💰Is $210 CRAZY for cast iron?! Smithey Cast Iron Pan Review

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

*Latest Smithey Prices & Father's Day Sale:* smithey-ironware.pxf.io/PyqJ1R (affiliate link)

[@TexanWolverine]

you lost me at beyond meat.. I wanted to watch the rest of the video but too disturbed seeing someone cook and eat this ... they started serving this at my cafeteria at work and im completely disgusted by it... Bought the pan though :P

[@hawgwildcastiron2023]

In modern size 12 I have Smithey, Finex, Lodge, Lancaster, and Stargazer, with a Field on the way. As far as ranking them, here is how they stand in my kitchen. 1. Lancaster - Cooks awesome and seasoning holds well. Very close to a 1922-24 Wagner skillet. Compare them one day and you can tell what they used as a pattern. 2a. Field - My 10 works great, so the 12 should also. 2b. Stargazer - Some had issues, but so far mine has worked well 2c. Lodge - I have cooked everything in this pan and it has never had any issues. 3. Finex - Worked great, but weighs as much as a horse when full of food. 4. Smithey - a beautiful skillet that has such a smooth surface not even the seasoning sticks to it. Hard to build up seasoning when it comes off every time.

[@chuckmiller5763]

You can order Martha White self rising corn meal online, thats what was used pretty much for this corn bread in the south from Alabama through Georgia. Done exactly like you did with the pre heated pan and oil, except lard was used.

[@andrewcamacho4092]

Disclaimer for viewers: Caution: This video may cause excessive drooling! Amazing food in a beautiful pan! Great video!

[@johnharper257]

A very interesting deep dive into a premium cast iron pan. Thank you so much for this. If cooking is your hobby and entertainment, then having tools that you enjoy and treasure is part of the process. Cooking for friends and family is care and love in action. Have a great day friends

[@Splagnate]

I’ve had my Smithey for over 3 years. I’ve never reseasoned per se but just kept cooking in no matter the condition of the seasoning and am happy to say now the cooking surface is almost black, shines when dry, and feels like glass. Out of the 10 cast iron pans I own it’s my go to.

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

Agree too. I have the 8 and 10 Smithey chef skillets and the 8 and 10 Field Skillets. Have had other Cast iron Skillets over time. But somehow, might be the weight, the smooth finish or the engeneering numbers of the skillets, I just gravitated always to those 2 Smithey and Fields. Sold everything else.

[@severoon]

If you want to preheat a heavy cast iron pan quickly and evenly, set the burner to afterburner and preheat the pan upside down on the range grate. The pan will catch all the heat because it's inverted, but the increased distance means that there are no hot spots. You can try sprinkling some water on the bottom of the skillet to gauge the temp, it might take a few tries to figure it out but not too tough. Then just flip it over and it's ready to go.

[@mycbr600rr]

I bought one for my sister in law, who lives with us and does most of the cooking- I’m looking forward to seeing the finished result and wonderful meals

[@twozerosix206]

My #12 arrives in a couple days. My first cast iron pan. Can’t wait to cook with it.

[@johnharper257]

A friend told me that they are waiting for Meat-based Plants. My 2 cents is that when I am cooking something without meat, I don't try to make it seem like meat, but work in so many of the bean and vegetable cuisines from around the world that have spent centuries developing recipes and flavour combinations that are both tasty and healthy. Why reinvent the wheel?

[@PrudentReviews]

Great video Scott! Agree with you on Smithey.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Thank you!

[@curtismatsune3147]

There's a legitimate market for artfully crafted products. As long as one doesn't expect such cast iron cookware to drastically outperform a Lodge at 1/10th the price it's great to appreciate craftsmanship the same way others appreciate the simple utilitarianism of the Lodge.

[@greggramig910]

I like the heirloom explanation and a gift to pass down for generations. That is a clear value which may have me owning one in the future. As most of us have a budget to work within and at this point I already have two Lodge cast iron pans, a 10 and 12 inch, 5 & 8 lbs which work flawlessly. The weight is the drawback with these skillets. This leads me to my next acquisition(s) which will be Lodge 10 and 12 inch carbon steel (CS) skillets which come in at 3.5 and 4.5 lbs. The two CS pans even with hot handles can be purchased at around $100 or half the cost of the Smithey. The Smithey is a work of art and I may eventually buy one but at the moment I need practical cookery at my price point. Great video and great cooking. Keep it coming, keep me dreaming. Ciao

[@wandabush6385]

Please review the Stargazer when you can. Thanks!

