That stuff is really stuck on...

If you're a daily cook, or even a once in a while cook, you know about the yucky burnt on food that gets stuck to pans. It doesn't matter what kind of pan either it happens to them all.  Since I cook with special stainless steel it happens quite often. I'm not talking about burnt food either, it just happens with certain foods.

(If you are wondering why I use stainless steel pots it is because of the health advantages. If you have ever seen a non-stick pan get over heated and start to fume that is a bad place to be.  Those fumes are toxic! Those pots and pans release chemicals into your food as well not just when they smoke.  Take a good look at one of yours if you have one. Are there any scrapes and scratches? Most likely the answer is yes. I'm not trying to sell you any new pots and pans, this post is not about that but I want people to know that those are bad news.)

Now for my tip of the day!  How to get that stuck on stuff off your pan.  I have to give this great tip up to my grandmother who I saw use this method for years without understanding why she did it.  My Grandmother to this day still uses cast iron pans for everything, plus she is almost 80 years old and has been cooking for longer than everyone who reads this blog has been alive.

And the magic secret is


TA-DA, Soap and Water.

Haha hehe you thought it was going to be a miraculous revelation?  But in all seriousness.  These are all you need, but it is how you use them that will make all the difference in the world.

Before shot with last nights dinner still stuck on

Start by keeping your pan on the stove burner. Add enough water to the pan so that you get about a 1/4 inch of water in the bottom.  Squirt a few drops of liquid dish soap and then turn the burner on low and let the soapy water slowly heat up the pan to a simmer.(you will probably need to find something else to clean for few minutes) then I use an already dirty spatula to gently scrape the bottom of the pan. Presto-chango it will all come up.  Next just wash the pan like you normally would.

The After!!

As I mentioned before I had watched my grandmother do this for years until one day I asked her why she always had the pan on the stove heating up soapy water.  I am sooo glad I asked, because now it saves me a ton of time

Have Fun Not Scrubbing - Amber