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Jan 4, 2024 · A cast-iron skillet is great for everything from searing a T-bone to roasting a chicken, and it will become naturally nonstick over time. We’ve tested 16 skillets since 2017, and we think the...
- The Winners, at A Glance
- The Tests
- What We Learned
- The Criteria: What to Look For in A Cast Iron Skillet
- Our Favorite Cast Iron Skillets
- The Competition
- FAQs
- Why We’Re The Experts
You just can’t beat this cast iron skillet that’s been a longtime Serious Eats favorite. It sears superbly and has hovered around $25 to $30 for time immemorial. If you’re new to cast iron, this no-frills, durable skillet is a solid choice to start with. The 10-inch Lancaster weighs just over four pounds, so it’s easy on the wrists and heats up fas...
Throughout testing, I used our winning enameled cast iron skillet from Le Creusetas a control. 1. Heat Conduction Test: I set the skillets over medium heat and immediately took the temperature of the cooking surface (left, center, right) with an infrared thermometer. Then, I set a timer in 30-second increments and took the temperature in the same m...
Which Size Cast Iron Skillet Was Best?
A 10- to 10.25-inch skillet will serve most people well—it’s the perfect size for frying up some eggs, flipping a few pancakes, or searing steaks. It’s what we reviewed in the past and what I stuck to in this update. That said if you’re looking for a slightly larger skillet, all of our winners are available in bigger versions. A 12-inch skillet, for example, is large enough for a family of four or for more substantial servings.
Artisan Skillets Vs. Lodge: What's the Difference?
One interesting difference between old-school and new-school cast iron skillets is the color and texture of the pans. Newcomers like Lancaster and Smithey make brassy pans with smooth, shiny surfaces, while Lodge and Victoriasell black skillets with a grainy texture. The pan’s color reflects its seasoning: The darker it is, the more seasoned it is. (Seasoning is a buildup of polymerized fat, which creates a nonstick surface.) The brass-colored pans I tested (from Lancaster, Stargazer, and Smi...
Cast Iron Was (and Is) Durable
Cast iron skillets are sometimes misunderstood. I’ve known people who refuse to buy one because they think they’re too high-maintenance and yet others who have balked when they see me using a metal spatula to squish and scrape smashed burgers on my favorite dual-handled Lodge skillet. To all of them, I say: It’s going to be okay. Cast iron is an incredibly forgiving material; unlike PTFE-coated nonstick pans, you can safely use a hardy metal turner without ruining the surface. And while it’s...
A cast iron skillet should be durable and easy to maneuver—you’re dealing with a ripping hot pan after all. All of my top picks were on the lighter side, which made lifting cornbread out of the oven less of a workout. Helper handles and pour spouts were optional features that, while helpful, weren’t essential. Surface texture is often an indicator ...
What we liked:This no-frills skillet from Lodge has been a longtime Serious Eats favorite—and for good reason. It’s affordable, durable, and nonstick out of the box. It beautifully seared steak, baked golden cornbread, and fried eggs slid right off the surface. What we didn’t like: It’s on the heavier side compared to other winners (though it wasn’...
Lodge Chef Collection 10 Inch Cast Iron Skillet: This isn’t a bad pan per se; it seared well and didn’t have any issues cooking fried eggs. However, I didn't love the curved sides, which reduced co...What's the difference between bare, seasoned, and enameled cast iron?
A bare cast iron skillet has not been seasoned (take a gander at the next FAQ to find out how to do this!). A seasoned cast iron skillet has been coated with fat and heated, creating a polymerized layer that’s naturally nonstick. Finally, an enameled cast iron skillethas a cast iron core that’s coated in, well, enamel. This makes it more nonstick out of the box, and it doesn’t require seasoning.
How do you season a cast iron skillet?
It’s easy! First, take your freshly unpackaged skillet and give it a wash just in case there are any errant metal bits from the manufacturing line. After hand drying, you can set it over medium heat for a few minutes to ensure all the water is gone. Then, preheat your oven to 450°F. Rub the entire skillet with a neutral, high-smoke point oil (canola oil works) and place it in the oven for 30 minutes. Carefully remove the skillet (it’ll be hot), rub with more oil, and repeat another three to f...
Do I need to pre-season my cast iron skillet?
All of the cast iron skillets we tested were sold pre-seasoned or had a pre-seasoned option. In this case, you don’t need to do any more seasoning off the bat—you can get cooking and let that seasoning grow over time. If you buy a bare, unseasoned cast iron skillet, you’ll need to season itbefore getting started so you don’t end up with food stuck on the pan.
She previously tested gear at America’s Test Kitchen and worked in restaurants and bars, too.For this review, Grace tested 10 cast iron skillets (with the Le Creuset enameled skillet as a control) by examining their heat conduction, frying eggs, searing steak, and, in the winners, baking c...Mar 20, 2024 · The Best Cast Iron Skillets for a Lifetime for Searing, Frying, and Roasting. Whether you want to spend $20 or $200 these are what the pros recommend for even-heating, beautiful browning, and...
Nov 2, 2023 · The Best List. The Best Cast Iron Skillets You Can Buy Right Now. Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm was the Tools Editor at The Kitchn. A professional kitchen equipment tester, she's worked for America's Test Kitchen, EatingWell, and Food52. Her goal: to find the best gear for your kitchen so you don't waste time or money on anything else.
Aug 6, 2024 · We've tested a wide selection of cast iron skillets, available at a range of prices and in a few different finishes, to see which one reigns supreme. The best cast iron skillets you...
Feb 27, 2024 · The Field 10.25" Cast Iron Skillet is the ideal cast iron skillet to have in your kitchen; it sears as well as it bakes, and develops a smooth, nonstick surface after just a few uses....
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Jun 28, 2021 · Curious about which cast iron skillet is the best? What size to get? How to clean it? Whether or not it's okay to cook acidic food in it? We've got all those answers — and more.