[@KatysCampKitchen]

I grew up in Alabama too - It’s all about the Cornbread!!!! I live in NH now - about 5 years ago, we finally got corn meal and grits in our grocery stores! I still use my grandmothers Lodge cast iron, but am looking for a 12 inch skillet…. Great review! Thanks!

[@jameslane3841]

I bought a lodge chefs 12” 2nds from the lodge outlet store. Use it for when my wife and i travel to visit my mom and it does a great job. Perfect for what we use it for which is cooking for her at her home in S. Ga

[@k7vgmike785]

Great video! When are you going to do your STRATA pan? Mine works well so far...

[@rockwalk1975]

Great review. I have the 10" model with the leather handle cover and glass lid. Everything you did in this video, I have done, including stripping the seasoning. The one thing I have not been able to do is cook non-stick potatoes. Regardless love this pan.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Awesome! Great comments. It might take you a time or two, but I bet you could master the potatoes... try that preheating method and the test potatoes and make sure they are sizzling nicely before you put the rest in. Also, it helps to dry your potatoes before you put them in as well (really wet ones seem to stick). Great pan!

[@enso8379]

I don't think I could spring that much for a cast iron skillet. I spent about half that on a Stargazer though. I love that pan even though it cost four times as much as a lodge. The handle for me sells the pan. If I had to start all over would I buy it again. Tough call, probably, but I think I could survive with a lodge since my matfer carbon steel pans do most of the heavy lifting in my kitchen these days.

[@skyline6248]

I have both a stargazer and smithey cat iron pans. I love the look of the smithey and it works just as well as my stargazer. If stargazer made more I probably wouldn't have gone smithey, but they literally make everything you could every need in cast iron.

[@H4KnSL4K]

I got a stargazer for a significant birthday. I feel bad for it since I use my deBuyer carbon steel much more often. But it is certainly nice.

[@alexanderperry3679]

Well said, the stargazer is extremely similar, but the stay cool handle and it being half the price makes it a clear winner to me. The smithy pan is certainly pretty out of the box, but it didn't look that pretty after being re-seasoned a couple times.

[@deirdreberger1363]

@@H4KnSL4K I use my deBuyer all the time and always wanted a Stargazer, but honestly I didn’t want to have to store another heavy pan. Your reply answered what I was wondering about.

[@JefferyHagen]

Try a Victoria. It has a nice long handle and takes seasoning very well and is under $30.

[@PlasmaFuzer]

I like that you also do a "rest" period with your cast iron. I usually either put it on a burner on low/simmer (stove dependent) during prep, then crank it. Or if I am trying to get there more quickly, I'll blast it once or twice and then let it rest in between to avoid the hot spots. Another thing I've been playing with is to start on low to heat the center, then increase, increase again, etc till you're on full blast. The flame touches the pan at different concentric radii as you increase so it should have the same effect. It will obviously heat up faster than the first method, because more time on more gas, but I don't know if it is faster or not then the blast and rest method. I haven't really tried to test it. It just depends on the time frame I have for the cooking.

[@peterl.104]

I can’t recall if I heard it from a KZbinr or a comment on a video but it seems high end/luxury cast iron is best as a gift, even if it’s to treat yourself, and not a value proposition since cheaper alternatives get similar performance. I got myself a Stargazer as a gift to myself and use it mostly for steak. I reach for my carbon steel pan for most things and for my small cast iron pan for morning eggs.

[@rogwheel]

I’m from Lanett, AL on the Chattahoochee River on the border with GA. I now live in Baldwin Co on the Eastern Shore of the Mobile Bay and I still have my mom’s old 6” cast iron skillet that I make cornbread in. I just use vegetable oil, White Lily self rising corn meal and a good quality buttermilk. I just bought a Smithey 6” and it does an AMAZING job. I’m loving it!!!!!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

So you live in LA? ha! My grandparents retired down in Gulf Shores so we spent a good deal of time down there growing up. Do you cook corn bread in the 6" Smithey?

