Cast Iron Frypan
Cast Iron Grill
At their regular price, it's still worth it to get the Lodge ones through Amazon.
These almost look like a Lodge knock-off?
I have a zero % success rate with Aldi specials.
The cast iron is excellent, I am shit on my cookware, and this holds up to my abuse.
And I am a sinner and put the enamelled stuff in the dishwasher. No issues.
Is that because they sell out too fast or because you find their specials are low quality?
They sell out.
ALDI Mobile
Umbrellas.
And probably this one.
All unobtainium.
That sucks. I don't try to buy their specials often but I would say I have a 95% success rate and that's with shopping a few days after a sale has started.
Unfortunately you need to go to the extent of waiting outside for the shop to open and maybe pushing a few old ladies over to get some of these specials.
Back on topic, I got one of the enamel cast iron griddle pans from Aldi years ago and with a little enamel polish they still come up like new (with a few hairline cracks). But with ALDI that's no guarantee of quality in this promotion, with them changing suppliers all the time.
not much to go wrong with raw cast iron.
only concern might be if the seasoning is poor but you can easily fix that.
Biggest thing to look out for bad casting casting leaving pitting and voids from air bubbles. Good idea to check the cooking surface before you buy. I normally go through the boxes and look for the most even.
Every sale for last few years, there are so many left over at my local store weeks later. Then price is reduced to clear. That's when I've bought!
Over 50 still left at local store.
Would love to own a cast iron but the maintenance required I hear is quite extensive and honestly don't have the mental space to keep that information in my cortex 24/7 or when I need it.
Which means either I am fine with youtubing a video on how to season it and proper method of cleaning it every time or just abuse it and wash it incorrectly which if I remembering right will damage the skillet and make it unusable and get pieces of metal in your cooking or something.
Neat idea though and the recipes are great I envy those that can fit in the time and effort into maintaining one I know in my kitchen somebody will use it incorrectly within 1 day and it will be useless within a week.
Sucks because I think it would be great for maybe roasting some vegetables or making a pizza among other things.
What does everybody make with their cast iron grill or frypan besides meat pieces?
I don't understand the high maintenance meme. I barely do anything to my vintage pan although maybe it's because I only cook meat, eggs, cheese, and rarely pancakes for my wife?
Usually after cooking I let the pan sit overnight; the next day I scrape any fat out with a spatula; pour boiling water in the pan and let it sit for a few mins; pour out the hot water and wipe the pan with a scourer; rub pan with my bare hand to make sure there is no grit remaining; place the pan on the stove to cook any water off and remove it from the heat before the seasoning cooks off. Aside from letting the boiling water sit it takes less than 3 mins to clean.
I have only had to re-season it once in the past year using this method.
I am not 100% sure how periodically you should re-season it but I know that every video or article I have read on cast iron pans talk about it so it is a thing for sure and requires you to put it in the oven for an hour at 220C so there is some extra work to it than say owning a normal pan or wok or even baking tray for example.
You don't have to 'periodically' re-season a cast iron pan, it's only done when needed. i.e. you've somehow damaged the seasoning, you've worn it through or you want to 'reset' it. I've only seasoned my cast iron cookware once when I got it and regularly use them for 5 years now. So I wouldn't even think about re-seasoning as part of a regular maintenance routine.
I don't even do what mapax does - for me it's as easy as taking it off the burner while its still hot/warm after cooking, and scrubbing it with hot water in the sink with a plastic brush. Usually this easily gets rid of anything stuck to the pan, then its a simple dab down with a paper towel and it's done. So on daily usage it's actually less work than my stainless steel cookware, the only thing different is I need to remember to do this immediately after cooking otherwise it's a bit more work to remove food. Only additional maintenance is when I have to clean it hard with soap, I re-oil the pan with a paper towel before storing away.
Cast Iron pans Cannot be killed.. U could bury 1 for 10yrs, dig it up, use steel wool or similar to get rid of the rust, re-season & it would be good-to-go..
Only thing that damages them is a physical break, if u drop it onto concrete or whatever..
I have the Lodge set, they're awesome..
Once u properly season Cast Iron pans they're better than non-stick & no nasties. Just clean with Hot water & scourer, maybe a little detergent if necessary.. Wipe down with an oily paper towel while still warm.. To re-season simply oil up the pan slightly & put it in the oven for about an hour @220c..
