Lodge 9″x13″ Cast Iron Casserole, Black

An honest review with no holds barred.
Everyone loves cast iron these days and in the USA people love Lodge for the affordability and availability the brand has in stores like Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel and Bass Pro. Every camping and sports store will have these products.Lately the company has been making fun things for specific purposes. Woks, casseroles, pizzas and fajitas all have products now. The questions though should be considered?1) How often will you use it?Specific products might take up space and not get used. Cast iron needs to be cared for and oiled. If this is destined to sit somewhere collecting dust and rust before making an appearance once a year at Thanksgiving it might not be a good addition in the kitchen. Skillets and dutch ovens you already own can be used for casseroles.2) Is it safe?No. This is dangerous. One thing you don’t always consider is the weight of cast iron. This casserole dish is extremely heavy. If you have arthritis, carpal tunnel or weak grip this is not an easy product to lift. It can be dropped and cause injury to a toe or foot. The pan also has short handles and when removing it from the oven at higher temps it is very easy to burn yourself, especially on the forearm, hands or fingers. Don’t trust things will be okay. Be over prepared with oven mits on both hands. If you have a heavy roast be confident you can carry it.3) It is it a good value?Yes. This is an incredible value. Lodge is well known for being reasonable in price but strong in quality. It will last forever. It cooks superbly and has many uses. These are great in smokers, for brownies, lasagna and enchiladas. The food tastes better in cast iron. If you are a casserole person with great strength and patience for safety this is a wonderful value as no more broken glass casserole dishes on the floor to sweep up ever again!4) Is there a better option?Yes and maybe. Dutch ovens are easier to hold and move. With a lot they also work better outdoors. They also work well for casseroles. I’m not sure there is a great argument for this product when the other is more versatile. If you own a Lodge Skillet and Dutch Oven you probably don’t need this. If you camp this offers no benefit over other products.If you are a cast iron enthusiast or have a unique need like a Green Egg or smoker this would stand up better than other casserole products this is for you. I love mine for deep dish pizza, enchiladas and oven frying breaded chicken breasts. It makes a wonderful meatloaf and roasted chicken with vegetables. Baked hams and roasted are exceptional but I wouldn’t want my wife to lift it out of the oven on her own. She’s tough but this is hard to hold with smaller handles and extra weight it would be a horrible trip to the ER for burn care if she were to lose her grip.Lodge is wonderful and keep in mind everyone has different needs and physical strength. Consider your own situation and this might be the best addition to your collection. It sure makes me happy. Happy cooking! Be safe.

Premium Quality/Discount Price
Planning for a deep dish Chicago style pizza, I was surprised to learn that Pyrex glass baking dishes are not suitable for use under the broiler. My 12-inch cast iron skillet was too small for the recipe, and I wanted a rectangular pie, so I went shopping, expecting to pay $60 or more for a piece like this. It’s Lodge cast iron quality at an unbelievably low price and can do everything that a glass casserole can and lots more. Comes pre-seasoned ready to cook and safe for warm soapy water in the sink as long as you dry it and coat with a little oil.

Beautiful cast iron baking pan!
What a beauty! Solid, lifetime and more, cast iron bakeware! This is one that can be handed down for generations!

Nice pan with some extra work…
As with all of my Lodge pans, they need a little finishing work to go from OK to great. I found on my first fry pan that the surface was way too rough! So I sanded the cooking surfaces down. I started with 80 grit and finished with 120 grit orbital sander or by hand, whatever works. They’re not perfectly smooth, I left some texture. After sanding I seasoned the pan again and it’s way better! Worth the effort.This 13×9 pan was also pretty rough. I filed a few rough, sharp protrusions off the edges and corners, ground off 4 different bumps from the inside corner areas, sanded and seasoned. Good to go.Bottom line, I’m too cheap to get a better pan (if there is one..) and willing to spend 45 minutes sanding and seasoning to get what I want. Using this pan for Detroit style pizza… yum.

Absolutely love this roaster pan, I did have an issue with the first one I received as it had a crack in it but Amazon very quickly handled the return and replacement. I purchased to use as a roaster and it cooks meats beautifully, my hubby also preheats then cooks his fries in it, he says they are the best oven fries. I highly recommend this product.

Great size for Webber

I have to say I am very happy with this purchase. It is so easy to use, with little maintenance: basically to make sure you store it very dry (oven dry)! Good for outdoor and indoor cooking. Extremely versatile. Go for it!