Lodge Logic L10SK3 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Lodge Logic L10SK3 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet
Customer Review: Too much!
Summary: 2 Stars
First let me say I'm a retro kind of guy - I like fountain pens, mechanical watches - but not this particular step back to the kitchens of our ancestors. But see [EDIT] below!
This thing is just too HEAVY! I saw that one reviewer said she kept it on the stove top, just moving it from point to point - OK, but what did she do about cleaning it? You have to get it into the sink to rinse off: cleaning is a slight hassle as you don't use detergents. A stiff brush has been recommended and works OK (I remember country folk in Scotland using a bunch of tough heather roots) but still, it doesn't compare with the ease of a non-stick.
Another negative is that it's all iron, no heat-proof handle - so you give yourself an "Ouch!" if you touch its handle while it's hot. I finally gave up and went back to an anodized non-stick. Life suddenly became much easier!
I didn't think it really spread the heat much better than a good modern pan. So the only advantage I see is that you don't have to worry about a non-stick coating deteriorating or overheating - which is a concern, but just means you must look after the non-stick properly.
[Edit 3/8/11 - Well, I'm giving it another go. It does do a good job of even cooking, as I knew, and I've adopted two practices to deal with the awkwardness of the weight. (1) Don't even try to lift it off to serve from: bring the plate to the pan. (2) Don't wash it. (I remember this was the rule long ago - never let water get on cast-iron.) Instead, wipe very thoroughly, while still warm, with a wad of kitchen paper. Rub hard. This will still leave a minute trace of olive oil (or whatever oil or fat you used) but surprisingly free of any lingering taste. At least, I don't detect any. If in doubt, add a few drops of fresh oil and work them in. You don't have to worry about bacteria considering the heat of use.
This seems to be going well. I hope those who added the various snarky comments will take note.]
Customer Review: Awesome - especially for steaks and chops
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, I'm an absolute idiot in the kitchen. Aside from toast and the occasional omelet, the only things I can make with any success are on the grill. Alas, I live in an apartment and it isn't feasible for me to have an outdoor grill. Enter the Lodge 12 inch cast iron skillet. I bought this, somewhat reluctantly, as what I at the time considered a poor replacement for a "real" grill.
Now, obviously this isn't exactly the same as grilling, but for some things - particularly lean steaks and pork chops, it does an excellent job. In fact, after cooking my first fillet Mignon in this skillet I realized it's actually better suited to this cut of meat than an outdoor grill - it leaves a perfectly seared, caramelized exterior and a nice red interior (just like I like it). Like I said, it does a similarly excellent job for pork chops and other relatively lean cuts of beef. It also can also be used to fry up a pretty mean burger - but be warned, burgers, and other fattier cuts of meat, create a LOT of smoke when cooked indoors on this baby, even with a window cracked and the exhaust fan on (I cooked a ribeye a while back that left my apartment smelling like a bbq pit for like 3 days, it was worth it though).
Cleaning it is easy. I just get it hot (either by cleaning soon after using it or heating it up in the oven before cleaning) and scrub with some kosher salt and a paper towel, rinsing it out afterwards (and immediately wiping it off, I don't leave it to dry as it could rust).
In short - this thing is great, and well worth the price. It's truly nonstick, and it gives a great sear. For certain cuts of meat, like chops and burgers, it's a good substitute for a real grill. For others, like a fillet Mignon, it's better than most grills due to the perfectly caramelized exterior. It's also extremely durable and should last forever if you take care of it.
Customer Review: The start of a collection/obsession.
Summary: 5 Stars
If you only have one piece of cookware, this is the one to own (with it's lid)!
I have always hated cooking because I coudln't manage heat very well on my cheap apartment stove and I would burn stuff onto the supposed non-stick pans. At the advice of my sister, I've started looking into some basic cast iron cookware.
I can't say enough good about this skillet. When I first got it, my girlfriend was the first to use it to brown some sausage. She heated the skillet on high for a few minutes to kill germs and then threw the sausage on there. Unfortunately, the skillet was still "high" hot because it holds it's heat. The sausage burnt to a crisp and stuck to the pan. She brought the skillet to me nearly in tears becuase she thought she had ruined it.
