Cleaning a Roasting Pan

If you have a roasting pan in your home, then you know the joys (and sorrows) that comes with this extremely useful piece of cooking equipment. I say sorrows for the rather simple reason that when this item is used, it has a tendency to collect black burnt-on sludge at the bottom and that stuff is almost impossible to completely get rid of it. I don't know how many times I have had to throw away a roasting pan that got "too old" to use anymore, when it was simply in need of a dire cleaning.

Instead of throwing away that old roasting pan, try to salvage it and save the money it would cost to replace it. Here is the best method that I have found to clean my own roasting pan. Be warned though—this method does take a few days (believe it or not, 3 days), so don't forget about what you are doing, and keep the pan away from children and animals.

Materials:

• Dirty roasting pan
• Range top
• Dishwashing soap/detergent
• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Newspapers
• Ammonia
• Oven cleaner

Procedure:

1. Pre-clean. Start by pre-cleaning the roasting pan. This means that you need to remove the leftovers from your meal, and rinse it out as best as you can. Only rinse it out though. Once you have done this, go ahead and fill your roasting pan with ammonia. Sounds weird, I know, but it works. Cover everything with a large garbage bag, and tie it closed.
2. Wait. After you have tied the bag closed, you need to find a location where small children or pets are not going to bother it. This is for their safety as they could get hurt by the ammonia. Allow the roasting pan to sit for about two days before proceeding to the next step.
3. Wash. Now you need to wash the pan as you normally would. Do not be surprised if you still have a few burnt-on areas that remain. Simply fill the roasting pan with regular water and a dish soap. Now, place the pan on your range top and bring the soapy water to a boil. You are basically trying to "cook off" some of the burnt on gunk. Turn off the heat after a few minutes of boiling and allow everything to cool, then wash as usual.
4. Sprinkle. You might still have a few places that are burnt. If so, simply sprinkle some baking soda on those locations. Is a concoction of roughly 1/3 cup vinegar with 1 cup of hot water and pour it onto the baking soda. It will fizz and bubble, so don't be alarmed. Simply allow this to happen for a few minutes and then scrub as normal.
5. Spray. After you have used baking soda, your pan should be clean, but in the chance that you are still not satisfied with your results, take some oven cleaner and spray the entire interior of the roasting pan. Place the pan upside down on newspapers (in a well-ventilated area) overnight.
6. Wash. Every time you use a cleaner you need to wash it off. Oven cleaner is no different, particularly when it is used on a cooking utensil. Wash your roasting pan as you normally would and you should now be completely finished.