cast iron question - rough surface

[Javamama]

I received a new cast iron dutch oven. It is preseasoned, however it feels gritty like sandpaper. I thought it would be more smooth. It was in a box so the gifter had no idea what he was getting. I haven't bought new cast iron in 15 years so I have no idea how it should be. I'm thinking I should take it back. It's Old Mountain brand and I have only ever had Lodge. What do y'all think? This was from my husband and we both hate it when he buys me gifts and he doesn't usually, but he wanted to get me something from the kids and I thought "you can't screw up cast iron"

 

[SKR8PN]

I have never had any cast iron cookware that felt gritty on the cooking surfaces. I'd be afraid food will stick and burn in it.

I vote for returning it to the store.

 

[MorelCabin]

Old Mountain is made in China and coated with a toxic paint...don't use it, go back to your Lodge brand, it is made in USA and is much higher quality. Never use Chinese made cast iron...it even breaks at high temps....I rough surface is the first clue that it is made in China and has a toxic coating

 

[Javamama]

Thank you! It's going back today! Poor hubby, he tried.

 

[freemotion]

You can get a Lodge Dutch oven at Tractor Supply!

 

[Javamama]

Not our Tractor Supply It's a sorry excuse for a TS I have plenty of other shopping options though thank goodness.

 

[~gd]

I have never had any cast iron cookware that felt gritty on the cooking surfaces. I'd be afraid food will stick and burn in it.

I vote for returning it to the store.

If you examine the Lodge new pre-seasoned line you will find the cooking surfaces are much rougher than before. There used to be a claim on their website that their tests showed that this roughness resulted in superior non stick properties, that the pits allowed the seasoning to stick to the metal better and not be removed by people who tended to use and clean their cookware in methods not recommended by Lodge (Cooking with water and acid based foods and leaving cookware to soak to clean it) Since I always follow the traditional methods I could see no improvement in non stick properties and that the "preseasoned" surface still required a great amount of use to aquire a proper seasoned non stick finish. I have never run across "Old Mountain" brand and some of the China cast iron ware is truly crap, If you search carefully you can find superior cast iron ware from China. Casting iron is pretty much a lost art in the west but still is highly used in China. The biggest problem is that the importers tend to select by cost and cheap is cheap world wide. PS the good stuff I have found is not marked in English so I can't tell you any brands. Look for good casting and a nice fine grain in the metal. and you may pay more than for Lodge.

 

[VickiLynn]

I bought a Lodge frying pan a couple of months ago, and it has a rough surface.

 

[Javamama]

I'm taking it back to get Lodge. I'd really like to get an un-seasoned one and do it myself, but I don't know if they sell them that way anymore. I'll check one of the local Amish stores.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I bought a Lodge frying pan a couple of months ago, and it has a rough surface.

Me too. Preseasoned and it works just fine. After a bit, it smooths right out.