Good evening. Tonight, we’re covering the proper way to clean cookware. Plus:
How to clean your pots and pans |
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| NYT Wirecutter |
Whether you’re dealing with a scorched pan or an heirloom Dutch oven riddled with brown stains, don’t worry: Cleaning and restoring your cookware is easy. But there is a right and a wrong technique depending on the material. Let us break it down for you:
- Stainless steel: To clean a stainless steel pan you’ve just used, scrape out excess oil, deglaze the pan with hot water, and use a scouring pad to gently scrub out the gunk. If that’s not cutting it to remove cooked-on oil or burnt food, scrubbing stains with Bar Keepers Friend can get your pan back to shining like-new.
- Cast iron: The biggest thing to keep in mind when caring for your beloved cast-iron skillet is to never let it go in the dishwasher or sit in a sinkful of water overnight — it will rust. After everyday cooking, wash the pan with mild dish soap — yes, a little soap is okay — rinse it clean, dry it completely, and rub it with oil. (And if it’s already rusted, here’s how to remove it and start from scratch.)
- Dutch ovens: Tackling stubborn stains in a Dutch oven can be as simple as boiling a pot of water and using a wooden spoon or spatula to gently scrape the crud from the cooking surface.
- Nonstick pans: Proper care is essential to protect nonstick pans’ delicate coating. We recommend hand-washing your pan with dish soap and a soft sponge. And let it cool before washing: Running a hot pan under cool water could wear down the coating more quickly.
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Plus: If you buy only one pan, make it this one |
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| Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter |
Think of carbon steel like cast iron’s easier, lower-maintenance cousin: naturally nonstick and oven-safe. Plus, carbon steel pans get very hot very fast, so they’re great for browning grilled cheeses, frying eggs, and crisping up chicken skins.
A “near perfect” pan→
One last thing: Our annual spring-cleaning challenge starts next week |
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| Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter, Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter |
’Tis the season, folks. Starting on March 9, we’ll be sending you four days of quick and easy cleaning hacks — along with our favorite effective, good-looking tools for tidying.
Have a roommate or partner that could really use the advice? Drop a hint by forwarding them this email so they can sign up here. See you then!
Happy cleaning.
You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.
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