Product Description

This 11" enamel skillet is great for cooking on gas, electric, ceramic and induction cooktops, as well as in the oven. Not recommended for use on outdoor grills or over open outdoor flames. Not for use in microwaves. The use of vegetable oil or cooking spray is recommended for better cooking and clean up. Select low to medium heat when cooking on stovetop, and never heat an empty pan. Use of wooden or silicon utensils is recommended. Lodge Color Porcelain Enamel on Cast Iron cookware is cast from molten iron in individual sand molds. The porcelain surface eliminates the need to season cast iron. The cast iron vessel has superior heat distribution and retention, evenly heating bottom sidewalls. The excellent heat retention reduces the amount of energy needed for cooking. Two layers of very hard, glossy porcelain enamel are chip resistant and easy to clean. The black cooking surface on the skillet is matte porcelain, not exposed cast iron. Hygienic porcelain enamel is non-reactive with food. Although dishwasher safe, hand washing with warm soapy water is recommended to preserve the cookware's original appearance. 11" diameter, 1 3/4" deep. Cafe

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52245 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: 11 in
• Color: Café
• Brand: Lodge
• Model: EC11S83
• Released on: 2007-07-15
• Dimensions: 12.00" h x 3.00" w x 19.00" l,

Features

• Porcelain surface eliminates the need to season
• Superior heat distribution and retention
• Two layers of porcelain enamel are chip resistant
• Easy clean up

Customer Reviews

great everyday pan
When this pan arrived, I was taken aback, because the surface of the pan seemed a bit rough--like enamel over fine sand--rather than shiny smooth like Le Creuset. But during the past year, this pan has functioned perfectly. I can heat it to really high temps, add a few drops of oil, and then saute veggies, fresh fish filets, or boneless/skinless chicken with no sticking. It's not totally non-stick, but close enough. Clean up is easy. When the pan is cool, just add squirt of dish detergent, and some boiling water. Wait a few minutes, scrub quickly with a sponge/nylon scrubbie, rinse, and you're done. Unlike nonstick pans, you'll never have to worry about scratching this pan. Metal utensils? Sure. You could whack it with an axe, and I doubt you'd do any harm. I think this is a lifetime pan at a bargain price.

Great pan, non-stick once treated
I have this pan a few weeks, and I am growing more and more pleased with it. The first thing I cooked was sliced cold potatoes in a little oil and they did stick a bit (not really a surprise). After cleaning up the pan (fairly easy), I followed the advice of a reviewer of this pan in another color and "seasoned" it, but I used a modified shortcut procedure because I did not want to turn the oven on in the hot weather: I brushed the inside with a little canola oil (no puddles) and heated on the stovetop over medium flame until it started to smoke lightly. Then I reduced the heat a little, and let it smoke lightly for 15 min. Once cool I rubbed the interior lightly with a paper towel and it was now an even smoother matte finish (it was pretty smooth to begin with, but not glassy like the inside of my old Le Creuset dutch oven).

Following this treatment, the pan has been a joy to cook with. I am finding that the even heat distribution it provides produces a very consistent and predictable result. I have even cooked larger 2-person omelettes in it. It does a great job of browning eggs without burning them. The only issue is that to turn the omelette out, I need to use an underhand grip because the pan is fairly heavy. The pan is very nicely finished, with glossy enamel covering the entire exterior surface. It has a quality feel to it, and is a joy to use.

Sticky! Sticky! Sticky! (See Update)
I find the pan unusable because everything sticks so badly! I was so disappointed. I have a cheap enamel pan that I've been using for sauteing and was looking for a good quality alternative. I have other non-enameled cast iron skillets and once seasoned, they are as good as non-stick, but with better heat distribution. I would gladly exchange this for a good, old-fashioned, cast iron skillet.

I contacted the company via email explaining my disatisfaction and asking for suggestions and was asked in return if I followed the directions that came with the skillet -- I had. Not a very helpful response. The instructions also say not to use metal utensils. This makes working with the sticking skillet even more frustrating.

I was interested in reading the other reviews and in seeing that someone had gone through a seasoning process that she had found on a review for another Lodge enameled product. I'm going to search for that. I hope it helps.

I would not buy this again or otherwise recommend it.
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UPDATE! Per the recommendation of another reviewer, I seasoned that pan, the same way I would cast iron and Voila! It became a perfect skillet. I don't know why one would have to season enamal. I've sent a note back to the manufacturer, suggesting that they recommend this. The skillet is now everything I wanted it to be!