Black residue inside frying pan

Question

I left my stainless steel frying pan on the hob empty for a while by mistake. It got very hot indeed, I ran it carefully under the tap to cool it down, which took a while - lots of steam. Now, there's a kind of black residue inside, that wasn't there before (it was clean while it was on the hob). I can't remove it even with the toughest of detergents and pan scourers, is it safe to cook with this pan any more?

tim · Answer

Stainless steel pans tend to get brown/black around where the flames are if you heat them empty. I wouldn't worry about it and you should be able to scrub it off eventually.

ESultanik · Answer

What you are seeing is almost certainly a form of firescale, and it should be completely harmless. If the discoloration bothers you, you can try to remove it using the aforementioned Barkeeper's friend or a mixture of boric acid and denatured alcohol (which are non-toxic).

With regard to cooling off the pan, you should never put a hot, empty pan into a cold, wet sink: The temperature change can cause the pan to warp.

Adriana · Answer

Boil water and Cascade dishwashing liquid inside the pan covering the black area.  Rub with spatula after a few minutes to see if the black is loosened.  Keep cooking until it rubs off with spatula.

Black residue inside frying pan

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