[@rogwheel]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Love living in good ole LA-although it’s growing like crazy and traffic is even crazier! I saw one of your earlier videos on the Smithey cast iron skillet and I bought the 6” specifically to cook cornbread to see how I liked it before investing in the 12” and it does an amazing job even though it is not near being fully seasoned. The quality is 2nd to none! I’ve got to figure out a way to spend the $210 on the 12” without my wife divorcing me! She doesn’t understand a man can never have too many pans😂😂😂😂

[@jbt369]

Every one of my grandparents, and both of my parents, ate green beans. You know what happened to them? They're dead. Every one of them. Dead. They ate green beans, and later on they died.

[@disturbed157]

Can't argue with that

[@gpearson27]

@@disturbed157 Sounds ligit.

[@Ryan61121]

Easily my favourite KZbin channel, Great content as usual.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Thank you, Ryan!

[@jivepatrol6833]

Really excellent review and love your cooking and recipes! Thank you

[@TimeAttack2003]

Creating that spun polished surface DIY is incredibly time consuming but 100% can be done! Holds seasoning very well

[@PumpkinKingXXIII]

Not really, by buddy use to work at an industrial machine shop. For Christmas he took about a dozen lodges, chucked them in the lath and leveled top and bottom and thinned them all about 30%. That’s just the lathes normal finish. He did all 12 in about an hour, most of the time was spent locking them down and taking them out.

[@douggolde7582]

I use my Lehmans nitrogen hardened cast iron pan for slightly acid food. Long cooks with acidic food use stainless.

[@gardeningandgrowing6357]

I have a beautiful Field cast iron pan. I bought it at their seconds sale. I love it and use it a few times a week. Watching your review, I also need a Smithey. Bravo Scott!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I'm going to try one of those Fields at some point... maybe they will go one sale.

[@gardeningandgrowing6357]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Sign up for their email. The second hand sales are around 40% off. Minor blemishes like scratches, pitting, etc

[@Rockhunter329]

True. I bought a Field 7 at Dutch oven at a big discount. I have a Smithey, and I'd personally suggest a Field or a Lancaster over a Smithey.

[@jkbcook]

Just purchased a Smithey baby Dutch oven…❤. 3.5 quart. It was perfect for the Jim Lahey no knead bread. I used it to roast carrots, Brussel sprouts and it worked very well. Also tried making pot stickers in it…no sticking. For two seniors this pot is absolutely perfect. I also made the Japanese Hamburgo and they turned out perfect. I have a stargazer cast iron skillet so won’t be investing in a Smithey skillet. The carbon steel pan looks beautiful. But I have a well seasoned Debuyer and no more space.😅

[@SM80FG]

Great cornbread tips. My mother followed this format (heat pan, add lard, heat lard, pour in lard to batter, pour all into hot pan, cook) and I forgot about it. Not surprisingly my cornbread stuck to the pan.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Always listen to your mom!

[@jwestrik9308]

When I was cooking on induction, I had the problem that heavy cast iron skillets suddenly stopped being heated and the induction stive does click click click because the temperature sensor feedback says "too hot". If I hovered the pan over the glass induction plate, I could get it screeming hot without this fake protection kicking in. I did put a steel ring underneath once to lift it a bit and it actually allowed me to use the cast iron grill pan. But, yeah, the diametre was still an issue...

[@MrBullet888]

I have a Smithey and it's a nice pan but it took a bit to season. Same with the Stargazer. Easiest ones were the Lodge and Field. They all do their job though, some just cost more.

[@trappedindc8678]

Been buying Smithey since they first came on the market. Own 15 pieces, cast iron and carbon steel. Skillets from 4” to 12”, dutch ovens, oval roaster, wok etc. Love them all. The surfaces of all my cast iron skillets look like and are slick as black ice 👍

[@isabelab6851]

❤❤❤so jealous. Just got the new little farm skillet. Putting to the test for the first time tomorrow. And already several item in my wish list. 😊

[@trappedindc8678]

⁠@@isabelab6851been getting Smithey’s and Falk Culinary Copper pots and pans the for the last 10 years mostly by asking for them as Birthday and Christmas gifts. Cheapest way to build a collection 😊

