Mastering Stainless Steel: Achieving Perfect Char

Getting a good char on your food without it sticking to the pan can be a challenge, especially with stainless steel. However, there are some tips and tricks to help you get that perfect sear without the mess. Firstly, it's important to preheat your stainless steel pan to medium-high heat before adding any oil. You'll know it's ready when you splash some water on the surface and it balls up and dances across – this is called the Leidenfrost Effect. It's also important to let your food come up to room temperature before adding it to the pan, as cold food is more likely to stick. Now you're ready to add your oil and get cooking!

Characteristics of a Good Char with a Stainless Steel Pan

Preheat the pan to avoid food sticking

To get a good char with a stainless steel pan, preheating the pan is essential. Here are some detailed instructions to help you preheat your pan effectively and avoid food sticking:

Understanding Stainless Steel Surfaces

Before delving into the steps of preheating, it's important to understand why preheating is necessary for stainless steel pans. Unlike non-stick or seasoned iron pans, stainless steel pans have a porous surface with tiny crevices and pores. When the pan is heated, these pores contract, and when cold food is added, the pores expand quickly, causing food to stick. Therefore, preheating helps to minimise this rapid expansion and contraction, reducing the likelihood of food sticking.

Step-by-Step Guide to Preheating

• Place your stainless steel pan on the stove: Ensure the pan is empty before turning on the heat.
• Use low to medium heat: Heat your pan on low to medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Avoid high heat, especially if you're using an induction hob, as it can cause warping. If you need to use higher heat, increase the temperature gradually.
• Check the temperature: There are two common methods to determine if your pan is at the right temperature:

• The Water Droplet Test: Add a teaspoon of water to the pan. If the water forms a large, bouncing droplet, your pan is ready. If the water fizzles, your pan is too cold, and if it evaporates quickly, it's too hot.
• The Hover Test: Hover your hand a few inches above the pan's surface. If you can hold it there for more than 6 seconds, the pan is too cold. If you need to pull away immediately, it's too hot. Aim for a sweet spot where you can hover for 4-6 seconds.

• Adjust the temperature: After performing the above tests, adjust the temperature to medium-low or medium heat. This ensures that the oil you'll add later doesn't burn.
• Preheat for 2-3 minutes: Allow the pan to preheat further for an additional 2-3 minutes at the adjusted temperature.
• Prepare for cooking: Once preheated, your pan is now ready for the addition of oil or butter, followed by your ingredients.

Additional Tips

• Every stove and pan combination is unique, so you may need to experiment to find the ideal heat setting and timing for your setup.
• When adding oil or butter, ensure it's heated properly. It should glisten, shimmer, and spread easily. You can test this by adding a small portion of your ingredient and checking for a sizzle.
• Bring your ingredients to room temperature before adding them to the pan. This helps maintain the pan's temperature and prevents the formation of a sticky barrier.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan, as it can drop the temperature and cause food to steam instead of searing.

Use baking soda and water

Baking soda and water is an effective way to clean a stainless steel pan and remove charring. This method is particularly useful for tougher stains that climb up the sides of a pan.

Firstly, remove as much food and debris from the pan as possible. Then, add a small mound of baking soda to the centre of the pan and cover it with around 1/4 cup of water. You may need to add more water if you have a larger pan. Bring this mixture to a boil and let it simmer. As the water evaporates, it will leave a film of baking soda around the walls of the pan. When most of the water has boiled off, turn off the heat and use a long-handled brush or scouring pad to scrub off the mess. It is best to do this while the pan is still hot, so be sure to wear gloves and grip the pan with a towel or oven mitt.

For more stubborn stains, you can try a more intensive method. Make a paste with baking soda and water and liberally apply it to the burnt pan. It should be thick enough to fully coat the pan. Alternatively, cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of warm water and then add enough baking soda to create a paste. Let the mixture sit for a few hours or overnight, and then add more baking soda and scrub with a nylon brush or scouring sponge. If you want to speed up the process, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to thin the paste and then put the pan on the stove to boil. However, remove it from the heat quickly so that it doesn't burn again. Let the pan cool and then wipe or scrub to remove the scorched bits.

Baking soda is a great option for cleaning stainless steel pans because it has mild abrasive properties and its alkaline pH can help neutralise acidic burnt foods. It is also a simple, inexpensive way to clean your pans without the use of harsh chemicals.

Try lemon juice and baking soda

Lemon juice and baking soda can be used to clean stainless steel pans. This method is especially useful for removing stuck-on food and stubborn discolouration. Lemon juice and salt is one of the easiest ways to clean a stainless steel pot. To do this, cut a lemon in half, dip it in salt, and rub it against the stains until they are removed. Then, wash the pan as usual.

