It's not cast iron

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

Last edited:
NorCalDoug said:
I just ordered the 12" lodge pan from Amazon. I think the 12-incher is the largest one that lodge sells, but if you find a larger one, by all means, let us know.

I'm pretty sure other brands likely have larger pans...but for the money, it's tough to be the lodge.
Click to expand...

Lodge's site lists a 15" double handle skillet. Maybe it doesn't really exist.

http://www.lodgemfg.com/seasoned-carbon-steel

--john
 
JohnVee said:
I've been using my 10" Lodge Carbon Steel pan for about 5 weeks now and am happy with it. I used it to cook a few pounds of bacon over the first 3 or 4 uses after an egg stuck fairly badly the first use. I used butter on Med-Lo for the egg but it didn't play nice. Works great ever since. Eggs, fish, chicken, burgers, Kielbasa w/maple honey glaze... it all cooked nicely and cleaned up easily (except for the sugary glaze). It heats evenly (as tested by boiling 1/4" of water and watching the bubbles) and in far less time than cast iron. I've been using less heat than I think I need and it seems to be working out. Plenty of preheating time is key, just like cast iron.

I fully agree with CruiserDrew in post #33 and treat all my cast iron/carbon steel like this except I use vegetable oil from a bottle instead of spray canola. I can't see there being any real difference there, though.

I haven't used the pan in the oven or on the grill yet.

I have the 10" and it is definitely measured across the rim. The center is about 7.5" across. I think I lose about an inch compared to my got-to teflon pan. I will most likely get the 12" model before long - haven't needed it yet cooking for 2. I actually might skip the 12" and go to the 15" since I have a few 12's already and I usually find that I need more room if I have to use them.

I don't plan on ditching my teflon pans yet and having this one should make them last longer. Gotta keep something around for kitchen guests to use :flipoff2:. Not sure about how my regular steel pans are gonna play out.

Thanks to RUSTY for clueing me in to this pan. I've still not seen one in a store.

--john
Click to expand...

NorCalDoug said:
I just ordered the 12" lodge pan from Amazon. I think the 12-incher is the largest one that lodge sells, but if you find a larger one, by all means, let us know.

I'm pretty sure other brands likely have larger pans...but for the money, it's tough to be the lodge.
Click to expand...


Very nice! John-it sounds like you have a really nice season in yours. I don't hesitate to do eggs in mine.

Doug-you will really like this pan. With your family you'll be glad you have the 12 inch.

I'm going to experiment with the De Buyer version at some point and compare directly to the Lodge.
 
I was in a kitchen store on the coast last week and got to see/pick up De Buyer pans. They were on sale but the wallet just wouldn't open :D. Compared to all my carbon steel pans they are some serious heft! I was surprised how thick the steel actually was...the largest single handle model they had was definitely a 'two-hander' with anything more than a couple eggs in the pan...

I've got a well seasoned Atlas Metal Spinning Co., steel omelet pan my 'sis gave me 30-years ago...love it. But its made from thin steel compared to De Buyer's.
 
A tip I learned from a local chef:

Never, ever throw away bacon fat or clarified butter. Keep it in the freezer, with dates.

I have a couple of cheap ice cube trays that I keep filled, one with bacon fat, and one with clarified butter. Use the bar-type so the cubes are smaller. Pop out of the tray as needed. Never burn an egg again (use the bacon fat, and it also seasons your pan at the same time), and the clarified butter makes much better french toast, grilled cheese, etc. When the butter tray starts to get low, I quickly clarify another stick to refill.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
...Doug-you will really like this pan. With your family you'll be glad you have the 12 inch.

I'm going to experiment with the De Buyer version at some point and compare directly to the Lodge.
Click to expand...

I'm seasoning mine today...using the world-famous spressomon method :D

I was eyeing those too...but you really can't beat the value of the lodge.
 
I'm still using mine the way it came from Lodge, omelettes slide right out.

(Okay frittatas to be exact spresso :flipoff2:)

Pancakes take a little more work to get the temp right than in cast iron but they are still easy.

At some point I may season mine or I may just let nature take it's course and season it the old fashion way, by using it. It's already developing a nice carbon layer.
 
yeah, the fact that it's already "seasoned" from lodge had crossed my mind before I started, but I figured...why not? It can't hurt...and it's just some oil and salt. :meh:
 
So Doug-What do you think of the pan after a month?

Ours has become our every day go to pan.