[@oliviagreen8853]

I’m curious, is the regular farmhouse skillet still useful now that the deep skillet is out? Also the oval and circle roasters, the website the sides look tiny, can you actually fit stuff in it or is it only for specific foods like a couple carrots? And is the circle roaster the same as the deep skillet? lol sorry for all the questions, I’m trying to decide on their carbon steel stuff, it all looks beautiful but I’m trying to see functionality as well. I have a few of their cast iron pieces and it’s a dream to use

[@def1ghi]

I have this pan and it's awesome. Thanks for the induction test. I have a gas stove but I've wondered if there's an induction problem for the heat ring. Since the middle if the pan got hotter than the outside (near the heat ring) I'm guessing the heat ring is not an issue for induction.

[@craigholmes9396]

Induction is magnetism, so it works perfectly.

[@mdv3991]

Great review Scott - would have liked to see you try out the pour spouts on the Smithey as well to see how they work.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I can do that for a follow-up. I was thinking that I don't think I have ever poured anything out of a cast iron pan.

[@colt10mmsecurity68]

A+ FABULOUS video as usual!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Thanks, Colt!

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

Have you tested the swedish pans from kockums jernverk? 3mm carbon pans with straight walls

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I have not but I will see about putting one on the List, if for no other reason than it would give me an excuse to say jernverk a bunch of times!

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

@@UncleScottsKitchen haha yeah kockums jernverk is probably a hard word for americans to say its hard here in norway to. Jernverk is ironwork directly translated.

[@franzb69]

ever wanna consider reviewing vintage cast iron like griswolds and vintage cowboy skillets?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Maybe some sort of feature video on them

[@Libertyspot-1]

Nice Yacht Master.... I have the 116710LN GMT Master II Tripel Black on as I was watching this video. Great video (Watching from AL) 👍🏻

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Great to hear from AL! On watches, I know that thing is a luxury item but it makes me feel good every time I war it. Had it since 2008. I'll look your watch up...

[@2ndamendment1776]

Love the video, partner. Just exactly the review I was looking for! 👍👍

[@nertsch77]

Thank you for that great Video! I applied your preheat-and-rest strategy to my de buyer carbone plus and it passed the first time the fried-egg-test using oil instead of butter! BTW: I wonder why you do not have a carbone plus. Even the ones with the stainless steel handle are pretty cheap (e.g for the Ø20cm I paid 37 euros)

[@Ken-cl5bi]

Thanks for including flat top surface in your video. Could you go over the process of preheating. What levels of heat, how long? The last thing I want is a spinner on a flat top!

[@jack_batterson]

I use a combination of hot butter and lard instead of Crisco. Way better flavor.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

That might be a good video... compare fats for cornbread. Do you use the same amounts vs. crisco?

[@jack_batterson]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Yes. Although, I usually mix some melted butter into the batter as well as getting some butter and/or lard smoking hot in the skillet before adding the batter and baking. Would be interesting to compare Crisco to Butter to Lard. Before there was Crisco, cornbread was made with Lard. Just sayin'......

[@lagunn327]

Lard is also much better for you than Crisco!!

[@fbmg8547]

Love your videos and audience claps 👏 😂 thoughts on the lodge bold 12” skillet sold only on Amazon?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I try to keep the audience under control but sometimes they burst forth! I have not tried that Lodge yet but I will check into it!...

[@fbmg8547]

@@UncleScottsKitchen oh no no no. Do not spend money. Couldn’t find a KZbin review on the bold is all. Figured maybe he tried it, and it was such a disappointment that it wasn’t posted 😆. Thank you for the reply sir

[@H4KnSL4K]

I paid more than that for my 12" Stargazer. But I'm happy with it!

[@michaelwallace1861]

I have a 70 year old Lodge 12 in cast iron. I'll put it up against the the expensive one anytime.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I think the history of a pan adds as much flavor as any spices or seasoning!

