burnt pan...what to use?

Patchwork_Quilt

Biological washing powder in half a pan full of cold water works wonders if left overnight.

xjoannexxx

washing powder with with water heated up on the cooker for about half an hour in the burnt pan works great the burn should just wipe out in the sink

Butterfly_Brain

I cover the bottom of the pan with cheap cola , boil then leave overnight then it is easy peasy to wipe clean

seraphina

Bung in some cold water and a big chunk of bicarb. Bring to the boil, leave to bubble for 5mins, cool and it should just rinse/rub off.

I would be reluctant to use Brillo as they can leave lots of very fine scratches.

Pink.

Another vote for soaking in washing powder and hot water. There's an earlier thread with more ideas that may help so I've added this thread to it to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

UnluckyT

again id say biological powder if not try using cola. pour some into said pan, then heat it up for a few minutes and it should work. saw tip on how clean is your house.

angeltreats

I've been having a jam making session this afternoon - my first time making jam AND my first time using my shiny new jam pan.

First I made gooseberry. It went according to plan. I have two jars of lovely gooseberry jam that tastes lovely and looks to have set just how I like it.

Then I started a batch of strawberry, using a recipe from a Marguerite Patten book, and it hasn't quite gone right I was using a jam thermometer (I've used it before for boiling sugar/making caramel etc) and trying to boil to 104ºC for a soft-ish set. It absolutely refused to reach 104. I used my temperature probe as well just to make sure my thermometer wasn't faulty and it was definitely at 102ºC and refusing to go any higher.

Anyway eventually it reached 104º but in the process the bottom of the pan has burnt, a load of jam has stuck to it and what's left is quite dark looking and has a slightly burnt taste. I've poured it into jars and sealed them anyway - I have about a kilo and a half. I can't bring myself to throw them out so I'll see how burnt they actually taste when they've cooled down and maybe I can find a use for it if it's too burnt to spread on toast.

Is there anything I could have done to take away the burnt taste? And is there a reason why it was so hard to get it to setting point?

I'm so cross I thought it was all going so well after the first batch of gooseberry!

Penelope_Penguin

angeltreats wrote: »

Is there anything I could have done to take away the burnt taste? And is there a reason why it was so hard to get it to setting point?

I'm so cross I thought it was all going so well after the first batch of gooseberry!

I'm not sure you can disguise a burnt taste, sorry

Strawberries are very low in pectin, so notorious to make jam set. I add lemon juice to mine, others add preserving sugar or pectin. It's always a good idea to make sure the berries are dry and not too ripe.

Have you tried testing for a set on a cold saucer? I've never used a jam thermometer, so not sure how reliable they are.

rosie383

Poor you. How frustrating after all your hard work. I have had 'burnt' jam before and didn't mind the flavour too much. It was fine on toast but not so nice on a delicate sponge.
I will never forget my Mum many years ago. She was using the pressure cooker to make jam, and it came out of the top like a geyser covering the entire white kitchen with sticky red raspberry jam. Thankfully she didn't get burnt, which must have been somewhat of a miracle.

Agapanthus

I've been making jam for years but have never used a thermometer.

Once or twice I've burnt it, but that was my own fault! That makes caramelised strawberry jam, which is OK if you like that, but there's no way to turn it back into the ordinary sort.

Two things I always do if making jam: firstly, if it's a fruit known to be low in pectin, such as strawberries, I take a little of the stewed fruit out before I add the sugar and put it in a dish with some methylated spirits. If there's enough pectin it will clot - if it doesn't then you need to add something: lemons, citric acid, an apple or anything with some pectin in it. (Throw this dishful away - methylated spirits in jam isn't good!)

Secondly, I test it while I'm boiling it. A little drop on a cold plate will congeal quite quickly if it's ready and when you push it across the plate with a fingertip (wait till it's cool!) it'll crease up in an unmistakeable way. It's better to err on the side of too runny. You can always empty the jars back into the pan and boil it some more if it doesn't set properly.