Removing burnt on carbon from non-stick fryin g pan

[Jethro_uk]

We just wipe out any excess fat plus cooking detritus and leave it at that. They are supposed to be seasoned - protects the iron, plus helps with the cooking process and imparts flavour.

[tabbypurr]

I'm not a big nonstick fan, but the one used here for 18 months or so has nothing stuck on it. The secrets are:

1. Never use metal on it. Not even gently.
2. Don't run it hot enough to blacken things

NT

[Ian Jackson]

AIUI, proper cooks don't consider that a pan is 'run in' until it has accumulated the usual layer of difficult-to-remove stuff. It's pointless (and time wasting) trying to restore it to the original condition, and you may cause damage if you do. I don't know about imparting (much) flavour, but anything left stuck inside will get sterilised when it is next used.

[Thomas Prufer]

Heat pan with salt in it, Tablespoon to several tablespoons worth. Rub with wadded paper towel, kitchen roll, wadded newsprint. Use lots of paper, or a glove. Keep heating, stop just about when it smokes. Rinse etc.

Do NOT empty the hot salt into anything plastic or plastic-lined, but on newspaper or such. DAMHIK.

This will shift more carbon that other methods because of the combination of scouring and heat.

Oven cleaner -- will work, but not spectacularly well IME.

Thomas Prufer

[Jethro_uk]

I'm assuming it's a similar situation to the oft held advice that you don't clean teapots.