Product DescriptionDesigned for the gourmet, the Lodge Chef Skillet is great for omelets, cornbread or sauteing. This unique 10-inch skillet has sloped sides and features a teardrop handle. Cast iron loves a campfire, a stovetop, or an oven, and can slow-cook foods without scorching. It retains heat well so you can sear meat at higher temperatures and will keep your delicious meals warm for a long time. Made of cast iron, this skillet evenly distributes heat from the bottom through the sidewalls. Sporting a stylish black color, the cast iron skillet looks good in most kitchens and it doubles up as an excellent source of nutritional iron. Measures: 10-inch diameter, 1.75-inch deep. Cast Iron, like your grandmother used, still ranks as one of the best cooking utensils ever made. It gives you a nearly non-stick surface, without the possible harmful fumes generated by preheating chemically treated nonstick cookware. The American-based company, Lodge, has been fine-tuning its construction of rugged, cast-iron cookware for more than a century. The black patina given to the cookware by the factory seasoning process is, in fact, vegetable oil that has been baked into a piece of cookware that has emerged from an individual sand mold. This coating of oil is a functional application and not a cosmetic application. The cookware is hanging as it rides through the electrostatic sprayer and commercial conveyer ovens at very high temperatures. This allows the oil to penetrate deeply into the pores of the iron which creates an easy release finish. As a result of this process, you may see a blister or bubble of oil at the southern-most point or at the end of the handle of the cookware piece. If visible, it will rub or flake off with your finger, leaving a brown spot. Don?t worry, it?s not rust but a seasoned spot that is brown, indicative of the varnish stage of seasoning. As a matter of fact, this is the color of home seasoned iron until it has been used several times. The brown spot will turn black with use. While the skillet comes pre-seasoned to prevent food from sticking, it works best when sprayed or lightly coated with vegetable oil before use. After cooking, we recommend cleaning with a stiff nylon brush and hot water. Using soap or the dishwasher is not recommended, and harsh detergents should never be used. Towel dry immediately cleaning and apply a light coating of oil to utensil while it is still warm.From the ManufacturerLodge's 10-inch cast-iron chef's skillet features an assist handle that helps the user lift the pan from the stove. Like all Lodge cast-iron cookware, this skillet outcooks even the most expensive stainless or aluminum cookware because of its unrivaled heat retention, versatility, value, and durability. The even heating of cast iron is perfect for golden, tender, perfectly pan-fried chicken, or for the slow simmering of roasts, stews, and soups. Lodge's pieces adhere to the company's strict standards. Each precision mold produces the correct wall thickness for the item in question, producing the finest, most consistent cast-iron cookware on the market. This skillet is 2 inches deep and weighs approximately 6 pounds.