I;m still cookin' on skillets that were my Grandmothers that are over 100 years old. Love them. They spent many a year on her wood stove (were I learned to cook) and many a year in my chuck box on the wagon. At 72+ years young, I would rather use cast iron than any thing.
I once read about a French chef who preferred to cook on a wood stove, because he had a wide temperature range and could change it instantly by moving the pan. Unlike glass, it isn't harmed by sliding.
Before frying an egg in cast iron, add butter to the pan. Coat the bottom and sides with it. Then add olive or your favorite oil and repeat, mixing it well with the butter. Something about two different oils floats those eggs off the bottom and they slide right out. This works great for fried potatoes and in other sticky things. This was a great tip I got off the comment section on another video. It really works.
Cowboy Kent Rollins Yeah, I understand that, this wasn't aimed at you, just a general suggestion or tip for others to try. Try it, and maybe use it in a video next time you cook something that tends to stick. Thanks, I'm up here in hot and sticky (pun intended) Ponca City.
Too funny! In reality there is a use for both heavy cast iron and more light cast iron! I have a Smithy 12" skillet and a Field cast iron 12" skillet and and love them both, but I use them very differently!
My favorite skillet is my great grandmother old cast iron. I'm the 4th generation to own it and this weekend my 7 year old son and I are going camping it's coming with us
My oldest skillet is 110 yrs old, but the one I use everyday ( with metal utensils like fork and spatula) is only from early 1950s and smooth as a bugs butt
@@rja9784 If you need to lie to feel important you should try one better than this. What about "my ancestor carved a skillet out of a meteorite with his teeth 40 000 years ago and I inherited it" That would make your comment a bit more interesting to read
@@noway2451 You can put a cast iron pan into oven cleaning temps and it will not wrap. Unless you are cooking with ceramic salamander levels of heat, it isn't going to warp.
Have a Smithey on the way but something I’d like to share, I buy rice from a company that uses burlap sacks and I have to say they’re great for storing my iron! Especially if you have to stack them. Plus they make great oven mitts in a pinch!
Wonderful as always, Kent! My experience matches everything you said, except one thing: the heat ring prevents my induction cooktop from recognizing the skillet is on the burner.
Excellent review and made in my hometown is a plus too. I was born and raised there and moved away to the Army in 1963 where I remained until 1973. Wife and I love good cast iron skillets but as a 100% Disabled Vietnam Veteran we don’t do much camping any more but some of the best cornbread is cooked in our iron skillets. However we don’t have one that is as well made and thigh as this one. We may have to start saving our pennies to eventually add one to our kitchen. Thankful for yall’s review and extra nice to quality coming out of my birth city, we live in Louisiana but our boys and grand children want us to move to Texas (Dallas area) but love the non heavy traffic of where we are. Again much appreciation to you for this very interesting review of the Smithey and love their logo also!
I purchased a Smithey 10" skillet about one year ago. I balked at the price at first, then I remembered that the skillet could/should/maybe will be used by one of my great-great-great grandchildren. I have several other cast iron skillets, all great tools. I'd put my Smithey up against any of the other skillets I use. I agree with everything Mr. and Mrs. Rollins spoke too.
I love the Stargazer cast iron skillet which I ordered and I saw why it was so smooth upon receiving it. The inside bottom was machined at the foundry and is so smooth and that is the part I like most about the skillet.
Sidney Mathious I'm with you, I have a old BSR several lodges, a new Field Company, and a Stargazer (Have my name on their new 12 inched waiting list) the Stargazer is my go to and my wife likes the Field because of the handle.
I have a lodge pan i got as a gift last year, I didn’t do my research and used it wrong for a short while then forgot about it, Now that I know how to take care of it, I restored it and I love it now
When I was ready to purchase some quality cast iron, I came back to your channel and found your review series. I heard of Lodge, Stargazer, & Field. WHOA...Butter Pat & Smithey? Never heard of them. Just look how beautiful they are and I was torn between the two. I thought why decide. I'm starting out with a #10 Smithey. I was pleasantly surprised that skillett shipped the same day I placed my order. I'll order the #6 & #8 Butter Pat in the future. Thank you again for your unbiased reviews and turning me onto some beautiful made in the USA cast Iron. Lori - Denver
I passed my mom's Red Mountain made by BSR down to my son. I loved eating her cat head biscuits out of that skillet. My mom passed away quit some time ago it was in rough shape. I used your video to reseason the old skillet. I did some research and the #8G0 made back in the 1930's thanks for some great videos.
