Massive Cast-Iron Skillet Weighing 14,000 Pounds Turns Heads As It Streams Down Freeway

Apr 20, 2023

Drivers and their passengers can sometimes stumble upon the queerest things on the road – an exotic animal perhaps, or a souped-up, unusually decorated vehicle. But when a gargantuan cast-iron skillet rolls past on the road, it’s sure to turn more than a few heads.

In January 2022, travelers along Interstate 59 between Chattanooga and South Pittsburgh in Tennessee were caught off guard by the sight of an enormous cast-iron skillet being transported on the bed of a long truck. No doubt, questions were raised as to who – or what – was in need of such a massive piece of cookware. Perhaps a million forest dwarves were in need of 100 pancakes at exactly the same time? Or maybe Paul Bunyon was in hiding? As photos and videos of the skillet’s road trip made their way online, viewers were thrilled themselves with guessing the eventual fate of the colossal piece of crockery.

Matters were soon put to rest when a representative for metal products maker Glidewell Specialties Foundry took to Facebook to explain the curious sight. Alongside astounding photos of the skillet on the truck, Mark Fields wrote:

“So way back in early summer, we had an interesting project to make at Glidewell Specialties Foundry for another foundry, it was too large for them. In honor of Lodge Cast Iron Foundry’s 125 anniversary, we made the largest cast iron skillet in the world. This skillet weighs 14,360 pounds, and from the tip of the far handle to the handle in the foreground, the distance is 18 feet.”

In spite of its huge scale, Fields said the company was forced to keep the project “under wraps for a while” before cookware maker Lodge Cast Iron could make its happy announcement.

Lodge Cast Iron revealed on Jan. 13, 2022, that the mammoth skillet was indeed a showstopper it commissioned to be placed in its Lodge Museum of Cast Iron in South Pittsburgh. In a Facebook post, it wrote:

“If you happened to be driving down I59 yesterday, you might have seen something very special headed north! The World’s Largest Cast Iron Skillet made its way to our campus yesterday to find its home in the Lodge Cast Iron Museum.”

CEO and president of Lodge Cast Iron, Mike Otterman, told WZTV the museum was aimed at sharing the company’s vision with the world.

“In 2021, we celebrated 125 years of Lodge Cast Iron, and as we look ahead to 2022 and the next 125 years, we’re thrilled to be bringing the Lodge Cast Iron Museum to South Pittsburg. Covering everything from the history of cast iron to how it’s used today, the museum is an exciting opportunity to celebrate our community and share Lodge with the world through this unmatched experience,” Otterman said.

The giant skillet sits in the museum alongside a tour of the company that gives visitors a closer look into the history of its cast iron skillet and allows them to go behind the scenes and see what it takes to make them, as well as discover stories surrounding some of its cast iron collections and the southern dishes served in them. The museum also boasts a shop at the Factory Store and a Big Bad Breakfast restaurant.

As for the skillet? Lodge Cast Iron stated in line with its belief to “go big or go home,” it encourages all its fans to get their cameras ready to snap a picture with the monumental skillet – which it brags is “big enough to fry about 650 eggs."

Have you ever seen such a huge piece of cookware? Do you feel tempted to head to South Pittsburgh to see the hulking spectacle with your own eyes? Let us know, and pass this along to anyone who shares a love for cast-iron skillets or large cooking items!