Cast iron pan?

[Makryspost]

Basic lodge is great. More expensive is usually smoother, but you pay a price for limited benefit. Use Chain mail to scrub big bits, but I find a plastic scraper does best for burnt on. The more you use it the better it gets. When you wash, throw it on the stove afterward to dry off and apply a supper light layer of oil. No rust and ready for the next go.

 

[auror]

Never soaking them, if they get any residual water on them though (for instance leaving them in a dish rack to dry) they will rust. Not putting them away immediately and leaving them by the sink to dry with the rest of the dishes is the easiest way to ruin them. I bought my first cast iron when I was 21, now 36. if you want to treat a 30 dollar pan like its made of gold to maintain it, then go with the Lodge. If you have ever thought "gee I might mess this up" then go with the Le Creuset and don't worry about it.

edit: plus there is a skill to seasoning a cast iron pan even if it is marketed as "pre-seasoned". None of that matters spending the extra dough on Le Creuset

The extra dough is literally 5x more, it's not a marginal amount.

You can just wash the cast iron like you do any other pot and then throw it on the stove to dry while you finish cleaning all the other dishes. Takes 2 min of all passive time. Not exactly treating it's like gold.

 

[NJHusky]

All clad has a non stick line and I don't recommend it

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Since u mentioned non stick I bought this ceramic pan and love it. Totally non stick. We have all clad stainless for 16 years and they look brand new….but this has become my go to non stick. It’s ceramic so no coating to worry about

Non stick

 

[EnochRoot]

In this thread we have Eagle scouts and KOA campground personnel discussing cookware with BOH staff from mid-to-higher end restaurants.

(I'm a LeCreuset guy myself, though I did have some Lodge cookware out of college. I've no idea what the brand of the cookware I had in college. It wasn't cast iron, I know that much).

 

[Chin Diesel]

What are you doing to these pans?

Are you keeping them soaking in water in the sink? For everyone else in this thread, don't do that.

Exactly.

Even benign neglect and those things last a century. At most 30 minutes of cleaning and restoration and then throw in the oven to re-season them.

 

[TheRealKBuks]

Exactly.

Even benign neglect and those things last a century. At most 30 minutes of cleaning and restoration and then throw in the oven to re-season them.

DO not underestimate my ability to destroy things

 

[auror]

There's no difficulty in retaining seasoning, you're building it as you cook.

I've addressed the heaviness in this thread: the thermal density is a feature in sous vide cooking, which is the impetus of this thread. If you're an 80 pound person, is that a problem? Yeah probably. Are there small advantages to other brands, yeah probably. Would I buy any of them for 5x the price? Heck no.

I have La Creuset cookware, including a large dutch oven I used literally tonight to make a jambalaya and an All Clad stainless skillet. My most used pan is my lodge cast iron.

 

[NEforceUConn]

I have the basic 10.25 inch lodge. Steaks and chicken come out perfectly. It is heavy, but cleaning/oiling is a breeze.

 

[Waquoit]

I have the basic 10.25 inch lodge. Steaks and chicken come out perfectly. It is heavy, but cleaning/oiling is a breeze.

I have the 12". Don't get any bigger than that. From what I read, if you for pay more than a Lodge; you should be paying for a cast iron that doesn't weigh as much. But you need to get one. Get a chainmail for scrubbing it, works great without soap. Also available on Amazon.

 

[auror]

Modern cast iron is less versatile, but better for very specific tasks. It's a sledgehammer, not a regular hammer.

 

[Johnny Mac]

I bought a 12" Lodge at Home Depot for $25. It's perfect.

 

[Dove]

Do NOT spend $125.

I'm laughing now. I looked at my cast iron skillet. A Barebones 10". I love it.

I must have spent $80 on it 5 years ago. And a Dutch oven.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I am still firmly on team Lodge for cast iron.

But.........sure enough at a fundraiser dinner tonight for a local school, Mrs Diesel had the winning bid for a gift pack which had a panini press, air fryer, some Tupperware dishes and this.

I feel more snobbish already.

 

[husky429]

Get a chainmail for scrubbing it, works great without soap. Also available on Amazon.

It isn't 1953, you can use soap on cast iron

 

[Waquoit]

It isn't 1953, you can use soap on cast iron

You can, if you want. The chainmail works great without soap.

 

[Waquoit]

I am still firmly on team Lodge for cast iron.

Chin, I'm pretty sure you were the first I read to recommend the cast iron for reheating pizza. Took a try or two to get it right but it does a nice job. A few drops of water to melt the cheese a bit.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Chin, I'm pretty sure you were the first I read to recommend the cast iron for reheating pizza. Took a try or two to get it right but it does a nice job. A few drops of water to melt the cheese a bit.

And now I'm firmly in the air fryer is the reheating pizza champ. Not even close for any other method any more. Game changer. You will get a crispy crust and toppings are perfect.

 

[Waquoit]

And now I'm firmly in the air fryer is the reheating pizza champ. Not even close for any other method any more. Game changer. You will get a crispy crust and toppings are perfect.

Unfortunately, I am still under a no new kitchen supply moratorium. But I appreciate your endorsement for when it is lifted..

 

[Dove]

You can, if you want. The chainmail works great without soap.

And a plastic scraper.

 

[Makryspost]

Reheat pizza on the grill. if not air fryer is good. I have an air-fryer toaster, which works great. Cast iron is never really goes bad - just cook on it. Plastic scraper/chain mail cleanse well - get the gunk off. Dawn and such will not hurt it, just don't soak it. Dry it and LIGHLTY oil it after. I bring mine to just to a smoke to the oil, just to get rid of the moisture.

 

[temery]

Two ways to test a pan.