Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Skillet, 3 Quart

One of the best things I have bought on Amazon. A heavy duty skillet, that is very big, and able to fit a family meal in it. It's heavy .... but holds the heat and cooks so evenly. Everything has come out perfectly cooked .... whether I use it on the stovetop or in the oven. Easy to clean, and will last longer than I'm alive (but my son has already claimed it. It is easier for him to use and handle, as he is a big guy. Great value for the money, well worth the cost. A 'forever' purchase.

This is a great pan. I have several frying pans, and am saving up for a certain style Dutch oven and double-burner griddle. Cast iron, like anything, has its pros and cons. It is heavy, making it hard to lift and carry; but it also doesn't move if you bump the handle or are using both hands to hold another vessel that you're pouring from into the pan. It comes preseasoned, eliminating that step that should be repeated several times on a non-preseasoned pan prior to use. Things DON'T stick to this pan, as is always the misconception, precisely because of the preseasoning. It imparts a small amount of iron into the food, which is good, as most people are deficient in iron. Cleanup is a bit tedious (no soap or detergent, hot water with a stiff brush, no dishwasher, dry immediately); a small amount of extra time for the care and upkeep, but time well spent in the scheme of things. If it were to rust for whatever reason (you found grandma's pan in the leaky basement; she put it in storage twenty years ago when she moved and forgot about it), it is easily scoured, seasoned, and ready to go. Rarely, except under extreme circumstances, would you ever have to replace a cast-iron pan. I started making the switch to cast iron about six months ago. My husband cooks, I don't; he didn't want cast iron, I did. The deal that we had before the cast iron continued--he cooks, I clean. He has no complaints (other than the weight, from time to time), and that he sometimes forgets to put the insulated handle on before grabbing the handle of the pan. But that's "operator error", nothing to do with the pan itself. I switched to cast iron because of the toxicity of nonstick coatings, such as Teflon. Cast iron is better for your health, it will last generations with proper care, it does not offgas toxic fumes, and it does not flake like nonstick coatings which, it is recommended, have to be discarded. My 11-year-old has taken a great interest in cooking and watches cooking shows a lot, namely on the Food Network. He is very aware of tools used and techniques employed, and noted that many of the chefs and cooks use cast iron, and the ease and sometimes importance of being able to leave the food in the pan but transferring the pan from the stove to the oven. Only with cast iron can you do this safely. Self-basting lids (when lids are used) help to evenly distribute "condensation", keeping the food uniformly moist. I researched pans vs. Dutch ovens, skillets vs. frying pans, handle vs. tab, and am very happy with all my purchases. If you are thinking about purchasing cast iron, of course consider your needs, but also look carefully at product descriptions as to size of pan (diameter and depth), and try different search terms as this will sometimes yield different results. The terms 'skillet', 'frying pan', 'deep fryer', and 'chicken fryer' will give you a bigger variety of similar pans from which to choose. I would also recommend paying a little more for an American-made product (I prefer Lodge; it has a long history to look at); they are heavier (better quality, more evenly distribute the heat); and American products from a reputable company will more than likely follow governmental guidelines for safety. What you're cooking in the pan will go in your body; be cognizant about what can leach from the pan into the food.

Really like this skillet. Great for stews and upside down cakes. Needed a good deep skillet for my induction range and this works like it should.

Easy to cook, specifically meat items. Tastes so good, will buy a bigger one. Highly recommended

Very nice quality! We love it because it is deeper than normal and has a lid!

I love this cast iron pan for deep frying works excellent for me

I bought this skillet just for deep-frying. I loved the 5 qt. Dutch oven and would have bought it but for the 4-for-3 promotion on this one. Also, no other skillet in the line was deep enough. I'm just beginning with cast-iron. Pros: 1. Good depth for deep-frying. 3" 2. Cast-iron efficiency in fast & even heating. 3. Came with a good pre-seasoning. 'Twas somewhat black unlike the dark brown ones which you usually get. 4. Cleaning is not that difficult. All you need is stiff brush and hot water. Also, the re-seasoning process does not sound that hard. They all say, its a LIFETIME piece. It is just alright. I have just 2 CONS for this: 1. The 10.25" is a whopping size and so it consumes a lot of oil for deep-frying. Anyway, that'd have been the case even with the dutch oven. One-time oil consumption is around 600-750 ml / 20-25 oz. 2. Food sticks to the pan even while deep-frying, the batter part of it. IS IT HOW it behaves initially ?? I don't know. Let me wait and see. Let's hope that it gets non-stick (?) after a few instances of deep-frying. That's what you are asked to do with a new pan. Atleast, 6 times of deep-frying before moving to pan-fry or stir-fry or saute JUST to get the nice raven finish. As for the handles getting hot, its not a cons for me since you can always use a mitt. Also, its not that heavy if you are an adult. The assisting loop handle is a welcome feature. I also dont need a lid. Now, I think I've covered everything about the skillet. I just made good use of the AMAZON promotion. The package was neat (without handles sticking out, as mentioned in some other LODGE skillet review) and on time. THANKS Amazon.....

This is awesome I should have bought it sooner. I wish there was a clear lid to go with it. There might be one. I don't really want the solid metal one because then I can't see what's happening. Highly recommend the silicone covers for the side handle and the regular long handle.

Ya tengo todos los sartenes de esta marca. Para toda la vida. Eso sí, mantenimiento agua caliente nada de jabón, al secar una gota de aceite

This pan is amazing. Everything I hoped for. High quality American made!

Hier stimmt einfach gesagt ALLES - wirklich Top

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I just love the traditional look and weight of Lodge cast iron skillets. Makes me think of my Mom's cooking. And I get additional comfort of quality since made in Tennessee, USA. Lodge invokes a feeling of old-fashioned quality. Practically speaking, the thick cast iron retains heat for a long time. My wife cooked beans, garlic, and chili sauce with it, and I swear the high heat retention made the beans taste as good as the ones cooked in giant woks in Chinese restaurants. I haven't used it long enough to personally experience that it becomes more and more non-stick with use, but I know this will happen. Like all cast iron skillets, you have to wash in plain water, wipe it clean, and apply thin layer of oil to prevent it from rusting. One of my 20 something colleagues mentioned that it was expensive, but I was lucky and bought for $43.91 CAD. it's of such good quality that I will pass it on to my children.

I own several Lodge pans and this one is by far the best in quality. Its surface is very smooth and clean, not bumpy, and it has no rust spots where the flakes of the seasoning fell off, and no sharp edges. It is simply perfect. And, as all Lodge pans do, it performs perfectly well on stove. Lodge's logo on the outside of its bottom tends to leave scratches on my glass cooktop and countertop (the logo is a bit raised), so I smoothed it out with a diamond polishing sponge and then gave it a coat of on-stove seasoning in inverted position. Highly recommended for those who can handle its weight, empty while cleaning it, or with cooked meals to move from the stove to pot stand. It is fully ready to use as is after washing it with soap and drying it. While drying it, see if it leaves yellow dirt or black powdery marks on paper towel or cotton towel. If it does, I usually strip it of factory seasoning with oven cleaner and then season it all anew. Its depth is the same as of many woks - 10" and its inner bottom diameter is 9". Because it is cast iron and cast iron accumulates and retains heat when cold objects come in contact with it, it can be used as a wok for stir frying compact vegetables and meats/fish. It gives them perfect crispy browned surface, and it is suited for crispy fried eggs, Spanish (one side is fried) or Asian style (fried until crunchy and lace-like on one or both sides). Leafy vegetables are best to be blanched first to make them somewhat less bulky, then towel dried and fried in this pan.