I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad stainless
cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM etc.

but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny bit of
oil that the spray allows.

they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the vanish-like
coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems impossible to
remove

(I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end stuff is
still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)

so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of PAM-style
cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?

Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and won't ruin
my new cookware?
Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?

I want to take care of the nice cookware, but I am hopelessly addicted to
the idea of a "spray", and the varnish seems to ruin cookware, since it
seems like it will never come off, no matter how much you scrub.


thanks for any ideas

chef cowboy

"cowboy" <cacheoverflow@yahooDOTcom> wrote in message
news
>I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad stainless
>cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM etc.
>
> but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny bit of
> oil that the spray allows.
>
> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the vanish-like
> coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems impossible to
> remove
>
> (I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end stuff
> is still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)
>
> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of
> PAM-style cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?
>
> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and won't
> ruin my new cookware?
> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?
>
> I want to take care of the nice cookware, but I am hopelessly addicted to
> the idea of a "spray", and the varnish seems to ruin cookware, since it
> seems like it will never come off, no matter how much you scrub.
>
>
> thanks for any ideas
>
> chef cowboy
>

How about putting some olive oil in a mister?

MaryL

In article >, "cowboy"
<cacheoverflow@yahooDOTcom> wrote:

> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad
> stainless cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays
> such as PAM etc.

> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the
> vanish-like coating that they impart over time to cookware, which
> seems impossible to remove
>
> (I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end
> stuff is still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)
>
> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of
> PAM-style cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?

I'm just guessing that it would be the lecithin. Seems like the alcohol
would evaporate and it seems like the lecithin would be something that
could bake on. Just a guess.
>
> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and
> won't ruin my new cookware? Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that
> folks here use?

I have a Pampered Chef oil mister that I'm very happy with. I've had it
for several years. Every once in a while (once, twice a year) I take it
apart and wash it up with soapy water. I keep olive oil in it.
--
-Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> The Nylons added 4-3-05.

"I read recipes the way I read science fiction: I get to the end and
say,'Well, that's not going to happen.'" - Comedian Rita Rudner,
performance at New York, New York, January 10, 2005.

MaryL wrote:
> "cowboy" <cacheoverflow@yahooDOTcom> wrote in message
> news
>> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad
>> stainless cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays
>> such as PAM etc.
>>
>> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and
>> won't ruin my new cookware?
>> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?
>>
>> thanks for any ideas
>>
>> chef cowboy
>>
>
> How about putting some olive oil in a mister?
>
> MaryL

Yup, I'd go with a mister. Do a Google Search for oil mister. There's a
lot of them.

Jill

I agree with the mister, or just put s little oil on a paper towel and
rub it around the pan.

> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and
won't ruin
> my new cookware?
> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?

Dribble of olive oil and a paper towel to spread it out very thin?

I used to have a "misto" handpump aerosol sprayer - it didn't last.
Good idea in principle, but bad execution.

June

cowboy wrote:
> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad stainless
> cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM etc.
>
> but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny bit of
> oil that the spray allows.
>
> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the vanish-like
> coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems impossible to
> remove
>
> (I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end stuff is
> still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)
>
> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of PAM-style
> cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?
>

Soybean oil or corn oil is probably the culprit. If the spray doesn't
contain vegetable oil as a vehicle, then I guess it's the lecithin. The
varnish can be removed from stainless or carbon steel cookware with oven
cleaner, but oven cleaner will quickly destroy aluminum cookware.

Maybe keep a little bottle (with a nondrip spout) of refined olive oil,
peanut oil or some other non-drying oil handy and pour a few drops in
the pan when you cook.

Bob

cowboy wrote:
> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad
stainless
> cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM
etc.
>
> but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny
bit of
> oil that the spray allows.
>
> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the
vanish-like
> coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems
impossible to
> remove
>
> (I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end
stuff is
> still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)
>
> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of
PAM-style
> cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?
>
> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and
won't ruin
> my new cookware?
> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?
>
> I want to take care of the nice cookware, but I am hopelessly
addicted to
> the idea of a "spray", and the varnish seems to ruin cookware, since
it
> seems like it will never come off, no matter how much you scrub.

Spraying/misting tends to deposit more oil than other methods; ie.
pouring, wiping, brushing... basic hydrolics 101. Sprays/mists
over-spray, they deposit oil on the stovetop and exteriour pan surfaces
too, creating a mess. Aspirating oil as an aerosol is also
cumulatively unhealthful. Pam is a gimmick to separate the pinheads
from their dollars. Pour and swirl, into a hot pan a little goes a
long way... it's unnecessary to coat the entire cooking surface.


Sheldon

cowboy wrote:

> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad stainless
> cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM etc.
>
> but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny bit of
> oil that the spray allows.
>
> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the vanish-like
> coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems impossible to
> remove

The only thing I use cooking oils sprays on is my BBQ grill. I tried it on
muffin pans but it really didn't save my any work or time because it is not much
more effort to wipe a oil dampened paper towel around than to spray. Seasoned
cast iron fry pans do not need any spray. Anything that needs to be oiled can
be brushed or wiped with paper toil and oil. The oil spray can is just another
thing to buy, store and find when you need it. IMO, hardly worth it. I am sure
that you can do without it.

