A broiler pan is a kitchen tool that’s used for baking meat and other food.
When it’s subjected to high heat, the grease and food residue can become incredibly stubborn and difficult to remove.
You need to clean it thoroughly using the right methods to prevent baked-on grease and keep the scrubbing to a minimum.
How to Clean Broiler Pans
Broiler pans can get grimy very quickly in the oven, which is why you need to use the right cleaning techniques to loosen up the gunk and get rid of the stubborn spots effectively.
So let’s have a look at some of the methods you can use to clean the broiler pans
Method 1 – Use Baking Soda
One simple and effective way to clean your broiler pan is by using baking soda.
What You Need
- Baking soda
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Paper towels
- A washcloth or a sponge
Instructions
- Place your broiler pan in the sink or on the countertop and sprinkle baking soda over the entire surface until it forms a thick layer.
- Add some water in a spray bottle and squirt it on the broiler pan to dampen the baking soda. If you don’t have a spray bottle on hand, you can pour some water on to the pan and give it a mix until it gets a paste-like consistency.
- Get some paper towels to cover the surface of the pan. Get the pans dripping wet before laying them on top of the baking soda. This should keep the baking soda wet for a longer time and help loosen the stubborn stains and food residue.
- If you notice that the towels are drying out very quickly, spray a little bit of water on them.
- Let the pan sit for about half an hour as the baking soda does its magic. You can even leave it for 2 to 3 hours if you have the time or overnight if the food residue is particularly stubborn to remove.
- Once you’ve waited enough time and the water has evaporated, use a spatula to scrape off the dried baking soda. It’s advisable to discard the scraped-off baking soda into the garbage can instead of the sink as it will clog up the drain.
- Once every last bit of baking soda has been removed effectively, take your broiler pan to the sink and give it a thorough rinse. Use a washcloth or sponge to scrub and wipe off any residue that’s still stuck on the pan.
Method 2 – Soak the Pan with a Dryer Sheet
Soaking the pan with dryer sheets is another effective method you can use to clean your broiler pan.
What You Need
- Dish soap
- Dryer sheet
- Sponge
Instructions
- If your broiler pan has sides that can allow it to hold some water, place it on your counter and fill it with hot water. But if you have a flat pan with no edges, place it in the sink or a plastic tub that’s large enough for it and soak it in hot water.
- Squirt a little bit of dishwashing detergent on the surface of the pan. Make sure you’re using a dish soap that’s specially made to fight stubborn grease. If you’ve run out of dish soap, this method will still work without it.
- Take a dryer sheet and lay it flat on top of the pan and make sure it’s submerged in the water. You can use two dryer sheets to clean the pans that have caked-on or burnt-on grease and food residue. It’s advisable to opt for biodegradable dryer sheets if you’re eco-conscious.
- Leave the pan to sit for at least an hour with the water, dish soap, and dryer sheet. You can leave it for longer or overnight if the grease looks particularly stubborn. The dryer sheet is meant to help loosen up the residue as it’s soaking in the water.
- After enough time has passed, drain the water. If there’s still some residue left, wipe off the pan with a sponge in order to get rid of it.
- After the food residue and grease have been removed, give your pan a final wash with dish soap and water and let it air-dry.
Method 3 – Scrub the Pan with Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser
If the first two methods didn’t lead to satisfactory results, try using Bar Keepers Friend.
What You Need
- Bar Keepers Friend
- Sponge or scrubbing pad
Instructions
- Place your broiler pan in the sink or on the counter. If it has sides, fill it with enough water so that it thinly covers the bottom of the pan. If the pan is flat without sides, place it inside the sink and make sure it’s covered with warm water.
- Lightly sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend on the entire surface of the pan and make sure the most stubborn spots and stains are fully covered. You don’t need to use a large amount. Just make sure every inch of the pan is covered with powder. You can also use Bar Keepers Friend spray as that will do the trick just as well.
- Allow the pan to sit for a couple of minutes while the cleaner helps break up the burnt-on grease and food residue on the pan. You can leave the powder on for as much as ten minutes if the pan is especially dirty and covered in stains.
- Use a scrubbing pad or a sponge to gently scrub the entire surface and get rid of any food residue that’s still stuck on the pan. It’s recommended that you use a sponge that you don’t use for other dishes as Bar Keepers Friend is stronger than most dishwashing detergents. If you don’t have a spare sponge, there’s no need to worry. Just make sure you’ve rinsed the sponge thoroughly after you’ve used it to clean the broiler pan.
- After you’ve scoured the entire surface of the pan clean and made sure there’s no residue or gunk left, wash the Bar Keepers Friend off the pan under running water.
- Use a clean and wet washcloth to wipe away the leftover cleaner and let it dry.
Removing Deep Spots from Broiler Pans
If your broiler pan has been in use for a long time, it can easily become spotty. These spots may even become permanent over time if you don’t do something about them.
Most people opt for chemical cleaners to get rid of these spots, but they can end up causing damage to the material of the pan.
Instead of using hard substances, it’s advisable that you take care of spots as you notice them. A great way to remove these spots is by using a lemon.
All you need to do is lay your broiler pan in a large tub or basin that’s filled with water and lemon juice. Let the pan soak in this mixture overnight. If the spots are deeper, you can leave it in for longer.
After it has been soaking for enough time, give it a final wash with soap and water and use a sponge or scrubbing pan to get rid of leftover grime or food residue.
Saving Your Broiler Pan from Unexpected Spots
Instead of cleaning your broiler pan with harsh chemicals every now and then, you should take better care of them to prevent unexpected spots from occurring in the first place.
It’s advisable to wrap the bottom of the pan with foil paper to avoid grease from getting baked on to it.
Another thing you can do is coat the grill and the pan with oil, butter, or any other liquid that won’t get mixed with water. This should help prevent food from sticking on to the pan and becoming a stubborn stain.
Tips to Keep in Mind
Here are some tips you need to keep in mind to take proper care of your broiler pan when you’re cleaning it:
- Avoid using a metal brush or a scrubber on the pan since most broilers are covered with a heat-sensitive coating. This coating is what helps the broiler warm up faster. Using metal utensils while cleaning the pan can leave permanent nasty scratches.
- Avoid heavy scrubbing as that can also damage the finish of your broiler pan.
- Using harsh substances that contain chemicals can do permanent damage to your pans, which is why you should consider using baking soda, dryer sheets, and lemon and water mixture and leave chemicals as a last resort.
- Make a habit of cleaning your pan regularly after every use. Not only does the burnt-on grease and food residue affect the taste of your food, but it’s also unhygienic.
Bottom Line
It’s important to note that every pan is different, depending on how bad the damage is.
For pans that are extra dirty and stained, you’ll need to adopt a more effective cleaning process and allow them to soak for longer so all the gunk and spots have loosened.
If you don’t clean your broiler pans using the right techniques, it won’t perform how it’s supposed to when you’re using it for cooking purposes.
Older spots that haven’t been effectively removed can damage the coating of the pan, so you must make sure you’re cleaning your pan regularly if you wish to use your pan for a long time.
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