Lodge Cast Iron® L5WS3 - 5" Cast Iron Square Skillet

Sporting a stylish black color, the cast iron Skillet looks good in most kitchens and it doubles up as an excellent source of nutritional iron. This pre-seasoned skillet is ready-to-use right out of the box. While the skillet comes pre-seasoned to prevent food from sticking, it works best when sprayed or lightly coated with vegetable oil before use. The Lodge seasoning procedure is a multiple-step process in which the seasoning oil is applied via an electrostatic spray system that coats the cookware, then it's baked in commercial ovens at very high temperatures. This allows the oil to penetrate deeply into the pores of the iron. This seasoning process achieves a seasoned finish that would take many months of home use to achieve. Sometimes during this process, the seasoning oil can collect and create a bubble or slight drip at the bottom of the pan as it's hanging through the production process. And that in turn can turn brown as it's processed through the seasoning ovens. This brown spot is not rust but in fact, carbonized seasoning and will darken with use. The factory seasoning process makes Lodge cast iron products ready to use right out of the box, and the product over time "Just keeps getting better". After cooking, clean with a stiff nylon brush and hot water. Using soap is not recommended, and harsh detergents should never be used. Towel dry immediately and apply a light coating of oil to utensil while it is still warm. Cast Iron, like your grandmother used, still ranks as one of the best cooking utensils ever made. It gives you a nearly non-stick surface, without the possible harmful fumes generated by preheating chemically treated nonstick cookware. The American-based company, Lodge, has been fine-tuning its construction of rugged, cast-iron cookware for more than a century.

Use and Care

The following use and care instructions for Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron will help your cookware last a lifetime.

If you do Nothing Else
Hand wash. Dry immediately-even before 1st use.
Rub with a light coat of vegetable oil after every wash.
How much oil? Enough to restore the sheen, without being " sticky".
Why? To keep the iron "Seasoned" and protected from moisture.

Seasoning-It isn't Salt and Pepper
"Seasoning" is vegetable oil baked onto the iron at a high temperature: not a chemical non-stick coating.
Seasoning creates the natural, easy-release properties. The more you cook, the better it gets.
Because you create, maintain, and even repair the "Seasoning", your cookware can last 100 years or more. Chemical non-stick coating cannot be repaired, limiting lifespan.

Let's Cook!
Lodge Cast Iron is right at home on induction, ceramic, electric and gas cooktops, in your oven, on the grill, or even over the campfire. Do not use in the microwave. (Some induction tops will not work with 2-burner griddles)
On glass or ceramic cooktops, lift cookware; never slide it.
Lodge Cast Iron cookware is safe at high temperatures; use metal, wood, or hi-temp silicone utensils.
Some foods may stick to new cookware (especially eggs). Use a little extra oil or butter until you've built up the seasoning.
Acidic foods like tomatoes, beans, and certain sauces can damage seasoning, and should be avoided until the seasoning is well-established.
Cast Iron rarely needs to go above a medium heat setting when properly pre-heated. For the times when you do cook at higher temperatures, bring the pan to temperature gradually and add oil to just before adding food to prevent sticking.
Lodge Cast Iron handles get hot; use mitts. Use trivets to protect countertops from hot cookware.

To Soap or not to Soap
If no soap is too scary, wash with mild soapy water and dry and oil immediately. However, consider that cookware is 400°F in 4 minutes on medium heat and is sterile at 212° F, so soap isn't always necessary.
Dishwashers, strong detergents and metal scouring pads are not recommended, as they remove seasoning.

Rust?! Don't Panic, it's not Broken
Without protective seasoning iron can rust.
It's really easy to fix. Scour the rust, rinse, dry, and rub with a little vegetable oil.
If problem persists, you will need to thoroughly remove all rust and follow Lodge Cast Iron re-seasoning instructions (below).

Refurbish Your Finish
While maintaining the seasoning should keep your Cast Iron and Carbon Steel in good condition, at some point you may need to re-season your cookware. If food sticks to the surface, or you notice a dull, gray color, repeat the seasoning process:
Wash the cookware with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush. (It is okay to use soap this time because you are preparing to re-season the cookware).
Rinse and dry completely.
Apply a very thin, even coating of MELTED solid vegetable shortening (or cooking oil of your choice) to the cookware inside and out. Too much oil will result in a sticky finish.
Place aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven (not directly on bottom) to catch any drips.
Set oven temperature to 350-400 degrees F.
Place cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven to prevent pooling.
Bake the cookware for at least one hour. After the hour, turn the oven off and let the cookware cool in the oven.
Store the cookware uncovered, in a dry place when cooled.
Repeat as necessary.

Some Basics
Gas flames should not extend up the sides of cookware.
Match pan size to burner size.
Don't use in the microwave.
When deep frying, fill cookware only to 1/3 of capacity.