Can I make a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet nonstick like a Griswold?
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- Опубліковано 21 бер 2023
- Today I am taking my Dumpster find Lodge Cast Iron Skillet, finishing and re-seasoning it properly to see how it stacks up against my WWII era Griswold skillet. This video is a little long, but I wanted to show you all the steps I took to fix this pan. Sure do appreciate everyone who watches the entire video.
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Bought a new cast iron Lodge skillet a few weeks ago. Cleaned, seasoned, NO sanding, and it’s perfectly non-stick (following Kent Rollins cleaning/seasoning methods).
Same… n I only seasoned it 3x
Kent also has videos on sanding down lodge also.
Still having issues with my 10" Lodge Cast Iron. I tried everything from low smoke point oils, to avocado, to larbee (lard and beeswax). I had better luck getting a cheap Tramontina carbon steel seasoned, after removing the horribly sticky sunflower oil coating (not a seasoning) they shipped it with. I did the stovetop method where you bring liquid oil (enough to cover cooking surface) to the smoke point for a few minutes, dump the oil, and wipe dry while still hot. Haven't tried it on the Lodge yet but I need to strip it first.
I’m amused by your mania with thelodge pans. In my home in Spain, I had a large pan that was the most perfectly seasoned pan you’ve ever seen, truly smooth as glass. I did it as you do, with olive oil, which many people think is a mistake, but it’s truly excellent.
I was serious about the seasoning, so the thing that bothers you, the rough texture because of the sand marks. Turned out to be a helpful thing. I lightly seasoned the pan after every single use, and it’s my feeling that the rough surface of the pan catches , and grabs onto those bits of olive oil seasoning, resulting in a surface that would be smooth enough to ice skate on.
I have both a vintage Griswold and a new Lodge. Both are exactly the same when it comes to "non stick". Texture doesn't matter for that. Whether or not something sticks has everything to do with using enough oil/fat, preheating, and using the correct temperature. The only time texture mattered was with a terrible Chinese Ozark Trail cast iron pan from Walmart. And that was only when cleaning it because it's so rough that it leaves paper towel lint when wiping it down with oil.
Best comment! We're a dying breed but, there are a few newbies that are catching on. I have vintage cast iron, recent stuff like the small logo Griswolds and some stuff I bought new. Sometimes I want to use a heavy piece that holds a lot of heat and sometimes I want a light pan that changes temperature quicker. Other than knowing you're using a 100+ year old pan, there's not much difference as far as "non stick". Get the temperature and oil right none of them stick, wrong and all of them stick. I've never "seasoned" a pan. If you notice the comments in the "seasoning" videos, the problems people have came after they "seasoned". I can see why people give up on cast iron, I would too.
I am sure the new Lodge’s are non stick and all but I have to say I picked one up recently and it was heavy and very rough in the hand. 😕
@@hobokenarts I use a new Lodge #5 for Jiffy cornbread in the oven and a new Lodge #10 to make cut up chicken breasts with Kickin' Chicken spice on the stove top. I want all of that weight (heat transfer) for those things. Come to think of it, use the #5 to sear steak on both sides and finish it in the oven too.
@@jerrym3261 Try starting your chicken (if with the skin) on the stovetop to get the pan to temperature and then throwing it in the oven...it will crisp it up so nice you’ll never need fried chicken again!
You sir are correct. Seasoning your cast iron is to protect it from rusting. Making it "non-stick" is a matter of technique.
I have 7 CI - 4 that I use regularly. 2 * 12 inch. 1 * 8 inch. And a 8 inch squared griddle/grill pan. Also another griddle that I don't use much (all those are lodge). Also a large not-enameled dutch oven that I rarely use that I think is not lodge (don't remember the brand).
The 4 that I use? Yeah, they had the "lodge roughness". But they season just fine and are ridiculously non-stick. I wouldn't say perfect only because I don't usually do fried eggs where you just want them to slide around - so they aren't tested for that. But I love those main 4 that I use on a very regular basis.
Hat tip for seasoning... I love making and then using clarified butter or ghee. Super high smoke point and zero chemicals. Having the bottom few layers of seasoning be over 450 F is nice for when you want to do higher heat cooking. And extra virgin olive oil is nowhere near that level of smoke point.
I do commit heresy... I strip my 4 main pans about once per year and re-start the seasoning. The first 2 or 3 layers immediately and always with clarified butter. By the time I am done with that process, they're good to go. But then after a year of cooking where I do use various other oils or fats, I'll notice an occasion where the smoke point seems to have lowered and been overcome during a round of cooking... time to strip and re-season so that there is no smokiness. I could prevent that by ALWAYS using only clarified butter when cooking, but when doing deep frying, using that much clarified butter just isn't the right way to go... and then a few more layers of this or that and the next thing I know, I'm doing a bit of high-heat cooking and start seeing a small amount of smoke... and I just do the strip and re-season.
