Anodized Pans are a type of cookware that provides several benefits. These pans come with an electrochemical process, which means they’ve been chemically treated and given a protective coating to make them more durable and resistant to corrosion.
This is important because we all know how difficult it can be to clean pots and pans after cooking! Anodized pans usually have a non-stick surface, which makes food slide right off the pan instead of sticking on the surface.
It also helps promote even heating so you don’t have to worry about burning your food or having it stick in one spot for too long. And lastly, these types of pans are scratch-resistant without being coated in Teflon, which means no toxic chemicals getting passed on to your food.
How to Clean Hard Anodized Cooking Pans?
As someone who hates dishes and I want to avoid using a dishwasher as much as possible, my pans get rather dirty. Eventually, these pans need to be scrubbed clean of burnt food bits and stains, or else they won’t look very pretty on the shelf.
I always start by filling the pan halfway with hot water and adding some form of soap to it – usually Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Peppermint Soap , though sometimes I also use just baking soda .
Let the pan soak for several minutes, then use a sponge or brush (whichever one is best for that specific surface) and just scrub away at the burnt gunk. If you have really stuck-on residue from old food scraps or stains, you can let the pan soak in this mixture overnight before trying again later in the day.
When I’m done scrubbing, I just pour out all of the water and then give it a thorough rinse to make sure that no soap or residue is left behind. If there was any baking soda used in the mix, then I want to rinse until there’s no more bubbling action when I pour water over it.
If necessary for whatever reason (e.g., if there are still some stained areas when doing this), I will rub on some baking soda paste with my fingertips or use a gentle abrasive sponge like this one . Then, following up with another round of rinsing to get rid of any soap residue, I dry the pan with a towel and set it on my stovetop to air-dry for several minutes.
I am not sure if it is good practice, but I also like to do some preliminary seasoning before using my anodized pans that have just been scrubbed clean. First, I heat up the pan over medium heat until it is nice and hot – this helps ensure proper bonding of oil and makes cleanup easier later on.
Then I pour in a small amount of extra virgin olive oil or melted coconut oil . While swirling it around so all surfaces are thinly coated, I let the pan cool down completely before washing off the excess with some paper towels (be careful as the inside will be very hot!).
This step isn’t really necessary, but it makes the pan smooth and shiny again so you don’t have to scrub as hard later on down the line.
Afterward, I now store my pans off of the shelf somewhere so they can air-dry until their next use. Doing this with any cookware is important because otherwise they might form some rust spots or other unsightly blemishes that will need to be scrubbed clean once more!
FAQs:
How often should I clean my anodized pans?
Anodizing is used to increase the durability of the material, so it’s safe to say that if you follow proper cooking practices (i.e., not overheating and using low/medium heat when necessary), then your pan should be very durable.
Long story short, anodized cookware should be fine if simply wiped down with a dry cloth after use and stored in a dry place. However, some people like to give them an extra scrub down after each use and re-season them every few months (or more frequently depending on how often you cook).
What kinds of things can I make with these types of pans?
Anodized aluminum is great for most types of cooking, especially if you like to sear meats or make sauces. You’ll find that the nonstick properties are very durable, but it’s still best to use low heat whenever possible (medium heat is okay too).
Personally, I like using this set for making my favorite version of scrambled eggs (that happen to be vegan) with yummy sautéed onions and smashed red potatoes! My next goal with them is to try out a stir-fry recipe that I have been wanting to perfect… maybe tofu and veggies with a spicy peanut sauce?
Where can I buy anodized cookware?
Some kitchen supply stores may carry anodized cookware in limited designs, colors, and shapes. However, the best place to find them is on Amazon with a wide array of different brands and styles to choose from (at fantastic prices too).
Just make sure you read the reviews carefully before buying stuff like this! Sometimes there are knock-off/fake products that claim to be made with aluminum but aren’t – they will rust after a few months and can even give you some nasty chemical burns since they might leach nickel or other metals into your food (yuck)!
Conclusion:
See? It’s not hard to clean anodized cookware and it doesn’t take much effort at all.
Of course you always have the option to use special chemicals or powerful abrasive scrubbing tools, but in my opinion there is no need when using something like baking soda paste and a soft sponge (or paper towels in a pinch).
Then, if it really bothers you to leave any remnants behind after rinsing, just go ahead and give your pans another quick wipe down with some cooking oil before putting them away! I know that once I started cleaning my pans this way, they became a whole lot easier to maintain which makes me happy because I hated how much time I used to waste doing extra scrubbing.
