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So I'm switching out my teflon pans to stainless steel ones, for a variety of reason. BUT, after almost ruining the first pan, I went online to learn how to use them....an educational experience, I had no idea it was different.

So, I've mastered it and hubby bought me a whole set of fancy pots, I cooked a whole chicken yesterday, but after cleaning it appears that this particular one has split marks around the top, it looks like the marks where the metal was bent to form it. But they were not there when I washed them by hand the first time.

So is it possible that this is damaged or does this happen (I initially overfilled it with water and it boiled over).

Also because it boiled over this terrible brown color has occurred-inside and out. Now this happened with the very first pan because I didnt heat it right, the only way to remove it is with oven cleaner....who wants to use such strong cleaners to clean your pans!!

So my questions are:

  1. Are stainless steel pans/pots (18/10 professional) suppose to turn brown each time? or do they stay shiny?

  2. Am I the culprit here?

  3. I didn't cure this set because it didn't say to do it (the other pan bought separately of another brand did say and how) should I?

  4. Do stainless steel pots normally get so spotty in the dishwasher? mine says dishwasher safe...they were terribly spotted but not like soap spots, more like spotty metal, different color. (bare in mind I live overseas, the only dw detergent i can get is cascade in powder, no liquid here or any other brand)

  5. I've found a few rust spots, is this normal??? brand spanking new, used just once....

  6. I need to get more pans, but other than getting professional grade 18/10 what other things should I look for? (generalizations not brands, because I'll be lucky to find anything but local or perhaps some odd European brands--not alot of imports here)

thank you!!!!

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what brand are they? Can you attach a picture? – Kim The Nourishing Cook Apr 14 2011 at 18:48
Where are you geographically? – Casey Apr 14 2011 at 19:36
I would never clean pans in the dishwasher...I don't even know why you would consider such a thing. – Henny Apr 14 2011 at 19:43
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 I dont really know why I wouldn't consider such a thing...? – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:59
@kent, South America – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 20:01
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7 Answers

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I recently made the switch to stainless steel and it took me some time to get used to them.

  1. Yes, mine lose their shine with use. My skillets usually have a brownish/grey tinge to them with use. I use Bar Keepers Friend after every other use or so (depending on how much use) and that restores them to good-as-new.

  2. Not sure what you mean by splitting - but, that doesn't sound right. Sounds like a defect in the pan - I can't imagine how a pan would split. I'd send it back to the manufacturer.

  3. I didn't cure my stainless steel - nor did they require any curing.

  4. I was advised not to dish-wash them - as water spots DO stain (I was told).

  5. I don't think rust is normal - I've used mine for about 4 months and no piece has rusted. If your dishwasher is leaving a lot of water on them - perhaps that's why the rust formed?? I Just guessing.

  6. Sorry - don't have any other advise for you, other than to find a reputable brand and/or one that would replace items if there are issues with them.

Good luck!

I've also learned that cooking with ROOM temp food vs. food right out of the fridge makes all the difference in terms of sticking. I could not figure out how to make an egg on stainless without it sticking and was told if I brought it to room temp first it wouldn't stick. Worked amazingly well!

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ok I think no more dishwasher or maybe trying a lower setting first (hate washing dishes) – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:48
No reason the dishwasher should be causing issues, just make sure to soak the pans in the sink first or read my suggestion below about adding water IMMEDIATELY AFTER COOKING on a warm burner to loosen the gunk. – Oranges13 Apr 15 2011 at 13:09
yep I'd already 'hand washed' prior to putting them into the machine, but they were still kind of greasy from the chicken. I'm gonna play with the machine here and there and see if its the fancy programs with all the cycles just making it worse. – Kelly Apr 16 2011 at 13:09
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Stainless steel is very sticky, so its good for some things and some not. Its the best material to use for pan sauces, because of the stickiness, thosy tasty brown bits on the pan after frying meat, mushrooms etc, deglase very well with some cognac or beef broth. Teflon is the best material to cook eggs. but not much else, imo. And something with alot of cheese.

Do also buy a cast iron skillet, its essential for browning meat. And it lasts forever. Some vintage ones are better than new. They alreaydy have good seasoning and also smoother surface. Since back in the day they used to polish the surface. Current cast iron pans are quite rough looking in finish what i have seen. Some of the best old school cast iron skillets are american. I like cast iron cookware so much that i even might buy some old griswald or wagner skillet on ebay. I live in finland and never seen american skillet here. But the shipping costs... :(

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thanks, that reminds me, I am looking for a cast iron skillet. I've been told they are extremely hard to find here and if you find one its old and expensive.....too heavy to send thru the mail or bring in my suitcase the next trip. – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:34
Cast iron skillet is best for eggs, assuming you know how to use it right and maintain it. Which is worth knowing. – Henny Apr 14 2011 at 19:45
Teflon is also good for cooking blood pancakes, blood is very sticky stuff, since its wet, all protein and zero fat. I fry it in duck fat, yummy! :) My cast iron is not seasoned well enough to make a classic french omelet. And the heavy weight makes it hards to do those rapid movements. This is how master did it: youtube.com/watch?v=LWmvfUKwBrg – Jan Apr 14 2011 at 19:53
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For my stainless pots & pans, I use a product called "Barkeepers Friend", it's usually recommended by all the big name manufacturers.

