5 Ways to Clean a Scorched Pan — Holiday Cleanup

Now that the weather has turned from chilly to cold and the holidays are approaching, it's officially time to break out your stockpot and roasting pan. Just the idea of a savory something simmering in the oven or on the stove all day is enough to warm your bones! Unfortunately, it only takes a little recipe miscalculation or a slightly longer cook time to end up with a scorched pan — and those caked-on burnt bits are notoriously hard to get off.

Before you break out the big guns, keep this in mind: Depending on what your pan is made of (most of the ones on the market are made of stainless steel, enameled cast iron, or aluminum with or without a nonstick coating), you can damage it if you use a too-scratchy scrubber like steel wool or an ultra-strong cleanser. So start with the gentlest possible fix and work your way up to something stronger only if necessary.

Here are a few methods you can try to remove those burnt bits from a scorched pan.

READ MORE »