Now that the weather has turned from chilly to cold and the holidays are approaching, it’s officially time to break out your stockpot and roasting pan. Just the idea of a savory something simmering in the oven or on the stove all day is enough to warm your bones! Unfortunately, it only takes a little recipe miscalculation or a slightly longer cook time to end up with a scorched pan — and those caked-on burnt bits are notoriously hard to get off.
Before you break out the big guns, keep this in mind: Depending on what your pan is made of (most of the ones on the market are made of stainless steel, enameled cast iron, or aluminum with or without a nonstick coating), you can damage it if you use a too-scratchy scrubber like steel wool or an ultra-strong cleanser. So start with the gentlest possible fix and work your way up to something stronger only if necessary.
Here are a few methods you can try to remove those burnt bits from a scorched pan.
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