[@helencraw]

Hi Scott! Im in Utah also. Have Carolina cornbread roots. I can get self rising flour at my local Walmart. But Ive been known to order in a supply of White Lily from amazon or Walmart. Im kind of partial to White lily. Im happy that i can buy grits locally too. Cornbread is an excellent test of any cast iron for my kitchen. Sticking cornbread can definitely cause me to holler in my kitchen. 😊 You hit three things I cook for my family all the time- cornbread, green beans and steak. My family really loves great green beans. For family gatherings I could use a 15 inch skillet if it would fit on my stove. Have a lot of variations to the basic green beans- add thyme and butter. A couple of years ago i through in cherry tomatoes. The kids in family request this now. They call them tomato bombs. Love the way the warmed tomatoes taste. Its a win to get your kids to love vegetables

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Awesome! Great to hear from another Utahn! I have been to two Wal Marts today and I do not see any self0rising cornmeal... which one do you visit? My mom would make what she calls "buffet" green beans, which were cooked in a pan of bacon grease with onion and sugar added. Hits most of the unhealthy food groups!

[@Mochi-sn3ud]

Love my Smithey... Smooth is good or as good as gold.)

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

It's as smooth as carbon steel...

[@reveme]

I think my 12 inches Lodge is equally impressive, but I paid for it only 45€ :) For that price I had a 12 inches Lodge, a 6 inches Lodge, a small Debuyer AND a 18cm Staub dutch oven. 210$ for one piece of cast iron is hardly justifiable.

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

Do you think the Smithey not holding seasoning as well as other cast irons is about the smooth versus rough texture debate?

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I think so. It's acting like carbons teel, and I know when my carbon steels are new they don't seem to hold a seasoning as long as they do later on after they've been cooked in a bunch and maybe most importantly have lots of tiny scratches on them. I think the scratches give the seasoning something to grab on to.

[@edro3838]

Took a long time for the seasoning to stop lifting. I did the salt, oil and potato peels and it got better. Just kept frying in it.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

You don't have to keep doing that salt, oil, and potato peels... that's just for the initial seasoning on a Matfer. Once you've done that once, you can just do regular seasonings from then on.

[@MichaelE.Douroux]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Interesting. I'm always hesitant to use metal utensils in order to preserve the finish (I know, a little crazy). Jed at Cook Culture drills down with chain mail. I guess I just have to treat them as tools not a work of art.

[@edro3838]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Didn’t say one was required to continue any sort of seasoning efforts. It is a fact concerning Smithey cast iron the seasoning tends to lift. The performance of the skillet remains at a high level for cooking. One must realize the purpose of seasoning isn’t “non-stick” it is however to eliminate rust. The darkening of a skillet depends on use and the skillet itself…all of which might be different. Most seek to find this black coloration which is nice, but has little to do with “non-stick” Temperature and fat provide the non-stick performance

[@praetorxyn]

Nice finish. I just wish more cast iron brands would do better handles like Stargazer and Finex

[@Sunny31310]

I have no issue spending the money to support these small forges still hand making pans.

[@alexanderperry3679]

I think if you reviewed the stargazer at the same time, i think you would be asking yourself why you would ever take the smithy over the half as expensive stargazer. Performance and craftsmanship is near identical, both sturggle to hold seasoning, but the handle on the stargazer is brilliant.

[@djC653]

I concur most of what I cook on the stovetop I do not need heat protection when using the handle.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Maybe I can add a Stargazer to the lineup and see...

[@UltraMega429]

I really like Finex cast iron. They are heavy and have lids.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

I just ordered a Finex... will show up in a video (eventually!). I didn't get the lid though. Do I need a lid?

[@TheASTrader]

Ever thought about getting one of those mirror polished Lodge pans people sell online?

[@Nope145]

Good review and testimonial.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Thanks, Nope!

[@SM80FG]

I didn't have luck with the non-stick technique (heat skillet for 2 minutes, turn off for 2 minutes, heat again for 1 minute). What temp did you use to heat? I'm using a slightly smaller skillet (10 inch).

[@alexanderjamieson7971]

I hope you get the flat top griddle/lid that matches it.

[@boyantrifonov]

What I have found through experience is that portable induction hobs do not work on large pots. Anything more than 10 inches will have the outside not heat up properly. And the heat does not spread for some reason. The coils of the induction are expensive and the portable induction hobs are cheap so the math ain't mathing. The professional portable induction hobs are 300$+ and from what it is written in their spec sheets they can handle bigger pots and pans. I haven't used one. Maybe you could test one out Uncle Scott?

