How To Loosen Burned And Stuck-On Messes From Pots And Pans

Banish the burn. Renew the pans.

Fact checked by Elizabeth Berry

It can happen to the best of us. Sometimes food burns or scorches in the bottom of a pot because we turned the heat too high or let it cook dry.

Other times, the stuck-fast mess is the result of properly cooking something that's inherently sticky and stubborn, such as homemade caramel. No matter the cause, there might be a solution to getting the pot sparkling clean and ready to return to service.

How To Get Burnt Food Off Pots And Pans

The first rule of cleaning filthy pots is that it's easier to float away a sticky mess (such as rock-hard caramel) than to scrub it away.

Heat

1. Fill the pot with water, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Then, reduce the heat and keep at a low simmer until the mess loosens and floats away.

If the pot is made from non-reactive metal, many cooks swear by adding two or three quartered fresh lemons or leftover lemon rinds to the water so that the lemon's acidity can help loosen the food.

2. Pour out the warm water, and hand wash the pan as usual to remove any remaining specks.

This method works remarkably well, although it can take more than one treatment.

Baking Soda

Another all-natural approach is to wet the pan and add enough baking soda to make a paste. Use a wad of crumpled aluminum foil to scrub away the stains, and then wash and rinse the pan as usual. This method gets high marks on social media review sites.

You can also combine baking soda with vinegar to bubble up tough, cooked on messes.

Related: 27 Ways To Use Baking Soda For Cleaning

Power Wash Dish Soap

For light to moderate messes, try a power wash dish soap. For thicker and even more stubborn messes, try a stronger power dissolving gel. Be sure to follow the package directions carefully.

Bar Keepers Friend

This cleaning staple does a great job of tackling cooked-on messes with a little bit of added elbow grease. The versatile product is useful for many other cleaning tasks too, such as buffing scuff marks off of dishes.

Oven Cleaner

Cold-oven formula oven cleaner can do a great job of removing old, burned-on food residue, and might even salvage blackened pots. Spray the product over the stains, let stand for one minute, and then wash under hot running water. The fumes can be pungent, and the chemicals are not good for bare skin, so be sure to follow the safety precautions on the can.

What About Burnt Food On Cast-Iron Pans?

Cast-iron pans (which you can use soap on!) are also prone to stuck-on messes, especially if not properly seasoned. Coarse salt, like kosher salt, is a perfect abrasive that will help unglue burnt on food, but won't damage the pan.

Just sprinkle an even layer of salt over the bottom of the pan (a couple tablespoons), add a few drops of warm water, and get to scrubbing. Plastic food scrapers and chainmail scrubbers specifically sold for cast-iron pans can also help tackle really tough spots without damaging them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a burnt pan ruined?

In most cases no! You might need to put in some work to revive it, but very rarely is a pan unsalvageable. One instance where it may be ruined is when a nonstick pan starts peeling, flaking, or chipping. Once that nonstick coating starts to erode, it will no longer function like it should and needs to be replaced.

Why does burnt food stick to the pan?

Food bonds with the metal pan at high temperatures leading to sticking, this is particularly true of protein-rich foods like eggs or fish. Fat, like oil or butter, helps create a barrier between the metal and your food that prevents sticking.

Can you eat food from a burnt pan?

It's generally recommended to minimize the consumption of burnt foods, which some research has linked to chemical compounds thought to cause cancer. We all enjoy grilled foods with a bit of char, but that scorched pot of beans isn't going to be nearly as delicious, so it's best to just toss it out.

Related: The Best Way to Clean Greasy, Grimy Pyrex Dishes

For more Southern Living news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Southern Living.