Lodge 5 Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Deep Skillet with Lid - Signature Teardrop Handle & Assist Handle - Use in the Oven, on the Stove or Grill, or Over a Campfire - Use to Sear, Sauté, Bake, Broil, Braise, Fry, or Grill - Black

Background you can skipWe started on a journey of replacing the Calphalon / Cephalon / Tefal / and Stainless potts and pans that we accumulated over the years. The reason is that the non-stick stuff, over time, comes off and who knows what it really does to your body long term.The cast iron pan we received of my mother, already 35 yrs old when we received it, was an eye opener as nothing stuck in it and it was glorious to cook in. So we decided to go pan by pan and build up a full "site" of cast iron pots and pans.We've tried various brands, initially, thinking "cast iron is cast iron". WRONG. The smoothness of the surface, quality of the seasoning, fit of the lid, even thickness etc are all critical in making something GREAT cookware versus a horrible failure. Lodge has been a winner in every category of cast iron cookware for us. At this point we have a complete cookware collection and 90% is Lodge and we love it.The trick with cast iron? Read up on directions on how to cook with and hot to properly clean. Too many people ruin the seasoning by not understanding how to care for it. If the seasoning ever gets sub-par or you make a mistake: re-seasoning is very easy with any oven and some cooking oil.Here's the good:- perfect thickness of iron- deep even and eternal seasoning: we have yet to re-season any of the pans after several years of intense use- smooth cast iron surface. The combination of seasoning and smooth surface make for virtually non-stick cooking, be it crepes or sunny side up eggs. Works great!- lid of this item fits precisely- Handle on pot as well as lid: its heavy- can withstand very very high heat, unlike non-stick. Great for over use- Keeps heat very long so dinner doesn't go cold in secondsOn the downside (we're nitpicking on the first):- heavy to handle, so not great for older people. You can get a serious wrist workout from handling these- Amazon seems to have a crazy price band for this. Bought mine in the low thirty bucks and today, when writing this review, its 88. Nutty. Watch and time your purchase as it goes up and down and thats just not cool.

Because it's cast iron, the heat distribution and cleaning easiness won't be as good as a copper pan. However, it's simple, sturdy, and does basically anything you'd want it to.Here's my care process.CARE:I initially seasoned it with avocado oil 5 times. (Light coating across entire pan, baked in the oven for 40 minutes at 500 degrees. Cool. Repeat 5 times). This was a lengthy process but worth it for an initial layer.Otherwise, I clean it with a soft brush or a pan scrapper if necessary. I use a small amount of dish detergent (just enough for a light lather), rinse it clean, and throw it back on a hot burner for a minute before applying a light coat of Crisco or avocado oil. Wipe off excess oil. Turn burner off and let cool.It's a little bit of work, but this pan is versatile, indestructible, safe from plastics, and affordable. I hardly use my other pans except when making sauces or small single portions.Also, this pan is HEAVY. Use two hands with potholders.

I love how deep this skillet is. The functionality and depth of this skillet far exceeded my original expectations. It's extremely versatile, I've cooked everything from soup to steak in it since I've had it.It's very easy to clean and keep seasoned. The weight of it takes a little getting used to, but cast iron has always had weight. There is very little that I've found that sticks to it, especially on low heat.The lid has kept my food warm even after I turned the heat off. I accidentally dropped the lid on the floor while removing it last night and there was not a single chip or indentation on the edge when I picked it up.

My husband loves this and uses it several times a week for many meals! Easy clean up, heavy and solid and deep enough for large portions.