Cooking spray is evil

[midnight armadillo]

Seriously, why does anyone use this crap? Yesterday I got in my new 10.25" diameter carbon steel crepe pan. I seasoned it in the oven last night, this morning I made pancakes using light olive oil. It worked beautifully, esp. for a $10 pan. Then on the very last batch I grabbed the cooking spray since I was too lazy to get the olive oil out again...and it scorched everywhere and now there's a layer of sticky brown polymerized oil everywhere. Argh. I am tempted to attack it with some Bon Ami tonight and re-start the seasoning.

[calico1]

1. It's the additives in the cooking sprays

that make them stick. I made a mess out of a few nonstick pans before I realized this. Mazola makes the "Pure" which does not contain these additives. Also you can get one of those spritzer bottles where you put in your own oil. I have one of those. But I also recently discovered a quick alternative for when I just want a light coating on a pan. I put a dab of oil in the pan and spread it around with a silicone basting brush I have. Works perfectly. :)

[midnight armadillo]

2. Thats what I've been doing

Those silicone basting brushes are wicked nice. I only have one but for like $3.95 each at Crate & Barrel I'm going to buy a few more. Death to cooking spray!

[TygrBright]

4. I just use a paper towel...

...scoonch it up a bit and hold it over the top of the oil bottle, a quick upend/upright to get a little oil on the towel, and swish the towel around the pan. Works fine.

helpfully,
Bright

[calico1]

5. That's what I was doing before.

But when I got these silicone basting brushes I figured they'd be good for this too! :) I would use a paper towel though, if I didn't have the brushes.:D

[NMDemDist2]

6. and silicone doesn't kill trees eh? but what you really need is this

or one like it, I'm not giving mine away

just get an old bottle (I used one of my coffee flavor syrup bottles--you could probably get one free from any coffee shop) and a $0.49 liquor pour then you can keep your EVOO near the stove so it's handy

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Not as big a deal to fix the pan as you might think .......

If you have a self-cleaning oven, put it in on the self clean cycle and let'er rip for maybe half an hour. If you don't have a self-cleaning oven, put the pan in as hot an oven as you can muster and let it go until the stuff is burned off. Maybe put it on broil so you get as much heat as possible on the goop.

Now, this may not even hurt the season, although, with the pan being new, I suspect it will get rid of all of it. In any case, after you banish the goop, just reseason. Those pans are pretty forgiving.

Only one caution ..... allow the pan to bother heat up and cool down in the oven. Don't put it, at room temp, into a hot oven, and don't pull it straightaway from the hot oven. The pan might warp from thermal shock. Not likely .... but possible.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. Yes, it is. Pure environmental waste, totally unneccessary, and it

flavors food in an ugly way.

It should be banned.

[calico1]

9. And it is also obscenely expensive

if you look at the price and what you get for it! It is one of the biggest ripoffs in the supermarket, imo.

[Mist]

8. I don't actually cook with the stuff, but I use a canola spray oil from

Whole Foods to spray the grill when I'm grilling--clean up's much easier.

[Skidmore]

11. I really hate canola oil. I don't like its smell or its taste.

I tend to use corn oil or soy.

[Skidmore]

10. The best way to cook pancakes is to take a pastry brush and

load it like a paint brush with vegetable shortening and coat the bottom of your pan before you heat it. Shortening does not burn as easily, and if you need to renew the surface while cooking a large batch, just paint the griddle or skillet again with what is left on your brush. I never use liquid oils to cook pancakes.

[TygrBright]

12. I never use oils at all...

...I use the nonstick flat griddle I got for eleven bucks at Target. Four pancakes at a time, never a stick. I'm not big on nonstick coatings for most applications but on the pancake griddle I wouldn't be without it.

possessively,
Bright

[Warpy]

13. First, there are sprays available that don't use silicone

Check out the cans. Check out a health food store.

Also, the best place for those sprays is in bakeware, not saute or crepe pans. It works fine in bakeware. Just remember to use it over the sink or a garbage can or best of all, outside.