayin.
 
I’ll stick with Lodge. I have several pieces that are 40 plus years old. I just Find it hard to justify $100 plus for CI pan. I have both smooth and pebbled pieces and do not see any difference in how they cook. CI gets used virtually daily in our house. I also have SS. Cuisinart Multiclad Pro. 20 years old and going strong.
 
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I've had a few CI skillets in different sizes over the years, including the basic Lodge #12 skillet. They were all heavy and coarse. Their only redeeming feature was their price. They were allegedly pre-seasoned, but no matter how much seasoning and cooking I did on them most proteins still stuck. They were no fun to cook with or clean and sat mostly unused.

Then I received a Field #10 as a gift. What a revelation! It was lightweight compared to the others, it had a smooth cooking surface, and nothing stuck to it from day one. I needed something a bit bigger, so I went to replace my Lodge #12 with a Field. That's when I saw at the price. :eek: There had to be something out there that split the difference between the super pricey Smithey and Field models and the basic Lodge. I tried to find an old Griswold or Wagner for a while with no luck. Then I stumbled upon Blacklock by Lodge. I think it is Lodge's attempt to capture some of the Smithey and Field market. It's not quite up to those standards, but at $80 for a #12 it's less than half the price. I have the Blacklock #12 and I love it. There was no sticking from day one. The cooking surface was much smoother than the basic Lodge (though not quite as nice as the Field). And the lighter weight makes it a joy to use. So now I just have two CI skillets that are a joy to cook with and they get used frequently.

If anyone is interested...

Blacklock #12: https://www.lodgecastiron.com/product/blacklock-skillet?sku=BL39SK

Blacklock general info site: https://www.blacklockfoundry.com/
 
Check out this crazy grill from the Lodge, just got an E mail today

www.lodgecastiron.com

Savor the Outdoors™

There are few things in life that compare to cooking over an open fire or pulling food off the grill with the perfect sear. Whether you’re cooking outside or with a grill pan inside, choose cast iron for delicious results that impress every palate.
www.lodgecastiron.com www.lodgecastiron.com
 
Bruno said:
Check out this crazy grill from the Lodge, just got an E mail today

www.lodgecastiron.com

Savor the Outdoors™

There are few things in life that compare to cooking over an open fire or pulling food off the grill with the perfect sear. Whether you’re cooking outside or with a grill pan inside, choose cast iron for delicious results that impress every palate.
www.lodgecastiron.com www.lodgecastiron.com
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How is that thing lit?
 
Mark Foreman said:
I’ll stick with Lodge. I have several pieces that are 40 plus years old. I just Find it hard to justify $100 plus for CI pan. I have both smooth and pebbled pieces and do not see any difference in how they cook. CI gets used virtually daily in our house. I also have SS. Cuisinart Multiclad Pro. 30 years old and going strong.
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I dunno' the reason why or maybe I do, I just prefer the smooth surface of the Field CI as opposed to the pebbly finish of Lodge. And both are equally well made.
 
We have 5 CI skillets 4 Lodge and 1 Griswold. 3 lodge CI Dutch ovens and 2 lodge carbon steel skillets. Very happy with all of them. I did have about 5 or 6 others that I sold as they were no name or names that I wasn't familiar with that I believe were imported.
Both Barb and I love to cook on cast iron and it's ability to go from stove top to the oven.
My last purchase was the only new Ci I bough found a 12" Lodge with the assist handle in the front and bought that, our one handle 12" lodge was getting a little hard for Barb to lift.
 
ChuckH said:
Made in China from cast iron imported from Viet Nam from unexploded munitions The U.S dropped on them. So kinda made in the USA
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I've conducted radiation testing on bullets made of depleted uranium and would verify if any of that stuff recovered from Asia contains any.
 
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