Unhappy with Lodge Cast Iron...

[swinchen]

Ok, I have used cast iron before and loved it.... so I went and bought a lodge cast iron frying pan.... It really ticks me off!

the pan isn't smooth on the inside. There are lots of little pits in the metal and even though the pan is well seasoned and food doesnt stick when it comes to simply wiping the pan out with a paper towel (or any towel for that mater) the pan just shreds it and shreds it badly.

I dont know what to do... after it tears up a towel I am basically forced to wash it out with soap and water (destroying the sponge and season) .... grrrrrr.

[Goodweed of the North]

I received a couple of Lodge Cast Iron pans from an aquaintance who couldn't use them. She said that eirther I take them or she was going to throw them into the trash. And you are right; they are full of pits, at least when you first start using them. As you fry things in them, the pits fill with the carbonized oils and the pan surface becomes smooth and hard, and nearly impervious to rust. The pits are there because the pans are sand-casted, like the engine block of a car. The sand granules leave the tiny indentations as the molten iron cools in the mold. To get rid of the problem in auto engines, and reduce the subsequent intense machining, a thin coat of parafin is sprayed onto the sand mold. It gets rid of the grainy texture and is burned away when the hot metal contacts it, leaving a much smoother surface. However, this is a more expensive process and is not required with cast-iron cookwear. Be patient with your pans. They will give you the service you expect. I was very surprised when my Lodge fry pans became as smooth as my Wagner pans. But it did happen.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[Michael in FtW]

I use a nylon-bristle dish brush - that solves that problem.

It sounds like you've got some burrs (stickey-uppie thingies) that didn't get knocked off in processing. You'll have to reseason the the pan when you're done, but here goes ...

Go to a hardware or auto supply store and get some emory cloth/emory paper for metal. Then, come home and start sanding the inside of your pan to knock the burrs off. When you can wipe a dry, or just barily damp, paper towel around the inside without it snagging you're done. Then follow the directions to season it again .... http://www.lodgemfg.com/useandcare.asp

[Paint]

I cook nearly everything in my 3 pre-seasoned Lodge pans, I LOVE them - my expensive Calphalon now sits unused in the back of my cupboard LOL! I just use hot water and a plastic ( the 'knitted' round type) scouring pad to clean them and they come out perfect. If things have stuck badly, then add some water to the pan and simmer it for a while on a low heat. Don't worry too much about getting them spotlessly clean - I was a Food Microbiologist for 10 years, and I can reassure you that any germs will be killed when you next heat the pan :)

Paint.

[Bigjim68]

A few years ago, I puchased three pieces of Lodge cast iron that I could not find at yard sales, and agree with those who do not like the sand cast finish. It seems to me like a cost cutting measure, not an improvement. Mine is in nearly daily use and still is not flat. Frankly, I would pay a little more, and forget the preseasoning, in exchange for a smooth finish on the cooking side. My griddle is finally getting smooth, but I suspect that this is due to the constant scraping rather than from a buildup of seasoning.

[justplainbill]

Originally Posted by Bigjim68

A few years ago, I puchased three pieces of Lodge cast iron that I could not find at yard sales, and agree with those who do not like the sand cast finish. It seems to me like a cost cutting measure, not an improvement. Mine is in nearly daily use and still is not flat. Frankly, I would pay a little more, and forget the preseasoning, in exchange for a smooth finish on the cooking side. My griddle is finally getting smooth, but I suspect that this is due to the constant scraping rather than from a buildup of seasoning.

Perhaps their unseasoned cast iron items are finished better. My wagner and griswold cooking sufaces were either ground or machined. It took me half a dozen SOS pads, 1/4 to 1/2 can of Cameo scouring powder and a lot of elbow grease to smooth out the bottom of my 7 quart Lodge dutch oven.

[Jeff G.]

the only type of pan I have found I like as well as my cast iron is Magnalite.
I would love to have an entire Magnalite set someday.

Oh, not the one available at Wal-mart etc.

this is the original Magnalite stuff...

American Culinary

A single pan can easily cost you $100...

[stan41]

The new Lodge skillets are not machined inside like old skillets were. The answer is to go to flea markets, garage sales, etc. and buy old cast iron. It is much better than the new.
Stan

[Katie E]

Originally Posted by Jeff G.

the only type of pan I have found I like as well as my cast iron is Magnalite.
I would love to have an entire Magnalite set someday.

Oh, not the one available at Wal-mart etc.

this is the original Magnalite stuff...

American Culinary

A single pan can easily cost you $100...

Magnalite is neat stuff, Jeff. I bought a 5-quart Magnalite Dutch oven a while back at a thrift store for 50 cents. Didn't have a lid, but I had a lid at home that fit it perfectly. It's what I bake my N.Y. Times bread in.