Was just browsing Lodge cast iron, wondering if there are some pieces I should splurge on. Are there non-standard pieces people actually use? Normally it’s just me for dinner but my two teens are back summers

I have the three standard skillets that I use frequently, with lids I use occasionally. I got the small Dutch oven thinking it would be good for beans, veggies, maybe a small bread loaf, but have to admit I’ve never used it.

What about

  • the minis, like 5” or 6.5” - do you actually do like individual apple crisp or anything? Which size is actually useful? How many?
  • tall frying pan - I’ve been afraid to try frying, but is this significantly safer than the regular skillet, for fish or something? Or should I just stick to the air fryer? Do people use this?
  • does anyone like the baking pan or cookie sheet? Do you use it enough to be worthwhile?
  • nocturne@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    2·
    20 hours ago

    I do have an abelskiver pan, but since my wife and I eat breakfast at different times I have only used it one time. https://sopuli.xyz/post/20329728

    I also have a 10" tortilla press, I have not used it yet, but I keep meaning to. I love good corn tortillas, and homemade ones are the best.

    At work I have a round griddle (basically a 9" pan with no sides) because I only have an electric burner and my flour tortillas stick to the element. But I end up using it to make a plate of nachos in my toaster oven more than I use it to heat tortillas.

    And then there is my camping wok/fire pit. https://sopuli.xyz/post/23121016

      • FartsWithAnAccent@fedia.io
        2·
        21 hours ago

        They’re definitely more niche. If you don’t have a specific use in mind, I’d stick with just 1 medium-ish skillet for starters. Cast iron isn’t crazy expensive, so if you wanted to get more later, it should always be a pretty approachable option.

  • southsamurai@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    5·
    1 day ago

    Only unusual one I have by lodge is a 15 inch skillet for bigger batches or unusually large ingredients. It’s a maybe twice a year usage, but it’s very nice to have instead of trying to make batches of things while also juggling sides and such.

    Have a griddle too, but it isn’t Lodge, it came with the stove. Kinda nice in some ways, especially since we have a dedicated burner for that kind of thing in the center, between the other ones. But if you aren’t going to be doing a ton of short order style cooking, I think it’s a waste of space tbh.

    I’ve had smaller pans in the past, lodge and otherwise, and they’re handy for one person meals. But not handy enough for me to keep one around with limited storage space. A 6 inch was the sweet spot, imo. Big enough for two eggs, or a single pancake at a time, things like that. But, again, not worth the limited storage space it takes up for me to keep one.

    Proper frying pans tend to not be much better than a skillet imo. You have to be a little more careful putting things in, but unless you’re frying at monthly, I think it’s a pointless thing to have both. If I really want a deeper frying container, a dutch oven gets the job done and isn’t competing for space with a skillet the way a dedicated fry pan would. Mind you, a fry pan can essentially replace the skillet, so there’s that.

    Never had baking/cooking sheets in cast iron, so nothing useful to say.

    I have had cast iron muffin pans, and currently have some loaf pans in CI. The muffin pans were too single purpose for our amount of shelf space since we don’t do a lot of the kind of baking that benefits from a cast iron version. Only thing it was really great at was cornbread muffins. Super, super dark and yummy bottoms on those.

    But the loaf pans are bomb if you make a lot of bread, particularly really crusty sourdough. Preheat the suckers, throw the loaves in, and hello nurse!

    If I was setting someone up with essential cast iron, it would be a 12 inch skillet, and a dutch oven (4 or 6 quart). If they wanted more, I’d prioritize a ten or eight inch skillet as the next purchase, expanding up or down in size before switching to a different kind of pan or pot. Hell, I might even say a second 12 inch and a second size of dutch oven might be a better choice than different sized or type of pan. I run into needing multiple full size pans going more than I need smaller ones. 80% of the time, I have my cast iron amd carbon steel skillets both in use, both 12 inches.