[@JacksonWalter735]

Yup most of the more affordable portable induction cooktops only have a 4-5” heating element. Cast iron and carbon steel doesn’t have an aluminum or copper core so that heat doesn’t distribute evenly on an induction cooktop with such a small heating element. Off the top of my head I only know of the Breville Control Freak that has a larger 8” coil, but that costs over a thousand dollars. Some portable commercial ones from Mirage, Avantco, Garland, and so forth do have models with larger heating elements (6-10” from what I noticed) but they cost so much money. Many of them require a 240v outlet too compared to the standard 120v outlet and you don’t get any warranty from the manufacturer if you use these commercial portable induction hobs for home use.

[@robgilbert4556]

I have on of my grandmother skillet and 3 of my mother in laws. Some have no date so pre 66 I think and smoothe like a smithey

[@CB-ul2np]

Lodge has been keeping everyone happy, including me, since 1896. Lodge is the best.

[@Visitkarte]

Nah, I barely use my cast iron pans. I am a carbon steel kind of gal. CI is too heavy for daily cooking so I am only using mine for certain meals. Now, enameled CI pots are a different kind of animal - they are so versatile, I can deal with the weight for that type of cooking. So for CI, the cheap basic model will do the trick.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Oh yeah the Lodges produce about the same results for 1/7th the cost... this is more in the small batch work of art category. Not necessary but nice to have!

[@Visitkarte]

@@UncleScottsKitchen I splurge on other nice cooking utensils… like my De Buyer SC pans and the copper pot, my beautiful Staub and Le Creuset, and my Titan Nanobond as the latest wonderful toy. They all make delicious food! 🥰

[@lordbalkan]

Try a stargazer next !

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Going on The List

[@MadMFox]

Whoa there! I didn't know I was going to the gun show!!

[@Wish1771]

Have you ever used seasoning paste, I'd like to hear your opinion on it?

[@JoseGomez-vr6mj]

It does the job. But lard and other oils do the job too. Put oil, lard or paste, heat purify to smoking desintegration, rinse with hot water to get rid of remaining stinky grease, dry and store.

[@KatysCampKitchen]

Hi Scott, Do you happen to have a link for the iPhone segmented stand you are using for holding the iPhone? I looked through your website store but didn’t see it…. THANKS!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Shameless Amazon affiliate link to it: amzn.to/4aReolz

[@KatysCampKitchen]

Thanks so much!!!!

[@Wish7711]

What do you do for a living?

[@captainblackboots]

'Nothing phallic ...' - you're a funny man, Uncle Scott!

[@isabelab6851]

I want this skillet but I also want the 14 inch with the short handles so that I can use it in my Breville oven. You may recall that my oven is just additional storage space 😱🤣🤣🤣 I am still working on getting the temp right on my de buyer. So still cannot consistently get gets to slide. Definitely not ready for omelette yet. I fry plantains and empanadas on skillet…I am careful but you made it sound like it was a hazard! Last comment…on began cooking, you could have made lots of veggies instead of fake food (ultra processed food)

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

If you have a pan thermometer, try adding your butter when your pan is in the 280 - 300 degree zone, then add your room-temp egg when the butter stops bubbling and see if that helps.

[@isabelab6851]

@@UncleScottsKitchen I am determined to get this right!😎 thanks for the advice. I can do the omelettes on nonstick. I think it may the burners on my stove. Seems like a hot spot on the middle where it sticks. Will continue on my journey. By now a pro on restoring seasoning with stove top method. On a happy note the Mafter is getting almost black and it is working beautifully for fried eggs and other things. It is not the right size for omelette. So back to new hypothesis and further testing.

[@luisj.castironcooking]

How are you allowed onto Planes with those 💪🏽! Great review Uncle Scott!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Thanks, Luis!

[@ericmedlock]

It is but it's a damn beauty

[@edro3838]

Smithey, Lodge, Wagner, Griswold, Birmingham Stove and Range all in 12”….BSR is my favorite. Smithey close second.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Pretty good lineup right there!

[@PlasmaFuzer]

I spent close to that on a Finex. I think it was worth because of the design and the handle. The stainless steel coil wrapped handle stays cool for almost all cooking tasks. I do like the inerior finish of Smithy more, but I already buy'd and cried once so I'm not doing it again.

