Product: Lodge Cast Iron
What is it: Cookware
Address: 204 E. 5th St., South Pittsburgh, Tennessee
Owned by: Members of the Lodge and Kellerman families, Mike Otterman is the current CEO
From the Website: Lodge Cast Iron has been making heirloom-quality cookware and accessories since 1896. We currently operate two foundries in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, our home since the very beginning. Backed by over 125 years of experience, each piece of Lodge cookware is crafted for durability and versatility. We don't just make cookware — we make memories that last for generations.
My comments: I first found Lodge through my experiences as a cub scout. Cub scouts are very outdoorsy, and so one of the best outdoorsy things you can do is cook – on cast iron. Next I thing I knew, I was learning all about the Dutch oven at Cub Scout Baloo training.
I never knew a thing about cast iron and cast iron cookware so this was a great education for me. I loved to make apple cobbler for my scouts in the dutch ovens. I have 2 – and 10 inch and a 12 inch, but we’ve also make peach cobblers, monkey bread, and baked ziti on my scouting adventures.
Cast iron is very durable.
From the website: Heat capacity is a material’s ability to retain energy; something cast iron is particularly adept at. In cooking, this means adding another cold chicken breast to a hot cast iron pan isn’t going to lower its temperature nearly as much as it would an aluminum pan. While slower to heat, cast iron’s density assures that it retains and distributes heat evenly across its surface.
DUTCH OVENS:
Dutch ovens are smaller sized pots with short legs and a rimmed lid. The concept is to heat up charcoal and place them the bricks under the oven and on the lid for even cooking. One way to quickly heat up the charcoal is using a chimney.
Depending on your recipe, you place your coals, and rotate the oven every 15-20 mins. The site offers a coal chart and a recipe book. My recipe book I bought a Scout event called the University of Scouting, but honestly, you can easy find a recipe for you.
Inspired by my love scouting, I brought the Annual Chili Cookoff to my son’s Scouting Boy Scout troop and last year he won the competition with his patrol!
SHOPPING: You can buy direct from the website, but the product is also avail at most major stores. I found product at Big 5 Sporting goods and I’m sure Amazon is an option. On the website, it offered a coupon.
And there’s more than dutch ovens. There’s griddles, skillets, pans, and bakeware.
SEASONING: Seasoning a cast iron product is important to keep it serviceable.
From the website: Seasoning is just oil baked onto cast iron through a process called polymerization. It gives your cookware that classic black patina. Seasoning forms a natural, easy-release cooking surface and helps prevent your pan from rusting. It may take a little extra care, but a well-seasoned cast iron pan will last for generations.
CLEANING: Involves washing, drying and layering with a little oil. It’s all on the website.
Lodge Cast Iron supports charities in the Tennessee area such as wildfire relief and adopt-a-highway.
I did not find any donations to any candidates through a quick online search.
I highly recommend Lodge Cast Iron. It’s great, durable cookware and you’re supporting an American made product. I’ve posted some references with more information about the history of lodge. Honestly, I can’t give this company a better recommendation. It might take a little effort to season and clean the cookware but it’s totally worth it.
References:
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2019/feb/04/ottermnamed-ceo-lodge-manufacturing/
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/camp-dutch-oven-cooking-101
https://bittersoutherner.com/lodge-cast-iron
https://www.lodgecastiron.com/about-lodge/social-responsibility
https://www.americanmanufacturing.org/blog/after-123-years-lodge-cast-iron-is-still-family-owned-and-still-american-made/