Enjoyed the review and the heat retention test. Had not paid much attention to the smoothness of cast until I removed the spray on seasoning on a Cabela's piece. Quite a drop in cast quality from the old ones. Have had some difficulty with getting my seasoning treatment to stay, so good to hear that it eventually will. Thank you folks for your care, diligence, and hard work... much appreciated. -Marc
Thanks for sharing. I liked the added bonus at the end. I’m glad you do these reviews, you’ve used enough in your time where your opinion goes a long way. Thanks again
Appreciate your quick response. Your thoughts, my cast iron doesn't go to soap and water, only fire and oil. Spray vegetable oil or bacon grease. Also use kosher salt to scrub . Love all of your videos. Common sense wonderful.
So glad you put out this series! Thank you! I have a Lodge with enamel coating on the outside, cast iron on inside. The inside is rough as all get-out. I don't even use it. I have small, arthritic hands, and think I might start out with the Field. I cook a lot of meats, onions and veggies, so should be perfect for me. Always open to additional advice.
I just bought us a Smithey #12 combo with the flat griddle that sits on top as a lid. Came with a free cast iron skillet Christmas ornament. Can’t wait! Thanks for the video!
The thick wall on new skillets is due to the modern manufacturing process. It's necessary since the iron they use is mixed with several other metals as a result of recycling cast iron engine blocks and other materials with impurities. These cause the molten iron to move slower during the casting process. Adjustments had to be made to allow the metal to flow all the way through without cooling and solidifying before it fills the mold. All of this results in a thicker, heavier skillet. The old Griswold is lighter and holds heat more then well enough while cooking.
They did a review of several brands earlier and while I am sure Smithey are nice, having a skillet from Finex WITH a lid that is built for it would be a superior way to go. Like most on here, I have old old old skillets that have and continue to work great but the biggest is still an 8”. Would be nice to have a 10 or 12 inch from Finex but it would be nice to have all my hair back as well. I also was considering the re seasoning of a Lodge but am rethinking that as well. I may buy one and see if it works...considering the price of a 12” Lodge to a Finex, it would not be that big an expense to experiment with.
Thank you for these cast iron videos Mr. Rollins it’s very interesting. from your cleaning videos I was able to save my great great grandmothers small cast iron pan that had just rusted to death because no one wanted to use it because it’s only a four inch pan, now it’s as pretty as the other two of hers and I even made an egg in it after I got done cleaning it. I would have to say you have the best videos on RU-vid about cast iron without being too complicated and making it seem too hard to mess with.
Temp on my 80 year old WagnerWare. I have to start heating it in the morning. Cook dinner. Then let it cool overnight :-). Well, I'm yarnin' a bit, but it sure seems that way. Great video as always, I'm liking this pan.
Thanks for the detailed review, from unboxing to cooking on it. But let's be honest here, we're talking about a lot of money for a cast iron skillet - $140 for a 10" Smithey. I can get a 10" Lodge skillet at my local Walmart for $17. They're both made in America, they both are double handled, and they both have pour spouts. No doubt the Smithey has a smoother finish out of the box (Lodges are known to have a rough finish), but enough frying and daily use on a cast iron skillet will produce that magical non-stick finish pretty much automatically, no matter the brand. I'm just not seeing the justification for spending that much extra money, am I missing something?