I like mine well enough, I got another 12 inch to take to Alaska as our fish pan. Every year we're scrambling to find a half way decent pan. This year the problem is solved and the pan will stay up there in our stash.

I did the Spresso-season on it this morning.

I'm still itching to try the De Buyer Mineral B.

Along these same lines, I am considering a "King Chef" steel griddle. Anyone use one? This size would fit perfectly on a camp stove.

http://www.amazon.com/Chef-King-Gauge-Steel-Griddle/dp/B001BQVBBO/?tag=ihco-20
 
Cruiserdrew said:
So Doug-What do you think of the pan after a month?

Ours has become our every day go to pan.

I like mine well enough, I got another 12 inch to take to Alaska as our fish pan. Every year we're scrambling to find a half way decent pan. This year the problem is solved and the pan will stay up there in our stash.

I did the Spresso-season on it this morning.

I'm still itching to try the De Buyer Mineral B.

Along these same lines, I am considering a "King Chef" steel griddle. Anyone use one? This size would fit perfectly on a camp stove.

http://www.amazon.com/Chef-King-Gauge-Steel-Griddle/dp/B001BQVBBO/?tag=ihco-20
Click to expand...
I snagged a piece of 1/4' plate from Spresso when we were cleaning out his garage. The plan is to make a custom fit griddle for my Coleman and/or my little propane grill.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
So Doug-What do you think of the pan after a month?

Ours has become our every day go to pan.

I like mine well enough, I got another 12 inch to take to Alaska as our fish pan. Every year we're scrambling to find a half way decent pan. This year the problem is solved and the pan will stay up there in our stash.

I did the Spresso-season on it this morning.

I'm still itching to try the De Buyer Mineral B.

Along these same lines, I am considering a "King Chef" steel griddle. Anyone use one? This size would fit perfectly on a camp stove.

http://www.amazon.com/Chef-King-Gauge-Steel-Griddle/dp/B001BQVBBO/?tag=ihco-20
Click to expand...

has it been a month already? wow. time flies when yer havin' fun...

and I've been having a great time with the pan. it's definitely my go-to pan for when I cook for the family. I had a 14" at-one-time-non-stick-teflon" pan that had seen better days. I pitched that one right after my first time cooking with the lodge steel pan.

I will say that it's a bit heavier than I expected it would be, but nothing that I can't handle...and much lighter than cast iron, without a doubt.

I've cooked quite a few eggs on it without a single fiasco. The best thing though is how easy it is to clean. I just take a brillo pad and lots of soap...

no...not really. I simply rinse it off with hot water and a paper towel to get whatever small bits that might still be attached to the pan (you know...that residue that always seems to be on the pan after cooking)...then a sheet of paper towel to dry it off. Finish it off with a light coat of whatever cooking oil I have handy and it's ready to go again.

It's an excellent pan. I only wish they made them a little larger...a 14" would be perfect for my needs.

That steel griddle looks nice!
I have a cast iron griddle that came with my 3-burner camp chef. I use that thing all the time.
I know that Costco usually bundles their camp chef 2 and 3 burner stoves with a steel griddle these days...if you're in the market for another camp stove.
 
I think the salt raises the boiling point of the oil, so the oil doesn't get 'gummy'(that's the way it works in water too). If you use peanut oil, you can get it to an even higher temp without burning(smoking).
I've used the oven thing several times, and always came out with a gummy surface, just as spressomon says. My wife taught me to just clean the pan, dry it then sick it on the stove(gas). Get it good and hot kill the heat, then add ~ a teaspoon of peanut oil--wipe it down good, and let it cool to room temp. Works every time.
 
I don't think salt has any beneficial effects on the oil. Salt will raise the boiling point of water, but it doesn't work the same way with oil.

As previously mentioned, I think the salt works as a medium to hold the oil in place, and, more likely than not, probably prevents the oil from boiling.
 
Use Peanut oil--it has a much higher temp(smoke) rating
 
sggoat said:
Use Peanut oil--it has a much higher temp(smoke) rating
Click to expand...
Grape seed oil has a very high smoking point, however i don't think that is what we are going for here. We want an oil that will smoke and fill the small voids in the steel with carbon.
 
Never heard of the concept of oil boiling for practical uses, I must say. Smoking and burning, sure, but boiling? I would suspect the former happens first. More info?
 
e9999 said:
Never heard of the concept of oil boiling for practical uses, I must say. Smoking and burning, sure, but boiling? I would suspect the former happens first. More info?
Click to expand...



Oil itself boiling, no...but boiling in oil would be what we, today, call deep frying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom