Originally published at: How to revitalize a sticky nonstick pan with salt | Boing Boing
…
What mechanism is at work here?
4 Likes
Or throw it away and get a real pan.
7 Likes
Yeah, if it’s a PTFE (teflon) pan then if stuff is sticking then that means lots of the PTFE is gone. And soap or salt is NOT going to deposit more PTFE in the pan.
In fact, I’d say this advice is actually dangerous. If your non-stick pan is sticking then that means the PTFE coating is breaking down and maybe getting in your food.
A non-stick pan sticking is the signal to throw it out and buy a new pan. PTFE pans are not meant to last a lifetime. (That’s why you should buy mid-price range PTFE pans, not expensive ones.)
19 Likes
Or just avoid PTFE altogether. I’m a cast iron guy myself.
17 Likes
Even a full-stick pan will non-stick WHEN YOU ADD THAT OIL!
12 Likes
Don’t use a scouring pad, but scour it with salt? Heating the pan on high will warp those cheap pans. Then again, my non stick pan is some kind of ceramic coating, so I’m going to ignore this.
3 Likes
I’m cheap as fuck, but several years ago I got all new pans to replace our nonstick set because I learned that perfluorinated compounds have health effects in the parts per trillion range, and they bioaccumulate. The pan you are using could give you high cholesterol regardless of what you’re cooking!
2 Likes
This. Harder to ruin, versatile, durable, nice for baking/frying/steaming/sauteing, goes on stove top, in the oven and toaster oven, can take camping. You can scrape it with a steel spatula and not feel bad. Also good strength training. More bulletproof than most non-stick pans, though ymmv.
ETA: I grew up on non-stick pans, and when I started cooking, was using them consistently. Switched gradually over a decade to cast iron, now feel I’d never go back. Develop a season routine that works for you, you’ll have a non stick cast iron pan that’s healthier and easier to mess with.
Lot of internet info how to, but you can acquire pots worth handing down to your children. I got a bunch of teflon pans from my mom that are now trash.
1 Like
Instantly destroys pan, buy new pan, works like new.
3 Likes
Really hot, not much stuff in it–sounds like it’s going to burn off the teflon and kill any birds around.
4 Likes
Yeah - I’d have liked to have seen some evidence of exactly how allegedly “non-stick” this pan was beforehand. Something to compare the ‘after’ picture with.
3 Likes
Amen and pass the grease! A well seasoned and cared for cast iron pan can give a nonstick a run for it’s money, and last for generations. The original omnitasker!
4 Likes
non stick pans don’t last and have devil chemicals in them. Cast iron or carbon steel last forever and get better with use instead of breaking down and potentially releasing bad for you chemicals at high heat.
2 Likes
TikTok user trying to get some viewers.
No, salt do not recreate PTFE.
1 Like
The only problem I have with cast iron is that it’s good at holding heat, but slow to heat up and bad at spreading heat evenly. That’s a good thing for some types of cooking, but bad for others (when you want even heating and fast heat control). For that, I’m a big fan of stainless-clad aluminum. A bit pricy, but it’ll last longer than I will.
3 Likes
That heat-holding capacity is one of the beauties of cast iron cookery, but does take some practice to get right. I will disagree some with “spreading the heat evenly.” If you give it a couple minutes, the pan evens out beautifully. It does not respond like the thin crap pans do, but with a bit of experience you can use that to your advantage. And they are cheap as dirt. The old ones from flea markets are practically free if you are handy at restoring and reseasoning them. Love my old, well loved cast iron and plan to hand them down for generations to come.
5 Likes
If she added some oil to the salt it would be close to the method for seasoning carbon steel…
Once I learned how to properly use stainless I almost exclusively cook on that now (copper core is great stuff). Carbon steel and cast iron come out for high heat searing, anything with acidic sauces (and long cook times), and omlettes.
The only non stick in my kitchen is in my rice cooker. I got tired of buying new nonstick pans all the time…
2 Likes
I have 3 hard anodized aluminum pans. The HA surface is black and lets you use ordinary kitchen utensils if you wish. They are the best non-stick finish I’ve ever used. I’ve had the 12" pan for almost 2 years and it’s every bit as slippery as the newer 8" and 10" pans.