I think part of it is due to the fact that Lodge in particular uses China for some of its products, and in the past wasn't super clear about that, so even though Lodge now states that only their enameled products are made in China, I think some people still suspect that either some of the non-enameled is also made (ie to provide the scale/numbers that lets Lodge flood the market with such low-priced pans), or that Lodge is using Chinese iron (which some people claim contains lead and other impurities), even for the pans made in the USA. I'm not saying any of that is the case, but I think for some people, there's a desire to support quality manufacturers that are more clearly 100% American, including the source materials used for their products. In addition, for some people the various strengths of smaller manufacturers can be worth the extra cost, especially for something that will last so long as cast iron can. For example, this review mentions that the thicker walls should make for a more durable pan, the machined finish probably is a bit more beginner friendly (I've known a lot of people who unwittingly try frying eggs out the gate and when it sticks to everything they immediately associate cast iron with being a pain in the butt and way too high maintenance), and for more experienced cooks, the heat retention has its benefits. And again, I don't want to comment on Lodge as I've never worked for them, but I think more and more people, right or wrong, are starting to associate that low costs, especially super low costs, don't come for 'free', but usually are the reason why so many good paying jobs no longer exist. Maybe Lodge pays well, maybe they don't. Maybe no US jobs were lost when they shifted the enameled manufacturing to China, maybe some were. But while $100+ for a pan is definitely high compared to what one can find at Wal-Mart, but I think there's also a willingness for some people to see that as money well spent because it's benefiting a 100% American small business that appears to do all of its sourcing and manufacturing locally. Also, one final note, I'm not sure if this applies to Smithey, but I know some manufacturers are also using recycled iron, which not only has some environmental benefits but also adds a neat element to a piece of cookware. For example, albeit not with a USA manufacturer, but Combekk is a Dutch company that uses recycled cast iron for its Dutch Ovens, and their current ovens specifically use recycled iron from old train-tracks that are being replaced (they're also the first Dutch company to make Dutch Ovens in over 50 years after France's Le Creuset basically dominated the market). That element is included in their brochures for their pieces, and "Rails" is even stamped into the bottom of their ovens. None of this is meant to imply you, or anyone else reading this, should be avoiding Lodge or any other low-cost items. Pricing is definitely one of those things where everyone has their own sense of what a particular product is "worth" to them, or what elements they consider to be the most important in purchasing one option over another.
I have never done any research on cast iron and assumed they were all the same. Mine work well but now I might buy a couple different brands for specific cooking after watching this. Also, I enjoyed how you both were in the video together. Sorry Kent, you are awesome to watch! Your beautiful wife and you together make it even better!
I ONLY buy USA cast iron (usually at the antique stores since I live in cast iron country), but... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE seeing new USA companies making good product. Keep up the great work, Smithey.
That's a good looking skillet. I really enjoy these product reviews. The reason I like my old Birmingham Stove and Range skillets so much is because they are heavy like the Smithy and hold their heat.
The old BSRs are my favorite skillets, closely followed by old Lodge. I have BSRs in sizes 3,5,6,7 and 10"chef skillet. I am still searching the yard sales and flea markets for #8 and 10. I have BSR #7 skillets in the Red Mountain and Century series. They differ in size by about 1/2 inch.
I balked at the price initially, considered it a bit, then clicked on "complete my order." Happy now that I did. I've used it to cook several KTSF's (Known to stick food), and this skillet has performed above expectations in each case. Eggs, scrambled and fried, bacon, tilapia, and some pancakes were my choices. I did think I'd gotten ripped off after the first time I used it. The skillets cooking surface is coated with an amber film. I followed instruction, (I just didn't read them thoroughly, reading comprehension has never been my strong suit). When the amber colored film began to peel off I wanted to throw the skillet against the wall, call the company, and unload. My wife was, "not so fast," She read the comments that came with it to me and we learned that this was normal. So, it's been great, and I anticipate it getting even better if that's possible. Everything covered in this video, concerning the Smithey at least, is true. Made in the USA - another huge bonus for me. Bon appetit!
Dear Kent, Shannon, Beag, and Duke, Love all your videos and thank you for the out takes, they are hilarious. I love seeing the Beag and Duke in them too. My question is this. Please do a video of the old cast iron skillet and how to identify them, what to look for and what to watch out for. Thank you Kelly N.
Your welcome. The reason for the golf clap..my g-pa taught me how to play golf, even being a south paw. He said it was a way to learn how to compete, with respect. After about 30 years, I understood that golf, to mean, seems to be the only 'honest' international game played by young and old, short and tall. And none of that Basketball, football crap...'take a kneel my azz' (great country song). To me, a hearty golf clap is a sign of respect, and acknowledgement.
I have cast iron skillets from my parents (still with us, mom still cooks also) grandparents, and, at least, one skillet from a great grandmother. One of my personal stories about cast iron was a little griddle that came with a cookie mix gift set. Perhaps 7 inches wide. No name on it whatsoever. That instantly became one of my favorites. I don't see it going anywhere soon. Just like our heirlooms.
I have a 15 inch Lodge and it weighs 9 lbs. I use it on my grill since my wife cannot lift it when it is empty. I told her all the years in the gym are paying off. Great videos and they always leave me smiling.
