Today, I’m sharing how to clean a scorched pan with Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish from a personal experience.
In a post from January of 2021, While You’re at Home Anyway: Deep Cleaning with BKF, I talked about working from home and looking for ways to use my time productively. You know, like organizing my closet by color or alphabetizing the spice rack and medicine cabinet (not together). When BKF retained me as a writer, I asked if I could get my hands on some samples. Bar Keepers Friends sent me a care package of their products, including Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish. Thank you! It saved my Skillet! Now, allow me to share my experience, and explain how to clean a scorched pan with Bar Keepers Friend.
Yes, you can use BKF to clean the inside of your enameled cast iron pan just follow the procedure above. Here’s what leading culinary magazine Bon Appétit had to say, “Bar Keepers Friend powder is also quite handy if you have burns that just don’t seem to budge—mix it with a tiny bit of water, and scrub away.
A 50 Year Fan
I’ve been a fan of Bar Keepers Friend for more than 50 years, but there were a few BKF products I was unfamiliar with. One of those was the Bar Keepers Friend Cookware Cleanser & Polish. So, last week I put it to the test. I wanted to know if this BKF could “fight fire.” Let me explain.
I love to cook over a wood fire. At one end of my backyard firepit, I have a 12-inch by 18-inch cooking pit. It’s simple. I stacked bricks four high and topped them with a steel grill.
A couple of years ago, I decided to set a skillet on top of the fire. I placed it on the grill and then dropped some unsalted butter in the pan. Then I swirled it around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Except, I swirled some of the butter into the fire and set the pan ablaze. The butter burned, charred, and smoked. That didn’t stop me. I continued to cook.
Afterward, I tried to clean the skillet, but one side, I assume where the spill occurred, wouldn’t come clean regardless of what I did. The skillet sat on a shelf in my shed for more than three years until I brought it in to see just how good this BKF Cookware Cleanser & Polish really was.
Its here: Our game-changing guide to everyones favorite room in the house. Your Do-Anything Kitchen gathers the smartest ideas and savviest tricks—from our community, test kitchen, and cooks we love—to help transform your space into its best self.
Good, same here—always. (Unless it involves disappearing snacks.) Lucky for us, our co-founder, CEO, and resident pan-scrubbing expert Amanda Hesser agreed to share her top tips for making enameled pans look good-as-new with just one ingredient, plus some water and elbow grease.
For The Big Spring Spruce-Up, we’re throwing our windows wide open and letting in all that fresh air. Follow along for handy tips and game-changing tricks—cleaning and organizing to-dos, home decorating projects, and more.
How to safely clean a stained Le Creuset enamel pot or pan
FAQ
Can I use Bar Keepers Friend on enameled cast iron?
What is the best cleaner for enamel cast iron?
What should you not use on enameled cast iron?
How do I remove stains from enameled cast iron?
Can Bar Keepers Friend be used on cast iron?
“But it’s perfectly safe to use on sterling silver flatware.” Avoid using Bar Keepers friend on cast iron. The only exception is enameled cast iron. The website itself says, “BKF heavily advises against using BKF on regular, run-of-the-mill cast iron. So, please don’t attempt this on standard cast iron products.
What is the difference between Bar Keepers Friend & cookware cleaner?
The Cookware Cleanser and Polish powdered formula includes more grease-cutting detergents and can be used on glass and ceramic casserole dishes, stainless steel utensils, and enamel-coated cast iron. Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser is premixed with water and works well for vertical surfaces like glass shower doors.
Can you use BKF to clean enameled cast iron pans?
Yes, you can use BKF to clean the inside of your enameled cast iron pan just follow the procedure above. Here’s what leading culinary magazine Bon Appétit had to say, “Bar Keepers Friend powder is also quite handy if you have burns that just don’t seem to budge—mix it with a tiny bit of water, and scrub away.
Can Bar Keepers Friend be used on cookware?
The good news is Bar Keepers Friend is safe to use on cookware. It’s 100% water-soluble, meaning it washes away completely as long as you rinse the surface thoroughly. Rinse the cookware or food prep surface immediately after cleaning and ensure all residue is completely gone.