    • AA5B@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      4·
      1 day ago

      I don’t have a Dutch oven, but it don’t think I’d use it. I don’t cook a lot of the things you typically use a Dutch oven for and am not interested in them. I do have a crock pot, which works well for chili and similar. The biggest reason I’d have is bread, but I don’t yet cook bread so who knows. I had way too much home made bread over pandemic, and am torn between going all in, or resisting

      I agree with the multiple skillets, I frequently use both my 10” and 12” cast iron at the same time.

      • southsamurai@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
        3·
        1 day ago

        I tend to agree about heavy dutch ovens. For most things, a similar sized pot will do as well or better, while being lighter and easier to maintain. I guess if you could only have one big pot, it might make sense for it to be a dutch oven because they are slightly more versatile, if the person would actually make use of it as something other than a regular pot.

        Ngl though, they really do make nice bread. I tend to prefer a more convenient loaf shape and size, hence my cast iron loaf pans, but a dutch oven really does maximize rise in a way you can’t get without some kind of steaming.

        If you do decide to start making bread, the early stages of learning don’t need a dutch oven, you can just place a pan of water in the oven, which gives enough steam to keep the crust soft until the rise is finished. It won’t be as lofty as in a dutch oven just because the boule will expand sideways as well as upward, but you’ll still get almost the exact same crumb inside, and the crust should be equally developed.

        So you’d likely want to wait until you figure out if you enjoy making bread before investing in a DO. If you don’t enjoy the process, why shell out for it?

        • AA5B@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
          2·
          20 hours ago

          Plus storage. Those things are huge and I already have too much clutter, too few places to put things. If I enjoy it or use it regularly, fine, but if I don’t’ want t takes up a lot of space

  • Semisimian@startrek.websiteEnglish
    4·
    1 day ago

    The odd sized Lodge pieces I have don’t get used much, but they’re fun and deliver the goods.

    I have a tiny skillet, maybe 2.5 or 3 inches. It makes a fried egg that has brown, crispy edges and fits beautifully on a biscuit. I can only do one at a time, but it’s novel and appreciated by the family.

    I have the big pan too, 15" I think. It almost takes 2 hands to lift, but it is great for paella or stir fry, any time you need surface area.

    And I have the flat, circular pan with 2 handles. I think people use it for a pizza stone, which I have and it works fine. It fits perfectly on the large Big Green Egg, so I use it as a griddle for steak, salmon, veggies, etc. I haven’t regretted any Lodge purchase.

  • Donebrach@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    1 day ago

    You don’t need more. Learn to cook with more thought and then get things that might be helpful.

    Why not get a stainless steel (non coated in anything) wok and learn how to properly stirfry before buying a slightly less useful cast iron.

    • AA5B@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      1·
      21 hours ago

      I’ve been considering that on and off. I do have a Teflon wok - i dont see how that’s really fit for purpose but it should be enough to learn how to stir fry. Realistically I end using using a skillet

  • jabathekek@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    2·
    1 day ago

    I have a ~29cm pan that’s maybe 3cm too big for large electric stove elements so it’s well seasoned except on the outer 3cm where it can get a bit sticky. I’ve considered buying one of those tiny pans because it would be perfect for cooking 2 or 3 eggs, which is basically the only thing I use the pan for.

    • AA5B@lemmy.worldOPEnglish
      3·
      1 day ago

      Here’s my favorite breakfast, when my teens are here

      • brown a package of breakfast sausage in the 12” skillet
      • add a bunch of butter to the 10”, then half a package of hash brown
      • salt and pepper
      • layer of corn or diced peppers or spinach or something
      • layer the meat
      • make 6 nests, and crack eggs in each. More pepper. Sometimes sriracha
      • cover and cook until the egg whites are solid

      I have no idea what you call it but I like the layers and its a full breakfast in a slice. The 10” skillet is perfect size for three of us, and no measuring.

      Years ago I would have added a layer of cheese, so this is “healthy”, relatvely