Cooking pots overheated
I was boiling water in two pots, presumably stainless steel. I got distracted and the pots completed overheated and dried. After cooling down the pots, I find them both have brownish grey residual inside (I don't care about the outside), and one of the smells strange. Are they still safe to use? Thank you!
Best Answer
Yes, they are still safe to use. You aren't going to be able to heat them to the point where the metal starts breaking down — at least, not without starting a fire.
Your only concern might be if your pots have a nonstick coating, which can be damaged above temperatures of 500 F and begin emitting noxious fumes. According to DuPont:
The fumes that are released by overheated [Teflon coatings] can produce symptoms referred to as "polymer fume fever" — flu-like symptoms that are relatively quickly reversed in humans.
The residue you're seeing is likely just some mineral deposits that, as mentioned, can be removed with vinegar or other food-safe solvent.
Pictures about "Cooking pots overheated"
How do you fix an overheated stainless steel?
Vinegar is an effective ingredient for ridding your pan of any unsightly discoloration typically caused by overheating. Simply wash your pan with vinegar and rinse with water to remove discoloration. Additionally, vinegar can be used to rid your pan of white calcium build-up stains.What happens if you overheat stainless steel?
An example of this could be stainless steel that has its chromium depleted because it has been burned. The result of burning is that iron oxide is formed instead of chromium oxide, and the stainless steel begins to degrade. The other occurrence that can happen when a metal is burned is incipient melting.What happens if you overheat a nonstick pan?
Dangers of overheating Generally speaking, Teflon is a safe and stable compound. However, at temperatures above 500\xb0F (260\xb0C), Teflon coatings on nonstick cookware start to break down, releasing toxic chemicals into the air ( 13 ). Inhaling these fumes may lead to polymer fume fever, also known as the Teflon flu.Is it safe to use an overheated stainless steel pan?
Yes, as long as you clean them thoroughly, stainless steel pots and pans are safe to use even after you burn them dry (and they look terrible!).DIY How to Clean Burnt Pan Easily-Useful Kitchen Tip-Easiest Way to Clean a Burnt Pan or Pot
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Live on Shot, Devon Rockola, Sang Tran, Валерий Линк