Customer Reviews

Lodge Logic 11-1/4-Inch Pre-Seasoned Grill Pan

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I honestly cannot say enough good things about this pan. At first I was skeptical and a little hesistant about cooking with cast iron. Growing up in the south I knew the magic of cast iron cornbread made with fatback, but I also knew the special care that went into seasoning the beloved pieces of cookware. When I saw that this was preseasoned I went for it. I worried that it might be a lightweight pan and only sublime quality for the price but I was pleasantly surprised. This pan has a heavy weight to it and is crafted solidly. I've used it for hamburgers (they make the best I've ever tasted), grilled chicken, pork chops, and shrimp (YUM). Something I learned is that things tend to stick a little so coating the pan with vegetable spray is a good idea. Also, try soaking your shrimp in a mixture of butter and garlic before grilling it. I am in love, it hasn't even left my kitchen counter to go into the cabinet since I bought it because I use it so much. My husband being a Yankee wasn't used to the goodness of the cast iron but now that he sees how perfectly it browns meat while still leaving it moist he is hooked. With this pan I find the grooves to be so helpful. You can season the meat without worrying about all the seasoning burning to the pan. Also they're nice and deep so that the fat that does run off actually stays off the meat. Cleaning it is SO easy! I just run hot water into the pan while it's still hot from the stove then use a sponge or dish towel (NO SOAP) to wipe it out, rinse it off, and then spray with vegetable spray while it's warm before putting it away. I have to say that Lodge has a loyal fan in me. With quality old time cookware like this, without the hassle of seasoning it first you can't go wrong.

Okay, so my THIRD (count em *3rd*) Foreman grill in like 7 years bit the dust. I thought briefly about getting a new one, but the fact that they're a pain to clean, you can't set the thermostat and bottom line it gets very greasy and messy...fuggit about it! I considered the Cuisinart Griddler which looks really cool but I really didn't want to pay $100+ for one. Also I don't have a LOT of counter space. On the other hand I DO have a stove...so I started browsing. I already have a Lodge cast iron regular skillet and it's served me well for YEARS now. When I saw the grill skillet with the ridges I knew that's what I was looking for!

I just had a chance to use it for the first time this evening. What a pleasure - it was pre-seasoned so just had to wipe a bit of olive oil on the surface. Heated it up, and made a delicious steak! Came out nice and juicy with grill marks, not all dry and cooked wrong like on the Foreman. However I will have to buy a grill press as I used the bottom of my smaller cast iron skillet to 'sear' the steak and get those nice marks. But even buying both the grill pan and the grill press, you're paying significantly less than you would for a Foreman - and this cast iron lasts forever. Your grandkids will still be using it, I bet! Cast iron is better than any of those non-stick cooking surfaces (like on the Foreman) that flake off. Ew! Take it from me, get this pan and a grill press and skip the Foreman...

Let me open by saying that the negative reviews on this pan were, in my opinion, written by people who aren't quite sure how to use it. It's really pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Just try the following:

1) Put the pan on a large burner.
2) Coat it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
3) Turn the burner on somewhere between medium to medium-high.
4) Once the pan is hot, put in burgers, chicken breasts, pork chops, or other decent cuts of meat. How you choose to marinate/season said cuts of meat is entirely up to you.
5) Cook anywhere from 4-7 minutes per side.
6) Enjoy your exquisitely prepared meal.
7) Clean up the pan with hot water and a ScotchBrite sponge. If you encounter difficult-to-remove, burnt-on food stains, try putting a thin layer of kosher salt on the pan and scrubbing with the SB sponge.
8) Rinse the pan thoroughly and dry completely with paper towels or whatever.
9) Coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
10) Store until next use.

Call me crazy, but that sounds pretty easy to me. Bottom line to all of you cast iron naysayers: be patient, keep using this pan, and eventually you'll learn how to get the most out of it. It really is terrific!

I looked at several different options - such as the Foreman grill before settling on this grill pan. Although I have a small back patio, I've never used a bbq and wouldn't be comfortable doing so, not to mention I'm just cooking for one so the time spent setting it up wouldn't be worth it to me. The Foreman grill, based on reviews, didn't sound like it would be easy to clean and wasn't reliable. The grill pan looked like the perfect solution. Although the pan is heavy, there are two handles which makes it easy to move and carry over to the sink. Following advice I'd found on the internet, I use cooking spray generously and bought a wire scrub brush to clean it with. The pan does create smoke so I'm always sure to turn on the kitchen fan and open the back door before I even turn the stove on as well as disconnect the smoke detector. The pan heats up fairly quickly and cooks the food evenly and quickly. I must admit I don't use it frequently and have only tried a handful of foods, but I have been pleased with my experiences and would recommend this item.

