Need a New Cast Iron pan

[Anubis]

my dad needs and now one and i figured id get one for him for his birthday/fathers day

just go with the Lodge or are there other options to consider

12" or smaller

 

[Vdubchaos]

Go to Amazon and go nuts

I have an entire collection hehe

Griddle, 15" (Big mama), 12", 10" and 6"

Also have an old 50s 8" as well......

IMO you can't get a better cookware, especially when you consider how little you pay......and how expensive other cookware is.

:thumbsup:

 

[Platypus]

We've got a ton of Lodge and have never been let down yet.

That is, when Amazon can figure out how to package it.

 

[Capt Caveman]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JSUB

 

[lxskllr]

Lodge is the last American maker I'm aware of, so Lodge. If he'd a appreciate it, Griswold are very nice, but high dollar. I prefer them to Lodge, but not for the price differential. Wagner is also good, and I prefer that to Lodge. Both of them are no longer made, so it would be antique shops or Ebay to find them.

 

[mnewsham]

Griswold #12 719
Or
Griswold #3 708/709


hell any good griswold...

 

[Vdubchaos]

Lodge is the last American maker I'm aware of, so Lodge. If he'd a appreciate it, Griswold are very nice, but high dollar. I prefer them to Lodge, but not for the price differential. Wagner is also good, and I prefer that to Lodge. Both of them are no longer made, so it would be antique shops or Ebay to find them.

I have Wagner 8" I'm working on restoring......

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Everyone swears by lodge but I really don't care for the 'seasoning' that the spray on them.

It flakes off almost like paint. I haven't found a good way to completely remove this sprayed on coating, so there's a risk of it getting into food and being eaten. I prefer just bare cast iron.

 

[waggy]

Pft. don't buy new.

All my cast irons i have i have gotten from garage sales or auctions. well except for 2 i got when my grandmother died.

scratch that i just remembered i have 2 3 inch low liped ones i got with a box of cookies.


i have a full range of pans. only thing i need is a griddle and dutch oven.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Everyone swears by lodge but I really don't care for the 'seasoning' that the spray on them.

Their seasoning SUCKS. Simple as that.

First thing you do when you get them is put some bacon on there/use the fat to season it > bake for 2 hours.

Repeat it 2-3 times (at least)

 

[lxskllr]

I have Wagner 8" I'm working on restoring......

This is the pride of my collection. This is a web search, but mine's the same.

 

[vi edit]

I've got a Lodge and I'm not totally thrilled with the kind of "matte" finish that is on it. Stuff tends to stick to it more and it's harder to clean than the other pan I have that is 50+ years old and is a smooth surface.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I've got a Lodge and I'm not totally thrilled with the kind of "matte" finish that is on it. Stuff tends to stick to it more and it's harder to clean than the other pan I have that is 50+ years old and is a smooth surface.

New lodge = season 2-3 times before it starts sticking

Use Bacon fat too, Veggie oil doesn't seem to work well. I use Olive Oil once seasoning is set.

I wish they didn't season their pans AT ALL.

I have a feeling many people just put it to the side and never use it due to poor factory seasoning.

 

[Vdubchaos]

This is the pride of my collection. This is a web search, but mine's the same.

Wow

That's nice!

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Their seasoning SUCKS. Simple as that.

First thing you do when you get them is put some bacon on there/use the fat to season it > bake for 2 hours.

Repeat it 2-3 times (at least)

Yeah I'm very familiar, but underneath your bacon seasoned coating there is still that crappy lodge coating just waiting to flake off and ruin the pan.

So you spend years building up a great layer of seasoning, but the moment that skillet gets above about 500f the undercoat lodge spray stuff flakes off, ruining all of your work.



I've had this happen to two skillets, both were at normal stovetop levels searing steaks. I need to have them media blasted, even 700f+ in my big green egg won't take off all of that lodge coating.

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah I'm very familiar, but underneath your bacon seasoned coating there is still that crappy lodge coating just waiting to flake off and ruin the pan.

So you spend years building up a great layer of seasoning, but the moment that skillet gets above about 500f the undercoat lodge spray stuff flakes off, ruining all of your work.



I've had this happen to two skillets, both were at normal stovetop levels searing steaks. I need to have them media blasted, even 700f+ in my big green egg won't take off all of that lodge coating.

If you have the facilities, burn the stock coating off. You can use a wood stove/fireplace, or a fire pit outside.

 

[Vdubchaos]

Yeah I'm very familiar, but underneath your bacon seasoned coating there is still that crappy lodge coating just waiting to flake off and ruin the pan.

So you spend years building up a great layer of seasoning, but the moment that skillet gets above about 500f the undercoat lodge spray stuff flakes off, ruining all of your work.



I've had this happen to two skillets, both were at normal stovetop levels searing steaks. I need to have them media blasted, even 700f+ in my big green egg won't take off all of that lodge coating.

I don't cook at high temp so I'm not sure.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

If you have the facilities, burn the stock coating off. You can use a wood stove/fireplace, or a fire pit outside.

I've tried.... I have a big green egg, and have done a good bake with the therm at 700-900f, and it's still not enough.

I then take them out, let them cool, and use a wire wheel on a grinder to get the rest of it off.... Just a huge PITA and not perfect.

 

[mnewsham]

This is the pride of my collection. This is a web search, but mine's the same.

Very nice, I have a dutch oven, waffle maker, and a 16" oval skillet

(as well as the regular sized 8" and 12" etc)


The waffle maker looks pretty much just like this

 

[Born2bwire]

Everyone swears by lodge but I really don't care for the 'seasoning' that the spray on them.

It flakes off almost like paint. I haven't found a good way to completely remove this sprayed on coating, so there's a risk of it getting into food and being eaten. I prefer just bare cast iron.

I lost the seasoning on my Lodge when it was in storage and I have never been able to get back right since. I've pretty much given up on fixing it at this point.

I've got a set of old pans from my grandma. They've got surface rust and such and I haven't had the time to fix them up. Don't know when I'll get to them.

 

[Vdubchaos]

I lost the seasoning on my Lodge when it was in storage and I have never been able to get back right since. I've pretty much given up on fixing it at this point.

So refurbish it, it's not rocket science.

Wash it with steel wool (you can us little soap if you want).

Dry

Coat it with oil

Bake for 2 hours

 

[lxskllr]

The waffle maker looks pretty much just like this

That's interesting. I wonder why the riser's so high?

 

[mnewsham]

That's interesting. I wonder why the riser's so high?

Not entirely sure, I think it was to give it a more even heating, but honestly I've never used it. I don't have the chance to make waffles too often as it is.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

So refurbish it, it's not rocket science.

Wash it with steel wool (you can us little soap if you want).

Dry

Coat it with oil

Bake for 2 hours

You don't understand... That lodge coating does not come off with steel wool. Once it starts flaking off you have to remove it all, or else it slowly continues flaking over time and ruins any coating.


Once the stock coating starts flaking it ALL has to be removed. I was able to do this on one of my pans with about 6 hours of work.... Heat to 700f+, then use 120-200 grit sandpaper and wire wheels to grind it off. It's a huge PITA, and not something you can do without specialized tools.

 

[lxskllr]

Not entirely sure, I think it was to give it a more even heating, but honestly I've never used it. I don't have the chance to make waffles too often as it is.

Yea, waffles are kind of a PITA. I haven't made any in awhile, but I will soon. I've been in the mood for them, and frozen waffles just don't cut it.