Kent, Shan, thanks a bunch for bringing us all the good info on this great iron ! Really enjoying my Field brand more and more and preciate you bringing my attention to it ! If I ever win the lottery......... I'll have about ten each of all of those you show ! 😊 Thanks for sharing and take care. 👍 👍
Got my self a smithy today and started it off with a nice steak (after I seasoned it with some ground beef and onion) and by god that thing got a thick crunch golden brown crust on that steak in 30 seconds or less.
Great review Kent & Shannon, Smithey seems to be a great buy. The selling point to be as well with other too, is the thick-wall for heat retention. G.B.Y. and take care ~B
I really like the addition of the thicker walled skillet. That would come in great while cooking at camp when you need to keep things warm as you dish up other food and such. Thank you so much for this review. I will have to add this to my tools.
I have some old skillets. In my younger days I tried to "fix" one that was warped. Didn't end well. I have some of the Lodge that is pre seasoned I am going to apply Kent's fix to.
You can't fix warping, sadly, and the bigger the skillet the easier it is to warp them because it's the difference in temperature across the skillet that causes warping and unless you have a huge burner it's likely to heat one spot a lot faster than the rest of it. That's one of the reasons why there are so few of the big ol' skillets still around. (Another reason is the scrap drives of World War II.)
I bought the $160 10 inch smithy. It awesome, and i’ll go buy an 8 inch for daily use with the 10 inch! You can go cheap with a lodge, but it ain’t as good as a smithy. It has the best smooth surface for eggs and bacon. I really need that cast iron that I will pass on. God bless the smithy and thank you for this video!
I really like how they included accessories with the pan. I'm slightly upset I saw this video a day after my Field arrived. Lol. The pour spouts are a huge plus!
Don't get too upset... I think they included the extras as a lil care package just for Kent. When I received my Smithey, I only got the pan. The chainmail scrubber, "spatchelor", and leather sheath are all separate accessories. Pan is excellent though! Had it just over 3 years now and it's still just getting broken in. I cook everything in it! The flavor from cast iron is unbeatable, especially when you compare it to these GreenPans and other fake nonstick junk. Don't be lazy! Like Kent says "take care of your iron, it'll take care of you!".
This is my next skillet. I have a Field that works very well I like the weight but I can see the benefit of a slightly heavier skillet. My wife bought me a Blackstone grill for fathers day and I didn't have the heart to return it for another skillet. Great honest detailed reviews, keep up the great work and have a wonderful 4th of July.
I just love Lodge, I have had mine since 2015. Taken hell of a good care of it and it's just like brand new. Never had an issue what so ever. With one Smithey I can buy a few Lodge's. If you complain about the weight then go for the Lodge Blacklock line. Can't go wrong with Lodge my friends!
Many thanks for the reviews. I have some older Lodge which is nice but I've tried the newer, pre-seasoned pieces and frankly I don't like it. I've contacted Smithey asking if they offer a military discount and if so I will order their three-pan set. I warped my 10" Wagner Ware by tossing it in the fire, so lesson learned there. Keep up the wonderful work you and Shan are doing.
Well, that’s interesting. Not only did I not know Lodge wasn’t the only US manufacturer of cast iron - I also didn’t know anyone charged that much for a pan. No doubt by its an heirloom - but for me, I would need to understand how the Smithy is that much better for the price. Thanks so much for sharing - and as always - you took me to school again. I’ll go back to your other reviews of the Feild, Stargazer, etc now. Thanks again to you both.
Great video and thank you very much. I’m not opposed to spending a little extra for high quality, especially American made products. Looking forward to one of these new companies making us a 15 for the high volume cooking I tend to do. I’m going to buy a Field soon, if I stop buying and restoring old iron from flea markets. Thanks again!
Field uses distilled grapeseed oil for their seasoning. They suggest a light coat then upside down in the oven at 400 degrees for one hour, then, let it cool in the oven. I have used grapeseed oil and it does give a dark black glassy finish starting the first round of seasoning. I did this on a new Lodge pan. I did sand it a little to get the speed bumps off but not completely smooth. First thing I cooked in it was eggs. No stick whatsoever, but, I did use a little oil before I put the eggs in. The Grapeseed oil's smoke point is between Olive oil and Flaxseed oil. About in the middle.
