Best frying pan for truck camping

[Whisky]

'Nother vote for lodge cast iron. We have a sizable collection of all sizes.

Our largest skillet has likely cooked 5,000+ walleye in fish camp over the last 25 years.

I had one of those too!! Lot's of history! Unfortunately it fricken cracked last year on an elk hunt while frying up some fresh heart, over a turkey burner. Not sure if I got it too hot too quick or what. Needless to say we had fire extinguishers on standby, while the oil was dripping out right next to open flame.

I have since purchased a big Lodge carbon steel pan. Haven't cooked on it enough to compare yet.

 

[zacattack]

Why not have another vote for cast iron!

I have a whole tub of them in my garage, breakfast skillet, Dutch oven, skillets of all sizes and a few cornbread skillets. Best stuff to cook with. There’s also some interesting history with them, like the really old ones having fire rings and stiffener plates so they wouldn’t crack in the fire. You can also use and abuse them and they just keep going.

 

[PhlyanPan]

I like cast iron too. If you can't find a vintage one you can buy a new one and polish it with an angle grinder and sanding wheel.

 

[TomJoad]

I have an old Griswold It is the best I have used , and use salt to scrub mine and then re-oil it.

This ^^^

Per others posts Lodge doesn't machine their cast iron its left with the sand cast texture. Griswold is the nicest quality iron, consistent thickness and high quality post machining.

 

[trogers449]

Another vote for a well seasoned cast iron. Id consider one with high walls, I think they call them a chicken fryer. Does everything the skillet would but maybe a little more versatile.


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[Thomahawk]

Yes the chicken fryers are nice!!!!


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[Rokbar]

The old Cold Handle pans are pretty good.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Cast iron, but...I wouldn’t discount a good non-stick pan too. While cast iron is great and has plenty of benefits, a decent, durable nonstick pan is a great addition to a back country kitchen. I like mine for eggs and other lighter cooking. It wipes clean and adds capability to my cooking set up Without the weight of an additional cast iron pan.

 

[Steve O]

You said price is no object.

Finex cast iron is Diamond level Lodge. The cooking surface is machined and they are heirloom quality. I see some folks putting them in the campfire but I just can’t quite bring myself to do it.

 

[Mike Islander]

You said nonstick. There is nothing better than Calphalon Signature hard anodized. Nothing. Nonstick that is safe for use with metal utensils.

 

[Razz]

Another vote for cast iron.

 

[PhlyanPan]

You said nonstick. There is nothing better than Calphalon Signature hard anodized. Nothing. Nonstick that is safe for use with metal utensils.

I had a different experience with those calphalon pans. Somebody gave us a couple as wedding presents. My experience was so good I now use them as .22 gongs. They sucked. I'll give you that the metal utensils didn't scratch them that's true. But nonstick they were not. And they didn't heat evenly either.

 

[Mike Islander]

I had a different experience with those calphalon pans. Somebody gave us a couple as wedding presents. My experience was so good I now use them as .22 gongs. They sucked. I'll give you that the metal utensils didn't scratch them that's true. But nonstick they were not. And they didn't heat evenly either.

There are several levels of quality for Calphalon pans. I've been buying the Signature ?Hard Anozied series for at least a decade. Reviewing my Amazon I've purchased 6 pans in the last year. I cook on them at work five days a week. Give them as wedding presents, cause this version doesn't suck but it does cost a mint.

If you have problems with this version, you really need to be abusing them with metal tools. We don't use metal, but if I need to stir some spinach and only have a silver fork, it's going in the pan with no worries.

Calphalon Signature Series

 

[PhlyanPan]

There are several levels of quality for Calphalon pans. I've been buying the Signature ?Hard Anozied series for at least a decade. Reviewing my Amazon I've purchased 6 pans in the last year. I cook on them at work five days a week. Give them as wedding presents, cause this version doesn't suck but it does cost a mint.

If you have problems with this version, you really need to be abusing them with metal tools. We don't use metal, but if I need to stir some spinach and only have a silver fork, it's going in the pan with no worries.

Calphalon Signature Series

Maybe mine were a different version. Been a while now I don't remember but they look very similar.

 

[Mike Islander]

Maybe mine were a different version. Been a while now I don't remember but they look very similar.

They all look very close to the same. Very different build for the Signature series.

 

[Buffinnut]

I got a Smithey ironworks skillet from my work as a Christmas gift a few years ago and it's WAY nicer than the lodge crap they peddle at Walmart e.t.c.
Very nice polished interior.

No. 10 Skillet

Our 10" skillet is an ideal size for a small household or the baker creating a perfectly sized cornbread or cake. We love this skillet on the grill or around the campfire as well. Purchase yours today!

smithey.com

A pleasure to use.

My favourite one though, is a skillet that my wife's uncle hand hammered from old wagon parts and gave to us as a wedding gift. It's not for sale though

 

[Frito]

I've got a Smithey too, and the quality is excellent. I paid $100 or something like that for it though and have found that it's more difficult to get a good season started in the bottom of the polished skillet. I've got an old faithful Lodge that I've had forever, with the rough finish. The oils have stuck to the rough finish over the years and built up into a spatula-polished surface that is smoother and more non-stick than one can imagine.

 

[Oregonboy]

Another vote for cast iron and I was also going to recommend Smithey. I have a collection of old Griswold's, Martin's and Wagner's but if money was no object and I was buying new, I'd for sure get a smithey. I'm not much of a lodge fan, at least not the modern stuff, it's too heavy and I don't care for the non-smooth cooking surface.

 

[wyodan]

While cast iron is awesome, I like the Lodge steel pans for truck camping. They’ve got a long handle which is nice for over the fire or gas stove cooking.

 

[Mike Islander]

I got a Smithey ironworks skillet from my work as a Christmas gift a few years ago and it's WAY nicer than the lodge crap they peddle at Walmart e.t.c.
Very nice polished interior.

No. 10 Skillet

Our 10" skillet is an ideal size for a small household or the baker creating a perfectly sized cornbread or cake. We love this skillet on the grill or around the campfire as well. Purchase yours today!

smithey.com

A pleasure to use.

My favourite one though, is a skillet that my wife's uncle hand hammered from old wagon parts and gave to us as a wedding gift. It's not for sale though

Made a few miles from my warehouse in North Charleston. Had no idea they were there. This is going to cost me money!