To make clarified butted (in large batches)... I take 9 pounds of unsalted butter and put it in a stainless steel stock pot. melt it on low heat until it's all melted. Turn up the heat a little bit (still pretty low) for about 20 minutes. Skim off the milk solids that float. What's left is water underneath and pure butterfat on the top. Turn the heat up to a solid medium and keep a close eye on it. The water will steam up through the butterfat and escape. Keep skimming any milk solids that come to the top during this process. Watch for when the steam slows down. This is a sign that very little water remains. Remove from the heat and let it cool for an hour or three to make sure that all remaining water separates downwards from the butter fat. Ladle off the butterfat into canning jars. I like using the half-pint (one cup) canning jars for this because bigger canning jars are harder to get to the bottom once you've used most of the jar. The 9 pounds of butter turns into a bit over 14 jars of half-pint clarified butter. Put the lids and rings on. Put all but one in the freezer and they are good for at least a year. Keep one out that you use for seasoning and for your cooking fat. When I take the last jar out of the freezer, it's time to go shopping for another 9 pounds of butter to make another batch.
The process I describe above does lead to at least mild browning of the milk solids that sink to the bottom, so it is probably more "ghee" than "clarified butter".
Another fun thing to do on this is to make a 1/4 size batch (2 or 3 pounds) where after the first round of removing the floating milk solids (20 minutes in or so?) - I'll add either garlic powder or crushed red peppers. If you do this, you MUST use multi-layer thick cheese-cloth when pouring into the jars to strain out the particulates. The butter fat will absorb the flavoring of the garlic powder (garlic-infused ghee) or the spiciness of the peppers (which is actually an oil!) (pepper ghee). The peppers do a better job than the garlic at absorbing flavor. If you do this, make sure they are specially labeled and used as cooking oil only and not as seasoning - especially on a freshly stripped pan.
I've done this by hand on dozens of Lodge pans. In my experience, 220 grit is as fine as one needs to go to get a slick, non-stick seasoned pan. Worth every penny and all the time invested.
It is indeed worth all the work and time invested to make a pan last a lifetime
I have had a lodge for 3 years now, never sanded it and it has always been completely non-stick. They are also very easy to maintain seasoning on. The textured surface doesn't prevent it from being non stick at all from my personal experience.
I found my lodge started to pit. The seasoning was too thick. It was only used a few times. My husband did this same process. Wow! What a game changer!
I've a Lodge skillet and the only thing I did was season it twice with grapeseed oil and it works just as well as my old gate mark skillets. I only use it for camping though.
I knocked down the high spots on my Lodge with a 40 grit flap disc and it cooks eggs just fine.
The people that say Lodge skillet is good with rough texture, obviously never owned a good cast iron skillet before. I have total of 15 cast iron skillets of 6 brands. Lodge is the worst in my collection. It was my first I bought. It was my rookie mistake to buy it.
You did a great job!! You just transformed a Kia into a Cadillac
Go look at and do not buy the cast iron pans that walmart has in their camping section. they make a lodge look like a rolls royce
@@Liberty_DIY I heard the same thing. I did watch video review on Walmart Dutch oven. I might get one for fact I never like putting a good Dutch oven in campfire.
it has more to do with technique than brand. You may be having trouble with lodge because it is heavier and takes longer to heat up. You should let it warm up on medium for about 5 minutes before you even put the oil in.
After a quick 80g session my walmart pan kicks butt!@@Liberty_DIY
Dear everyone,
Making cast iron smooth like this makes the seasoning flake off later. If you want to sand the cast iron pans, then do so using 80 grit paper with a flat object, and do so evenly around the entire pan (this guy used an electric sander that was always sanding the center of the pan, while he did his best to evenly sand the edges, so the center of his pan is thinner than the outter edges), and only do so by hand, and only for about 10 minutes, no more. You WANT the pitting in these pans, as it's a part of how it remains "stick-free".
My Lodge works great with the original course finish. I use avocado oil (recommended by a long time Cast iron cook) AND clean with just a piece of chain mail and hot water. So far , so good. Seasoned once and eggs slide once they release. You have to know that food has to cook to the point that contraction releases from the surface.
When you read the ingreedients in that spray can of Wal-Mart "Extra Virgin Olive Oil" made me think that it's not truly extra virgin, at least not by European standads. From the label: Caution: Contents flammable" The olive oil is flammable under the right conditions but the propellant is nitrous oxide and/or carbon dioxide.
I just found a junker lodge pan at the thrift store. whoever had it before me had no idea how to cook on it. I'm gonna try sanding the bottom of it to see what happens. hopefully it'll be as good as my no name antique one.
