If you’re not a professionally trained chef, it can be difficult to narrow down exactly what your kitchen’s missing in terms of utensils and cookware. Sometimes you may only need one piece of cookware to expand your portfolio of recipes.

If you’re also in doubt about what to choose for induction plates, gas burners, and ovens, why not just go with something that works with all of them? The Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B can be the answer to your cooking needs.

Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge has decades of experience in manufacturing and distributing high-end, cast iron cookware for residential and commercial use. Its line of affordable yet pre-seasoned cookware is something that everyone should experience at least once, for many reasons.

Who is this Skillet for?

The Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B is for any home cook that wants to make a wide range of recipes in a single pan. It’s also well-suited for someone that uses more than one type of heat source to cook food.

Due to its pricing, this skillet is also attractive to those looking to complete or upgrade their kitchen cookware with a minimal investment. And, because it’s pre-seasoned, this is one of those skillets that’s super easy to wash, clean, and maintain once you understand the concept of seasoning.

What’s Included?

Due to it being a single piece of cookware, there aren’t many accessories included:

12” cast iron skillet
Silicone hot handle holder

What would’ve been nice to see in the package is a set of instructions on how to handle pre-seasoned cookware.

Overview of Features

The skillet comes pre-seasoned with oil. This helps create a non-stick finish that will only get better with more use. The thickness of the cast iron isn’t too impressive, though the skillet still packs a lot of weight.

You will find that 12” is more than enough cooking surface for almost any recipe you can think of. You can even make an omelet in a cast-iron pan, if you do a good job at maintaining the seasoning and if you move fast enough.

It’s important to understand that even though cast iron cookware is oven safe, it won’t handle a limitless temperature range. It’s probably best to avoid going near or over the 450°F limit.

In terms of what cooking techniques you can use with this skillet, it’s pretty much anything along the lines of searing, grilling, frying, braising, baking, sautéing, and broiling.

How to Use

First and foremost, it’s important to use your silicone handle, as cast iron cookware can get really hot.

When it comes to cleaning and maintaining the Lodge L10SK3ASHH41B, here’s what you need to know:

Never use dish soap since it would ruin the coating. Instead, wash with a non-abrasive cloth and warm water
After drying the pan, coat it with cooking oil and remove the excess. And, always store it in a dry area

Pros

Versatile 12” skillet
Comes pre-seasoned
Even heat distribution
Can handle high oven temperatures
Silicone handle holder included
Works on any heat source

Cons

Heavy cookware
Getting the seasoning right takes time and practice

Alternatives

If using a cast iron skillet seems intimidating because it has different cooking times and requires a soft touch when seasoning and washing the skillet, perhaps you’re in need of something more traditional or, maybe you want something with a bit more flair than a piece of black cookware.

If that’s the case, you may prefer something like the De Buyer Mineral B frying pan. This is slightly more expensive and it’s also smaller at just 11” and slightly lighter. It’s great for browning and frying and has a very sturdy construction.

It also looks really cool with the Eiffel Tower-shaped handle. Its tall sides allow you to make excellent stir fry recipes. This is one of the few limitations of the Lodge skillet with small sides. On top of that, the seasoning required on a carbon steel fry pan is that bit easier to apply.

Conclusion

If you’ve never used a cast iron skillet before you should make sure that the first one you get is a quality piece. The Lodge L10K3ASHH41B may be priced as a piece of residential cookware but it’s nothing if not professional when it comes to results. The pre-seasoning is also very good and will save you a significant amount of prep time in the beginning.

But, this isn’t without its limitations. If there’s one thing you can’t do is anything involving the stir-frying technique. For that you may want something like the De Buyer Mineral B fry pan. Its tall sides are similar to a wok’s and this too can be seasoned for a non-stick cooking experience.

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