LodgeBoy Scouts of America Pre-Seasoned 12-Inch Skillet

I'm no expert, but here are some things I've learnt on the way (though do check out the Lodge official site as it has all the info you need).Before first use - wash thoroughly in hot soapy water. I used a non scratch scourer, though I recall Lodge saying to use a brush. Rinse thoroughly and DRY THOROUGHLY as cast iron is prone to rusting if you have any drop outs exposing the raw iron. It comes 'factory seasoned' but I think it's universally agreed to season a new pan at least once before first use, though some people opt to do multiple seasonings. I think once is enough and then as you use the pan, it will naturally build up more and more seasoning as you go.Seasoning is basically just a bonded coating/s of oil/fat that sits in between the microscopic 'crags' of the pan surface and on a well used pan, you'll end up with a smooth, fairly non stick surface. (Out of the box, the pan is quite rough).So for the first season - I'd drop a desert spoon of oil (more on this to follow) into the middle of the cooking surface and take a paper towel and wipe over the whole pan, inside, outside and handle - basically the whole pan. Go over it all with a dry paper towel and take off all the excess. You don't want any drips - you're just shooting for a dryish coating. Place inside a cold oven on a rack lying upside down to make sure any excess oil (if any) comes off the pan. If you use too much oil, it can make a sticky mess of the pan so just be frugal on the application. Do have something under the rack to save youself cleaning up any potential grease.I use sunflower oil which depending on what variant you have can vary in terms of it's 'smoke point'. This is the temperature at which the oil will begin to smoke and the point where the oil will bond with the pan, which is essentially the seasoning process - easy right?! I think some oils actually list the smoke point on the container but in my case I had to guestimate and so opted for 220 degrees. Leave in the oven when the decided temp is reached for an hour, and after that, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool down in the oven.Cast iron retains heat for a LONG time so it will take ages to cool down. If all goes to plan (as it should) then you'll have a ready to use pan. Everytime you cook fatty foods, you'll be seasoning as you go and it will only get better and better. I use a fair amount of butter/oil when cooking and never really have any sticking problems - omelettes come out perfectly for instance. If you do have stuck on food, you can just heat up some water in the pan to boiling temp, and then just scrape any stuck on bits right off. I'd avoid using metal utensils and use a wood spatula/spoon as you really want to preserve that precious coating you've lovingly built up :)General cleanup is wash in hot water with a brush/sponge and avoid using any detergent at all really, unless something has gone badly wrong. Acidic food like tomatoes can eat away at your seasoning so your mileage may vary. It might be wise to cook foods like this in stainless/ceramic if doing regularly. DRY THOROUGHLY after washing, and I always like to give a light rub down of oil on the cooking surface and wipe it dry. This will prevent any rust forming on any potential exposed areas of the iron. I've read that even if your pan gets rusty, you can just sand off the offending area and reseason so these things really are like tanks in terms of longevity.It's a bit of a learning curve compared to non stick, but soon becomes second nature in no time at all. Love it.In summary then:Pros:• Effectively indestructable• Great heat retention• No non stick coatings to worry about/flake off etc.• Will last a lifetime if cared for.Cons:• Compared to stainless steel and especially aluminium, it's very heavy, so not ideal for people not able to hold heavy objects.• Requires some basic ongoing maintenance• Acidic foods (tomatoes etc) can eat away at the 'seasoning'. Non fatal, but the pan then needs reseasoning if extreme.

The best cast iron pan I’ve had .. I washed it using water and a green kitchen scourer which cleaned it too much so now I use a kitchen nylon brush with water and it’s very non stick. It’s our go to pan for big veggie meals.

Lovely saucepan. If the company would take the time to polish the inside before seasoning it would be great! Could be smoother

I’ve had a few cast iron pans over the years and this is by far the best I’ve ever had and used.It’s a solid pan, beautifully made and seasoned and, I guarantee I’ll never need to buy another one again.Yes it’s pricey but honestly; it’s a serious bit of kit and this will last you a lifetime and beyond.Highly highly recommended!

Finally a pan that doesn't need to be washed after use!However, need to treat properly by following these steps before first use.....1. scrub off seasoning that it comes with by rubbing with salt and wash with warm water2. Dry thoroughly on stovetop3.lightly coat with oil (veg or sunflower oil but NOT olive oil) all over - inside and out, using kitchen roll4. Place upside down in oven for a few hours on low, then repeat oiling and oven dry 2 or 3 timesNow you are ready to start using, but don't leave out the above pre-use steps or you will not get the non stick to lastDon't wash after use.....just wipe with kitchen roll using METAL TONGS (to avoid burns....I speak from experience!) whilst hot then MUST rub inside lightly with oil using kitchen roll whilst pan is still warm - use METAL tongs (and every so often coat entire outside surface too including handle, but let pan cool before attempting this).Finally, heat lightly oiled pan on stovetop until reaches smoking point.Then store away when cooled and its ready for use and no need to wash.This process helps to seal the pores with oil that builds up to get non stick surface.I lift out food whilst still on stove top, and have purchased an iron trivet to use if need to place on worktopTip tipsUse any metal utensils, but because pan gets very hot it's useful to have some metal tongs to lift out things like toast easily.Also having an angled metal slotted spatula is useful to lift out things to avoid touching hot sides of panHandle gets very hot, so you may want to purchase a silicone handle cover....or use silicone pan mitts .....but please NEVER touch handle when hot.Only need to add a little oil before using, and brush over with kitchen towel - use metal tongs to avoid burning hands!Can also go in the oven.Great for deep pan pizza - just carefully place dough directly into hot pan whilst on stovetopAdd toppings and use silicone mitts to place in ovenWarning.......not good for omelettes as gets too hot (I have a separate non stick pan for that)Good health benefits of cast iron pansAs sides get very hot I also bought a cast iron crepe pan to make things like flat breads......and if buy similar size then can stack to store.......…….....................Warning gets very hot and is very heavy so do NOT recommend for elderly, sight impaired, or anyone with problems lifting heavy pans.Hope you found my review helpful.

it is very small and easy to.use. when cooking little dishes , it is very convenient.

The media could not be loaded.  Loved everything about it. Fast delivery too. Excellent experience all round.

Needed a durable pan for mainly cooking meat and up to now these so called non stick pans just do not last however much I seem to pay. This is so good seems unbreakable , Tips are leave to cool down ,wipe clean with kitchen towel if necessary and wash under hot water only NO washing up liquid using a soft dish brush to remove any in grained marks , dry pan and then I put a small amount of veg oil inside and rub around all of the pan and store away ,as this is being used to cook or brown off meat it is doing really well and I can highly recommend , just remember the Handle does get very HOT so make sure you use either an oven glove or tea towel to hold .