If you have purchased stainless steel cookware belgique or are in the process of shopping around for quality cookware, you already know that stainless steel cookware is not cheap. If you purchase this type of cookware from a home show, county or state fair, you could spend as much as $2000 or more. If you purchase from one of the many reliable internet stores, you may still pay $200 to $350 or more for a good quality set of stainless steel cookware. Whatever the investment, you can be assured that it is money well spent. Once you start using waterless cookware, you will never want to return to conventional cookware. BUT the big question–what about maintenance?
Normal Maintenance
Generally, stainless steel does not require a lot of maintenance. With daily usage, hand-washing your cookware in hot, soapy water and drying it thoroughly with a soft cloth before storing away is recommended. While it is dishwasher safe, many experts feel that the detergents may have a negative effect on stainless steel cookware over time. If you decide to use the dishwasher, it is recommended that you remove your cookware after the wash cycle and dry by hand to avoid water spots.
General Stainless Steel Cookware Cleaning Tips
- If your water has high calcium content, you may notice a white, chalky residue on your cookware. When this appears, simply fill the pot or pan with 1 part of vinegar to 3 parts of water. Bring it to a boil, let it cool, and then wash thoroughly with hot soap water and dry. In many situations, you may not even have to bring the pan to a boil. Most times, if I get that residue on my pans, I merely mix the vinegar/water combination, pour it into the pan, let it stand for several minutes, rub the mixture around the entire surface to make sure all areas have been treated, and then rinse and wash as normal.
- Burnt-on food-Fill you pan with warm soapy water-enough to cover the entire area-and let sit for an hour. Then bring the pan to a boil on the stove for about 10 to 15 minutes. Let the water cool. Scrub with a nylon scouring pad. Wash out again with hot, soapy water. Rinse and dry. Repeat this process again if the stain is particularly stubborn. In most situations, burning can be avoided by simply cooking your food properly. For example, when cooking meats, be sure to let it cook on one side (usually 6 – 7 minutes per side) until it releases easily without sticking. Once it reaches this point, then turn it over.
- Use non-abrasive cleansers like Bon Ami Polishing Cleanser or Bar Keepers Friend for general cleaning and stain removal. Bar Keepers Friend comes in a liquid and a powdered version. Many believe that the powdered version works better. Your cookware should remain looking like new.
- NEVER use steel wool on stainless steel cookware. The metal scouring pads or abrasive cleaners might remove the stuck-on food, but they might also scratch the surface of your cookware. Use nylon-net scouring pads, plastic or nylon brushes.
- If fingerprints are a problem, try using a glass cleaner on your pan. Rinse thoroughly and towel dry.
- Never use chlorine bleach or ammonia-based cleaners on your cookware.
In summary, with proper care and maintenance, your stainless steel cookware will last a lifetime. Your investment in quality cookware allows you to provide healthy, nutritional meals for your family. Protect that investment by taking the time after each use to wash in warm soapy water and properly dry before storing. Occasionally apply a good-quality stainless steel cleaner to it. These simple techniques will keep your cookware looking bright and shiny and keep your foods from sticking in the pan.
We hope you found this information helpful. I f you decide that you would like to investigate stainless steel cookware further, visit our site – The Gourmet’s Cookware. In addition to our stainless steel cookware sets, we also offer stainless steel stockpots, skillets, flatware, cutlery, and other gourmet accessories-all at affordable prices. To help our customers make the transition from conventional to waterless cookware, we also provide additional information about waterless cooking, as well as tasty, nutritional recipes that can easily be adapted to waterless cookware.
