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Admittedly, I’m timid around a cast iron. During college, I went through a very intense phase of devouring cooking content on YouTube, starting with blind taste-testings of various sorts and ending with professional chefs expertly demonstrating how to properly season and care for a traditional cast iron pan—a process that seemed like more trouble than it was worth to a novice 20-something who didn’t spend extensive time in the kitchen. But after more than two years at home with little to do except cook, I became more thoughtful in the kitchen—with my ingredients, my skills, and even my cookware.
So when Our Place, the brand that sent Instagram users and home cooks into a frenzy (inspiring an eerily similar-looking Aldi pan in the process) released a cast iron version of its cult-followed Always Pan in April, I knew I had to check it out.
Look and Feel
Our Place’s take on cast iron weans the kitchen staple away from its traditionally industrial-looking associations and more towards the playful side of design. I assumed the Cast Iron Always Pan would be pretty—my OG version in sage green is a cheerful addition in my cookware collection already—but it actually exceeded my expectations in terms of how stunning it is in real life (I chose blue salt but the pan is also available in all of the brand’s classic shades like sage green and lavender.) Our Place’s design is a matte enameled cast iron that’s been preseasoned—meaning it’s pretty much ready to cook without undergoing a typical oil seasoning beforehand or any special cleaning afterwards. The pan also seems slightly lighter weight than regular cast irons I’ve used in the past, and I appreciated the added accessories, which included a clear glass lid, wooden spoon, and heat-absorbing rubber holders that you can attach to the handles.
Cooking with the Cast Iron Always Pan
As an inaugural dish, I opted for an egg frittata to see how the pan would fare. Since it’s crucial to have even heat distribution when cooking dishes like this, I knew it would be a solid method to test the pan’s conduction power. Besides slightly oiling the pan before pouring my egg, tomato, onion, spinach, and potato mixture in, I basically let the pan do all the work and served the frittata without removing it from the cast iron. In a moment of truth, I cut a triangular slice of egg—and was delighted with how it turned out. Uneven heat distribution has ruined many a frittata in my day, but the Always Pan laid a solid foundation for beautifully cooked eggs that are not sticky. From there I moved onto different meats which seared fabulously on the pan and were easy to start on the stove and finish in the oven (Our Place says its pan is oven safe up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit without the lid and oven/broiler safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.)
What I appreciated most about the pan was its overall thoughtful design. In my opinion, it’s the perfect size and its aesthetically pleasing look makes it a piece you’ll be proud to leave out for everyone to see. Additionally, the glass top lid makes it easy to check on your food throughout the cooking process should a recipe call for it and the rubber handles were really handy to have, plus they eliminated my fear of burns. Though I initially feared the signature cast iron caramelized crust would make the pan harder to clean, it was simple to nudge off caked-on bits with a little boiling water and baking soda before a good wash with warm, soapy water (be sure to dry immediately after you’ve washed it.)
Final Thoughts
That said, this pan will run you $155 and there are definitely cheaper cast irons out there that work just as well—though a Le Creuset can easily run you out of $200, too. But if you’re looking for a cast iron that works as well as it looks (or maybe one that’ll perfectly compliment your favorite nonstick pan), I’d recommend this one. Maybe you’re like me and skeptical of whether or not you can commit to maintaining a cast iron, but this one is as low maintenance as they come and the delicious results speak for themselves.
