Cast Iron Skillet… Is this a good deal?
I am thinking of purchasing a Lodge Logic 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Skillet.
(http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Logic-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=pd_sim_hg_28)
Can it go in the dishwasher?
What are pros and cons of cast iron?
Will it fit in standard oven?
never, never, never put cast iron in the dishwasher. There is a seasoning (oil) that needs to stay on cast iron which helps it not stick and keeps it from rusting. A dishwasher uses detergents which will actively remove this coating.
In fact, there are disagreements over whether cast iron should be washed with soap or detergent at all. We just use hot water usually. Only once in a while do I use a little Dawn on the sponge.
And make sure you dry it right away or it’ll rust. Just put it on a low burner or in a warm oven ’til dry.
No matter how you decide to clean it, don’t let it air dry.
As to whether it’ll fit in the oven, yes. This one’s only 12" plus the handle. That’s the normal for a "larger" frying pan.
The care and upkeep is the drawback. They are also heavy. I suggest you go to Walmart and try to lift one if there is any reason that weight is a physical problem for you -arthritis is the only thing I can think of right now.
They cook beautifully. That is their main positive. The heat is evenly distributed. Just don’t cook on anything more than medium heat on the stove top. I’ve never used them in the oven, but I know they cook well in there too.
Once one is seasoned correctly and is kept seasoned (there should be instructions on how to do that), it’ll last generations- literally, I’m using my grandmother’s set and will pass them down to my sons if they want them- and maybe if they don’t. I’m not sure if my grandmother was the first in the family to use them or if they came down from someone else.
June 23rd, 2010 at 9:33 am
I am an old boy scout…an Eagle Scout in fact. Nothing better to use on an open fire than a cis. Of course they are an excellent kitchen tool. Suggest you season it with olive oil first. I never, never put mine in the dish washer. No need. They clean up very well. Open fire, kitchen stove, kitchen oven. even great on the grill. Make sure you get one with a sturdy lid. Can find them at Academy. Great recipe for potatoes….cube the red potatoes with skin on…add choped onions and banana peppers and bell peppers…top off with a generous amount of your favorite olive oil and or italian salad dressing…put the lid on and place on the top of the grill next to the entree. To die for. Good luck and Bon Apetite!
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CIS master for 40 plus years…
June 23rd, 2010 at 9:57 am
Lodge is the best there is. I have one I bought at a yard sale for $2.00.
I would not wash it in the dishwasher, but rinse it with soap and water before you use it. It needs to be seasoned even if it is pre-seasoned. They should be dried thoroughly after each washing and rub some oil over it to keep it from rusting.
Cast iron cooks faster and saves electricity.
It will fit in a standard oven.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 10:27 am
I was trained by a five-star sous chef. I regularly used a cast iron skillet, and a griddle. Cast iron pans can’t go in a dishwasher, and they are HEAVY; but they cook fantastic. They cook the food evenly and faster than other metal pans. Some of the old ways are still the best!
The 12 inch skillet will fit in a standard oven. I still cook eggs in a teflon-coated aluminun pan, but just about everything else is on cast iron.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 11:16 am
Fabulous to cook with.
- browns foods beautifully, since it doesn’t have ‘no-stick’ coating
- hand-wash immediately after use, and dry immediately or it will rust
- Grandma taught me never ever use soap on the pan, it ruins the seasoning.
- it will clean up fast if you rinse it while it’s still warm, and scrub food bits off.
- handle gets HOT, use good oven mitts (I like Ove-Gloves)
- goes right in the oven no problem
- and rumor has it that adds a little iron to your diet, a good thing
NOT a pan to toss in the sink and wash two days later. You have to be willing to clean it immediately after using. If you do, you can give it to your grandkids.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 11:37 am
And that’s a great deal if you ask me. Based on the dimensions in that listing, it is 19" from handle to handle, so that should easily fit in your oven.
As for the other questions:
No, you should not EVER wash cast iron in a dishwasher. It’s best to hand wash with just hot water and not even any soap. The reason is that cast iron develops a "patina" of sorts known as seasoning. The pan you’re looking at is pre-seasoned which is a good thing, but that can wear or be washed of if you wash it harshly. A well-seasoned cast iron pan will be as non-stick as the more modern specialized non-stick surfaces. But if you scrub it with harsh soap, use a steel wool (gasp) or dishwasher, you can actually wash off that seasoning and everything will stick to the pan and you will be very frustrated.
That’s actually about the only "con" to cast iron. It needs to be cleaned and treated properly in order to continue to work at its best.
The pros include heat retention (they stay hot for a lot longer than lighter materials because they have so much mass to heat and cool). That makes them great for long-low cooking (like braising) and also for frying because the cool food won’t bring down the temperature of your oil so much — like in lighter metals. Once it is heated to the right cooking temperature, it’s a lot easier to keep it there. As long as that temperature is maintained, you’re unlikely to burn food.
Bon Appetit!
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June 23rd, 2010 at 11:45 am
I have several cast iron skilets and dutch ovens and love them. However, there are a few things you must know to have a good experience with them.
They will fit in the oven and I use them often that way. That it is preseasoned is wonderful as it takes a very long time and much work to season one. That being said you must not ever put them in a dishwasher or scrub them with soap. This will make you lose the seasoning and no matter what you cook it will stick. Use the skillet to cook things that are easy to clean out with a damp cloth when you are done and season it again by getting the pan hot and applying a thin bit of oil so that the pan is shiny the pan will suck in the oil. Eggs cooked in the cast iron pan are wonderful as are fried potatoes and so many other dishes as well. Once you get used to it you will take special care of that pan.
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June 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 am
But I am originally from the south and that’s all we ever cooked in was the cast iron and what we always did was just was wash it with hot water and a tiny tiny bit of soap. Back in the old days they would ‘nt even use soap just rinse with hot water. But, .. after rinsing off put it on the stove and dry by the heat of the fire. That will seal it .. pros… good flavors come out of those Cons… you have to becareful what you cook in them like okra.. changes the appearance of some things. Other than that I LOVE THEM>
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June 23rd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
never, never, never put cast iron in the dishwasher. There is a seasoning (oil) that needs to stay on cast iron which helps it not stick and keeps it from rusting. A dishwasher uses detergents which will actively remove this coating.
In fact, there are disagreements over whether cast iron should be washed with soap or detergent at all. We just use hot water usually. Only once in a while do I use a little Dawn on the sponge.
And make sure you dry it right away or it’ll rust. Just put it on a low burner or in a warm oven ’til dry.
No matter how you decide to clean it, don’t let it air dry.
As to whether it’ll fit in the oven, yes. This one’s only 12" plus the handle. That’s the normal for a "larger" frying pan.
The care and upkeep is the drawback. They are also heavy. I suggest you go to Walmart and try to lift one if there is any reason that weight is a physical problem for you -arthritis is the only thing I can think of right now.
They cook beautifully. That is their main positive. The heat is evenly distributed. Just don’t cook on anything more than medium heat on the stove top. I’ve never used them in the oven, but I know they cook well in there too.
Once one is seasoned correctly and is kept seasoned (there should be instructions on how to do that), it’ll last generations- literally, I’m using my grandmother’s set and will pass them down to my sons if they want them- and maybe if they don’t. I’m not sure if my grandmother was the first in the family to use them or if they came down from someone else.
References :