Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Combo Cooker, 2-Piece Set, 10.25", Black

Going on this, Lodge makes one where the lid is a shallow skillet. Great prices around now.

Fair warning, Lodge iron skillets are rough. I took a finishing sander to mine and after about a half hour of work it's nice and smooth all over. Before sanding slowly heat it up in the oven to 400f and let it cool again just to make sure it doesn't crack or anything before putting in the work.

Dunno if Amazon links are allowed here but this is the one I'm talking about. https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Lodge+cast+iron&qid=1605714835&s=home-garden&sr=1-2

It’s a combo cooker, like this one. It works just like a Dutch oven for creating and trapping steam during the initial part of the bake. I invert mine so I slide my dough into the shallow side and then cover with the deeper side as a lid vs burning myself while trying to get dough down into a ripping hot Dutch oven without dropping it and popping all the air pockets.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M

I have one of these and it does both pan and Dutch oven pretty well. I've made anything from pancakes to layered nachos in it.

It also works well for dump cakes as an easy desert

Check out this sweet Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Combo Cooker, 2-Piece Set, 10.25". If you're cooking for one it will do virtually everything you need to do in the kitchen.

just a heads up

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009JKG9M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

this also makes great bread and you get a 2 for 1 pan deal

I got the Lodge combo cooker a few months ago & they're the only pans I cook with now. Care is simple: Cook > Rinse > Dry > Oil > Repeat.

cast iron combo cooker, preheated for an hour at 500. Use a pastry brush to try to clean off as much of the surface flour as possible, then spritz with a spray bottle. Bake covered at 500 for 15-20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 450 and cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes until the crust looks good.

But yeah, my crust and shaping has improved over time, so I think it's probably tight, but still kinda powdery on the outside.

I always recommend going vintage, it's much more satisfying. If you have a larger budget, you can buy pieces that have already been restored, but if your budget is tight you can learn how to restore vintage cast iron. but I realize it's not an option for everybody.

An enamel to Dutch oven is a great versatile piece, but if you plan to do a lot of searing I would go with seasoned cast iron

A skillet is always a great place to start, but the lodge combo cooker is a very versatile beginner piece: https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M. If you need something a little bit bigger you can take a look at the lodge double dutch oven.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M. Is this the of you're referring too?

This is the one I use. Looks to be a popular one among other folks too.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_sBvNFb24B76YT

This Lodge set is great all around. You put your boule in the smaller one and top it with the deeper one. That way you don’t run into the risk of burning your hands when lowering the bread into it. Plus, they are multi usage pans. Great price too!

May I recommend the lodge combo, it comes pre-seasoned, great for skillet cookies and baking bread. They're pretty cheap, about $40 USD. Best money I spent during pandemic.

I really like the Lodge Combo cooker because it's a lot easier to put it in with the lower sides.

The book : Tartine Bread is a must.

Use a cast iron combo cooker

Spray the dough with water before sealing it and putting it in the oven. Cook the first half closed, then open carefully (steam will fuck you up, ask me how I know) and finish the cook with it open. The times are in the book. If you want to have the details pm me and I can text you some photos of the pages.

It's essentially a type of dutch oven people use for baking bread, you can find it here for example. My current dutch oven isn't suitable for temperatures over 230C and doesn't provide a good enough seal so a lot of steam is escaping. From what I gathered from other bakers, steam helps with the rise and settling of a nice crispy crust.

If you use a good enough dutch oven already, I wouldn't worry although I might be wrong about the above as I'm a beginner myself and it's just the info I gathered from various videos/advice from bakers.

I think the Lodge Combo Cooker is a pretty good choice. It’s fairly cheap, plus the lid doubles as a cast iron skillet.

Cast Iron Combo Cooker does chili well, without a mess

I bought a Lodge combo cooker I only use for bread baking and love it, since you use the lid for the bottom, there's no high sides to risk burning yourself on and it traps moisture for the first half of the bake but if you are careful, and use a large folded sheet of parchment, you should be able to lower the bread in with minimal risk.

In addition to other people’s warnings about the knob, high heat can cause fractures in the enamel. Usually happens when the onset of the heat is sudden but I wouldn’t risk it. A better solution is a lodge combo cooker. They are cheap, $40, and readily available and will last forever. Braise a nice bit of meat in your beautiful Le Creuset and use the lodge for the bread.

it seems that the lid doubles as a skillet so it's technically one piece

-Decent hammocks can be crazy cheap and pack real small.
-If he has campfires often, pie irons are super fun/easy ways to make food and can slide behind something for storage.
-This cast iron sauce pan/skillet/dutch oven can be used with a camp stove or campfire.
-Leveling blocks can save him from a crooked night sleep.

I got a new dutch oven. Im sanding it... ok im asking my bf to finish sanding it lol. But i want to make it in the fire. My double duty pan does great except the handle makes it really hard to extract from the fire. https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M

I've had the same issue, many of my loaves have a wavy edge from the parchment bunching up. The only solution I've found so far is to reduce the size of my loaf a bit so there's a bit more room. I'm not super fond of the smaller loaves, so I will likely get a larger dutch oven at some point. I'll probably get one of those combo cookers.

Check out the Lodge Combo Cooker for an affordable option! I like using the shallow side for the bread because you don't have to worry about burning your hand on the sides of the pan. While it's not quite as versatile as an enameled dutch oven, you can definitely do things in the deep side and I sear steaks in the shallow side too.

i would like to invite you to the cult that is known as r/castiron. i love my cast iron pans, but cooking acidic foods like tomatoes in em can leave a metallic taste to your food because of how it reacts to the iron. and if you cook acidic foods too often in a cast iron pan, it can ruin the seasoning. a well seasoned cast iron pan is the best nonstick pan a person could own, but it takes special care to season it just right. 28" pan is pretty big imo lol, but i would recommend this lodge dutch oven/skillet combo for anyone starting out on cast iron, i use that skillet for eggs almost daily, i deep fry in the dutch oven and use it for baking sourdough bread. honestly these pans were my first 'big' kitchen purchase, and they cost around 40 bucks.