Baking soda is another simple and inexpensive way to clean burnt stainless steel pans. Add a few spoonfuls of baking soda to your pan, along with enough water to cover the burnt areas. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until most of the water has evaporated. Turn off the heat and wait until the pan is cool enough to handle. Then, scrub away any remaining buildup with a non-abrasive sponge and wash the pan in hot, soapy water.

For lighter stains, baking soda can be used without boiling. Simply make a baking soda and water paste and let it sit on the stains for a few minutes. Then, scrub the paste off with a scouring pad and rinse the pan.

Lemon juice and baking soda can also be used together to clean stainless steel. To do this, fill your pot with warm water and add 3 tablespoons of baking soda. Simmer the mixture for a few hours, then remove the pot from the stove and allow it to cool. Finally, scrub the pot with more baking soda and a soft cloth.

Clean with vinegar and baking soda

Vinegar and baking soda are effective cleaning agents for stainless steel pans. They can be used to remove burnt-on food, carbon buildup, and stains. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to clean your stainless steel pan using vinegar and baking soda:

Step 1: Remove Excess Food and Debris

Use a spatula or paper towel to remove as much of the burnt or stuck-on food as possible. It is important to do this before applying any liquid or cleaning agents to the pan, as it will make the cleaning process easier and prevent food from becoming further baked onto the pan.

Step 2: Fill the Pan with Water

Fill the bottom of your pan with water, ensuring that there is enough water to cover the stuck-on food or burnt areas. This step is important because it creates a base for the chemical reaction between vinegar and baking soda and helps to loosen the food particles.

Step 3: Add Vinegar to the Water

Once the pan is filled with water, add about one cup of vinegar and bring the water to a boil. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which is effective in breaking down tough, burnt-on food particles. Boiling the vinegar also helps to deodorize the room.

Step 4: Remove from Heat and Add Baking Soda

Once the water and vinegar mixture is boiling, remove the pan from the heat. Add about one cup of baking soda to the pan. Baking soda has mild abrasive properties and an alkaline pH, which helps to neutralize acidic burnt foods. The reaction between vinegar (an acid) and baking soda (a base) will produce carbon dioxide bubbles that can help loosen the stuck-on food.

Step 5: Mix and Empty the Pan

Briefly mix the vinegar and baking soda solution together. You will see the mixture foam and bubble due to the chemical reaction. After mixing, empty the pan into the sink. Be careful when handling the pan as it will still be hot.

Step 6: Scrub the Pan

Use a non-abrasive sponge or scrubber to rid the pan of any remaining food particles. If necessary, add more baking soda to the pan and scrub with a wet scouring sponge or nylon brush. Be sure to wear cleaning gloves to protect your hands.

Step 7: Rinse and Dry

Once you have removed all the food particles and stains, rinse the pan with clean water and dry it thoroughly with a clean, absorbent towel. It is important to dry the pan completely to prevent water spots and ensure it is ready for its next use.

Tips:

• For more heavy-duty cleaning, you can add the baking soda directly to the pan before adding the vinegar. This will create a fizzing reaction that can help loosen burnt-on food. However, it is important to do this step in the sink as the reaction can be quite vigorous.
• For burnt stainless steel pans with tough, stubborn stains, you can make a paste with baking soda and water and apply it to the affected areas. Let the paste sit for a few hours or overnight, then scrub with a nylon brush or sponge and rinse clean.
• Always use non-abrasive tools to clean your stainless steel pans, as abrasive tools like steel wool can scratch and damage the surface.

Use Bar Keepers Friend

Bar Keepers Friend is a popular product for cleaning stainless steel pans. It is a bleach-free, oxalic-acid-based powdered cleaning product that can remove tough stains, rust, tarnish, and mineral deposits from most surfaces. It is also useful for protecting the surfaces of pans, preventing them from tarnishing and rusting in the future.

To use Bar Keepers Friend, start by wetting the surface of the pan. Then, make a paste using the powder and a small amount of water. Use a soft cloth or sponge to apply the paste to the pan, rubbing it in a circular motion from the center outward. Let the paste sit for about a minute—but no longer—and then wash the pan in hot soapy water. Rinse and repeat as needed.

Bar Keepers Friend is a non-abrasive cleaner that won't harm the chrome oxide barrier of stainless steel when used properly. It is important to rinse the product thoroughly and wipe the pan dry to prevent streaking.

For very tarnished or greasy pans, you may want to start scrubbing with steel wool before switching to a soft sponge or rag. Always wear kitchen gloves when using Bar Keepers Friend to protect your skin, as the product is abrasive.

Bar Keepers Friend is a cost-effective way to clean and restore your stainless steel pans, saving you from having to buy a new pan.

Frequently asked questions