Do you have experience with Lodge Logic cast iron cookware? What is your opinion? Do you recommend it?

Thank you.

I love cast iron and have a good set of pots and pans most of it is old and well seasoned. I purchased a lodge skillet and found it to be OK it is nice and heavy and is well made. However I don't like the factory "seasoning" it is not real smooth and flaked off. After some work with a pumice stone and repeated seasoning it has come around to be a fairly good skillet. I don't think that I will buy any more lodge cast iron I prefer to buy old cast iron at garage sales ant flea markets. Even if it is a little rusty it can be brought back to good working order. Good cast iron takes years to develop a good seasoning on and only a short time to ruin it. You must take proper care of it and it will last several lifetimes.

I have a dozen pieces of cast iron cookware. Only one newer piece. The garage sale, flea market pieces is much better.

Watson Lake

I don't get much opportunity to visit garage sales or flea markets. What is the best brand that I can buy new? Will also try Ebay?

I have several Lodge cast iron skillets and a dutch oven that I bought new years ago. I seasoned them myself, and the more you use them, the better they get. After years of use, they are slick as a baby's butt, and pretty much non-stick. FWIW.

For new cast iron. Lodge is the only brand I would buy.
I did buy another small; dutch oven from Lodge, and love it. Got it from Home hardware in Canada for about 80 dollars..
Watson Lake..

Ok. Lodge it is. I better get to ordering.

Many thanks.

While I do have some old cast iron skillets I got from my Grandmother, Great Aunt, and my Mother, I also have several Lodge cast iron skillets and dutch ovens.

The last 2 I bought had the factory seasoning on them.

I still cooked bacon in them several times.

They have worked fine.

be sure and get lids for your skillets when you order them.

Got it! Thanks. Eating is serious business!!

Buy from Lodge, keep an American employed.

Right here in Good Ol South Pittsburgh Tennessee.

Thank Ya.

http://www.lodgemfg.com/

The Lodge web site has good info on care and cleaning.

The main thing is after the first time you use it NEVER clean it with soap or detergent.

I clean mine with hot water.

If you do get something burnt/stuck to the skillet, do not try to scrape it out, you can soak it in hot water for a while, or even put some water in the skillet and heat it on the stove, not too hot, just to near boil.

Then after it cools i put it under hot water in the sink and use a aper towel to rub the inside olf it.

After all the "lumps" are out I then dry the inside and outside, and then I heat it again on the stove, over mild heat, just until the handle gets warm, to get all the moisture out of it.

Then I put a little olive oil [it is the oil I cook with the most] in the skillet, letting it warm up, then I take a dry paper towel and spread the warm oil all around inside the skillet.

I use my cast iron cookware most every day.

I spray Breakfree on everything, but not my Lodge Logic cast iron cookware

Thanks for the teriffic insight.

There are rough castings and some that have been ground flat. I like the ground ones for a frying pan, for dutch ovens etc. it doesn't matter as much, however the ground ones are much more non-stick.

Ground ones?

quote:

Originally posted by Buliwyf:
Ground ones?

I think he means Ground, as in "turned" or "polished". Makes them smoother.

My 2 older cast iron skillets are much smoother than the lodge Skillets I have.

Buliwyf is correct, they are more stick free.

Of all the new made cast iron ware, Lodge is the best I have seen.

Sorry I just came back. Yes by gorund I mean polished or turned...funny when I reread that post how confusing it was even to me. The polished ones are a real treat to cook on.

By the way the best way to season a pan that's been lightly mistreated or has some bits of food stuck to it is with salt and oil. Heat up the pan with about 1/8 inch or less of oil in it. When it's just short of smoking hot dump some table salt into it. Then CAREFULLY use a rag to "burnish" the pan using the salt as an abrasive. Brush the salt out with the rag and she's ready to go.

A few weeks ago I got 2 skillets and a dutch oven, with no lids, from my Niece.

They were all rusted, one rather badly..

She was going to throw them away.

So I brought them home.

First I washed them up in hot water and soap.

Then I got some steel wool, and using that with warm cooking oil, I worked them over pretty good several times a day for a few days.