I took the skillet into the kitchen, got some hot water going and scrubbed the skillet with a basic nylon brush. I had the skillet as good as new in less than three minutes. Let's see any teflon pan do that!
Beyond it's resilience and durability, this pan is making a cook even out of me. I take my time getting the pan to the heat that I want it at, and then I don't worry about it. I love cooking in this skillet. It browns meat beautifully without hotspots or burning, can put a crispy edge on practically anything you want to and just does everything both on the stove top and in the oven. You can cook anything in this pan!
That being said, you won't be able to cook eggs or pancakes right away. It'll take many many used to build up that slick non-stick finish (even with pre-seasoned). I've heard people advice that the skillet be sanded with a orbital sander and then re-seasoned. If you're gonna do this, definitely opt for the "original finish" and save ten bucks.
Hmm... all in all I couldn't be more pleased with this skillet. Get it and you won't be disappointed!
Customer Review: The benchmark in cast iron, but are you ready for the prep?
Summary: 2 Stars
I succumbed to the cast iron cookware religion after reading an article in our local paper talking about how great cast iron was. They mentioned the prep, seasoning and upkeep a bit but sort of glossed over that. I was happy to see that Amazon carried Lodge, which was the brand mentioned in the article. After I placed my order I found to my disappointment that the same Lodge pieces were available cheaper at the local big box discount store that starts with a "W".
And even though the pans are "pre-seasoned", there are entire blogs and websites devoted to the convoluted task of properly seasoning cast iron- the pre-seasoning is dismissed as inadequate. There are instructions on baking your pans, coated in oil or Crisco, in a 500 degree oven for several hours, with warnings to disable all your smoke detectors and open the windows (no kidding) due to the smoke that will be produced. The wife quickly ruled that no such procedure was going to occur in our home. Other methods involve sanding them down with sandpaper before seasoning. The bottom line is that unless you are prepared to go through a lot of effort, cast iron may not be for you.
I tried another suggestion about heavily oiling the pan and cooking bacon for the first time or two to generate some seasoning. The bacon still stuck anyway. Fans of cast iron say that the black, burnt on remains of the last meal add character and flavor to the next meal, but to me it does not seem appealing. You're warned not to use dish soap or the dishwasher for your cast iron, only hot water.
Unless you are a true cooking fanatic with LOTS of time on your hands to deal with the prep and cleanup on cast iron, you may want to stay away. This probably explains why people have fond memories of the cast iron cookware of yesteryear, our grandmothers had time to do this, plus Teflon had not been invented yet.
Customer Review: A fine classic cast iron pan - with all the strengths and problems therein.
Summary: 4 Stars
Cast iron is lovely to cook with. It heats up well and holds heat beautifully. Most cookware has trouble really searing a steak because the big slab of cold meat cools the pan down. Cast iron sears like nothing else because it's big and heavy and holds heat very well. This property can be a liability if you're looking to vary heat quickly, say when doing a delicate cream sauce. Aluminum is better in that situation. Iron is also very prone to rust - so you can't let it sit in sink with suds, or even put it away wet. You have to clean up promptly, without soap and then dry thoroughly. I've found a quick wipe with some oil on a paper towel and then drying upside down in a warm oven for a hour is perfect. Keeps it seasoned and rust free. The oiled surface helps the performance of cast iron cookware. Is this a lot of trouble? Not really - but it's a lot more trouble than my other forms of cookware. Burnt on cheese makes some fairly permanent stains.
My other beef concerns the longer of the two handles (the short loop is blameless). The traditional handle is too short for a good grip on such a big pan. I don't contest the indestructible and historically traditional shape of the iron handle - which is too hot to touch in use - requiring you to use some sort of handle sock or really tough pot holder. The nail hole is dandy for hanging the pan (like from the buckboard of your Conestoga wagon while heading West across the prairie) - I just wish the handle were long enough to properly maneuver this big pan.
Final conclusion - cast iron is a discipline. It has certain unique strengths that are particularly well suited to fry pans and dutch ovens, for certain kinds of cooking. I'm glad a I have some for that purpose. I'm also glad I have some All-Clad for other more delicate cooking - and for easier day to day maintenance.