Non-stick pans are functional and clean in no time, but their special coating tends to deteriorate over time, especially if they are not washed and handled properly. Surface stains and scratches cause food to start sticking and this can be frustrating, especially if you've spent a lot of money buying that pan. Fortunately, there is a solution to restore the non-stick coating: wash them and then grease them with oil to reinforce the protective layer. This simple process is known as "curing," and while it requires some work, it is definitely preferable to buying a new pan.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Thoroughly clean the non-stick pan
Step 1. Add water, vinegar, and baking soda to the pan
Before "curing" the non-stick pan, it is useful to clean it thoroughly to remove stains or food particles that may be responsible for damage to the coating. First pour 250 ml of water into the pan, then add two tablespoons of baking soda and 120 ml of distilled white vinegar.
Step 2. Heat the mixture until it boils
Place the pan on the stove and heat the water, baking soda, and vinegar using medium heat. When the liquid starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat.
Step 3. Wash the pan
After removing it from the stove, pour the cleaning mixture down the sink drain, then wash it as you normally do using a mild dish soap. Do not use any object or abrasive detergent to avoid further damaging the non-stick coating.
Step 4. Dry the pan
After washing and rinsing it, dry it with a soft dry kitchen towel. It is very important to dry it well before treating it otherwise the oil will not adhere properly to the walls.
Part 2 of 4: Treat the Pan with Vegetable Oil
Step 1. Put the pan on the stove to heat again
After having cleaned it thoroughly, it is time to start the "curing" process to restore the non-stick patina. First, heat the pan on the stove using mild heat.
Step 2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven
While the pan is heating up, turn on the oven at a temperature of 150 ° C. The oil will have to cook on the surface of the pan creating a very thin protective layer.
Step 3. Grease the pan with vegetable oil
Pour any cooking oil into the pan. Use enough to create an even layer on the bottom about 1-1.5cm thick.
Step 4. Place the pan in the oven for two hours
Once you've added the oil, put the pan in the oven and let it heat for a couple of hours. The heat produced by the oven will polymerize the oil on the metal surface creating a new non-stick coating.
- Use this method only if the pan can be used in the oven.
- It is not necessary that the oven has already reached the required temperature to put the pan in the oven.
Step 5. Turn off the oven, but don't take the pan out until the next day
After two hours, turn off the oven, but do not take the pan out. Let the oil continue to heat up and dry out until the next day.
Step 6. Take the pan out of the oven and use it in the kitchen
After leaving it in the oven overnight, the non-stick patina should have restored and made it ready for use again.
Part 3 of 4: Treat the pan with coconut oil
Step 1. Heat it on the stove over medium heat for three minutes
If you are not sure whether you can put it in the oven, you can do the same process using the stove. First, heat the pot on the stove for three minutes after you have thoroughly cleaned and dried it completely.
Step 2. Pour two tablespoons of coconut oil into the hot pan
After leaving it on the fire for three minutes, add two tablespoons (equal to 30 ml) of coconut oil and let it melt; it will take a couple of minutes.
If you want, you can also use any vegetable cooking oil if you don't have coconut oil at home
Step 3. Swirl the pan so that the oil evenly coats the bottom
When the coconut oil has melted, lift the pan slightly and twist your wrist to tilt it in all directions so that the oil spreads evenly across the bottom.
Step 4. Heat the oil until it starts smoking
After swirling the pan to evenly coat the bottom, put it back on the heat and let it heat until the oil starts to smoke. By then it will have become red-hot and will begin to cure on the metal.
Step 5. Put the pan in a safe place to cool
When the oil reaches the smoke point, take the non-stick pan and move it away from the heat. Let it cool in a protected corner of the kitchen, without emptying it of the boiling oil, until both have reached room temperature.
Step 6. Rub the oil on the pan
When you are certain that it has cooled down, if you look closely, you will notice that some of the coconut oil is still visible on the bottom. Take the kitchen paper and rub it gently on the pan. This action should push some oil particles into the porous coating created on the pan, while the excess will be absorbed by the paper. At the end the pan will be ready for use again.
Part 4 of 4: Treat the pan before using it
Step 1. Wash and dry the pan
Even if you used vegetable or coconut oil to "cure" it and restore the non-stick patina, it is still useful to lubricate it quickly to protect the coating before each use. Before starting, make sure it is perfectly clean and dry.
Step 2. Soak a sheet of kitchen paper in oil
Pour a couple of tablespoons of a mild-flavored oil, such as sunflower oil, onto a sheet of kitchen paper. If you prefer, you can use butter; in this case, put some flakes directly in the pan.
A minimum amount of oil is sufficient and it is for this reason that it is better to pour it on the paper and not directly inside the pot
Step 3. Scrub the inside of the pan with oil or butter
Pass the oil-soaked paper over it or use it to rub the butter into the bottom of the pan. Finally, absorb the excess fat so as not to affect the next cooking. At this point you can use your non-stick pan as usual.
Advice
- Safeguard the non-stick coating of the pan by making sure to use it correctly. Avoid abrasive sponges and detergents and mix the food in the pot with a wooden or plastic utensil instead of a metal one.
- If the non-stick coating is badly damaged, the best thing to do is to throw the pan away and buy a new one to avoid ingesting bits of non-stick material that are harmful to health.