Then I washed them again with soap and hot water.

I dried them out on top of the stove, then coated them with cooking oil, inside and out, and placed them upside down in the oven at 300 degrees for 2 hours, and then let them cool still in the oven.

I have been using the 2 skillets quite a bit, used one today in fact. They are cooking just fine.

They do not have any name on them so I do not know where they came from.

Buy all the rusty stuff I can at a garage sales.......SUCKERS!!!!!

The nice folks at Lodge are 30 minutes up the road from me. I'd recommend that you trade with them.

I have a large collection of useable cast iron cookware. I have a waffle maker, dutch oven, griddles and fry pans. I only buy the older Griswold's and Wagner Ware Cast Iron cookware. It's made from much better castings than lodge and the inside is finished much better. This makes the older cast iron much thinner (and lighter) and much less likely to stick. Compare your lodge to your grandmothers old Griswold. The quality and weight difference is undeniable. I have yet to find a lodge fry pan that was lighter or smoother than any of my antique fry pans. Not to mention, I can usually get rusty ones at garage sales for half the price of a lodge.

But if people like the newer stuff, then go for it. It just means there's more junk out there for me!

For the " Newer Stuff " .. " LODGE " is the best cast Iron Cookware , compared to the " CHEAP " stuff made overseas ! ( CHINA ).

I have purchased several " older , well used " cast iron Dutch Ovens & Skillets, which includes a few " Lodge Skillets ".

Just an " FYI " on cleaning & seasoning; Done my Way

This is how most of my " Flea Market Finds " look!
I.E:

They are usually " Rusted " with lots of old burnt on " Cooking Grease & Soot "


I scrub them up a bit (scotch brite pads) to get some of the loose " Rust & Residue " off, & then place them inside my " BBQ " (BIG GREEN EGG) to burn off all of the old grease @ " Very High Heat " (500++)


Let them cool & then placed inside of an old plastic ice chest, submerged with " 50 % Vinegar / 50 % Water " solution for a few days ( 1-2 ).


Removed and scrub again (Scotch Brite Pad & Wire Brush) to remove any / all " Rust " or unwanted scale, etc.

I then dry them over the stove & spray on a light coat of " PAM " , & rubbed in with a cloth, while its warm to the touch.


It's back on to the " BBQ " to cook for approx one hour @ 450- 475 degrees (under 500,on my BBQ Thermometer Reading), remove & spray on another coat of " Pam "..., to cook for approx 2 hrs.. or until its a " Hard Dark Coat ", which almost looks & feels like a painted surface.


I just did this lid a few weekend ago, with two coats of " Pam ".

My " Five dollar lid ", looks almost like new !!



A previous project

You could do all of this inside of your kitchen Oven .. but make sure you can tolerate the " Smoke " from the " Burning Grease, oil / Reseasoning " process. My girlfriend can't stand the smell of " Burning Grease / Oil "..or the " Smoke Detectors " going off !!

PAPI

I know it's a little late to comment but that's a fantastic job of cleaning and seasoning. the best I've ever seen.

The chef

Hey thanks !!

Some pieces come out better than others ... ?

I'm a novice at this , compared to a dedicated group of " Cast Iron / Dutch Oven / BBQ " Chef's .

www.camp-cook.com

I have a couple of peices of Lodge but I don't have any "preseasoned" pieces. I seasoned them like I do all cast iron.
Griswold is a good brand of cast iron that can be found at flea markets and estate sales. It has become something of a collectors item so can be pricey.
FWIW, never, never use soap of any sort on cast iron. It will cut any seasoning out of the pores and will seep into the pores and give you a nice case of the shits when you cook with it.
If needed, use plain steel wool (not SOS pads) and salt.
A well seasoned cast iron whatever usually doesn't need washing. Just wipe it out.

Here's a rusty old " Griswold Waffle Iron ", I picked & reseasoned my way.















PAPI

this may or may not be helpful:

http://foodsoftheworld.activeb...asoning-on-cast-iron

good discussion, good information....

Since there seems to be some recent interest in this thread, I'll add a few additional photos.. part of my small collection.



