Help! I have caramelised my pot

Teyla Emmagan

So, I was making jam on Sunday, in two pots.

While I was admiring one, checking for setting point etc, I managed to ignore the one on the bigger ring so much so that it caramelised (contents and bottom). More fool me.

So, I did what my Mam would do and put baking soda on it. The goo has lifted off, but I am left with this hard sugarised shell on the bottom. So, do I scrape it off, or is there another way? I have had these pots for about ten years, they are Wedgewood stainless steel, and really good, bar the frying pan which I eventually also burnt the 'non stick' off?

Any thoughts then? Should I just try to boil the sugar off or is there another way?

moceri

Put a few inches of water in the pan, (to cover the burnt sugar). Add a cup of washing soda and bring to boil. Allow to simmer for an hour or so. Keep covered with a lid. Let it soak for a few days cold. Empty and repeat as necessary.

Teyla Emmagan

Thanks Moceri, but what is washing soda? Am not sure if that's something I've seen in the shops.

Very glad for your feedback though!

Dinkie

Baking soda is what my mum uses!

Ophiopogon

You can use baking/bread soda as well. Add vinegar after soaking and leave for another soak.

Honey-ec

Same thing happened to me before. Brillo pads were the only thing that worked. It took a good five soak-scrub-dry cycles before the pot was back to normal, but I got there in the end.

Soak the pot in warm water with some washing up liquid in.

Wet your brillo pad, pour the water out of the pot and scrub like bejayus until the soap is pretty much gone out of the pad.

Rinse and dry the pot.

Repeat the following day with a fresh brillo pad, and keep going til your pot is restored to its former glory.

vicwatson

Vinegar boiled in it, it'll stink out your gaf but sure .....

Teyla Emmagan

Thanks very much ladies (and maybe gents)! I have no fear of hard scrubbing, but was afraid I might ruin the pot for good.

Will go for the baking soda/vinegar/hard work option then!

Cheers.

Dizzyblonde

Boiling cooking apples often restores pots to their former glory. I'd chop up a couple, skins and all, and simmer them in water for about 10-15 minutes at least (keep an eye on them and don't let them burn too though!).

Molly1983

Boiling coke in the saucepan also works well for me. I've plenty of experience with this :mad:
Saw this tip on a tv programme ages ago and thought it was a bit silly until I tried it myself. It has something to do with the acid in the coke

nicol

Boiling rhubarb in the pot for 30 mins should help shift it. You should be able to get frozen rhubarb at this time of the year.

hardCopy

This is beginning to sound like a Simpsons episode.

TroutMask

I've always found brillos to be too harsh for fine metal cookware. Sometimes I use a finer grade steel wool like 000 or 0000. More often, I'll treat all of my steel cookware (& cutlery too) to a metal polishing session. Peek is my favourite: enough cut to deal with steel, but gentle enough to produce a beautiful polished finish. Thanks for all the other tips people, this is a great thread!

arandale

I have yet to come accross something better than rhurbarb, just chop in a few pieces with a little water and simmer the pot will be shining after its the acid that does the job, i know its out of season but cooking peel could to the job too.

Dizzyblonde

arandale wrote: »

I have yet to come accross something better than rhurbarb, just chop in a few pieces with a little water and simmer the pot will be shining after its the acid that does the job, i know its out of season but cooking peel could to the job too.

Rhubarb, apples and tomatoes all work well - as you said, it's the acid.