You got distracted sautéing a delicious stir-fry for dinner and your food got charred—so much so that hours later, you’re still googling how to clean a burnt pan caked with stuck-on food.
You’re looking this up because your initial plan—soap + water + scrubbing to the point where you’re literally sweating—hasn’t worked at all. Your arms feel like you just did a biceps drop-set workout, but the food bits haven’t budged. You’re pretty sure the pan is just destined for the trash. But maybe, just maybe, food experts may have some kind of trick up their sleeves that can help.
Indeed, you do have some options—and they don’t include searching for a replacement pan. Even if you’ve burned the hell out of your food to the point that it’s fully fused onto the cooking surface, it’s probably possible to get the pan clean. Here, Sher Castellano, a professional recipe developer based in Dallas who’s cleaned plenty of burnt pans, tells SELF exactly what you need to do.
How to Clean a Burnt Pan If It’s Nonstick
That whole “nonstick” name is probably making you LOL right now. It’s definitely possible for food to get glued onto a nonstick pan if you’re cooking at high heat and the food burns. And going to town on the scrubbing actually isn’t the best idea anyway, since it can damage the pan’s delicate nonstick coating.
To get the gunk off, follow these steps instead, says Castellano.
1. Fill the pan with very hot water.
The hottest you can get from the tap is fine; it doesn’t have to be boiling, Castellano says. (Obviously, be sure to remove any food that you can easily scoop out first, before you pour the water in.) It’ll probably be too hot to comfortably touch, but that’s okay because you’re going to…
2. Let the pan sit for 10 minutes.
The key to success is all in the rest period. “The stuck-on food will absorb some of the water, which will start to loosen it up,” says Castellano. So chill out during and avoid the urge to bring on the elbow grease.
3. Brush off the food gently.
Castellano likes Scrub Daddy sponges ($20 for 3, Amazon) because they’re gentle on cookware and pliable enough that you can scrunch them around the pan to get a really thorough clean. But a silicone spatula or even a wooden spoon will also do the trick. Whatever you use, avoid abrasive tools like scrubby sponges, steel wool, or metal spatulas or spoons. They’ll scratch the coating of your pan, rendering the nonstick coating even less effective. Small, circular motions should be enough to push away the gunk—no need for huge strides that leave your arms tired.
4. Give the pan a final clean.
Rinse the pan with warm water, add a squirt of dish soap, and give a gentle scrub with a soft sponge to remove any lingering oils or debris. Then rinse away the suds, wipe the pan dry, and you’re done!
What to Do If There’s Still Some Food Caked On:
Hot water soak didn’t cut it? Dump out the water and add a mix of 2 tbsp baking soda and 1 tbsp white vinegar to your pan. The combo makes a thick, ever-so-abrasive paste that can help loosen really stubborn food particles without too much risk of scratching your pan’s surface, Castellano says. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then get in there with the Scrub-Daddy, spatula, or wooden spoon to lift off the cakey bits. Then proceed with giving your pan a final clean with warm water and dish soap.
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How to Clean a Burnt Pan If It’s Stainless Steel
The surface of stainless steel pans also has a protective coating. But it’s tougher than nonstick, so it can take a little more scrubbing action. When food is burned on a stainless steel pan, here’s what you can do.
1. Fill the pan with very hot water and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Again, the hot water will start loosening up those food particles to give you a head start on the scrubbing. Dump the water out, but don’t dry it.
2. Sprinkle on a mildly abrasive powder cleanser.
Castellano is a big fan of Bar Keepers Friend cleanser ($10 for 2, Amazon), which, when mixed with the leftover water droplets in your pan, forms a slightly gritty paste that scrubs away food without destroying the pan’s surface coating. (You’re aiming for a consistency that’s a little thinner than toothpaste, so add another splash of water or some more Bar Keepers Friend as needed to get there.) “Some people like to wear dish gloves if they have sensitive skin, since it can be mildly irritating,” she says. If you don’t have Bar Keeper’s Friend on hand, 2 tbsp baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp white vinegar can also do the drink. (It’s okay to use this on the first try for stainless steel even though it wouldn’t be your go-to for nonstick, since steel pans have a sturdier coating that’s less prone to damage.)
3. Brush off the food.
Use an all-purpose sponge or a Scrub Daddy to gently scrub away the caked-on food. You still want to steer clear of scrubby or wiry sponges, steel wool, or any kind of metal utensil, which can scratch up your pan.
4. Give the pan a final clean.
Rinse the pan with warm water, add a squirt of dish soap, and give a gentle scrub with a soft sponge to remove any lingering oils or debris. Then rinse away the suds and wipe the pan dry.
What to Do If There’s Still Some Food Caked On:
For really stubborn bits, soak the pan in hot, soapy water for 30 minutes. Then repeat the cleaning process using the Bar Keepers Friend or baking soda and vinegar, Castellano recommends.
Most of the time these methods will get the job done and get your pan back into sautéing shape. But if the food still won’t budge, now’s the time to call it quits, trash the pan, and buy a new one.
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Source: SELF
