Is it safe to continue using a pot that has steamed dry?
I was making steamed chicken soup in a clay pot, and think I may have steamed/simmered the larger stock pot dry. My arrangement was like so: I had a large stock pot with a few cups of water in it (an image of the stock pot after I finished cooking in it is attached), a steaming trivet (looks like this) in the water/stock pot, and on top of the trivet a clay pot (this one, also pictured for ease of reference) in which the chicken itself sat.
The particular recipe I use for the soup requires a long steaming time of around 3 hours, so I usually stay close by and continually refill the water as it gradually simmers away/evaporates. At some point, however, I did not refill the water in time and I began to smell a sort of chicken-y smell -- not necessarily one of burning, but it was a sort of savory scent that made me think that I should check the chicken.
I think there was only a very small amount of water left in the stock pot, but it was hard for me to tell as the bottom of the stockpot is black, and the clay pot inside obscured most of my view of the bottom; I'm guessing some water remained because the bottom had a shiny sort of sheen as if it were wet.
This is the large stock pot I used after I finished:
This is a photo on Amazon of the clay pot I used:
I'm not entirely sure the bottom of the larger stock pot actually simmered/steamed dry, and I didn't purchase it myself so I'm not sure what it's made of. My question is whether the chicken soup is safe to consume, and whether both the clay pot and stock pot are safe to continue using?
Thank you for your time and I apologize if this is a silly question -- I appreciate any responses/insight.
Best Answer
I think that the soup is safe to eat as it was inside a clay pot. No worries there.
The stock pot looks rather sad. How does it look after cleaning it? If it still looks like that, I'd ditch it. I guess it's a rather cheap thing. A good stock pot doesn't have to be expensive. I'd go for a thick bottomed, large, stainless steel, pressure cooker. If the bottom has aluminum in it, that's golden.
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Can you still use a pot after you burn it?
Stainless steel pan burns are a pain, but they aren't a permanent problem. Whether you have left water boiling too long in the pot or it has become scorched by sitting empty on a burner as you prepare other items to create a favored recipe, a burnt pan doesn't have to be tossed and replaced.Is discolored stainless steel safe?
Overheating or allowing cookware to boil dry can cause yellow, brown, dark purple, blue or rainbow tints on the stainless steel surface. Although harmless, these tints can spoil the appearance of the pan. To remove this discoloration, use a products like Barkeepers Friend\xae and a non abrasive cleaning pad.Is it safe to use a pot that has boiled dry?
If it is a non-stick pan then you definitely run the risk of health issues. Stainless steel is forged at a temperature far higher then what you could do in your kitchen. The issue is more with warping because it causes uneven heating. But if it's a pot filled with water it shouldn't be that much of an issue.Is a burnt pot toxic?
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!). It is safe to use provided that you're well-informed on how to choose a high-quality product in the first place and how to safely use and clean it.Moka Pot sputtering or not working correctly: how to solve it!
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Answer 2
I don’t think it’s quite the same situation, but I once made the mistake of reducing chicken stock and scorched the (stainless steel) pot. The smell was pretty bad (not quite burnt hair, but close)
I ended up running a few rounds of boiling, deglazing, and scrubbing to get off the stuff that had burnt onto the bottom of the pot. I probably should’ve used something like Barkeeper’s Friend.
In the end, the pot came out fine. It’s discolored, but I didn’t notice any flavor transfer or other issues with it.
It’s possible that your pot is in worse shape, or you value your time more than the pot. You could try donating it a thrift store, and maybe someone who’s up for cleaning it can get a great deal. You could also turn it into something used for non-food. (Potted plant, etc)
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