Cleaning Steam Pans

[Troutman10]

So I'm sitting here tonight cleaning my pans for a boil starting tomorrow morning. Thought I'd get on here quick and ask if there's any tools anyone would suggest besides what I'm using. I have a new putty knife to scrape with and a wire brush. I'm heating water on the stovetop, putting the hot water in my pans with vinegar and letting them sit a bit before really gettin' after them. The pans have pretty good burn lines at the depth I had my sap at during the last boil. Is there anything else I could do or use to make sure that I'm ready for tomorrow or is it really just a matter of elbow grease? Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[MapleLady]

Plenty of elbow grease, a kitchen pan scrubbie and glass cooktop cleaner.

With that said, I'm assuming that you mean steam table pans? I use 3 on my block arch and have found this season that when I empty them at the end of a boil, I flood the pans to the top with water and let them soak on the arch. The hot coals below keep that water hot for quite a while and the burned crud comes off easier when I go to clean them. Not perfect, but I have found the cleaning to be a little easier. Hope this helps.

[TreeTapper2]

I use oven cleaner on my steam table pans and that seems to the trick. It does leave a few very small deposits of burnt sugar here and there. But I would say the pan is 98% clean.

[Jonnyp390]

I use a green scotch brits pad and bar keepers friend powder. I can scrub most of it off with the scotch brite and I use razor blade on the stubborn spots. I also find that it works well to stand the pan up on its side in the laundry tub, with the scorch line on the bottom. I fill that part with white vinegar and let it soak over night.

[Tom59]

Treetapper, hope you are not using the oven cleaner on the inside of the pans. Ok on the outside, to remove the soot. But the inside??? there are lots of nasty chemicals in that stuff you dont want to boiling with your sap. Remember, youre gonna be eating this syrup! Vinegar and elbow grease!