The main reason I have never scrubbed a stainless steel pan/pot is that I've
heard "by many" that once a stainless steel has a scratch, or the smooth
surface has been damaged or is no longer smooth, then that area which is no
longer sealed will continue to leach into your food from that area; and that
is not good for your stomach.

I suppose it would not take much imagination to make the leap from "aluminum
deposits in the brain" to "steel shavings in thy stomach"?



Dee




"Sheryl Rosen" > wrote in message
...
> in article
> ,
> Julian Vrieslander at wrote on
> 12/27/03 11:59 PM:
>
> > We recently bought a 12" All-Clad fry pan. Nice size for sauteeing
> > chicken, chops, etc. But keeping the thing clean is a challenge. Globs
> > of hardened oil adhere to the stainless steel liner. We have tried
> > plastic scrubbers (Dobie), overnight soaking, Bar Keeper's Friend, etc.
> > Nothing seems to touch these stains.
> >
> > So far, I have resisted the impulse to scour with abrasive pads and
> > cleaners. They are likely to scratch the ss surface, making it more
> > likely that food will stick, and stains will adhere even worse.
> >
> > Someone at Williams-Sonoma suggested EZ-Off oven cleaner. Has anyone
> > tried that? Any other ideas?
> >
> > Or is it best to just ignore the oil buildup? On a cast iron pan, we
> > would probably call it "seasoning". But on the shiny ss, it looks like
> > schmutz.
>
> scrubbing stainless may scratch the surface, but that has absolutely no
> bearing on what sticks to it or not. Where did you hear that scratching
> stainless steel would make it more likely food will stick?
>
> Stainless Steel is not non-stick.
> And nothing you can do will change that.
> You cannot season stainless steel. And it should be clean each time you
use
> it. One of the advantages of stainless is that it cleans up beautifully
and
> you don't have to be afraid to scrub it, like with non-stick coatings or
> anodized aluminum.
>
> It's the cooking technique that determines whether the food sticks to
> stainless or not. Never add oil to a cold pan, only a pre-heated one.
> That's a good place to start.
>
> Get yourself a good grease cutting detergent, as a first step.
> I use Ajax and am amazed at its grease cutting properties.
> I haven't been able to cook anything that Lemon Ajax and a blue
ScotchBrite
> sponge can't clean!
>
> Try soaking it for a couple hours in hot, hot water with a squirt of Ajax
> dish detergent. Then go at it with the blue ScotchBrite sponge, with more
> detergent applied to the sponge. Give it some elbow grease, it should
come
> clean. If that doesn't work, SOS or Brillo should finish the job.
>
> Seriously, I have had some pretty greasy, icky messes in stainless steel
> pans, and this method leaves them spotlessly, shiny clean.
>
> One caveat, though: Scratches on cookware is a sign that they are being
used
> as they were intended. Pots are tools, meant to be cooked in, washed,
> scrubbed, etc. I just don't understand people who are afraid to use and
> scrub their stainless steel pots. Funny how it's always an All-Clad pan
> they are afraid to scrub. Why is that?????
>