⭐️All Things Aga Related⭐️

[TheRealHousewife]

… From recipes, techniques, tips & tricks.

I have searched MumsNet and there isn’t really an ongoing positive/appreciative thread sharing the joys and tribulations of having an Aga.

My first experience of an Aga was accidental when the holiday accommodation we booked a few years ago had an Aga. As we’d taken our own food I had to crack on. I used it for warming up pre-cooked food in one of the ovens and I did a few things on the simmering & boiling plates including the famed Aga toast. We all loved the soft warmth it brought to the kitchen and to be honest for as big as they are we thought it look homely and inviting. We were hooked! From what I could gather it heated the water in the cottage too.

They have many uses and I’m interested in what other people appreciate their Aga for, their favourite recipes and any hints and tips you can share.

PS - Im not trying to be insensitive in the current energy pricing crisis and I understand that not everyone will see the merit of this thread ❤️

PPS - Photo isn’t my Aga x

@Thankyouitwasdelicious When was the last time it was serviced? I don't really know how oil agas run but I do know they need regular servicing. With regard to temperatures; In most Agas the very bottom of the roasting oven is said to be able to 'fry' and the highest set of runners does the 'grilling'. Also keeping the lids down on the plates helps the main ovens maintain heat.

Weird. I have an oil fired, two oven AGA and, unless I am cooking the Christmas dinner ie. cooling the oven down by cooking for hours on the hotplates, I have to be careful not to burn food rather than just browning it in the hot oven. Bacon is cooked in 5-10 minutes on a shelf near the oven roof.
However mine is quite an old AGA. No choice of oven temperature, just high and low fire. When on the "line" marked on the thermometer on the AGA the hot oven is at about 200C.
We did have a problem a while back where, when the temperature dropped, it was taking a very long time to heat up. The oven was taking ages to brown food - our heating engineer said it was a problem with the oil control valve releasing oil too slowly - he tweaked something and it's been fine since.

The oil pipe can coke up if the servicing isn't done thoroughly - and servicing must be done every 6 months. Another problem can be the oil - the quality of the kerosene used to be better. Now, though it's fine for boilers, it's no use for old AGAs like ours. We buy additive to put in the oil tank which cures the problem.

Hello Aga Peeps

I really wish the weather would improve. A bit of sun would be so very nice! ☀️

@Hedgesgalore Apologies I missed your earlier post. We did great; cooked a ham Christmas Eve in the simmering oven which (I’m told) came out perfect. Christmas Day did a rolled turkey joint and beef joint which were both succulent. All the veggies and sides spot on. No grumbles whatsoever. I have a Steller jug too. Do you put it on the simmering plate to heat milk?

@MissyGirlie Did your move go ahead! If you did I hope it was a smooth transition. 🤞

Does any of you ladies have an aga with an induction zone? Do you find it more economical to cook on the simmering plate or the induction. So far I thing things that take longer simmering are best on the simmering plate but quick things like eggs do on the induction. If I have simmering oven on already I bung stuff in there once it’s up to temp. How do people use theirs, especially if yours is switch on/off as needed.

@mazylou Do you have recipe/method for your pork dish. Sounds yummy 😋

@Thankyouitwasdelicious Have you managed to solve your aga woes?

@ExquisiteDecorations The food you cook sounds delicious 😋

Im itching to bake a cake but I’ve been banned as we are healthy eating. Agreed to make a light meringue based cake at the weekend. I’m able to just have a small piece and be satisfied but other family members generally fall face first into them 😅

@TheRealHousewife
@MissyGirlie Did your move go ahead! If you did I hope it was a smooth transition
Not yet! Still dragging slowly on. At this rate either it will never happen, or by the time we move in it will be time to turn the Aga off for the summer!

How frustrating for you! Hope it happens soon!

@TheRealHousewife - this is the recipe I use, with a couple of tweaks.

https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/one-pots/twice-cooked-chinese-pork/

tweak one: obviously, do the simmering in your simmering oven.

tweak two: you can roast the sliced pork in the middle of the roasting oven.

tweak three: you can make the sauce, and instead of stir frying, bring it to a simmer, and then stuff it in the simmering oven for half an hour.

Thank you @mazylou ! I'm definitely trying this one 😋

Yes, on the simmering plate for the milk. If in a rush (half time during the rugby) I start it on the boiling plate then move it over.

No induction here, I have a whole other kitchen with a gas hob and a double oven. I turn off my aga in the summer so need a back up.

