If You Had To Pick Only Two Pan Sizes...??

T

TedW

Member
Talking Fry Pans here...

What two would you pick?

Obviously small and large, but how small and how large?

Looking forward to your opinions!

Ted
 
Thanks for the question. Delicate eggs for one. Over easy. Pancakes, french toast, omlette, etc.

I'd also like to brown meat and then bake.

Not too much unusual.
 
A #12, and a #8 chicken fryer with cover. I think I could do just about everything I need to with that.
 
I'm with Doug, except swap out the #12 for a #10. Although I can appreciate the #12 when it's needed, for the vast majority of cooking I do a #10 is sufficient and is easier to handle.

Hm, I don't own a #11, maybe I should correct that and see if I can split the difference :)
 
A chicken fryer was more likely to be sold with a cover as a set than a regular skillet would have been. If my #12 has an assist handle, I think I could manage OK, but I agree a #10 might suffice.
 
I see the lids now. These are real works of art.

Seems like if I were buying just one, the #10 would be the first piece.

I see mention of a heat ring also. Not sure if that's helpful on induction or not.

This is fun so far, I'll say that
 
How much iron do you want? If the answer is "minimal" find an old Lodge 4 in 1. Deep skillet, shallow skillet, covered skillet and intruder deterrant.
 
That's funny!! I'm narrowing my search to the #10 chicken fryer with lid. Griswold or similar.

Not sure if a heat ring is a plus for me.

Not sure if X-deep is useful. I have deep stainless pans.
 
Chicken fryer commonly refers to a deep skillet, #8 being the most often seen size. Some makers made them in #7, #9, and #10 as well. A#10 regular skillet is not considered a "chicken fryer", even though it could easily be used for such.
 
Thanks for that Doug. Might you know the depth differences? A skillet is 2.5", while a chicken skillet is 3"? That sorta thing.

I may not need to push for the "chicken" if it's not that much different
 
Super helpful Doug! Standard fryer depth might be 1/2" less or so?

Seems like unless you were exclusively frying chicken constantly, the added 1/2" of depth wouldn't get you much. Plus the deep #10 you mentioned might be crazy hard to find anyway.

Thanks again. Really appreciate the crash course
 
I would think most mid-sized regular skillets would be closer to 2". None at hand at the moment to measure.
 
Thanks! That's probably still the way to go for me. I like frying / browning in a shallower pan. Allows the water to get out, frying dry.

---------- Post added at 02:20 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:32 PM ----------

Size Charts
 
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A general reference. Sizes were not standard or consistent across all makers.

A 1924 Wagner Manufacturing Co. catalog gives these as the bottom diameters of their regular cast iron skillets:

#2 - 4-7/8"
#3 - 5-1/2"
#4 - 5-7/8"
#5 - 6-3/4"
#6 - 7-1/2"#
#7 - 8-1/4"
#8 - 8-7/8"
#9 - 9-3/4"
#10 - 10-1/4"
#11 - 10-7/8"
#12 - 11-3/4"
#13 - 12"
#14 - 13"
 
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