Three years ago I "rescued" an eight-inch (approximately) cast iron skillet from my grandmother Robinson's collection. It was at the family's lake cabin in Vermont, stored under the kitchen cupboards, and starting to rust, just like Nana's Cast Iron Dutch Oven. It quickly became one of my favorite pieces ... the perfect size to sauté onions, mushrooms, peppers, or any combination thereof! A single steak or burger fits perfectly in the skillet ... and it is one of my most "nonstick" pieces of cast iron cookware.
It is an unmarked (unbranded) piece manufactured by Wagner sometime shortly after 1960, based on the "Made in USA" verbiage on the bottom. It has the typical Wagner physical characteristics ... a smooth interior along with a triangular shaped flat spot underneath the handle where it attaches to the body of the skillet. Also, notice the number 5 on the handle, another common Wagner characteristic.
Earlier this month, I picked up a piece that I first saw at a local antique shop about a year ago and passed it up. It was dirty and sort of rusty looking, and I wasn't sure if it was worth its asking price of $12.50. Kind of "cruddy" and unloved, it spoke to me again this year when I was browsing the same shop, looking for good buys on cast iron. There it was in all its glory ... a post-1960 three-notch Lodge 5 SK skillet!
Well, a little bit of clean up work and re-seasoning left it looking so much better! It was not as hard to clean up as I thought it would be! I felt very lucky to have passed it up a year ago and it was still there for me to love this year! It was destined to be mine!
It has the typical Lodge "rough" interior and hefty feel. After using it for some light sauté work, I wondered how it would compare with my trusty Wagner for some serious cooking ... so I decided to put it to the test!
A steak cook-off starring one of the tastiest pieces of beef ever known to mankind ...
... Rib Eye Steak! Lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, it is well noted for being flavorful, tender, and predictably easy to cook to your favorite level of doneness. A simple probe with a meat thermometer and you can't go wrong!
I put on the skillets, added a little oil, and fired Mindy's steak first in the Lodge. She likes her steak medium-well to well-done, so it went first.
I wondered if the extra weight of the Lodge might overcook the steak ... well, she wouldn't notice, would she? After all, she likes hers well-done!
Mindy's steak is coming along quite nicely, after being turned over. I'm drooling already!
I fired my steak at the appropriate time to produce a medium temp along with a nice looking sear, but it was not as nice looking as Mindy's steak in the Lodge on the right, due to its shorter cooking time.
My steak, along with a stuffed portabella mushroom. Nicely medium, with a juicy texture and lots of flavor. Looks and tastes great!
Mindy's Steak: (with a little added butter on top!)
Notice that even with the darker sear, she still has yummy steak juices on her plate! Looks like the Lodge may have outperformed the Wagner!
So what was the final result? Well, they were both good, but the Lodge did edge out the Wagner in presentation and taste!
Mindy's steak, cooked in the Lodge, had a deeper sear. She said it was a little under-done (admittedly cooked slightly to the medium side of medium-well) but was still acceptable to her. The taste was top-notch, with the surface sear adding a great Maillard-effect yumminess that made her day!
The Wagner produced a perfectly medium outcome. Nothing came close to sticking ... and it was its usual "easy cook" Wagner experience. But, the sear did not compare to Mindy's steak cooked in the Lodge. At the first turn of her steak I could see a good outcome in the works!
Both skillets cleaned up with equal ease. Hot water, with a soft scour sponge to loosen the few "sticky bits" on both skillets and they just needed a quick wipe with a 100% cotton dish towel to look good as new.
So, the Wagner has asked for a rematch ... I will perform the same test but next time, I'll cook Mindy's steak in the Wagner (where its longer cook time should still produce an acceptable sear) and cook mine in the Lodge. My expectation is that the Lodge will produce a great sear in a shorter cook time on a medium steak, while the Wagner will nicely sear a medium well steak without drying it out to the point of well-doneness-steak-hell! We should experience the best of both worlds!
Stay tuned for the rematch ... sort of like Ali and Frazier, only different!
Three years ago I "rescued" an eight-inch (approximately) cast iron skillet from my grandmother Robinson's collection. It was at the family's lake cabin in Vermont, stored under the kitchen cupboards, and starting to rust, just like Nana's Cast Iron Dutch Oven. It quickly became one of my favorite pieces ... the perfect size to sauté onions, mushrooms, peppers, or any combination thereof! A single steak or burger fits perfectly in the skillet ... and it is one of my most "nonstick" pieces of cast iron cookware. 
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