Morning @Hedgesgalore Having a second option is key if you have an on all the time Aga 👍. I bet the rugby keeps you busy ... do you have to wash/dry their kits too?

Hiya @TheRealHousewife my lot don't play rugby anymore, we just watch far too much of it on tv now with hot chocolate, squirty cream and those mini marshmallows at half time as a treat 😂

@Hedgesgalore Sounds good to me 😋

Is it expensive to run? I have just seen an Everhot 60 and am tempted but worried about the bills. Thinking about solar to run it.

henley mum

i have a 4 oven gas traditional so cant comment but the newer electric agas have lots of very ££££ parts which break and can cost 4 figures + labour to fix.

meanwhile my gas aga has an annual service at £130 and a new thermocouple each year at £19, with pretty much no other parts to break / replace.

Yes my Gas bill is high but when you live in a solid stone 18th century 6 bedroom farm house high up in the middle of nowhere in the country, its going to cost a fortune.... and i assume a LOT of our enourmous gas bill comes from heating the house and its 22 radators and the hot water for 2 teenage girls who like to have very long showers!!!

@Henleymum212 there's no getting round it they are expensive to run but Everhots have very little that can go wrong and the customer service seems to be exceptionally good (we haven't needed to use it post-purchase). If you join the FB group Everhot Cookers Discussion Group your questions have been discussed many times a lot of people do use solar and batteries to help with their costs.

If you have a 2nd oven, when you do turn your aga off for the summer?
We are coastal SE, and the past 2 weeks, I've had the outside doors open in the day, because the kitchen/diner has been so hot. Its still chilly at night, but I don't like the thought of wasting more gas than needed.

Mine is going off 13th April, off on holiday but its usually sometime in April.

Back on end of September, although this year it was October due to my aga man being so busy.

We have finally moved and I now have an AGA... which has been turned off for the summer.

I might have asked this before the whole house move thing has entirely fried my brain so...

Is there a book that anyone would recommend for an AGA novice, so I know how to fire up, manage and use the thing?

Mary Berry’s Aga book used to be given with a new Aga. Sarah Whitaker is great. There are several Facebook groups.

Are you going to turn it on now?

@ExitPursuedByABare no, I think I'll wait until September.

I'll get a book and do my homework, though - thanks for the recommendations.

You definitely need to get Mary Berrys "The aga book" (Or is it called the aga cook book? not at home, cant check)
Then join "I love my aga" facebook group.

Its the friendliest group ever, and no question will be answered rudley or siarcastically.... how do i boil an egg, cook pasta, roast this 2kg chicken, do mash potatoe etc.

All of those question will be answered nicely, and you will get several answers for all of them (showing how versatile aga cooking is)

I also love my Lucy Youngs aga baking and aga puddings.

You can normally read between the lines in lots of Jamie Oliver and Mary Berry non aga cook books..... things like rest at GM 1/4 until ready translate to put in the warming oven etc!.... dont forget they do normally cook in their agas, then translate their recipies to "normal ovens"

Sarah Whittaker is also on I love my aga and will answer anything too (if she's online, not busy living her own life)

How very exciting!!! Enjoy your new home and your Aga ❤️

I have no idea whether the previous owner used ordinary heating oil or the deluxe stuff advertised as keeping your Aga (and your boiler) cleaner and happier - and I have asked, but am not getting a reply. The oil tank is starting to look perilously low, so I should really order some - but which?

Advice welcome!

@MissyGirlie I assume by ordinary heating oil you mean kerosene, AKA "28 second oil".
We've lived with an oil fired AGA for 40 years - the kerosene used to work fine but over recent years the quality has dropped and it doesn't burn as cleanly so the AGA cokes up, starts making popping noises and burns erratically.
So we buy an additive which we add to the oil tank just before we get a refill. You can get the oil ready mixed with the additive which I suppose they are marketing as "deluxe" oil these days.
It's cheaper to add the additive yourself, but it's nasty stuff to handle. DH wears gloves, goggles etc.
Buying the deluxe oil will also make the oil keep better - it degrades if stored too long just as modern petrol does.

@CastlesinSpain many thanks for the advice.

I'm really surprised to hear so many of you switch your Aga's off from April to September. I genuinely didnt know it was a thing. We've never done that in 40 years of having ours. Mind, we are in NE England and I can honestly say there's probably only around 3 weeks each summer when it becomes uncomfortably hot in the house. Usually on stuffy nights. Seems such a shame to not use it for half the year.

Having said that, it must be quite exciting gearing up to switching it back on as Autumn approaches and planning all the chutney making and Christmas cake baking.