Stainless Steel Cookware question

[Traildust]

I bought a top end set of Calphalon(sp) SS. Tried to season them as directed....but...Everything, and I mean Everything besides water sticks to them....even coating the bottoms with non-stick spray...meat, pasta, eggs, stir fry....you name it and it sticks.....then you have to soak them overnight and scrub for an hour......

Is this how you are suppose to clean them or should you allow it to season like an old iron skillet and basically let it get build-up on the bottom????

They sure look purty, but I'm down to using a 10 year old teflon coated pan so I dont have all the clean up with the SS pots and pans

[IowaHunter]

We had the same issue. Almost never use our SS stuff anymore.

We use LeCreuset for dang near everything now.

[Dusty Britches]

I have SS pots and pans. I never have problems.

I heat the pan slowly, with olive oil or veg oil. I add vegetables or meat and turn it quickly to cover it with the oil. For eggs, I wait for the oil to get hot.

Another trick - let your meats and vegetables warm up for about 10 or 15 minutes after you take them out of the refrig and before you cook them. Something about equalizing the tempature.

We have very hard water. The calcium and lime are left behind on the pots after boiling water. I'll put some soap and warm water in them and add something called "LemiShine". It is actually for automatic dishwashers, but a few sprinkles and letting it set for about 10 + minutes goes a long way to remove stuff and your pots and pans will be sparkly new.

[ShockValue]

We got the same Caphalon set for Christmas. My wife loves it but she did say it took her a time or two to get the hang of cooking with it. I think you have to be careful how hot and how fast you heat them up.

We have a gas stove. Not sure if that matters or not.

[CaptJack]

one of the great secrets about cooking in stainless it to lightly spray your food with Pam (canola) before you put it in

I've had a lot more luck with spraying the food than with putting oil in the cookware

spraying the food with Pam REALLY WORKS!! for stuff on the grill

when you spray Pam do it in front of your dishwasher with the door open
no overspray in the kitchen to clean up

[Eldog]

Cook with med-low temps. Once it heats up use oil. Keep at med-low temp. Cover so the pot/pan temp will rise.

Good info CaptJack.......I spay over the kitchen sink.

[tvc184]

I've never heard of seasoning SS. The whole point of getting it is that it requires no seasoning.

I use mine with high heat all the time. Heat it first, then put in the oil and then start cooking.

[mjhaverkamp]

what he said