Settle a Debate

My wife and I are going back and forth about this, so I'll throw it out to y'all to settle.

Regarding our nonstick pans, wok and cast-iron skillet: I immediately wipe them down with a paper towel after cooking; I say this properly cleans them and seasons them (and, in the case of the nonstick, preserves the finish). She says they should be washed with soap and water every time, using a scrubber (plastic in the case of the nonstick pan), and seasoned every once in a while.

Comments?

- Steve

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 12:14 pm: Edit

Wiping them with a paper towel does NOT properly clean anything!
On the other hand if you wash it with a scrubber, soap and water you would have to season it almost every time you used it for sensitive foods. You could wash it with a towel, soap and water and that would not punish it as much as a scrubber!
The solution (in my opinion)is to rinse it out with water, towel dry and, store it in a refrigerator to keep bacteria from growing!
Now, you two battle it out as to which solution you will use!!!!!!!
Happy Holidays!!!!!

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 03:48 pm: Edit

Cleaning non-stick surfaces like Teflon, etc. is just a matter of accepting that eventually, no matter how gently you treat them the surface will wear off. Use the scrubbie and soapy water and deal with it.

Cleaning cast iron OR non-stainless woks is just a matter of NEVER EVER using soap and water to clean them. Instead, as soon as you're done cooking with them, even before you sit down to eat, heat the piece up over med to med-high heat then run the piece under hot water. Use a brush to remove stubborn food particles. I repeat: NO SOAP! Return the pice to the stove to dry all the water, allow to cool and store away.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 - 11:31 pm: Edit

Skillet, add water, bring to boil to loosen food particals. add one drop of soap, let boil for 3 mins. rinse. repeat with no soap. DRY with towel. with paper towle wipe lard onto surface before you use, not just before you store them. don't let rust.

non.stick, add water, bring to boil, add drop of soap,add tools, let boil for 3 mins, rinse well. dry with towel.

call me in the morning.

I don't know what that "put in fridge" stuff is all about. must be a flor-e-da thing.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 08:51 am: Edit

throw the friggin pan into the dishwasher and press run. take out, place in bin w/ all the other pans...lmao

cast iron... no soap! I just eat whatever is left and put it up... add flavor next time you use it. ;)

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 10:05 am: Edit

Tefflon causes cancer now also guys, have you all heard that yet????

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 12:18 pm: Edit

blah blah blah... eggs are good, eggs are bad... who knows what the heck is good and bad nowadays. "They" change their minds every other year. I did hear about it though... copper is bad too, but it is still used eh?

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 12:35 pm: Edit

I always thought eggs were the perfect food!!!!

By Chefrev (Chefrev) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 02:48 pm: Edit

Anything will cause cancer if you feed enough of it to a lab rat. They're born with cancer anyway it seems like.

I'm no scientist (but I stayed at a Holiday Express last nite :-P) but it seems to me that the concentration of toxins would only build up to a dangerous level if you cook EVERYTHING in Teflon every day for the rest of your life. That's IF there really is a threat.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Wednesday, December 17, 2003 - 10:53 pm: Edit

Tefflon sucks!!
always has, always will.
who started this thread anyhow, lets kick his as*
eggs make one of the most perfect things EVER! invented, mousse'.
without mousse' where would we all be?

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 08:34 am: Edit

aahhh yes... mousse'... how can ya live without it. Funny how large those beasts get from one lil' egg.

By Steve9389 (Steve9389) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 08:49 am: Edit

I started the thread, Spike. You and me, outside ...

I'm not a big Teflon fan most of the time, but when I'm at Soldier Field making 150 omelets in 2 hours with a line 12 customers long, you can bet your rear end I'm using nonstick pans.

- Steve

By Chefmanny (Chefmanny) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 10:36 am: Edit

Worked good for Gotti!!!!!!!!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 02:37 pm: Edit

I met him once, at a bar, in Manhatten. Sat next to him and had a conversation with him. Didn't know who he was. Nice guy.
"Soldier Field making 150 omelets in 2 hours".....next time I'm in town I want to help ya for a day doing that. It sounds like it would be a blast!

By Corey (Corey) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 03:54 pm: Edit

Mousse?
I prefer the little brown ones the best.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 07:14 pm: Edit

dipped in milk choc.
yummmmm....................

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Thursday, December 18, 2003 - 07:16 pm: Edit

I guess steve's wife won.
are you sure you passed sanitation class?????

By Point83702 (Point83702) on Saturday, December 20, 2003 - 01:52 pm: Edit

Maybe I flunked sanitation also. If I question the cleanliness of a pan I always preheat the pan, add a shot of water(deglaze), swirl it around, dump it out, wipe it out and cook. How many bacteria live through that? I've never been to Florida though...
P.S. Wouldn't cast iron rust in the fridge? How about Florida humidity?
P.P.S. Happy holidays to all!

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Sunday, December 21, 2003 - 08:20 pm: Edit

yes, cast iron would rust in the fridge, your right.
i think one reason that peopple started to oil cast pans before putting them away is so they wouldn't rust. i think as years went on this turned in to being called "seasoning", for this type of pan, theres no other reason why this has to be done. it's unnessary. i don't know if anyone of the older people here ever had to rub salt into the pans during their training, this was suppose to season the pans also. it does not. if you have a pan thats lets say stainless steel and it has a circular pattern in it, there no way your going to rub that pattern smooth, it's NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. today, all you have to do is while your warming or heating the pan, spray some of that pam stuff in it and that will/should allow you to cook whatever with out the sticking.
I've had a paul revere 8" sautee pan for years, it came with a smooth stainless steel inside and I've never done anything that even comes close to seasoning and nothing sticks in this pan.nothing. oh and I clean it with brillo, s.o.s.

By Snuffaluff (Snuffaluff) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 09:50 am: Edit

"I've had a paul revere 8" sautee pan for years, it came with a smooth stainless steel inside and I've never done anything that even comes close to seasoning and nothing sticks in this pan.nothing. oh and I clean it with brillo, s.o.s."

Me too. I've used the same pan of similar type for a long time. I think almost 5yrs now. Still works like a champ and I don't do anything but wash it when I'm done. No oil or anything like that.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Monday, December 22, 2003 - 10:05 pm: Edit

thats right, stainless inside and copper on the bottom. best damn pan i've ever owned. think i'll go buy some more if i can find them.

By Scott123 (Scott123) on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 09:07 pm: Edit

>I've had a paul revere 8 sautee pan

Me three. They aren't that friendly to intense preheating though.

> i think as years went on this turned in to being called "seasoning", for this type of pan, theres no other reason why this has to be done. it's unnessary.

I agree. Depending on what oil you use, if you don't use your pan for a while, you end up with a pan covered in rancid oil. Season it well and store it in a dry place, that's it. Speaking of seasoning, I've been experimenting with methods of seasoning a pan that won't stink up the house. It's not the most energy efficient way but a 225 degree oven for about 7 hours will season a lightly oil pan quite nicely without much smell.

By Chefspike (Chefspike) on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 09:59 pm: Edit

and maybe burn down the house....................lol