We’ve all been there – you’re cooking a nice meal and get distracted, only to find burnt, stuck on food in your pan. Scrubbing away at it can be frustrating and time consuming. Thankfully, there are some easy methods to remove that burnt food without all the elbow grease.
Why Food Gets Burnt and Stuck On
Food gets burnt and sticks to pans for a few key reasons:
High Heat
High heat is often the culprit for burnt, stuck on food. When pans get too hot, food cooks too quickly and dries out. This causes it to stick firmly to the pan surface.
Sugars and Starches
Foods high in sugars and starches like pastas, desserts, and sauces are prone to burning and sticking. As these ingredients cook, the starches and sugars caramelize, essentially gluing the food to the pan.
Pan Material
The type of pan material also plays a role. Nonstick pans can lose their nonstick coating over time, while stainless steel and cast iron provide a porous, uneven surface for food to cling to.
Easy Ways to Remove Burnt Food
Luckily, with a few simple tricks, you can remove that stuck on mess quickly and easily:
Use Boiling Water
One of the easiest methods is boiling water. After cooking, simply cover the burnt food with water and bring it to a rolling boil. This helps loosen the burnt on food particles from the pan surface.
For tougher burnt on food, allow the pan to soak for 15-30 minutes after boiling to fully loosen the food. The hot water helps dissolve sugars and starches.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is mildly abrasive so it works to scour the pan surface without damaging it. Make a thick paste with equal parts baking soda and water. Spread this paste thoroughly over the burnt areas and let sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. The baking soda paste helps lift and dissolve the burnt on food particles.
Vinegar
Adding vinegar is an easy way to loosen stuck on food residue. Pour undiluted vinegar over the burnt areas and allow it to work for several minutes before scrubbing and rinsing clean. The acetic acid in vinegar helps dissolve the bonds causing food to stick.
Salt
For pans with difficult burnt on stains, try sprinkling salt generously over the affected areas. The coarse grains of salt help gently scour the pan surface. Let it sit for 10 minutes then scrub the pan with a damp sponge. Rinse thoroughly after scrubbing.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
For really stubborn burnt on stains, combine baking soda and vinegar. Sprinkle baking soda onto the burnt food residue then drizzle vinegar over the top. The acid-base reaction between the ingredients helps loosen the burnt food particles from the pan so they can be easily scrubbed away.
Use the Dishwasher
For pans that are dishwasher safe, running them through the dishwasher can help remove burnt on food. The hot water and cleaning action provide an easy hands-off way to clean burnt pans. Use the heavy or pots/pans cycle for best results.
Barkeeper’s Friend
Barkeeper’s Friend is a powdered cleanser designed to remove burnt on stains from pans and cookware. Just sprinkle it onto the pan and use a damp sponge or cloth to scrub the powder over the burnt areas. It contains oxalic acid and abrasives to help lift burnt on food residue.
Preventing Burnt On Food In The Future
While removing burnt on food can be a hassle, there are some ways to help prevent it from happening in the first place:
- Monitor pans and stir food frequently when cooking at high heats.
- Use oils or cooking spray to help keep food from sticking.
- Allow pans to fully preheat before adding food.
- Adjust heat as needed to prevent overcooking or burning.
- Soak pans promptly after cooking to loosen any stuck on bits before they dry.
- Clean pans thoroughly after each use so there is no baked on residue.
Conclusion
With a few simple tricks and ingredients on hand, removing burnt on food doesn’t need to be a strenuous chore involving tons of scrubbing. Boiling water, baking soda, vinegar, salt, Barkeeper’s Friend, or the dishwasher can all help lift off that stuck on mess quickly and easily. Just be sure to keep an eye on pans when cooking and preemptively soak after use to prevent burnt food from occurring in the first place. With these handy methods, you can skip the scrubbing and restore your pans’ surfaces with ease.
