Cookware Center

FACTORY NEW: Cast iron pans fresh from the factory normally are treated with a coating to prevent them from rusting before they sell. This coating is not good to eat and it may comprise plastic or wax, so it’s a good idea to go over your pan with steel wool before seasoning the pan or using it for the basi time. After scouring it with steel wool, wash your skillet or pan in hot soapy water and then place over heat until dry. After you have cleaned and dried your new pan, condition it before using.

RUST: If your pan or skillet is presently rusty, clean off the rust with steel wool first. You may recondition almost any cast iron skillet or pot, no matter how yucky it is when you find it. After you have scoured off the rust, wash it and arid it over heat. Then condition your pan.

TO CONDITION: If it is new, lately cleaned with steel wool, or other than as supposed or expected not greasy, you need to “season” or “condition” it original before cooking. To do this, put it on a hot burner, add a couple of tablespoons of cooking oil. Allow to get hot, then to cool, then wipe the oil all over, then wipe off any excess oil.

TO CLEAN: There are dissimilar methods, but perchance the best method is the one that never uses soap. Soap will strip the skillet of the oil, and it is supposed to have oil on it! Unlike other pans, a good cast iron piece will be black with residuary oil. This prevents the pan from rusting and the metal from reacting with the food, and the oil likewise makes it work like a non-stick pan. So rather of soap, use salt to clean the pan. Coarse kosher salt is good for this intent because it is the right coarseness and you may get a huge box cheaply.

When you’re done cooking, rinse out your pan, dump in a tablespoon or two of salt and scrub the pan just with salt and water combined in a thick, grainy paste. Rinse, then put the pan on the burner again and heat to arid the pan before putting it away (so it doesn’t rust). The pan still has oil on it but it’s clean, so next time you cook you may just start out cooking without having to condition the pan again.

ReviewPancakes, eggs, and bacon in some manner taste extra hearty when cooked in a heavy cast-iron skillet. Cast iron produces superior heat retention, heats evenly, and loves a campfire, different from flimsier pans. Fry up a mess of catfish, roast a chicken, or bake an apple crisp in this generous 12-inch pan that features two handles for heavy lifting, and two subtle side lips for pouring. While the skillet comes preseasoned to prevent feed from sticking, it works best when sprayed or lightly coated with vegetable oil before use. Whether applied in a kitchen or camp, this almost indestructible pan must last for generations.–Ann Bieri

Season Cast Iron Cookware Picture

Season Cast Iron Cookware Picture

Season Cast Iron Cookware Picture

Most helpful customer reviews

507 of 512 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent Quality
By Ron Atkins
I own several Lodge cast iron products and use them everyday. I have 3 teeneage boys that enjoy cooking, and after they destroyed a few teflon coated pans, I decided I would go heavy into cast iron. These pans are indestructible. You can use them in the oven or stovetop, and if you keep it seasoned properly food will not stick. Also, to avoid sticking problems, you may want to remember to allow the pan to get hot before applying oil or food.

As to seasoning, the Logic line now comes preseasoned. But don’t make a big deal about this. To season a cast iron skillet simply coat it lightly with oil and bake it for a half hour or so. I have also seasoned these skillets on the stovetop. Cast iron is also great because it does not easily scrap like stainless steel and aluminum pots. Aluminum pans are painful to me, as my teeth fillings react to the aluminum. With cast iron, you won’t have this problem. I also take my Lodge pan camping and set it right over the coals to cook. No melted handles or scorched bottoms to mess with.

293 of 297 people found the following review helpful.
Outstanding, dont let the low price fool you!
By D. Horton
Let me start by saying we have a kitchen full of 20+ pieces of Calphalon Hard Annodized Commercial cookware. I was always of the opinion that quality cookware carried a price that was justified by the performace of the cookware. So I thought if I wanted cast iron I should look at LeCreuset… wrong! Lodge blew that theory out the window! I can’t express how well this simple pan works. Let it get hot and it will hold the temp like nothing else, oven to cooktop. I finally decided to get a good cast iron skillet after hearing Alton Brown (Host of Good Eats – …- TV Food Network – …) rave about cast iron for the last few years. He steared me to Lodge, Lodge’s web site (lodgemgf.com) told me about the pre-seasoned “Logic” line. This stuff makes cast iron simple. No messing around with seasoning a new pan. Simple care instructions. And clear instructions to reseason should the need occur. At the price these pans sell, there is no excuse to not have one, (or more) in your kitchen. It will soon become your favorite pan. I bought a 5 quart Lodge Logic Dutch Oven at the same time and it is fantastic as well!

317 of 323 people found the following review helpful.
My new favorite pan
By fast_matt
After waiting a month to get the thing because it was back-ordered, I FINALLY got to try out my skillet. I love this thing! Most of my cookware is garden-variety non-stick and hardly suited to things like searing steaks or fajita meat.

You can run this pan as hot as you dare without hurting it – works great for steaks, and makes an awesome cheese steak. The pre-seasoned coating works as advertised, and the cast iron gives good heat transfer and VERY even heat across the entire pan. I think I’m going to be using this skillet A LOT.

A handy suggestion regarding cleaning that I stumbled across on another website… be SURE to use a hot pad while doing this! Immediately after cooking, fill the pan with HOT water (not cold; you could crack it!), put it on high heat, and bring the water to a rolling boil… this will lift debris off the pan bottom. Dump the water and immediately wipe dry with a paper towel, set on the (turned-off) burner briefly to dry completely, and wipe the cooking surfaces with oil.

Another note – want those steaks well-done but juicy? Buy the Lodge Logic 5-qt Dutch oven; the lid fits this skillet! Sear both sides of the steak on medium-high (about 3 min each), then flip, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook as desired, flipping the steak once along the way (about 5 minutes per side for a small, well-done filet mignon). Your cooking times may vary, but the combo of cast-iron skillet for searing and lid to keep things moist while cooking works exquisitely. Brown, not black, outside… and tender inside.

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