I restore cast iron and a couple of months ago had the first two Lodge pans that someone "polished" Both looked good after initial seasoning, but once you cook in it the seasoning just comes off. Temperature control and oil use is key in seasoning and cooking in a pan. You shouldn't grind one unless it is so rough it will tear up paper towels when you wipe it. If you do have to grind one stop at 80 or 120 at the max.
I’ve been using casting for around 16 yrs now. 10 years from now you’re going to look back at this video and realize you didn’t know what you were talking about when it comes to the new lodge and seasoning. Don’t get me wrong a smooth surface does make it easy coat the pan with oil after every use easier. It won’t tear your paper towel to shreds. But will cook the same. FYI: you can grind your cast-iron to a mirror finish, then soak the inside with vinegar, which will micro edge the surface, which will allow the seasoning to adhere.
I've been cooking with cast iron for more than 30 years, You have your way as well as I. Neither of us is wrong in our opinion or beliefs. I do know one thing for sure, I don't sell a knife until its edge has been tested over time. ((this was not the first pan I did this treatment to)). And a micro etch with 10,000 grit sandpaper is far superior to a vinegar "etch". Vinegar will help remove rust, but will hardly etch clean cast iron in any appreciable way.
You can treat a Lodge like a Griswold. Season it and it is fine. Lodge is heavier but they season easily. I got a Griswold that is pitted my dog dug up in the yard and eggs float around in it. Lodge is great!
One smart dog
Been cooking with Lodge skillets for 50+ years, new and old. Never ever contemplated sanding them. They just work. Sometimes it’s about the cook, not the skillet. Season it, understand it, and cook with it. If you feel the urge to sand, go for it, IMHO not needed.
You are 100% correct, most of the time its the cook. Goal here was to see what would happen if I got it super smooth but with a 1000 grit micro scratches to help seasoning adhesion. It has been going better than I expected and the one year review video will be made in March. Subscribe and hit the notification bell so you don't miss it.
I have been cooking on a modern sandy finish lodge for about 2 years almost daily. It collects a lot of build up and gunk in all that texture that starts getting all flaky.
Thats cause your not cleaning it properly.
I'm also pretty obsessed with cast iron, so much so, I bought a cheap skillet from Walmart. Seasoned it a bit right on top of the stove, and it works fine. Seems like some people just feel by putting in a massive amount of work with all this sanding it makes for a better utensil. I feel many things in life should be experimented with, trying to see not how much can be done, but how little.
The walmart pan I have is by far my favorite.I did hit it with a little 80g.Stove top seasoning is all you need to get going.All that oven for hours stuff is not necessary.
Might be the mindset of "new and improved " and with all this work it MUST have some benefits.
@@alanrosof7487 Besides the typical maintenance I feel the most important thing is to have enough oil or butter in a heated skillet.When not enough then things gets sticky somewhat.
great video and subscribe to you on Friday! have a good evening and sunday and week!
Did you ever do the video comparing the non stick level of the griswald compared to this lodge you refinished? I didn't see it in your video list.
I got tied up in moving to another state and totally forgot about the followup video. I will put it on my schedule
I looked on you page and didn't see the test video... did it work or was it to smooth?
It worked quite well, The one year of testing ends in March 2024. I will then make the video. Hit that notification bell after you subscribe so you know right away once I upload the video.
Will do!
What model are you using for this?
It's a Lodge 12 inch skillet
For the first time I see how doing it right... Have already seen many videos like this here... and I didn't liked the results... but you doing it very well. Thanks and greets from Germany.
Thank you, I always do my best to do it right, even if it is a lot harder.
I have observed that all the pans that I smooth out, if it is polish the seasoning have problem adhering. It needs a bit of lite scratches in the finish similar to painting processes. You can use a end grinder with a 2-3" flapper wheel to do the walls.
It looks like I polished it out, but no, I did leave a lot of micro scratches to ensure good adhesion for the seasoning
This man goes above and beyond.
I made a $14 walmart Ozark Trail skillet wonderfully non stick.I have two Lodge pans that just collect dust most the time.
You need a little bit of grit for the season to stick too.I did my walmart pan with 80g only and its fantastic.
what temp on the oven?
I do 400, lots of different view on that, anywhere from 350 to 450. But 400 has always worked good for me using pure olive oil.
