Well, I used my All Clad skillet for the first time this morning. I cooked bacon between low and medium heat and was a bit shocked how easy it stain's. I found a tip on the net about using vinegar which removed them. I'm not concerned with stains really I just wasn't sure that they would cause food to stick when I used it again. All Clad says to use Bar Keepers Friend so I guess I'll get some on my next shopping trip. I have Ajax (now with bleach) but they say not to use chlorine bleach cleansers. Why should that matter? I thought that Ajax would be fine for all pans except teflon or cast iron. All Clad even advises to use a soft cloth to clean with, so I cant use a plastic scouring pad like I usually do? If S/S is this fragile this may be my last S/S pan.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Pans
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norgeskog
Washing Up
I was going to suggest vinegar but mixed equally with baking soda to make a paste. This is how I clean my stainless sinks. Wish I had All Clad pans.
:roll: GO DUCKS = SMASH IDAHO
ironchef
Executive Chef
Psiguyy said:
That's is good advice, but remember to discard the oil from the pan first before you add the water, or else you're going to have a splatter problem. Also, use a wooden spoon to get all the caramelization off the pan. Don't use a metal one unless you want scratches.
If you make a lot of dishes that incorporate braising, or pan gravies, then when you add the deglazing liquid (wine, stock, etc.) you'll have won half the battle.
Otter
Sous Chef
Do the deglazing as specified above, but also get the Barkeeper's Friend - it does a fantastic job on ss.
AllenOK
Executive Chef
I have a couple All-Clad pans, and a couple of Calphalon pans. I love them to death.
My pans are still as bright and shiny as the day I got them. Yes, bacon will leave a "glaze" in the pan. I usually try to deglaze the stuff into a sauce, as I normally cook bacon in either a cast iron skillet or my nonstick griddle.
I usually use green scouring pad from 3M for cleaning pots and pans. My other half just recently bought a pad that was a sponge with the green "scrubbie" on one side. I have to watch how hard I scrub on my cast iron, as it's easy to remove the seasoning with those pads, but my stainless comes clean. It's scratched up, but not badly.
My pans are still as bright and shiny as the day I got them. Yes, bacon will leave a "glaze" in the pan. I usually try to deglaze the stuff into a sauce, as I normally cook bacon in either a cast iron skillet or my nonstick griddle.
I usually use green scouring pad from 3M for cleaning pots and pans. My other half just recently bought a pad that was a sponge with the green "scrubbie" on one side. I have to watch how hard I scrub on my cast iron, as it's easy to remove the seasoning with those pads, but my stainless comes clean. It's scratched up, but not badly.
I guess I should have been posting in the Equipment and Accessories section, I didn't see it until yesterday. Anyway, I bought some Bar Keepers Friend yesterday and it does a great job. I hope over time it polishes out the little scratches I put in it from using a plastic scouring pad and Ajax. 
I cooked up some porkchops and wine sauce last night and it did a fantastic job. Even tho the new recipe wasn't very good the pan performed like a charm. I'm glad I bought an irregular piece for my first SS pan, now I know what not to do. I wont be using it for bacon anymore I'll leave that for teflon, cast iron or microwave.
I cooked up some porkchops and wine sauce last night and it did a fantastic job. Even tho the new recipe wasn't very good the pan performed like a charm. I'm glad I bought an irregular piece for my first SS pan, now I know what not to do. I wont be using it for bacon anymore I'll leave that for teflon, cast iron or microwave.h2oct
Assistant Cook
I've discovered that MAAS cream makes all my SS fixtures and SS everything easy to maintain their sheen. The cream might be able to remove the minor scratches you have on your pot but be sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards.
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JewelsinMO
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- May 17, 2007
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- 2
Salt!
I bought two new stainless pans about a month ago and I seasoned them, much like you do with cast iron. I know its a bit nuts, but the man I bought them from told me this and I believe it worked. I now clean with a paper towel and for tought spots, like bacon scraps, I use kosher salt and a paper towel. Takes it all of with a minimal amout of scrubbing. Just a quick rinse, maybe a bit of outside scrubbing a swipe of vegetable oil and your good to go.
Best of Luck!
JewelsinMo
I bought two new stainless pans about a month ago and I seasoned them, much like you do with cast iron. I know its a bit nuts, but the man I bought them from told me this and I believe it worked. I now clean with a paper towel and for tought spots, like bacon scraps, I use kosher salt and a paper towel. Takes it all of with a minimal amout of scrubbing. Just a quick rinse, maybe a bit of outside scrubbing a swipe of vegetable oil and your good to go.
Best of Luck!
JewelsinMo
dragonfly77
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2007
- Messages
- 10
Hi. I'm new here. I'd have to weigh in on the side of not using Ajax or any other bleach cleanser -- ever, not just in cleaning pans.
It's really highly toxic, while you use it, and after it gets into the environment. It breaks down into chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic, so a real no-no for things you're going to eat out of.
I like what Psiguyy said -- I tend to act as if I'm "de-glazing" and just use water. Soak something immediately after I use it, and then even heat water in it. Just as de-glazing lifts bits of meat and juices, for instance, from the pores in the pan, it will lift any debris as well.
Does anyone know how to tell if you should throw a pan away? I'm trying to get into cooking, but. . . some of my attempts have been less than successful. If a pan has been severely over-heated and discolored, how do you tell if it's still safe to use for cooking?
(I found this board when I Googled this question.)
