All Clad SS cleaning question

When we use our All Clad stainless steel pans, we often end up with oil sort of burned on to the surface. (Maybe this is what Larry refers to as polymerized.) Barkeepers Friend and a lot of elbow grease removes it. But we are wondering.....professionals (or the hired dishwashers) cannot be going through this process nightly with all of their SS pans. So....what are we doing wrong? Are we cooking at a temp that is too high for the oil? Or should we be cooling the pan quicker?

Inside or outside? Inside I don't have a problem except the very edges. No real problems keeping it clean and rarely have to breakout the Barkeepers. Outside I don't worry about.

I was going to ask the same question.

Inside or outside? Inside I don't have a problem except the very edges. No real problems keeping it clean and rarely have to breakout the Barkeepers. Outside I don't worry about.

Inside. On the main cooking surface, usually where the food was. But also up the sides of the skillet.

I haven't noticed any problems on the outside of the pans.

Inside or outside? Inside I don't have a problem except the very edges. No real problems keeping it clean and rarely have to breakout the Barkeepers. Outside I don't worry about.

Inside. On the main cooking surface, usually where the food was. But also up the sides of the skillet.

I haven't noticed any problems on the outside of the pans.

Mike,
First of all, this is basically a cosmetic problem, as that polymerized oil is the "seasoning" traditionally used on cast iron. If anything, it's a better non-stick surface than the SS underneath it. If you do want to get it off the inside, though, you're basically stuck with Barkeep's Friend and lotsa elbow grease.

Mark Lipton

I really don't know the answer, man. My older All-clad stuff - cast aluminum or copper on the outside
and stainless on the inside cleans up like a dream - better than non-stick surfaces. But, I have a few of the newer products and they are not nearly the same gauge as the older stuff. When I was first buying these pans, I called Canonsburg, PA and talked to "Elizabeth" the "inventor's" daughter - and ordered from her. I bought them for several restaurants. Just have a few of the older pieces left now.

My older All-clad stuff - cast aluminum or copper on the outside
and stainless on the inside cleans up like a dream - better than non-stick surfaces. But, I have a few of the newer products and they are not nearly the same gauge as the older stuff.

That explains a lot for me. My All-Clad is the same old aluminum on the outside/stainless inside. Never had the problem either. Also Don't have a problem with my Mauviel pan which is quite thick. It does happen on the one pan my wife bought that is much thinner gauge on the sides right past where that disk on the bottom of the pan ends. Based on your comments and my observation it seem that the metal thinkness is a significant factor in what causes the problem.

Are you using Pam or another type of non-stick spray? These are notorious for leaving behind the type of residue you mentioned. I don't have any trouble like that with my All Clad SS. It cleans up like a dream. The only oil I have used with cooking in it has been olive oil. I only use the non-stick spray types on my Look cookware which is a black non-sick, both inside and outside.

PAM... ick, pooey. It has the new car smell.

Are you using Pam or another type of non-stick spray? These are notorious for leaving behind the type of residue you mentioned. I don't have any trouble like that with my All Clad SS. It cleans up like a dream. The only oil I have used with cooking in it has been olive oil. I only use the non-stick spray types on my Look cookware which is a black non-sick, both inside and outside.

You can get oil polymerization whenever you heat a fat or vegetable oil to high temperature. When I'm browning meats at high temperature on the stove, I'll almost always end up with some of that residue on my All-Clads, especially if that pan goes right into the oven next.

Mark Lipton

Hummm, I guess I have never done that with my stainless cookware, having found that the LOOK browns nicely and is easier clean-up.