I try to pick up as many " LIDS ", as they seem to be somewhat harder to find in my area.. I'll later try to fit " Skillets & DO ", without lids.





They work great for camping..







Lake Powell Camp Grounds December/Jan : Below Photo
http://www.lakepowell.com/rv-and-camping/wahweap.aspx

My modern / updated version of a " Chuck Wagon " !



PAPI

That is a cool looking little trailer.

What brand is it or is it homebuilt?

I saw a little Airstream kinda like that at a dealer in Colorado.

I bouht a cast iron skillet off of EBay a couple of months ago,and I really like it.

It is an older Wagner Ware, Bacon and Egg Breakfast skillet.

It is square with 3 seperate compartments.

One is designed for cooking bacon, the other 2 compartments are designed to cook an egg and keep it square, the same size as a piece of bread.

While it works great for breakfast eggs it is also great for a bacon and egg sandwich, as the cooked egg fits the bread perfect.

Check then out there are some still on EBay.
Griswold made of them as well.

quote:

That is a cool looking little trailer.

What brand is it or is it homebuilt?

I saw a little Airstream kinda like that at a dealer in Colorado.

DOUBLE RIFLE SHOOTERS SOCIETY

It's a new " Camp-Inn 560 Raindrop ".
http://www.tinycamper.com/


Grand Canyon winter trip ( Dec )

quote:

It is an older Wagner Ware, Bacon and Egg Breakfast skillet.
It is square with 3 seperate compartments.

I have two myself.



Morcilla ( Blood Sausage ) & eggs.

Although,.. they are a bit difficult to cook on, due to the low edges.

This is my last weeks trip to " Santa Barbara / Solvang / Santa Inez CA "!

Flying Flags RV Park
http://flyingflags.rtrk.com/?s...ub_cr_id=14213535724


Breakfast: Bacon & Eggs fried in Bacon Grease..



Jalama Beach , CA
http://www.jalamabeach.com/

PAPI

Papi, that is a nice batch of pictures you have been posting! What brand if your camping stove? It looks rather sturdy as well.

My contribution to cast iron cookery is to use a "Wok Scrubber" to clean them. These things are great, you get them at an oriental food market:


What you do is just put a few tablespoons of water into a sizzling hot pan and scrub it around with this thing. It gets all the stuck stuff off and does not mess with the seasoning. It is quick and uses no soap which is a good reason right there, but it also does a really good job of cleaning. As mentioned, it is made for Woks and works great on those too.

quote:

Papi, that is a nice batch of pictures you have been posting! What brand if your camping stove? It looks rather sturdy as well.

I'm not sure ..? It was a factory installed item on all " 560 Raindrop ".


" Two burner, propane stove- a vintage style cast iron cookstove accents the teardrop kitchen. The stove is sheltered from the wind in the alcove in the cabinets. To store the stove, simply slide it to the left, under the cabinet. The stove adds a stainless steel liner to the cabinet alcove as a grease and fire shield. "
http://tinycamper.com/raindrop560ultra.htm

PAPI

My grandmother taught me the easiest way to decrust an old skillet. I was headed out to the barn where a pile of brush had burned down to glowing charcoal. The old skillet had 15 or 20 years of carbon on the bottom. She had me lay it in the coals and cover it with more coals. The charcoal heated the skillet to a very dull orange. It was left over night. The next morning the fire had burned out and I pulled a grey-white skillet out. It had been totally burned clean of all carbon and looked new.

Great 'chuck wagon", PAPI!
My favorite cast iron is Lodge and Cajun Classic! I also have two enameled cat iron Dutch ovens. Great for soups! Cajun Classic

For anyone looking for something a bit different, " MACA " !

http://www.macaovens.com/history.htm

Checkout the 22" Dutch Oven .. 160 lbs

I won't be hauling that one,.. on any camping trips

" Made in USA "..HMMM!
http://stores.southernheritage...e.com/StoreFront.bok

Interesting Cast Iron Grill;
http://www.texaloy.com/

PAPI

We use old cast iron almost exclusively at our place in Idaho. All picked up at local barn/yard sales.