Learned a grate trick for deglazing pans after a brunch disaster

I was in the weeds last Sunday at the little spot I work in Austin, and a pan of fondue burned so bad I almost tossed it. One of the old line cooks grabbed a microplane, hit the dried cheese with a thin layer of water, and scraped it clean in under a minute. It saved me from scrubbing for 10 minutes, and now I use that trick on any stubborn burnt-on stuff. Anyone else got a weird tool hack that saves you time on cleanup?

2 comments

2 Comments

chen.james25d ago

Hang on, I gotta push back a little. That microplane trick works for cheese, but for real burnt-on fondue, you're basically just sanding down your pan. I've seen line cooks do that and end up with scratched up nonstick that starts flaking into food a week later. A good soak with hot water and a little dish soap does the job without wrecking your equipment. Plus, if you're using a microplane on a hot pan, you're one slip away from grating your knuckles real bad.

taylor_mitchell8023d ago

Idk, I actually read somewhere that chefs in some restaurants use a little bit of baking soda with the hot water soak and it helps lift the burnt stuff without scratching. @chen.james is right about the microplane thing though, that's just asking for trouble on nonstick. I've tried the soak method myself and it takes a little patience but the pan comes out fine every time. Plus, you're not ruining your gear or risking a trip to urgent care.