I love this pan! Living in an apartment and not having an outdoor grill, I had been craving a good steak. I cooked a perfect NY Strip with my Lodge pan, and can't wait to have another! No need to go to the Outback now! Also, it seemed I could never grill a chicken breast right in my non-stick, without it ending up too tough or practically burned on one side. With the Lodge grill pan, it cooked evenly and perfect! I am so glad I got this pan!

Make sure you read the directions on how to care for your grill pan, if you have never used cast iron before. No soap! Sometimes it may be tougher to clean, compared to non-stick and other pans, but just soak it and use some elbow grease. I think it is worth it!

I really like my new Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Grill Pan and intend to use it alot. The first thing I cooked on it was ground chicken - it was so tender and so juicy, I was pleasantly surprised; I also cooked vegetables on it and they came out well too. I had a George Foreman grill for several years - that doesn't even come close to the Lodge Grill Pan. I gave it four stars only because it doesn't have a helper handle - this pan is heavy! I originally bought an All Clad grill pan and returned it after I read an article in Fine Cooking that states, in essence, for a grill pan to be effective the grooves must be deep and these are very deep. It went on to say that if they aren't deep, you are just broiling the food; typical grill pans have "road bump" marks instead of grooves. I also believed that a pan needed to have a cover in order for the food to be juicy and tender, this pan proved me very wrong - it was juicy but not greasy, it was amazing! And the added bonus was for a pan of this caliber, it was inexpensive! Clean up wasn't so bad either - all you need is a wire brush (let the pan cool before cleaning) and voila - clean pan. Follow the instructions that come with the pan and you can't go wrong.

There's no way to describe how well the chicken came out. Any steak, lamb chops, chicken, all meats that you want to get that grill mark and flavor on without over-cooking the delicate meat. This is the best way to make it. Washing with the lodge brush under hot water (without soap or detergent) after soaking for a few minutes (or after you finished having your delicious dinner) is a piece of cake, then simply wipe the pan with a paper towel and put it away until next use. If you heat it well, oil the meat and and soak it after grilling - nothing sticks to it. Yes, it is that easy. Going to get more steak. I bought this pan because I love steak and in New Jersey we have long winters with no opportunity to have an outdoor grill. I'd never had a cast iron pan before so after reading the reviews I just wished for the best and bought it. The first few times produced uncertain results until I figured out 3 simple rules: heat the pan for at least 8-9 minutes before putting the meat on - it has to be evenly heated; put the grape seed oil on the meat rather than the pan (or it starts smoking and you end up putting the meat on too early): and pour hot water in the pan right after you finished grilling.

A cast iron pan is not a high-tech device. It should do certain things, and it requires a certain basic level of maintenance. This pan does what it is supposed to do, and requires the maintenance specified by the manufacturer, which is the same common sense cleaning and seasoning required by any cast iron pan. You cook with it, you clean it with some hot water and a stiff brush, and you oil it and put it away. You do that, and the pan performs flawlessly, with about a year or two head-start compared to seasoning a new pan from scratch.

For almost two decades, I have used an untreated Lodge grill pan with ridges to grill just about every type of meat one can image. I also use this pan in the oven to slow cook pork tenderloins and once finished to make a wine-based gravy with the leavings.

Of all the cookware I own, which includes something from just about every maker, this particular pan is the best and most indispensable. I recently bought a pre-treated version of the pan. It's even better for it does not require any effort to season it. I use both pans to grill steaks for friends year-round. Best of all, the price is extraordinarly low for what I got. And I like that.

Pat Choate

I have owned a few cast iron pans by Lodge and I love them all. But living in the city, i miss grilling so I thought I'd try out a grill pan. After reading some positive reviews I bought this one and so far have been very happy with it. Preheat it for 5-10 minutes at high in order to get it red hot, then start grilling away. Do remember to keep the windows and vents open because this thing will create a lot of smoke but it's worth it. I've grilled turkey burgers, steaks and chicken breasts with it and have been very happy with the results (better than using my flat cast iron Lodge pans, by the way).

For those that say it is difficult to clean, my experience has been otherwise. First, wait til it cools off and then use a butterknife to scrape the gunk off from the spines, which takes no more than 30 seconds. Then scrub it with hot water only (NO SOAP!!) with a metal wire brush and rinse it off. dab it dry and if you want, put it over a hot stove for a few minutes to really dry it out, then spray it with some aerosolized vegetable oil and put it away. *very* easy to clean using the method.

One last thing...for $15 or so, it's a steal. Just buy it!!