I've had Lodge crack on high heat, both their cast iron and enameled cast iron, but for a very inexpensive skillet it isn't bad. Probably won't last a lifetime, but I tell my kids I don't owe them an inheritance, so I'm spending it all before I go! lol
Thanks for this detailed review. Now I have another cast iron piece on my wish list to add to my collection. I'm rather excited by all of the recent interest in cast iron - it is the best way to cook.
Another great Video Kent, I like the look of that Skillet, its just a shame its harder to get cast iron over here in the UK than it is in the States. But I love your videos. God bless ya.
Wonderful American made old fashioned quality. This along with all the other skillets you’ve shown I don’t think anyone could go wrong with any of them. I’m also glad that their is some foundry’s still in existence in the USA I watched many disappear in the last 20 years due to the ruthless EPA regime and a shift in trade overseas.
Thank you! I TOLD Field that I saw their pans in your review and they said you guys are friends😯🤠 Looking forward to get the two Field skillets; they are a fledgling American company....... I’ll get theirs. I’ll be helping them make their dreams come true and getting awesome pans out of the deal too!
This was an excellent review. Has me thinking about purchasing a Smithey Skillet. I would like a 12 inch for the family. Thank you for all of your excellent videos. I did settle down after applauding
You only heated for 3 minutes. At the end of those 3 minutes the skillets were at different temps. The Smithy was only half as hot as the Griswold. Each skillet should be heated to 350° at then timed to see which one holds the heat longest. Just my way of thinkin'.
The new American cast iron looks really nice. I have used Stargazer and liked it. One thing keeps me from buying my own. I need to stop myself from buying old iron before I buy anything new. I'm running out of room. Today I found a #8 Lodge and #8 Wagner at a yard sale, both made before 1960. At $3 each I coundn't say no.
I saw that they were selling them at my nearby Central Market (grocery store) and thought that that was great, means that they’re doing well! Same for Lodge having their skillets and whatnot sold everywhere. May need to invest in getting one!
I very much enjoy all of your videos. Great unboxing and product review. I especially like the bonus comparison and condition over time. I always find the handles on iron not long enough and straight / near level with the top edge. At normal cooking surface heights, this makes for more stress on the wrist, and in my opinion more difficult to control when moving. The Stargazer caught my attention right away with the longer handle, and it's at an angle making it much easier to control. So I have 3 questions for you Mr. Rollins: 1. Without using a glove, can your rate the feel or elaborate on that upward rolled edge and the angle of the handle on the Stargazer? 2. Do you use any 12" skillets, and other than portions, for what purpose? 3. What size dutch oven would you suggest for the average cook with a family of 5.
The handle on the stargazer, be it a little wide for my wife hand fits mine well, and stays cool a long time,I do fry quite a bit of bacon in a 12, as well as taters, but it makes a nice biscuit cooker in the oven, A 12 inch oven will hold 20 biscuits, or make enough desert for 6, if I had to choose 2 ovens for someone it would be a 12 deep and 12 shallow. Thanks so much for watching
I looked at Field long and hard before I ordered Smithey. Field comes out of California and Is stamped with their state bird the quail. I just couldn't do it being a Texan. California is moving to Texas as fast as they can Austin in particular taking over turning it into California. Our capital is being ruined!
@@barbedwire_lace2160 More Californians sign up for the military,. Texas comes in second. Those silly libtards are more patriotic than Texans! Google it!
Hi Kent from Wichita! that is a mighty fine skillet, but i think I'll keep my $30 lodge. thanks to your vids Ive been enjoying cooking with cast. i got me a few lodge items broke in and seasoned to the point they stick much less than any of my fancy no stick pans. :)
I have combed garage sales for old cast iron-no luck! I’m first generation American born so no inheriting one. I will start a savings for Smithey👍🏻 Great video, Kent!
Nice. You guys make a great team. Looks like a great skillet. But I LOVE my stargazer. The thin lip pours great, all the way around. It doesn't need pour spouts.
Shannon is just lovely, you should have her on more often! So knowledgable and effervescent. Not that I don't love you, Kent, I do. You make a great team.
Thank you for a great review guys ! My wife made me tell you two, that “you are SO CUTE together !” Kent, you did like me and married way UP in class !! LOL! 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Appreciate the review, working on getting a Smithey, also a Field. Love the workmanship on both. Thinking about 11" Field and that ther Skillet yuns got from Smithey in the 10".... Keep up the good work. Love watching and God Bess you all.
