It was the beginning of lockdown and I was all stocked up with larder essentials and had curated a long list of recipes to try out since I was stuck at home.
Quite a lot of them required kitchen equipment that I didn’t have. Then I was offered this cast aluminium pan to review. Why not? I had so much time and so many recipes to try it on.
Having a good all purpose pan is essential for an efficient kitchen. When I find one that is great to use, has good heat distribution, versatile and easy to wash, that is a winner.
The Jean Patrique Cast Aluminium Whatever Pan with lid. It is sold as the ultimate pan that you can cook everything in.
Jean Patrique Cast Aluminium Whatever Pan with glass lid
Made of high quality die-cast aluminium with a steel base and it doesn’t, it is not as heavy as a cast iron pan. There are ridges to create those gorgeous sear marks on food. There is a heatproof glass lid too which extends the ways you can cook with this pan.
It measures about 27cm wide and about 3.5 cm deep. I love that it has a non-stick surface which means that food does not burn or stick to the bottom and makes it so easy to clean. (Also dishwater proof).
On the instructions, it says it can withstand temperatures up to 250 °C. I tested this out with a sausage casserole dish that was started on the hob and then transferred to the oven to finish. The handles that are cast in the same material in the pan makes it oven proof but make sure you use good oven gloves to handle it as it gets very hot.
I love that you don’t have to transfer to another pan to finish cooking, less washing up. My other griddle pan has a wooden handle so it was not oven-proof.
I found that cooking with this pan I didn’t need to use a lot of oil and when cooking meat and it has great heat retention. The food cooks evenly with just a spray of olive oil.
Here are some of the dishes I have cooked with this Whatever pan:
- Grilled chicken
- grilled sausages
- sear asparagus
- steak
- char onions
- grill burgers
Other dishes you can try cooking in the pan are cornbread and fried chicken.
Versatility of the Whatever Pan
It can be used on any hob, gas, electric and even induction. You can also use it on a barbecue. With this pan, you can use metal appliances and it won’t scratch the non-stick surface.
You can find out more about this pan here. There is a 25 warranty for all their products.
The Whatever Pan is available from Jean Patrique £29.99
Benefits of cast aluminium pans
- They don’t react to acidic food like a cast iron pan
- You can wash it in a dishwasher or with soap which you cant do with cast iron pans
- Enamel pans gets crack at high temperature
Should you replace your old cast iron pans with a modern cast aluminium one?
If you want an easy to use and easy to wash everyday pan, then yes. Especially if you find the hassle of maintaining a cast iron pan.
Here are some answers to some common questions about Cast Aluminium cookware:
Q: Is cast aluminium safe to cook with?
Yes, aluminium cookware is safe to use. Most of the cookware on the market is made from aluminium with a non stick coating.
Q: How do I clean cast aluminium cookware?
With most of them, you just need to wash them with normal dishwashing liquid. If they are non stick like this Jean Patrique pan, then it just needs a quick swish with a sponge and it will be clean. Even the charred bits of food washes off very easily. Some of the pans are dishwasher proof too. You don’t have to oil the pan after washing like with cast iron pans.
About Jean Patrique Professional Cookware
This company was started by a French Chef in the UK about 20 years ago when he started making professional cookware for friends. They all loved it so much that he started making them available to the public.
They now offer a range of high-quality cookware products made with sustainable materials, at reasonable prices as they don’t have middlemen.
The Whatever Pan was gifted by Jean Patrique for this review.
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