cleaning cookie sheets without scratching them.

[suzigirl]

My bf got me some decent cookie sheets and I baked a homemade pizza last night. The cooking spray that wasn't covered pizza dough got the usual icky brown tacky stain. I haven't for the life of me figured out how to remove this. Help!

[1POINT21GW]

Cooking sprays, vegetable oils, and any other unsaturated fats (fats that are liquid a room temperature) will polymerize (become a hard, sticky, cooked on substance) once they're heated to a certain point and become the hardest substance to remove known to man. The answer is to use a saturated fat like shortening or lard to grease the pan - they are not as prone to polymerization.

Moving forward, I'd consider using aluminum, non-coated sheet pans as well as shortening, instead of vegetable oils (including cooking sprays), to grease the pans. You could also use parchment paper or silicone mats.

[suzigirl]

Very helpful and thank you. Crisco is in the trash. Since you know about this, why didn't this ever happen with Pam?

[1POINT21GW]

You're welcome.

I'm surprised it didn't. That's why I never use Pam on anything like sheet pans and ESPECIALLY waffle irons anymore. It gunks up and is either sticky and hard to clean or completely polymerizes and becomes harder than titanium and nearly impossible to remove.

If you do decide to cook pizza on these pans again, the best thing to put down before you place your dough on the pan is either cornmeal, flour, or, my favorite, semolina.

[suzigirl]

I was out of semolina. Closest second was grits. No,no,no.

[1POINT21GW]

If you're talking regular grits then I would have used those with no hesitation - it's just cornmeal. However, if you're talking quick-cooking, then I'm with you, I would not have used them.

[suzigirl]

It was quick cook. :-( My boyfriend won't eat grits and they just aren't nice leftover. They aren't much better instant either but a southern girl needs her some grits. G.R.I.T.S ( girls rule in the south)

[1POINT21GW]

Have you ever made grits from coarse stone-ground cornmeal?

[suzigirl]

Oh yes. Every year when my parents go to Georgia we split a bag that he gets fresh ground from a country store. Mmmm mmm. And I hate when you get them in a restaurant and they can scoop them with an ice cream scoop. I like them creamy with fried eggs

[1POINT21GW]

Nice! Yeah, the next time they go, they may want to check out the Nora Mill Granary where they stone grind the corn right there in front of you. There's a lot of history at that granary.

http://www.noramill.com/

[jeanmarieok]

deleted

[SanityRemoved]

I've heard of all cans of spray oil doing this. I have a feeling that the propellants may have changed over the years and that they may be the reason for the bad results with non-stick surfaces.

[SanityRemoved]

Found something else that may work, Simple Green.

http://www.simplegreen.com/solutions_cleaning_tips.php?sid=342717&lang=en&action=artikel&cat=15&id=137&artlang=en

http://www.simplegreen.com/solutions_...

I would avoid the bare side if it is aluminum but if you do manage to get some on it, just rinse well.

[suzigirl]

I am willing to try it but as 1POINT just posted it sounds like it's a goner. C'est la vie. Thank you for the link. I am going there now. It would be awesome if it works. I'll let you know. :-)

[SanityRemoved]

It may not be pretty if you don't succeed, but plenty of uses for it. I recently warped a carbon steel crepe pan but it is still in use.

[suzigirl]

Oh I know. Sarcasm just doesn't have a key on my keyboard. Lol. ;-)

[suzigirl]

Last attempt. I spoke to Crisco first to ask how to remove the spray. Not only were they unwilling to suggest a anything but added insult to injury, argued with me and refused to accept any culpability. Told them that it burned and got the response of " oh" and silence. No offer of any assistance at all. So, on to my last attempt.... I called the maers of the pans and they said a paste of water and cream of tarter. We'll see.

[SanityRemoved]

Try using a couple tablespoons of corn meal saturated with cooking oil. Rub the paste over the spot with a paper towel. The corn meal is less abrasive than salt.

[phofiend]

Try Dawn Power Dissolver. It rescued a broiler pan that was so crusted over that the drain holes were plugged.

[suzigirl]

Someone else mentioned that. I am going to try it as i have tried several things already and refuse to give up yet on this pan. It's a good pan and relatively new. My last attempt at dishwasher soap failed and I am not super jazzed at the amonia idea. But I haven't ruled it out. I just want to go with things that are food safe first and I'm not sure if amonia is.

[wyogal]

Ammonia is used to clean ovens. You rinse it off.

[pine time]

Forgive me if it's already been stated (haven't read every single reply), but careful on ammonia/oven cleaners on the pan, depending on what metal it is. I ruined 2 baking sheets that way. Now a Silpat user! (And I do use cornmeal under pizza crust, even on a pizza stone.)

[GH1618]

Ammonia, being alkaline, will oxidize and blacken aluminum, but shouldn't affect the non-stick coating. Was the "ruined" surface bare metal or coated? How was it ruined?

