dcarch

I use that pan to catch drippings in the oven, like most people, you don't normally cook directly on that pan. The Gunk is just some form of petroleum distill, evaporates fast and can't penetrate the very hard aluminum oxide layer. But if you worry, you can always put it in the dishwasher, which uses much more toxic chemicals to clean off the Gunk, if any Gunk is left. What's in your dishwashing detergent: 1. Phosphates: 2. Triclosan: 3. 1,4 Dioxane: 4. SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate)/SLES (sodium laureth sulfate): 5. Fragrance: 6. DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine): .7. Coal Tar Dyes: 8. APE's (alkyl phenoxy ethanols): 9. Chlorine: 10. Formaldehyde:11. Ammonia dcarch

Exactly my point. Every time you scrub down aluminum with a detergent or mild abrasive, fresh aluminum (shiny aluminum) is exposed and, as you describe, you can't prevent the aluminum from oxidizing. You can however, treat the aluminum with sealers, laquers, paint, or chemically (anodizing) to stop this from happening. Burnt on oil is particularily stubborn to remove, yet is an edible treatment, and is an effective barrier to slow down the oxidization process. The technique of treating carbon steel pans, aluminum pans and cast iron pans with oil and heat is a very old and common process. Even blacksmiths used this technique as a rust preventative surface treatment for steel and cast iron, albeit with linseed (a.k.a. flax seed) oil. With due respect, that is not the chemistry of aluminum. But may I again suggest to you that off topic comments are not what the OP expects. The topic is, " What's the Best Way to Clean This Baking Sheet?" So I took out a pan with similar condition to the one OP has and used the method I suggested, here is the out come, no scrubbing. A can of degreaser goes a long way. All you need is a few tablespoons: dcarch

You can get a router motor speed controller (about $20.00), plug the slow cooker in, set the cooker at the highest temperature, and adjust the dial on the controller instead. You can get 0 heat to full heat or any where in between using the controller. dcarch

Aluminum pans come with a very smooth surface, You are correct that steel wool creates many micro grooves which makes it even more difficult to clean. Aluminum forms aluminum oxide instantly, an extremely tough substance. I have no idea what you are talking about, "sticky residue." I am not sure why you insist on going off topic. The OP did not ask you to advice him on his aesthetic desires. He is only asking how to clean that pan of his, without damaging the surface. He wants a shiny aluminum pan!!!! what's wrong with that? dcarch

"-----Plus, degreaser, as someone pointed out, isn't considered food safe, so cooking on a pan treated with degreaser doesn't strike me as prudent. How might it react with food? ---" I can't think of a strong detergent that is food safe. Aluminum will not absorb. After it is cleaned, there will be 0 degreaser on the pan. Also, you don't normally cook right on the pan. dcarch

It seems to me that the OP's pan's condition is cleanable. You just can't throw a pan away every time a pan gets dirty like that. The only time I would not try to clean it is if the stuff on it got carbonized, because almost nothing reacts with carbon. I wonder if paint striper can also work. You cannot use "Easy Off" because it is alkali. Read your oven manual if it is self -cleaning and see if they recommend aluminum items. dcarch

Yes, Dawn Power Dissolver may work, if you can find it. If you do, try it using the same method I outlined. Scrubbing with Steel wool will scratch the finish on aluminum. dcarch

Go to an auto parts supply store and buy a can of engine degreaser. Then: 1. lay one layer of paper towel on the burnt on oil. 2. Pour the degreaser to wet the paper towel thoroughly. 3. Cover the paper towel with a layer of plastic film such as cut from grocery plastic bag. Leave it alone for a day, two or three days and wash everything away. dcarch

A freezer alarm is around $25.00 dcarch

A potato ricer works too. http://www.lefsetime.com/store/images/P/Heavy-Potato-Ricer.jpg dcarch