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It's really highly toxic, while you use it, and after it gets into the environment. It breaks down into chemicals that are known to be carcinogenic, so a real no-no for things you're going to eat out of.
I like what Psiguyy said -- I tend to act as if I'm "de-glazing" and just use water. Soak something immediately after I use it, and then even heat water in it. Just as de-glazing lifts bits of meat and juices, for instance, from the pores in the pan, it will lift any debris as well.
Does anyone know how to tell if you should throw a pan away? I'm trying to get into cooking, but. . . some of my attempts have been less than successful.
If a pan has been severely over-heated and discolored, how do you tell if it's still safe to use for cooking? (I found this board when I Googled this question.)
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Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
...Does anyone know how to tell if you should throw a pan away? I'm trying to get into cooking, but. . . some of my attempts have been less than successful.
(I found this board when I Googled this question.) .
As long as the pan's structural integrity has been maintained, discoloration alone is not a problem.
What type of pan is it? Is it clad SS, or does it have a disk on the bottom or is it non-stick or aluminum??
dragonfly77
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2007
- Messages
- 10
Oh -- good question. It was (from many years ago) part of the Macy*s "Tools of the Trade" set. It's stainless steel, but they (&%$#*) coated it with chrome to make it all purdy-like.
Which is an absolute darned nuisance! It means I'm supposed to be careful what kind of utensils I use, not scrub too hard with steel wool, etc. All of which I've taken pretty much with a grain of salt.
Also, there's another that's just stainless steel. Much easier, never discolors, but... I just wonder if there's a point when the surface gets too ... porous or something? It's a little frying pan, but when I try to cook eggs in it, they never come out right, anymore -- they burn *no matter what* I do: heat so low that they're not cooking at all, pre-rubbing the pan with butter (greasing the pan as if for a cake), using too much butter, etc.
I won't use non-stick, don't have any in the house. So I guess I'll play Santa to myself, and at least go replace the little pan.
But it amazes me that I can't even find *one* website that imparts knowledge about the nitty-gritty of cooking pans, and if the surfaces can become toxic. I was looking for that, when I discovered this one. So something good came out of it.
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Which is an absolute darned nuisance! It means I'm supposed to be careful what kind of utensils I use, not scrub too hard with steel wool, etc. All of which I've taken pretty much with a grain of salt.
Also, there's another that's just stainless steel. Much easier, never discolors, but... I just wonder if there's a point when the surface gets too ... porous or something? It's a little frying pan, but when I try to cook eggs in it, they never come out right, anymore -- they burn *no matter what* I do: heat so low that they're not cooking at all, pre-rubbing the pan with butter (greasing the pan as if for a cake), using too much butter, etc.
I won't use non-stick, don't have any in the house. So I guess I'll play Santa to myself, and at least go replace the little pan.
But it amazes me that I can't even find *one* website that imparts knowledge about the nitty-gritty of cooking pans, and if the surfaces can become toxic. I was looking for that, when I discovered this one. So something good came out of it.
.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
I've never hear of chorme plated SS pans. Are you sure it's not just highly polished SS?
Regardless, metal pans cannot "become toxic" - ever. If the pan is not working for you, buy a new one.
Is the bottom of the pan just a single layer of SS? If so, it's not a great pan for cooking delicate items such as eggs. Look for a SS pan that either has a disk on the bottom that includes a layer of copper or alum. OR a fully clad pan where the entire pan is made of a three layer sandwich of alum or copper between layers of SS.
Regardless, metal pans cannot "become toxic" - ever. If the pan is not working for you, buy a new one.
Is the bottom of the pan just a single layer of SS? If so, it's not a great pan for cooking delicate items such as eggs. Look for a SS pan that either has a disk on the bottom that includes a layer of copper or alum. OR a fully clad pan where the entire pan is made of a three layer sandwich of alum or copper between layers of SS.
dragonfly77
Assistant Cook
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2007
- Messages
- 10
Yes, both pans in question have that thick disk at the bottom -- they're 18/10 stainless, and I think one has copper and one aluminum in that thickened bottom.
The Macy*s one -- I bought them probably more than 20 years ago, but I seem to remember that part about the chrome finish. It was like a mirror surface (utterly useless!), and required extra care in choice of utensils.
I don't know -- I thought that maybe there was some finish or something which, once it was destroyed, might make the pan useless or even have metal leeching into the food.
I have a lot of trouble with food allergies, so I was wondering if something like that might be aggravating sensitivities. Grasping at straws, I guess.
JewelsinMO: how did you season your pans?
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The Macy*s one -- I bought them probably more than 20 years ago, but I seem to remember that part about the chrome finish. It was like a mirror surface (utterly useless!), and required extra care in choice of utensils.
I don't know -- I thought that maybe there was some finish or something which, once it was destroyed, might make the pan useless or even have metal leeching into the food.
I have a lot of trouble with food allergies, so I was wondering if something like that might be aggravating sensitivities. Grasping at straws, I guess.
JewelsinMO: how did you season your pans?
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oneoffour
Senior Cook
I have All-Clad copper core pans. I am lucky to be near a factory store and buy the seconds. On the inside of the pans I scower with Bar Keepers Friend when I need to. Most times I just need the nylon since I like to cook at lower temps with these pots and I usually don't have a problem. To make sure the outside stays mirror bright I like Wright Silver cream. One the Copper line I use Wrights Copper Cream. They won't scratch the exterior SS and the paste in the jar lasts much longer and I never have it dryout or clog.