[@robertward553]

I will never pay that kind of money for any kind of pan. I thought the Star whatever pan was stupid crazy expensive at a little over $100, a $20 Lodge works just great.

[@petercofrancesco9812]

At first I wanted a Smithey based on looks (love the crow) but I've been using a Lodge for years, the most important part is the seasoning. The fact that Smithey is harder to maintain is a deal breaking along with the price. Btw I've done the same thing cooking tomato based meals, just don't do it. Regardless I enjoyed your video. I'm sure if someone gave me this pan I still could make it work.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Christmas is coming up!

[@petercofrancesco9812]

@@UncleScottsKitchen That's might kind of you to buy it for me as a Christmas present. Thank you.

[@0529mpb]

I do a couple veggie days a week and would not consider any of the beyond meat products. I just supplement the veggies with lots of high grade olive oil, good bread and slow dried pasta.

[@TerryKashat]

Imprefer Smithey for eggs and quick things - I prefer Finex for all proteins and longer cooks Both are top notch

[@BCSpecht89]

The cornbread, pork chops and steak looked amazing. However, the Beyond Meat "tips" (right out of the bag) looked like doggie kibble. 😖

[@theraddadinvestor1000]

Do you know where the iron is sourced from?

[@JustinEmlay]

Yes

[@samuelsullivan9546]

For $210, it should clean, wash and put itself away.

[@GrowLLLTigeRRR]

How hot is "high heat"?

[@Adam-jr4lx]

You're supposed to use lard not crisco.

[@JB_kind]

High quality video.

[@dpelpal]

I have the same Smithy and also have a $14 import pan from Walmart. They cook exactly the same lol.

[@trappedindc8678]

Yeah, sure🙄😅

[@hm-lu4ok]

real lard >>>>> crisco

[@craigholmes9396]

Cisco is deadly stuff. It’s not fit for human consumption. Lard, tallow, or bacon grease would have been so much better to use. And the corn bread would taste 1000 times better as well

[@chasmenear7130]

Short answer,YES... VERY crazy. Then again, we use terms like 'crafting', and other warm and fuzzy terms for doing some work with HANDS. Me, I like antique stores, and thrift stores. Always vintage iron. ALSO, how did you get Dick Van Dyke to do your vid?! Addendum: I have to say that the pan looks to be of superior quality, and certainly no offense to the makers of it.

[@enellive]

honestly here more for the recipes than the review haha

[@essendossev362]

that cornbread recipe is FIRE

[@aperson1908]

A Screaming Deal Indeed

[@billisnice]

Is it necessary? Absolutely not. Does it cook better? Nope. If it makes you feel better enjoy!

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Exactly... it's in the same realm as a BMW is not better driving me to Costco than a Toyota, or Rolex is not better telling time than a Casio, but we still like nice stuff from time to time!

[@thetruth777]

​@UncleScottsKitchen you're not doing the smithey justice.. it costs more because it is superior with non-stick and heat retention features

[@ericpoland7389]

If you don’t want to or can’t smooth your cast iron yourself, then it’s a solid option. It’s like paying someone to change the oil in your car; it’s much cheaper to do it yourself, but it will cost you in time and labor.

[@killakicks]

I love the credit card advice 😂

[@darrenj9013]

The "micromanage juices" comment made me laugh. I do this once a week at least with my ribeye. Add salt and pepper to both sides, put it on a slightly raised cooling rack inside of a pan. Stick that pan in the fridge overnight. It's pretty easy 😂

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Planning a day ahead?!?!?! :)

[@darrenj9013]

@@UncleScottsKitchen lol well I stock up on ribeye once a year and freeze them. When I thaw one out, that's when I do the overnight salt and pepper. Sometimes I won't cook it the next day. If I don't, I'll wrap it up in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Seems to come out more tender after sitting for a couple days. I guess I'll have to do a side by side comparison.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

The side by side comparison would be a good KZbin video... post it if you make a channel!

[@dnice1996]

I would only buy it if it stayed bronze. When all is said and done it will look like my lodge!

