What sort of pans do you use on/in an AGA?

[Millarkie]

We have moved to a house with an AGA and need to buy some new pans - so I'm wondering whether it's worth investing in AGA brand pans etc. Dh likes le creuset stuff (I don't..too heavy for a start).
Was also wondering if I should be boiling veg etc in the hot oven in a casserole type pan rather than on the hotplate?
Should I be thinking of getting a couple of handle-free casserole style pans to do veg in? so I can try to do most stuff in the oven rather than on the top?

[flowerybeanbag]

millarkie I have some Le Creuset but I do find them too heavy.
I think Aga pans are very expensive, and I think the key thing is to make sure you use pans which are flat-bottomed, ie no ridges or anything.
Other than that I don't think it matters too much.
With veg we tend to use the microwave tbh so can't help you there.
But the general rule is that if something is going to take longer than about 7 minutes to cook on one of the hotplates, use the oven instead.
HTH

I love mine by the way, cook everything on it despite having a normal cooker as well.

[Millarkie]

Thanks flowerybeanbag - yes, we love ours too (we need to love it cos it's electric! so not the cheapest to run). We generally microwave peas/sweetcorn..but was thinking potatoes might be better off in oven.
I've been looking at pans on websites - I'm guessing if they are ok for induction hobs then they must have flat bases.

[MorocconOil]

I boil potatoes in the oven, but other veg on the hot plate.
We have the aga pans as the people we bought the house from left them. I do think they are good and prefer to use them over our old pans. I have never needed to stack them up in the oven which is meant to be one of the advantages.
I recently bought a Le creuset style casserole from Ikea which has worked really well with the Aga. It was only £20.

I love cooking on the Aga and have become an aga bore if anyone dares to ask what it's like

[tissy]

we have a Rayburn and have the stackable Aga pans- dh swears by them! Have had them 10 years and they're still going strong- worth the money, I think.

[MorocconOil]

BTW try roasting root veg in the aga.(if you haven't already) They are really easy and scrummy.

[witchandchips]

you should do as much cooking as you can inside the oven so good to acquire lots of things with no wooden, rubber or plastic handles. You can fry onions etc by simply putting a the frying pan directly on the floor of the bottom oven. They take ages but become so sweat and unctious and you can go out and leave them to bathe babies/watch eastenders etc.

[tissy]

or, in dh's case, forget they're there and come back to a sticky black mess

it's against his principles to use the bloody timer....

[mrspink27]

We also moved into a house with an Aga in May. So learning all the time. You should never have both lids up at the same time.
All root veg should be brought to the boil with a lid on, and then drained and put in the simmer to cook - Carrots are particularly delish! For mash, dot even bother peeling them and buy a ricer from Lakeland or similar and shove them through this when they are cooked. Saves hours!

I went on a couple of basic Aga courses ( 2 or 3 hours) as run by the local aga shop - about £10 or so and must say that they were very useful. And you get to eat all the food that has been prepared. The Mary Berry Aga book is great as is The aga Bible by Amy Willcock.

As far as pans go - I to think the Aga pans are worth it. Although expensive to start off. I have 3 lidded casserole type saucepans and 2 large non stick casserole pans and they are all I use. Le creuset is far too heavy! Cook quite a lot in the roasting tins to. There are always 'sets' of pans etc in the Aga shop and usually discounts at the cooking demos.

Have you made scotch pancakes on the simmer plate yet? mmmm

[Millarkie]

Thanks all!

I think I'll take a closer look at the AGA pans - didn't realise that they were stackable.

[Tutter]

my mum always used le creuset

[charlieandlola]

I just use varying sizes of le creuset casserole dishes which go inside the oven or on the hotplates. I did use some stainless steel pans when I first inherited the aga, but I always forgot how hot the handles got, so confined them to the back cupboard. My hands are now happier.

[TracyJane68a]

Just recently purchased a aga which pans are best to use ?