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> The only thing I use cooking oils sprays on is my BBQ grill.

Spraying a hot grill with oil from an aerosol can is so dangerous only
the lowest IQ pinheads would. And coating the grill cold is a waste of
time, by the time it heats the oil will be gone. I paint the hot grill
with a small piece of the fat cut from meat to be cooked, held with
grill tongs... no meat; a piece of vegetable (lettuce, cabbage,
zuke)held with tongs dipped in cooking oil works well too.

>I tried it on
> muffin pans but it really didn't save my any work or time because it
is not much
> more effort to wipe a oil dampened paper towel around than to spray.

Solid shortening works best with muffin tins, as it does with most all
baked goods (as it doesn't drain from pan sides and puddle, so can be
slathered evenly). I paint bakeware with Crisco... I have the same set
of inexpensive natural bristle paint brushes I've been using for more
than 30 years; snip the bristles to half their length to add stiffness.
Clean by hand with dish detergent or in the dishwasher. Okay, I'll
break down and impart another little secret... to make brushes last
through 8 zillion machine washings carefully pry the wooden handle from
the metal ferrule (remove small fasteners if necessary and replace
afterwards). Next dab a bit of epoxy into the ferrule so it covers the
rear of the bristles and enough to seal to the top of the ferrule
opening when the handle is replaced. Any of the two part epoxys found
at your local hardware will work... perhaps even Gorilla Glue, haven't
tried it with this brush life extending technique yet but Gorilla Glue
is fantastic. Another freebie; if you're planning on baking for the
next few days there's no reason to clean Criso from the brush right
away... Crisco needs no refrigeration but I refrigerate mine anyway, I
like it firmer for brushing... wrap the Crisco brush and place it in
the fridge too.

Sheldon

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and
> won't ruin
>> my new cookware?
>> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?
>
> Dribble of olive oil and a paper towel to spread it out very thin?
>
> I used to have a "misto" handpump aerosol sprayer - it didn't last.
> Good idea in principle, but bad execution.
>
> June

I'll second that, that it is a good idea -- but I bought two 'misto"
handpump
aerosol sprayers, and neither of them were satisfactory to get a misty
spray. I ditched one of them, then cleaned up again the second one, and
they just don't work -- for me, anyway. I bought one of those types of
Safe-Spray all-spayer bottles that I use for vinegar or water and even tried
olive oil in that --
Now I use a pastry brush to spread around any oil on any product I'm working
on.
Dee

cowboy wrote:
> I have recently acquired a lot of Calphalon anodized & All-Clad stainless
> cookware. Both companies say not to use cooking sprays such as PAM etc.
>
> but I LIKE the convenience of a spray, and I like using just a tiny bit of
> oil that the spray allows.
>
> they are discouraging the use of these sprays, because of the vanish-like
> coating that they impart over time to cookware, which seems impossible to
> remove
>
> (I found this out, fortunately, on some cheap cookware, my high end stuff is
> still a "cooking-spray virgin" for the moment)
>
> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of PAM-style
> cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?
>
> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and won't ruin
> my new cookware?
> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?
>
> I want to take care of the nice cookware, but I am hopelessly addicted to
> the idea of a "spray", and the varnish seems to ruin cookware, since it
> seems like it will never come off, no matter how much you scrub.
>
>
> thanks for any ideas
>
> chef cowboy
>
>

I never cared for cooking spray, they make too much of a mess IMO and I
don't like the flavor that some impart. That said, I keep a 750ml
bottle fixed with a bar pour spout filled with olive oil on the counter.
Cheap doesn't look bad and functional...mine's an empty schimirnoff
twist bottle with labels removed chosen for the easy to grip design. A
little bit is enough to keep foods from sticking to the pan and if you
do want the surface completely coated a pastry brush will do the trick.

Jessica

Jessica V. wrote:
>
> I never cared for cooking spray, they make too much of a mess IMO and
I
> don't like the flavor that some impart. That said, I keep a 750ml
> bottle fixed with a bar pour spout filled with olive oil on the
counter.
> Cheap doesn't look bad and functional...mine's an empty
schimirnoff
> twist bottle with labels removed chosen for the easy to grip design.
A
> little bit is enough to keep foods from sticking to the pan and if
you
> do want the surface completely coated a pastry brush will do the
trick.

My olive oil bottle has one of those bar pourers too, an old 1.5 liter
wine bottle... was so long ago I wouldn't want to guess what wine.

Sheldon

"cowboy" <cacheoverflow@yahooDOTcom> wrote:

> so, has anyone figured out the magic bullet? which ingredient of PAM-style
> cooking sprays is the culprit, the alcohol or the lecithin?
>
> Is there some alternative spray that doesn't form the varnish and won't ruin
> my new cookware?
> Or some type of "aerosol oil mister" that folks here use?

The people on my appliance listserv, who eschew PAM and similar things,
say that a spray bottle works fine, but a light coating of oil on a
paper towel is better.

serene
--
http://serenejournal.livejournal.com
http://www.jhuger.com