будет ли тот же омлет "убегать" от вашей лопатки или все же вам его будет проще поддеть, у меня есть несколько сковород de Buyer (угелродистая сталь с изначально гладким дном) так мне бывает зачастую сложнее снять омлет , чем у вашей сковороды (у меня есть такая же сковорода Lodge с лосем) По этому и шершавая и гладкая поверхность чугунной сковороды может обеспечить антипригарные свойства, шлифовани лишь дает выбор - вам нужно более качественное сцепление продукта со сковородой (если вы чаще пользуетесь лопаткой) или вам лучше гладкая поверхность, что бы продукт соскальзывал со сковороды сам
Delo ne v gladkosti tekstury, gladkost' tol'ko opredelyayet - budet li tot zhe omlet "ubegat'" ot vashey lopatki ili vse zhe vam yego budet proshche poddet', u menya yest' neskol'ko skovorod de Buyer (ugelrodistaya stal' s iznachal'no gladkim dnom) tak mne byvayet zachastuyu slozhneye snyat' omlet , chem u vashey skovorody (u menya yest' takaya zhe skovoroda Lodge s losem) Po etomu i shershavaya i gladkaya poverkhnost' chugunnoy skovorody mozhet obespechit' antiprigarnyye svoystva, shlifovani lish' dayet vybor - vam nuzhno boleye kachestvennoye stsepleniye produkta so skovorodoy (yesli vy chashche pol'zuyetes' lopatkoy) ili vam luchshe gladkaya poverkhnost', chto by produkt soskal'zyval so skovorody sam
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It’s not about the smoothness of the texture, smoothness only determines whether the same omelette will “run away” from your spatula or whether it will be easier for you to pry it off, I have several de Buyer frying pans (carbon steel with an initially smooth bottom) this is often more difficult for me remove the omelet than your frying pan (I have the same Lodge frying pan with elk) Therefore, the rough and smooth surface of a cast iron frying pan can provide non-stick properties, sanding only gives a choice - you need better adhesion of the product to the frying pan (if you use it more often spatula) or would you rather have a smooth surface so that the product slides out of the pan on its own?
I don’t think that is one of the older small logo versions because of the handle style.
Yeah, that's a grooved handle, the third handle design, 1950 to 1957.
As much as for cooking, is cleaning. Way easier to clean if its smooth.
If you ever run across a never used vintage or antique cast iron it's not glass smooth it has texture. Even the never brands of boutique pans have stopped making their new pans so smooth, It's harder for it to hold new seasoning over time.
The roughness of the pan has nothing to do with how well the seasoning sticks. If that was the case carbon steel pans would struggle to keep seasoning
@@vuvuzela691 Look up the problems people have seasoning new Stargazer Cast Iron especially the start up pans
@@vuvuzela691 100% incorrect. The seasoning has to have some texture to stick. That is why some of the new companies have such a hard time holding seasoning. And Carbon steel also has issues holding seasoning.
I'm not a believer in making a pan too smooth. I want the high spots off of course, but I find pans season best when do like 80-120 grit and leave it at that. Or, better yet, I buy old Griswolds or Wagners when I find one I want.
I totally agree with you on the 80-120 grit. Goal of this video was to go as high of a grit as I possibly could and still get a good season on it. I did achieve that surprisingly and a video on the results will be coming soon.
I liked your process here but I don’t see any follow up. Hope it all worked out.
Follow up will be coming soon
I think taking it to a machine shop and putting it on a lathe would save some time.
Yes it would have for sure, now that you mentioned it I'm gonna have to put that on the list of things to do.
Yeah and pay $150 no thanks not everybody has a lathe in their basement.
80 grit is as high as you should go. You will have seasoning issues iover time if you go much higher.
I have had really good results at 180 grit, However I do believe you are right in many cases because I am pretty sure the quality of the cast iron has a lot to do with it. In this case I really wanted to see how high I could go before it stopped making any improvement.
@Liberty Farms It's about giving the seasoning something to hang on to. That's why some high end manufacturers like Stargazer run their perfectly smooth pans through tumbles with ball bearings or sand blast. They went with perfectly smooth to start and had to correct.
That fingernail scratch went right through me.
You should have bead blasted that pan. Cast iron skillets weren't made to reflect your face in. You really screwed up a really well made skillet
It does reflect my face, but it is also covered with millions of micro scratches from the sandpaper. It has been working very very very well over that last several months and soon I will be ready to make the comparison video. You do bring up a great idea about bead blasting, it is now on my list of things to experiment with. Thank you.
Cast iron skillets lose depth of material with the sanding. They aren't supposed to be mirrors. Would think to at least get rid of the rusting from the "overnight" process that one time on the sides with the sander would get rid of the rust. The thinner the cast iron, the lower of temperature it will tolerate before damage. Shine is an ego thing. It's not a mirror.
This is a pretty stupid video. I fell into the sanding trap and sanded a brand new lodge with nothing but 220 and it is too slippery for the season to stick now. Lol but you keep on trying to impress people. I got a good belly laughwhen I saw you with the grinder on it😂😂😂😂
stick around for the video coming up in March for the 1 year review of this pan. The micro scratches I made in the pan with the 2000 grit are going to have you rethinking your opinion I be thinking.
What are you talking about,220g will hardly even move any of the high spots off a lodge.80G is the sweet spot for all cast iron pans.After an 80g sanding all my pans are freakin great!! Eggs just roll around like ball bearings and pork chops and corned beef hash slip and slide all over the place.Pans are sexy af.