Burned food in nonstick sauce pan

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Buy some barkeepers friend. It is a powdered cleanser that in non abrasive so it is safe for non-stick pans. That stuff will get just about anything clean.

The other thing I like to do is put a good amount of water in the pan and bring to a boil then use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom clean.
 
Sprinkle some bicarbonate of soda into the pan, pour on some vinegar. Leave overnight, then scrub with a nylon scrubber. You may need to repeat if the food is really baked on, and if it doesn't work after a few goes, toss the pan, because once the coating reaches a certain temperature, it isn't non-stick any more anyway, and if it's Teflon it can then become a cancer-risk because of a chemical change due to high heat. Or so I'm led to believe.
 
daisy said:
once the coating reaches a certain temperature, it isn't non-stick any more anyway
This is not necessarily true. I have used my non-stick pans on very high heat and never had a problem. My pans are still extremely non-stick.

daisy said:
and if it's Teflon it can then become a cancer-risk because of a chemical change due to high heat. Or so I'm led to believe.
Well this is only part of the truth and even that is up for debate among some people. Yes Teflon does "gas off" when heated too high and for a long enough time. Small animals, like birds, have died because someone has left an empty non-stick pan on high heat for a while. To my knowledge no human has ever been affected.
 
What brand of pan is it? If it is one that has a lifetime warranty then if it does not come clean you may be able to get it replaced.
 
Throw it out

There have been recent studies that strongly suggest that teflon is harmful to humans.
I always loved the teflon pan, never worrying about anything sticking, but also never learning how to cook so food didn't stick.
I've since invested in some wonderful cast iron pans, the best way to go...
 
I love cast iron as well. In my kitchen I have a variety of different pieces of cookware. SS, Ceramic, Cast Iron (both enameled and not) non-stick and they all get used.

What studies are you referring to VeraBlue? I would love to check them out.
 
I personally would never use even barkeepers friend on a non=stick pan. Soak it and add vinegar.
 
The burnt stuff has definitely become one with the pan. I placed the pan in the trash bin this morning. I have a parrot and also have been concerned about fumes. I believe the worst culprits are supposed to be the really inexpensive thin coated aluminum that breaks down easily. I have attached two sites that have a little information. I am weaning myself off of non-stick cookware. I am now down to one small skillet and one large pan. I try not to use them at high temps. I'm going to cast iron and stainless.

http://tuberose.com/Teflon.html http://www.ewg.org/reports/toxicteflon/es.php
 
I must admit that I am a little confused as to what you were doing to fuse barley to a non-stick pan ... roasting dry barley, something with a wet batter, etc ... but regardless of what you were doing you definitely got the pan too hot! Non-stick cookware should never be used on a burner turned up more than MEDIUM ... and definitely should not be pre-heated empty for more than about 30-seconds. Once the surface of the pan heats up more than 450-F (some studies say 446-F) it begins to give of toxic fumes from perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) - also known as C8. The higher the temp, the more chemical fumes are released - at least 2 are known carcinogens.

Yes - cheap thin cookware will heat faster than thicker cookware ... but that has nothing to do with the non-stick coating - it has to do with the mass of metal being heated.

Ever look at the instructions that come with non-stick cookware? Ever wonder why the instructions say to only use over MED heat and not put under the broiler, and only safe up to 450-F in the oven?

GB said:
To my knowledge no human has ever been affected.
While it is true that small birds are affected first - children and adults can have problems, too. While I haven't run across any studies that link cooking in non-stick to the illness - breathing the fumes has been documented in several studies ... the symptoms are similar to a viral flu that can last up to about 48-hours. In medical literature it is most often referred to as "Teflon Flu" - it is also known as "polymer fume fever".

Of course - cookware is not the only culprit! Things like installing new synthetic-fiber carpets, or spaying Scotchguard on something, can also expose you to some of the same type of fumes released from overheating non-stick cookware.

You can find more info if you google on teflon flu - this is a good site ... as are the sites listed by JGDean.

I, personally, don't think there is much of a health risk if you treat your non-stick with care - such as never over-heating it.
 
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I knew why The problem occurred - I just wondered if the pan was able to be saved and how. I didn't realize that Scotchguard was bad. I'll make sure to do it outside from now on. Thanks for the tip.
 
It isn't my first time i have done it -- i have put water back in the pan with a some vinegar bring it to a boil remove it from the heat and add dish soap to it then cover it and let it soak a day. You might have to do it again. But I have Had good luck doing that, especially when my daughter started cooking. I also have started going back to cast iron pans for alot of things. season them well and you won't have any pproblems.
 
GB said:
I love cast iron as well. In my kitchen I have a variety of different pieces of cookware. SS, Ceramic, Cast Iron (both enameled and not) non-stick and they all get used.

What studies are you referring to VeraBlue? I would love to check them out.

I first heard of this through industry publications I'd receive at work. I did some checking myself, recently as well. Check out tuberrose.com, theaviary.com, and an article in the Washington Post from 1/25/06.
 
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