For round loaves a lot of people like the 3.2 quart Lodge combo cooker. It's easy to drop bread into because it's essentially upside-down, you drop the dough into the "lid".

Pretty sure it’s a Lodge Combo CookerLodge Combo Cooker.

Lodge still makes one.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M/

The Lodge Combo Cooker is a great starting point for Dutch ovens that has multiple uses outside of bread making and is budget friendly. I recommend starting there.

Once you feel more advanced, there are a bajillion choices in fancier and specialized bread pans and Dutch ovens. The Le Creuset, Challenger Bread Pan, etc.

Not sure if we are allowed to post Amazon links here but I'll try.

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=sr_1_2?crid=17Y11EPHOL6UG&dchild=1&keywords=lodge+combo+cooker&qid=1603397997&sprefix=lodge+com%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-2

This is what I got. Best part is that the deep part is the lid so it's easy to pop a bread into a hot pan without risk of touching the sides and burning yourself.

Just my opinion, but nonstick pans aren't worth it. They can be toxic, they wear out, you can't use metal utensils or high heat. I can see owning ONE nonstick frying pan for eggs and the like, but not a whole set. Even then, there are alternatives. We recently got a carbon steel pan and it makes great eggs without any of the downsides I listed above. Sure, it's not an egg slip-n-slide, but who actually cooks eggs like that?

Have you considered buying one or two high quality pieces now and expanding your collection slowly? Most higher quality pots and pans are induction friendly, including carbon steel and cast iron.

I don't know what your needs are exactly, but I'd recommend you decide which pan (or two) will get the most use and find the best you can afford right now (induction capable). Then hit a thrift shop and fill in the rest of the "set" for just a few bucks. As you use the thrift shop stuff you'll get to the point where you want to upgrade something. It's easier to budget for one new thing every few months, and after a while you'll have a great collection that will last many years.

Here's what my list would probably look like:

1. 10-12 inch carbon steel or cast iron frying pan (thrift store for stock pot, saucepan, etc.) OR cast iron combination pot/pan
2. Decent chef's knife (not a pan, but this would be my second purchase)
3. Set of two saucepans
4. Big stock pot
5. Dutch Oven

Sometimes you get lucky at the thrift store, so if you score an enameled Le Creuset Dutch Oven (for example) there's obviously no need to replace it.

--EDIT-- to add some links. I just wanted to give some examples of products that should last a long time but not break the bank.

See this cast iron combo cooker? I use the "lid" as my go-to skillet in the Ooni Pro. At 10", it's a bit smaller than most cast iron skillets and shallower as well.

Not gonna lie, though, I had my eye on this dual-sided pan from Ooni a while back and I'm disappointed to see it's sold out. Ah, well, I'm lucky enough to be able to cook in wintertime, so I'll just check back later in the year.

What really helps with the spring is humidity. It looks like you were able to do that with your casserole dish. Many of us use Dutch ovens with lids. I use this now, but I am thinking about picking up this because I think it’s a better design for bread baking as it allows for you to use the pan part for the bottom.

Alternatively, you could put a sheet pan on the bottom level of the oven and then put boiling water in the pan when starting to bake your loaf. It’s a PITA, though, and the Dutch oven works better anyway.

Great looking loaf, btw. I would hazard a guess that you used a stand mixer by the look of the crumb. If you wanted it to be more porous, consider mixing by hand and then use the stretch technique every half hour for 2 hours.

ok thanks, so basically heat it on medium and no higher than that? I just bought this (also if you can advise which would be better for searing I'd appreciate it)

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M

I use a Lodge Combo Cooker for mine, with one of these between the bottom pan and the parchment paper. Use the smaller part of the cooker on the bottom and larger on top.

Foodgeek’s beginner sourdough recipe turns out great for me.

Yup, but it's also pretty cheap, less than $40 on amazon right now https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M

Lmao so true about the one handed moving with cast iron. I'd say definitely go for the carbon steel paella pan! For frying consider the lodge deep skillet or better yet (muchhh better actually), the lodge combo cooker.

Yes, it will be fine. If you are worried at all, you can preheat to 475F and your bread will still get as much pop in the oven, all other things being equal. What is important is that you keep it in the oven for at least 30 mins or more to allow the dutch oven to store up a surplus of heat, so that when the dough hits it, the temperature of the dutch oven doesn't drop much and at the same time transfers a large amount of energy at once into the dough. This rapid transfer of energy is what creates good oven spring (in addition to good fermentation, tight surface tension, strong dough structure, and appropriate score).

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However, if you want a good dutch oven for making bread at home get these:

https://www.amazon.com/Lodge-Cooker-Pre-seasoned-Skillet-Convertible/dp/B0009JKG9M/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=lodge+dutch+oven&qid=1592541745&sr=8-10

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Using the shallow lid as a bottom allows for easier transfer (less liklihood of burning yourself on the sides) and also gives you the freedom to be able to score your loaf once it hits the pan. It also usually runs around $30 at Target.

I used this recipe and a Lodge Combo Cooker.

Here is another recent one of mine.

you can start with a combo cooker

or a dutch oven

or if you wanna just gild the lily right off the bat, a challenger

For me, I used a combo cooker for awhile and then my bread would start getting too big, so now I cook on a pizza stone and user a stock pot as a cover.

The running theme here is items that will hold heat well -- most of these bread recipes call for pre-heating at 500 for an hour.