(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)The Emerilware Cast Iron 10 Inch Skillet is a very good cast iron skillet for the home cook on a budget. A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is an essential for anybody that wants to cook beyond the basic level. There are several reservations, which are more based on knowing your needs than any limits with the product. The first thing to keep in mind is that, though most cast iron skillets, including this one, come pre-seasoned, they still need to be seasoned further before you can get the benefits of a nice non-stick surface for cooking. This factory seasoning is definitely a great start, but the main benefits will be that it will prevent rusting and keep your food from getting the metallic taste that is common with completely un-seasoned cast-iron. Some people knock these products for their claims of being pre-seasoned. I give them the benefit of the doubt on that. I have simply never used a pre-seasoned skillet that didn't need to be really seasoned a few times before it was useful for cooking purposes.
The second consideration is regarding size. It is pretty common to make the mistake of looking at skillets and their prices and choosing one that is simply too large. Cast-iron is heavy, so bigger is not always better. This 10 inch skillet is the perfect size for general use. Even if you choose another brand, unless you are cooking regularly for 5-6 people I would advise you against getting anything larger than 10 inches. The 12 inch skillet is only a few dollars more but that extra weight and bulk will ensure that you will get to use it much less. The larger skillets often crowd out most stove-tops and are harder to maneuver.
Seasoning is a good deal of work and there is more than one approach. In my experience, you will definitely want to get your oven hotter and do your seasoning longer than what the instructions indicate. I personally think you need to heat your oven to at least 425 degrees, though some people recommend seasoning your pan at up to 550 degrees. No matter what the temperature, you will want to keep your pan hot for the better part of an hour and allow it to remain in the oven for several hours afterwards as it slowly cools. The 30 minutes noted on the instructions are just not going to cut it.
If you find that food is sticking, even after seasoning, you are going to want to season it again. Seasoning is just meant to speed up the longer term seasoning that happens from cooking in your pan and oiling it consistently over time. Eventually you will reach a nice non-stick surface that will require only infrequent re-seasoning and very little oil for cooking.
One common benefit of cast-iron is that it will generally produce a more even heat than other types of pans. My only real negative observation about this pan is that I noticed that it ran center-hot, meaning that there was a hot-spot towards the middle of the pan that didn't exist around the edges. I think with further seasoning this should be minimized, but some more expensive pans seem to have less noticeable hot-spots even before they have been seasoned.
I had a friend who had a cast iron skillet that I used to marvel at. With no additional oil, that skillet produced great food with wonderful flavor and in less time than other skillets. When I asked how long it took to obtain that wonderful patina on the inside of the surface, their answer was daunting: years of cooking and continuous seasoning.
Their post-cooking ritual was as follows: first they would slowly rinse out the pan, making sure it was totally clean. Then, they would reheat the skillet to dry it out completely. Finally, they would recoat the inside of the skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil. Upon further research, it seems like some people substitute mineral oil for vegetable oil. I think it depends on how often you use your skillet, since vegetable oil will go bad if it sits in your pan for more than a few days. Using your cast iron skillet is the most important thing you can do to break it in and start to build a permanent seasoning on the surface. If possible, you will want to spend the first month using this skillet as much as possible. If you use it daily, and clean off the excess oil before each use, vegetable oil should be fine as it won't have time to go rancid.
I still recommend this skillet as long as you are willing to do the research needed to properly prepare it for use and care for it. For the price there are few cast-iron skillets that are as good and give you as much of a head-start with the pre-seasoning. Be mindful of the hot-spots and make sure you keep track of how *non-stick* the surface feels after seasoning. If food sticks at all, you have not seasoned the pan enough. With repeated seasoning and proper care, you will get a great return on your time invested. Please see the comments section for references to more information.
Enjoy.
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I purchased this skillet after reading every review here, believing that the negative reviews were probably due to a lack of understanding how to work with cast iron.
At first, I did like the skillet. I took it through my own seasoning process (even though it was pre-seasoned) and was happy with both the appearance and (more importantly) the cooking qualities the first couple of times I used it.