[suzigirl]

I used Crisco cannola oil non stock spray ans wherever the dough wasn't covering the pan it burned. Yes it is a non stick. And judging by your questions you haven't read all the posts. So, I can tell you I have tried baking soda, baking soda ans a magic eraser scrubby sponge, soaked overnight in straight vinegar and a paste of cream of Tatar overnight, and dishwasher powder. Still tacky and burnt.

[GH1618]

The question was directed to "pine time," not to you.

[suzigirl]

Oops. Super sorry. I guess I forgot to look. Got hopeful that someone might save my pan.

[pine time]

I also thought you meant Suzigirl, sorry. It was bare metal. Yup, turned black and the surface (which was not non-stick) felt grainy. Tossed it.

[HillJ]

Fill your nonstick pans with water and a teaspoon of dish soap and place them on the stove over medium-low heat if the baked on grease appears to be really stubborn. The heat should further help loosen the grease, allowing you to remove it with a nylon scratch pad or plastic spatula.

This worked for me with a sticky toffee recipe and a loaf pan. Worth a try?

[suzigirl]

I haven't had any luck cleaning the pan. Alas, I fear it is doomed to live its life as an ugly duckling.

[GH1618]

Try soaking in ammonia for a few hours, then wash. And throw away your cooking spray.

[wyogal]

Did you try Bon Ami?

[suzigirl]

Can I use that on nonstick? I would hate to trash the coating. They wew a nice gift

[wyogal]

I searched online and it came up as a solution. Did you try the ammonia soak?

[suzigirl]

I am not giving up yet. I saw another thread that mentioned dish washer powder so mooched some off a neighbor as I am the dishwasher in my house. If that doesn't do it I'm trying the amonia. Just so everyone knows it was Crisco brand. Buy one get one wasn't such a bargin in the end. I may complain to them. It was a 35 dollar pan.

[HillJ]

Wow sorry to hear that too, 35.00 is alot to pay.

[suzigirl]

Now you see why I want to save it. Its a really nice heavy duty sheet.

[wyogal]

Sometimes that helps, the dish washer powder, kind of damp on the pan, like a paste.

[pdxgastro]

That's my suggestion. I use dishwasher powder on the enamel of LeCreuset type pans with great success.

[suzigirl]

I tried baking soda with a Mr, clean magic eraser. Then I soaked them overnight in apple cider vinegar. To no avail.

[HillJ]

Sorry to hear thatr suzigirl. That's some powerful goo! If the spray baked on they might be sunk.

I wonder...did you try heating the trays to loosen the goo and then wipe clean?

[suzigirl]

I soaked it in boiling hot water and this didn't budge it. I am willing to try a few more things but I fear it's just the latest ugly duckling in my kitchen that I will continue to love.

[HillJ]

Really hot water and baking soda which acts like a fine pumice will remove it. But let the solution really soak in first. Then if you need a bit more elbow grease on the thicker goo, make a pumice of baking soda and just enough water to be on the thick side and use it to clean up the residue. Works like a charm, non chemical and won't scratch the sheets.

[SanityRemoved]

Do you know what they are made of? Are they bare or do they have a non-stick coating?

[suzigirl]

Chicago metallic Co. And yes it has a non stick coating.

[HillJ]

suzigirl, did you use non stick spray on non stick coated pans? If so, that's the dilemma. I'd try the hot water/baking soda solution. You won't want to add more chemical to the non sticking coating material.

[suzigirl]

Yes I did. I thought it was kinda an insurance policy. Double the non stick factor as I was out of semolina and thought the closest thing I had was grits and thought it was to course. Thanks for the heads up.

[HillJ]

Ah. Once you get the spray goo off the pan dry them really well and then oil them a bit with a light amount of olive oil and let them air dry to a dry-tac. Next time you make pizza preheat your oven hot (I go 500 for pizza) and heat your tray a few mins before placing your pizza down. You won't need another form of non stick or cornmeal unless you like the taste on the crust bottom. Good luck!

[kaleokahu]

Hi, HillJ:

Definitely not picking a fight here, but did you just recommend taking empty PTFE-coated bakeware to 500F?

Aloha,
Kaleo

[HillJ]

Good catch, k. My pizza pans are metal with no coating and stone. 500 is too hot for coated bakeware. thanks.

[suzigirl]

Is the olive oil a better insurance policy or am I setting myself up for another tacky burnt oil mess? I'm not being a snot, just wondering if I just need to trust that its a nice non stick sheet? The cornmeal thing comes from working at two pizza joints.

[HillJ]

No problem here, suzigirl. If you've worked at two pizza joints then you'll be very familiar with what type of surface you need from those pizza pans. I don't care for the cornmeal thing, just a personal taste preference. But as far as the non stick pans, well you want them back in shape or use a pan that doesn't have a non stick coating. Did they use non stick at the pizza joint?

My comments here were initially recommendations for your cookie sheets, non stick coated. I use a round metal pan with holes (nice char on crust and def. impossible to use spray or cornmeal on) without non stick or a pizza stone.

[suzigirl]

P.S. I forgot to tell you I love your site name. I can relate. :-)

[wyogal]

Bon Ami?