I am more just interested in the cleaning of it like can you use a metal scourer to clean it and get all that grease and cooked on stuff on it after a heavy meal.
I know certain non stick pans or pans in general you can't use anything too rough or it scratches the metal or the non stick coating off is it the same with Cast Iron Pans?
Also do you have to re season after every cooking or is it like something you do once a month or once a week?
mate u can use a claw hammer on them if u wanted to, its cast iron.. Any metal utensils etc won't hurt it..
As for the seasoning, u just do it when food starts to stick to it, the more u use them, the better seasoned they become.. We only use the sponge type scourers (green or blue scourer - usually the blue is sufficient), not a S/S pot cleaning scourer or you may rub the seasoning off, just hot water & scourer is enuff to remove baked on food debris etc..
The heat retention of cast iron is also excellent so u can cook more efficiently with a lower heat, steaks turn out awesome, nearly like a BBQ plate, if u buy a cast iron 'griddle' it practically is the same as a BBQ plate!!
@Bunsen: What are some vegetarian recipes you can use effectively more better in a cast iron than say just baking tray in an oven or air fryer?
We don't have a cast iron yet but looking into it but making sure each purpose is useful because of kitchen space.
You have been completely misinformed with the maintenance. I just wash mine in the dish washer then rub a tiny bit of oil back over it before putting in the cupboard. I would hazard a guess that you could get away without putting the oil on every time and do it like once a year.
@Dannyism: Is it just rubbing oil no 1 hour in the oven? Or do you need to put it in the oven before putting it back in the closet for reseasoning
@AlienC: jut oil. The thing with cast iron is it gets better with use.
here are the manufacturers instructions for the lodge cast iron set on Amazon.
Wash cast iron by hand with mild soap or none at all.
Dry promptly and thoroughly with a lint-free cloth or paper towel.
Rub with a very light layer of vegetable oil, preferably while the cookware is still warm.
Hang or store cookware in a dry place.
@Dannyism: When they say wash cast iron by hand with mild soap or none at all then how are you supposed to get the grease and grime out after a solid cooking session?
Or do they mean something else my brain is not clicking on at the moment.
All signs point to the cast iron being a great addition to our kitchen I just have to come up with some non meat recipe to use it for now rather than our all metal fry pans and pots or baking trays etc.
You have been completely misinformed with the maintenance. I just wash mine in the dish washer then rub a tiny bit of oil back over it before putting in the cupboard. I would hazard a guess that you could get away without putting the oil on every time and do it like once a year.
i Disagree.. The dishwasher will strip whatever seasoning u have on the surface & without oiling after each wash, the pan will start to show rust spots… Up to you if u need some xtra 'Iron Oxide' in ur diet…
The 1 hr oven thing is how you re-season - no misinformation there.. Watch some youtube guides & you will see… Only required when food starts sticking to the pan after washing, otherwise just wash with hot water & lightly oil b4 storing away in the cupboard..
When they say wash cast iron by hand with mild soap or none at all then how are you supposed to get the grease and grime out after a solid cooking session?
Hot water + blue scourer (non scratch) alone does just fine after i cook seasoned steaks etc..
Anyone ever claimed a warranty on any of Aldi products?
Certainly - they've refunded without question, if you have the receipt.
Are there any options for a handle, apart from a silicone one? Like, whipping it with paracord or something. Did anyone have any trouble burning a hand with it?
I wouldn't touch mine without the cheap-o silicon grip I got from ebay, it just gets way too hot after a while. The grip doesn't fit properly, so I strung rubber bands around. Alternatively there is the "Leather Handle Holder" from Lodge available as well, but not sure if I ever bother buying it (sells for 26 USD in the U.S). Edit: more readings here:
https://www.cooksillustrated.com/articles/629-testing-cast-i…
Will grab one and try it out thanks OP <3
Looks nice! Will grab one or both.
Can anyone comment on the quality of the pans available today:
I need to replace some old pans at home
not as big, but also a good / comparable deal.. https://www.harrisscarfe.com.au/Categories/Kitchen-%26-Dinin…
good price if you missed lodge cast iron deal from Amazon