For the split, sounds like you've got a manufacturing defect. I'd exchange it.

Yes, the dishwasher doesn't clean as well as the above mentioned product. Your stainless will be gleaming after using Barkeepers Friend.

Whether it's available overseas, I can't say - but I'm sure an analog is.

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Bon Ami is also excellent, gets my brown stainless looking like new. Also excellent for porcelain. And cheap. – tartare Apr 14 2011 at 18:55
It was suggested to me to clean up a new bathtub with Bon Ami, and as I mentioned the stainless manufacturer recommends Barkeepers Friend, so we have both products. Never thought to use one for the other. I have to wonder if the old standby Comet works similarly, while just being green :) – Casey Apr 14 2011 at 19:30
can't find those things here, I've looked..... – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:33
I'm guessing you're in the UK, I found this link which seems to mention various cleaners and terminology for UKians: bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=77 – Casey Apr 14 2011 at 19:41
I just looked into Barkeepers Friend and its an acid so it would be restricted for overseas shipping.....drat! – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:45
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Several years ago my husband bought me a set of Wolfgang Puck pots and pans. It was a happy medium between the super expensive All-Clad and the cheapo ones that warp after a couple of months. They are 18/10 S/S and I believe he bought them at Sam's Club. These pots and pans are fantastic, I have burned things accidentally in one or two of them but they always clean up with just water and a Scotch Brite pad. I cook in them mostly with butter or bacon fat and nothing ever sticks. The bottoms of my pans are brownish but the cook surface stays shiny with no fuss. I would never ever put any pots or pans in the dishwasher. In fact I use a dishwasher as a drain rack after washing all dishes by hand. Also have had no rust on any of them.

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been using the scoth brite pads and they dont do much. The oven clearner removed a little bit of the brown but not all of it. I guess I was thinking these should stay shiny and unstained always.... – Kelly Apr 14 2011 at 19:47
There have been a few occasions when I've had to clean stainless steel pans with food burnt on so bad that some would have simply thrown the pan away. What I use is one of those steel wire brushes that go in an electric drill. Using just water, I get most of the crusty stuff off. Then, I make a paste of water and abrasive stainless steel cleaner and clean the pot down to bare metal. – Alex Apr 15 2011 at 13:04
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  1. For a stainless pans, look for ones where the handles are bolted to the pan body. This greatly improves durability, especially over the ones that are lightly spot welded. Handles that do not transfer heat are also a big bonus; silicon coated handles can be good because you can pan fry a steak and over-finish it without worrying about burning yourself so much.

Having a thick copper bottom or enclosed aluminum bottom (or sides to... like all-clad) is necessary for good heat distribution. I'm not sure you can find any without this feature nowadays though.

  1. Barkeeper's friend is amazing for this. It seems like my pans got better at staying smooth after I had used and cleaned them a few times. Try not to use abrasive surfaces however.

  2. Sometimes it helps to add a little water with the cooking oil to start out with if you are cooking vegetables.

  3. In general you should try to not wash anything "nice" in the dishwasher, from knives to pans. If nothing else it tends to beat them up and does a poor job cleaning.

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thanks! I thin I'll order the Barkeepers friend when I'm in FL next month and bring in my suitcase, sounds like the only way!! Guess I must resolve myself to hand washing then!! – Kelly Apr 15 2011 at 13:15
There's nothing wrong with a dishwasher, just make sure to turn off the "Heat Dry" option - that destroys more cookware than water. – Oranges13 Apr 15 2011 at 14:21
ok, I've also got it set to sanitize then heat dry....probably the culprit? – Kelly Apr 15 2011 at 16:01
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Whenever we cook with stainless steel, we always put about 1" of water in the bottom and leave it over a warm burner for about 2-3 minutes after we're done cooking. It helps to loosen the gunk that gets stuck (which ALWAYS HAPPENS) and allows for easy cleanup in the sink or dishwasher. The important thing is to NEVER LET THE PAN SIT DRY with crap stuck on it because it just won't come off if you do.

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thanks will try it!! how about that brown color that occurs, its like its burnt but not burnt (?? not sure how to describe) its both inside and out and usually above the level of liquid. – Kelly Apr 15 2011 at 13:13
Inside and out? That doesn't sound good, they shouldn't be getting stained on the outside unless you're a really messy cook! What sort of detergent are you using in your dishwasher? Also, are you washing any sterling silver with your stainless at the same time? – Oranges13 Apr 15 2011 at 14:19
yep, it literally looks like from the heat, because outside its from the base up around about 2 inches max. All my silverware is stainless. I've now taken to washing them by hand (use Cascade)....on one pot the brown came off with oven cleaner, but the bigger one (soup boiled over) it didn't, I suspect it was due to the boil over?? – Kelly Apr 15 2011 at 15:59
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While buying a non stick cookware, the first thing that needs to be checked is the coating which is used.Non stick cookwares coated with Teflon is harmful for Human Body. It has a substance called Carcinogen which can initiate cancer. There are several coating which are 100% natural.Ecolon is one of them. Neoflam is manufacturing non stick cookwares coated with Ecolon.

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