How to clean a burnt or stained roasting pan

With Easter and Passover right around the corner, a lot of roasting pans are going to be coming out of the cabinet.
For Burnt Pans: Even if you’re cleaning your roasting pan properly after each use, those burnt-on black spots can still appear. These tricky spots may seem impenetrable, but with a few pantry staples, you can quickly knock them out. After soaking, rinsing, and drying, coat the tough stains in baking soda—enough to entirely cover the stain. Then, in a small bowl, combine 1 cup of hot water and 1/3 cup vinegar. Pour this mixture onto the stain. Let the pan soak for an hour, then start scrubbing again. Repeat until the burnt pieces are all gone.

For older stains, first try the method outlined above, soaking the pan with a baking soda/vinegar/water mixture for an hour before scrubbing. If that does not work, you’ll want to create a more aggressive cleaning paste with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Combine 1/4 cup baking soda and 1 tablespoon hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl and stir together until the paste is thickened. If the paste feels too thick, add more hydrogen peroxide by the teaspoon. If it’s too runny, add more baking soda by the tablespoon. Spread the paste on the stains, then wait a few hours. Wipe away the paste with a sponge, then rinse as you normally would.

This method is also the best way to clean a roasting pan in under five minutes—rinse it with hot, soapy water, then coat it in the paste and wait 5 minutes.

Images from roastingtips, thermoworks text from tasteofhome