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September 20, 2019 4 min read

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

With over 6000 products in our store, we know that it can be easy to get overwhelmed with options. We’ve designed a brand new series to help you out! Welcome to Product Of The Week! Here, we will pick one of our favourite items, new or old, that we think you’ll LOVE, tell you a bit about it, and give you some recipe or use ideas to go along with it. Think of this as a personal shopping guide. We are after all, here to help. 


FIRST UP

Lodge Chef’s Skillet

Lodge Cast Iron Cookware is a long standing brand in our inventory, and for good reason. Made in the United States and with a 123 years of experience to back them up, they’re someone we trust, and someone you can trust too.

Take a tour of their facilities:

 

Cast Iron: Why?

Lasts a lifetime: Cast iron is nearly indestructible. That means the pan you buy today, will be the pan you can pass down through generations. And, if you can believe it, it will onlyimprove in performance. When treated properly (don’t worry, we’ll tell you how to treat it properly down below) the nature of cast iron is that the more use it gets and the more meals that pass through it, the more seasoned it will become. That means it becomes...NON-STICK.

 

Classic Fluffy Golden Skillet Cornbread

The perfect classic cornbread. Perfect to serve with soup or chili during the colder months we’re in.

https://www.kyleecooks.com/fluffy-golden-skillet-corn-bread/

 

Non-Stick: You read that right. When treated properly, a thin even layer of oil will build up making cast iron one of the most reliable non-stick pans you can buy. An excellent avenue to explore if you’re trying to avoid some of the less “natural” non-stick coatings out there like Teflon, there are still some caveats to be aware of. Even the most well-seasoned pan will need to be preheated before adding food to cook in order to avoid any and all sticking. Beyond that, cook without fear!

 

Maintains heat: Perfect for searing, once a cast iron pan is hot it stays hot. That means when you drop a cold steak onto it, versus its stainless steel counterpart, the drop in temperature will be much less severe, allowing for higher heat and better browning.

 

Cast Iron Pan Seared Strip Steak

“BEST STEAK RECIPE!!!” - John 04/30/2016

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/pan-seared-strip-steak

 

Its high temperature retention also makes cast iron the PERFECT vessel for baking bread in. Get ready for perfectly browned crispy crust and pillowy soft inside. 

 

Seeded Whole Grain Soda Bread

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/seeded-whole-grain-soda-bread

 

Versatile: Tough enough to be used on the stovetop, barbecue, in the oven, or even directly over a fire pit, cast iron is the ultimate one-pan-meal cookware! 

 

Lodge Silicone Hot Handle Holder

https://www.iqliving.com/products/lodge-silicone-hot-handle-holder?_pos=30&_sid=f347e15a8&_ss=r

 

Cast Iron Pan Pizza

This recipe starts on the stove to lock in a crispy crust, and finishes off in the oven to bake completely. 

https://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/how-to/article/pan-pizza-video

Care: How To

Seasoning: All Lodge pans come pre-seasoned. This means that you can start cooking with it right out of the package. However, it’s recommended that you perform your own seasoning as well, to build a strong layer of non-stick protection. Don’t worry though, it’s easy.

  1. Wash the pan, scrubbing well in hot water. 
  2. Dry thoroughly
  3. Coat entire pan with a thin layer of vegetable oil (canola or sunflower work well) or melted shortening, wiping off any excess with a paper towel. The pan should look relatively dry, not dripping with oil.
  4. Bake 1 hour on the middle rack of the oven at 375 degrees; let cool to room temperature in the oven.

It’s recommended to repeat this process 3-4 times to build up the initial seasoning. However, don’t sweat it if you can’t commit to it, once should be enough to start with. While there’s no definitive answer for how often one should reseason their pan, if you find the coating of seasoning has started to rub off from use, or if you find your pan losing its non-stick coating, it’s probably worth it to re-season.

Washing: Little to no soap is best when washing cast iron to avoid breaking down the seasoning.. Use mild dish soap if necessary. Hand wash in hot water with scraper or tough scrubbie. As cast iron is naturally susceptible to rusting, dry thoroughly immediately after washing.

This is one of the most important things to remember when working with your new pan. Not a pan to leave soaking in the sink, do your best to clean andthoroughly dry it as soon as you can after cooking. 

Always wipe your pan down with a thin coating of oil once it’s completely dried. This is a very important step to maintain your pan’s seasoning! 

Consider picking up a Lodge Cast Iron Scrubber while you’re at it.

https://www.iqliving.com/products/lodge-cast-iron-scrubber?_pos=1&_sid=f347e15a8&_ss=r

If you choose to treat yourself to a cast iron pan (the gift that keeps on giving, as I like to call it), I hope you love it for all your cooking needs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://www.iqliving.com/products/lodge-chef-collection-cast-iron-skillet?_pos=1&_sid=fe27a0e1a&_ss=r


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