Baselerd – that is a pretty roasted beet salad. Ann_t – decadent dessert for dinner. So what did you have for dessert afterwards. :-) Paul Bacino – That Wild Alaskan Salmon is better than any I have seen in classy restaurants. Anna N – your meals always make me think of Pippin’s “Fast Food My Way”. Ninagluck - celeriac salad with walnuts and pomegranates, very tasty indeed! Gfweb – great idea, Pork filled with spinach and prosciutto. Prawncracker – wow! What a dinner! Especially the razor clams. Cyalexa – you proofed that nice pork shoulder requires no sous vide. Shelby – You have too many quails. Give me some! Please? Xilimmns – Perfect risotto. Kim – you are the winner of Superbowl food. Okanagancook – This is a cooking forum, not photo forum. I bet J. Child is a lousy photographer.---------------------------------- A few recent ones: dcarch Super bowl wings with crispy chicken skin. Sous vide roasted pork belly with crispy pork skin Smoked turkey

To get the most out from rendering fat, get a lard press. dcarch

You don't need to have a sheepskin to make great pork skin. 1. Cook the skin well. Remove all fat. 2. Dry the skin 100% (12 hours in a dehydrator) 3. 400F heat. dcarch

Thanks Joiei. Sometime ago, I entered into some free-form competitions. I made lamb. I thought I did very well, but didn't win any. It occurred to me that perhaps not too many people enjoy lamb. Is it true that lamb is not a popular meat for BBQ competitions? dcarch

I have never seen that organ in a pig or a cow or a lamb or a turkey or a rabbit. Too small for a pig anyway. It is possible. I am not 100% sure Look at this dish of fish intestines and you may see some almost identical parts. http://lh5.ggpht.com/_juLNrbUUgpw/TSadN3Ufy_I/AAAAAAAACDg/id7E0a3pl9U/s640/PB203471.JPG dcarch

Fish intestines. Where did you eat it? dcarch

What do you think? dcarch

What about $600.00 (MASA) for a sushi dinner? Just fish and wasabi and soy sauce. dcarch

The tool I suggested in post number 7, I believe is the only tool that can lift (round) plates and containers big or small, lite or heavy, securely using only one hand. It can also reach deep inside a tall hot pot to grab something. Cost - $5.00? dcarch

Pork shoulders were on sale at $0.90 a lb. Got a ton of them. :-) So cut them up for the freezer. The big bones were also frozen. They were sawed on my table saw into small pieces for stock and marrow. Now pork skin! I did basically the same as you Shelby, except: 1. Fat was scrape off in one piece. Easier and faster. 2. The whole skin was put into the dehydrator. After drying, I just crack it into little pieces. Saves room in the dehydrator and faster. 3. I put the fried puffed cracklings in a plastic container, sprinkled some seasoning on them and shake, shake, shake. More even coverage, and a lot less seasoning was needed. Yep. Superbowl. Actually not bad for health, basically not much fat at all, fried in vegetable oil. dcarch

"---From 2003 to 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received reports of five foodborne illnesses attributable to needle- or blade-tenderized beef products prepared in restaurants and consumers’ homes. ---" Also, you may find little broken blades in your meat. dcarch

Thanks. Perhaps this will add to your eating enjoyment. Lotus is a highly respected plant in the Chinese culture because it has great symbolic meanings. The plant can arise from muddy bottom dirt and remain pure, clean and elegantly beautiful. Not only the flowers, but the leaves as well. No dirt, not even dust, can stick on lotus leaves. The purity of lotus is recognized. So you see Buddha always sitting on lotus, in a lotus position. Today, the interesting dirt and water repellant property of lotus has been studied by scientists. They call this the “Lotus effect”. By duplicating the surface microstructure of the lotus leaf, they have been able to make water and dirt repellant paint and metal. Possibly making truly no chemical non-stick cookware dcarch

This is a nice tool to have in the kitchen: http://redcook.net/2008/04/04/plate-lifter/ dcarch