I have been using it 1-2 times daily for the two weeks I've had it. A cast iron skillet is supposed to become better and more seasoned the more you use it. This one, however, is becoming worse. It doesn't heat as evenly as my other cast iron pieces, and no matter how carefully I clean and re-season it (I clean with kosher salt and a lint-free cloth, rinse with hot water, towel-dry then heat-dry it, then re-season with oil), the "seasoning" is becoming more and more uneven.
I had hesitated to buy this skillet since it's made in China and I don't want even the smallest chance that there is lead in this skillet. I should have gone with my hunch because now, more than ever, I'm upset at the idea of unknown elements being in this skillet, especially since the skillet isn't up to par with my other cast iron. I've also heard more and more stories of Emeril cast iron cracking... which I had thought initially due to too-rapid heating or cooking, but now I'm wondering if the Chinese cast iron itself is an inferior compound with sub-par "filler" material.
By point of comparison, four days ago I bought two Lodge 8" skillets. Of course, after my Emeril pre-seasoning experience, I had low expectations. But I was amazed as I gently washed them for the first time and water actually beaded on the surface and rolled right off. I decided to do something bold and daring, and cooked some eggs in the Lodge -only the second time I cooked with it. Amazingly, those eggs slid right out as if the pan were Teflon -a minor miracle with cast iron.
I can't return this skillet since I've used it, but I will be buying a Lodge 12" skillet instead. I'd rather waste my money and KNOW that I'm buying a safe, time-tested, made-in-the-USA item from a company with a longstanding reputation. The Lodge skillet is much less expensive, yet worth so much more... the superior pre-seasoning and the highly reputable manufacturer make Lodge the better deal even if it were higher-priced. Sorry, Emeril, but my vote is with Lodge.
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If hadn't looked any further than the reviews here, I wouldn't have purchased this pan, but the reviewers seemed a little 'green' when it comes to cast iron and so I looked around some and ended up buying it. I have to say I am very satisfied.
First of all, I have never seen a 'pre-seasoned' piece of cast iron that was actually meant to be cooked in straight away. The instructions that come with this pan (for those who bothered to read them) recommend further seasoning anyway.
And yes, it does need further seasoning and careful integration into your cooking setup. Cast iron rewards patience, and this pan is a great big piece of iron, heavier and thicker than the Lodge equivalent and made to last for generations. It also is a bit rough textured for a cast iron pan and you will find that it takes longer to build up a nice slick surface, but it's far from impossible as has been suggested. Only the years will tell, but my guess is that it will hold on to its seasoning particularly well once it's fully established.
For the record, this is the method I use to season my cast iron:
-Rub a thin layer of lard or vegetable shortening on the pan, inside and out
-Put the pan in 300 degree oven for 15 minutes, pull it out and pour off any fat that's pooled in the bottom
-Put it back in for a couple hours
-Turn off the oven and let it cool in there
-Repeat this process a few times afterward, but in a 450 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour
-If the pan is sticky when you're done with a seasoning, you didn't cook it long enough
Honest reviews on Cheap Download Emeril by All-Clad E9640564 Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron
Mass produced mediocrity -made for the licensing benefit of Emiril and little else. It's crudely fired and hard to season. This skillet and the rest of Emiril's cast iron cookware is made like this. It has tons of pits and grooves and iron dust that was stuck on during the firing process (cheap) . It also seem to rust easily or to be more prone to rusting than better quality cast iron cookware. If you want real cast iron cookware buy the Lodge brand. Emiril's cookware may be more competitively priced, but you get what you pay for. Emiril's pans are also made in China. The Lodge brand is made in USA
I should have known better when I was at Bed Bath and Beyond purchasing this item. I told the clerk, "Can I have one in a box, instead of the display item, cause this one seems to have imperfections all over it." He responded with, "Oh all of Emiril's cookware is like that." I was seduced by the name like an idiot and bought the pan anyway. Next week I'm getting Lodge skillets and donating the two Emiril's I bought to charity.
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After owning this product for 2+ plus years the quality is exceptional and the pan is durable and well made. I am not a huge fan of Emeril's television show but his products are excellent. I am of the opinion that the negative reviews of this product are written by people that simply do not know how to work with cast iron.
