cleaning syrup pans , after burn over

[michael marrs]

I am holding on that my season is not over yet and time to try to bring my pans back to "clean". 2 days ago, I finally burned one into that thick ,nasty, bubbly, tar. looking crap. I also cook over wood. What do you guys use to clean your pans after it is over? one more question. Next years evaporator may be all steel, will this keep the pans cleaner then cooking on an open arch?, thanks

[SmellsLikeSyrupNH]

Vinegar and steel wool and a lot of elbow grease....good luck. Ive been there.

[Big_Eddy]

Vinegar, blue / green scrubby and elbow grease.
Angle grinder with a nylon abrasive pad.
Orbital sander with scrubby pads.

No steel wool and no steel wire wheels or wire brushes. The mild steel will bond with the stainless and cause rusty marks. Wire wheels and brushes also scratch.

[Big_Eddy]

Next years evaporator may be all steel, will this keep the pans cleaner then cooking on an open arch?, thanks

Not really - the sides of the pans might be a bit cleaner, depending on whether you use a gasket under the pan edges with your current setup and the new arch.

[Cedar Eater]

Boiling water as vigorously as you can will take out the majority of it. You may even add a little baking soda or vinegar to the mix (never both at the same time). Boil, scrub with a real copper pad (some are just copper colored SS), boil, scrub, boil scrub.

[maplestudent]

if I remember correctly, you use steam table pans. is that correct? if so, this is what I have done with my steam table pans: fill the pans mostly with water, add a good dose of vinegar (I usually split a gallon between 4 pans), start a fire underneath, let them heat up to a boil and then let the fire go out. Then I let them soak like that until I need to boil again if I do this during the season. If at the end of season, I'll let them soak for 4 or 5 days. ,let the vinegar do the work. then scrub. I've used the stainless steel scotch-brite pads after letting the pans soak like this and it comes of fairly easily.....don't have to grind the scrub pad into the pans to get it off. some might say you shouldn't use these scrub pads....they worked well for me. I wouldn't use them on real maple pans....but then I probably wouldn't have the burnt sugar I get if I had real maple pans. If you have the time though, let the vinegar do the work for you.

[Marcus]

I burnt a pan 2 weeks ago. I used vinegar, heated it up some used plastic putty knife ,plastic scrubber, and time. My wife has some plastic scrapers that are approx. 2x2. that really helped. Worked on and off for two days. Vinegar is your friend.