[@mikecrabtree8200]

lol. I’m sorry. There is absolutely no reason to pay that much for a cast iron pan. Buy a grinder and pad. And a cheaper cast iron thingy. And smooth out what ever needs smoothing. I buy medium to low grade cast iron and season the crap out of it and never have issues. Some brands produce rough stuff. And sell at a much better price. Take a little time and pride in your materials and make it worth while. I learned the hard way, that you treat EVERY pot or pan like it’s cast iron. I’ve roasted countless pans because they were non stick. That’s a BS tag. Treat every pot or pan like it’s a cast iron product and they will all last forever. Exception on nonstick is don’t use metal utensils on them. Don’t disrespect your grandmother. In her day crisco. Wasn’t a thing. Tallow, lard or butter was and they were much healthier than crisco.

[@JacksonWalter735]

Reading your comment made me think of an analogy. Cast iron skillets like Lodge and Smitheys makes me think of Honda Civic vs a lower end BMW. Both are still cars that will get you from one place to another. You can always mod or tune a Honda Civic to make it better too like how you can grind down a Lodge skillet to make the inside smooth. Your comment also made me wonder what the average age demographic for these cast iron videos are when you said Crisco wasn’t a thing in my grandmother’s time. My grandmother was born in 1967, my parents in 1986/1987, and then me in 2007. It makes me wonder if people my age are watching these videos with me too or if the age demographic is closer to my great grandmother or great great grandmother’s age.

[@ericpoland7389]

“There is absolutely no reason to pay that much for a cast iron pan.” And then you go on to contradict that very statement! The reason folks pay for these pans is so they don’t have smooth them out themselves, saving them time and effort. I’m like you: I own Lodge cast iron and have sanded down the finish, and then reseasoned them intensely. I take pride in how I care for them so they’ll be passed to my daughters and hopefully beyond. With all that said, I plan to buy a Smithey or Finex 12” for everyday quick use, because it’s better than anything I could produce or perfect on my own. Am I going to buy a whole set? No, but the 12” will up my collection immensely.

[@dbkfrogkaty1]

Nice pan. For a cast iron pan though I don't think it's worth the money. There are so many other pans that are just as nice, and even nicer, for less money. Carbon steel and cast iron. Cast-A-Way Carbon, and Santa Barbara Forge on the carbon steel side, and Victoria, FINEX, and Lodge on the cast iron side. Not to mention Le Creuset enameled cast iron!

[@julianvickers]

I love how you make a fancy meal of pork chops and then eat it bending over the counter top. I’m assuming you did this while the family was out :)

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

Usually people clear out while I'm filming and then the pork chops are hot and right there on the plate and I can't help myself!

[@claudtalkz2194]

I am friends with a couple of chefs, this is how they eat lol

[@markdale6104]

Your cornbread recipe looks a lot like making Yorkshire Pudding.🤔

[@wizardofahhhs759]

Glad I live in Charleston and can get these pans for $50 bucks all day, every day.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

You can get actual Smitheys for $50?

[@wizardofahhhs759]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Yeah, I only live a very short walk from the Smithey foundry, lived here my whole life.

[@Ashhong1]

@@wizardofahhhs759do they sell them at a fraction of a cost out of their back door or something? Or discounted for residents?

[@thetruth777]

​@@wizardofahhhs759is that some sort of resident special???

[@wizardofahhhs759]

@@thetruth777 Something like that 😉

[@matthewupton3813]

Hello Uncle Scott! What are your thoughts on algae cooking oil? Thanks Matt

[@hawgwildcastiron2023]

I think you picked up the wrong Lodge if you think that one is 80 years old. That helper handle started in 2001.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

This is a tab handle and not the loop. You can see them on ebay if you look up vintage Lodge 14". It has the three notches in the bottom, so pretty sure it is Lodge. It's definitely old. I think it was in my grandparents' house since at least the 1960's, and my mom thinks it came from her granddad before that.

[@hawgwildcastiron2023]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Maybe I am looking at the wrong pan. at 22:05 the one behind your left shoulder has a loop helper handle and small pour spouts.

[@UncleScottsKitchen]

That one is just a regular from the last two decades, but the 80-year old one (or however old it is) was the big unrestored one with the tab handle.

[@hawgwildcastiron2023]

@@UncleScottsKitchen Gotcha! Enjoy your videos, keep up the good work!