Beyond the unquestionable beauty of copper pans, there are so many reasons to invest in them.
As an amazing heat conductor, copper pans allow the uniform distribution of temperatures across the pan to heat your food predictably and evenly. It’s such a hassle when food is too cool in one area and starting to overcook in another, and as a busy mom with a life beyond the stove, I find myself relying on copper for those moments where I know I’ll have to turn away to multitask.
Because copper works in this manner, it is less likely to cause food to stick or burn to the pan… but that’s not saying it will never happen. And when it does, it’s important to know how to bring back your gorgeous, luxurious copper pans to their full glory without causing any damage. Here’s how to clean a burnt copper pan, along with some other cooking with copper questions and answers!
How to Clean Red Copper Pans
Copper pans are the lowkey drama queens of your cookware. Beautiful to look at but sometimes finicky to clean, they are what I call medium-maintenance.
They’re not so difficult to clean and properly care for that they’re something only refined chefs would bother using, but they’re not your grab-and-go pots and pans that you can soak, toss in a dishwasher, or scrub up without caution and rest in a drying rack for the night.
Copper can easily corrode and pit if not cared for properly.
Contrary to what you may believe, the easiest way to clean copper is the gentlest. Going too hard in your routine will cause some unfortunate side effects that can permanently damage the surface of the copper. It’s important to understand what you’re getting into when you’re investing in copper-bottom pans or other copper cookery.
If you’ve made the unfortunate error of having your dinner burn to your copper pan, have no fear — it doesn’t need to be there for life or hit the trash. After all, if we can clean a sheet pan back to its original glory, then we can do just about anything in the kitchen!
Here are our simple steps for removing burned-on foods from copper pans:
- Start by cleaning off the pan. Sounds simple, but it’s true. Use a soft sponge or dish cloth and some dish soap, especially a soap that boasts about cutting grease.
- Gently wash your copper pot in the kitchen sink in comfortably hot water. (Avoid using very hot water.) This will help with any easy-to-remove food pieces or residue.
- Soak between layers if the food is coming off easily. The only time it is recommended to follow a routine that allows your pan to soak in hot, soapy water is if you are experiencing severely burnt-on food or if your pan is extremely tarnished. Otherwise, there are gentler ways to approach cleaning a copper pan.
- Rinse and dry. Rinse the suds from your copper pan and then dry it as much as possible with a soft cloth. Allowing water to rest on copper surfaces is a good way to cause them to tarnish (picture the copper Statue of Liberty!). If they do, we can help you clean that copper up again, too!
Depending on the severity of the burnt food, these two initial cleaning steps may be enough. If you’ve got stubborn stains or stuck-on food, we can go further!
After you have completed steps 1 and 2 above, here are some options for other ways to clean a burnt copper pan:
Salt and Lemon Method
The salt and lemon method is a common and effective way to clean burned on foods and tarnish from copper pans. Copper responds well to natural acids and light abrasion.
- Mix a thick paste of lemon juice and salt in a small dish and stir until combined.
- Apply the paste to the bottom of the pan and scrub burnt spots lightly but firmly in a circular motion using a dishcloth or sponge.
- Rinse the pan with warm water and dry it with a cloth.
Alternatively, you can cut a lemon in half and dip the pulpy end into salt.
From there, you can lightly squeeze the lemon to release juices as you use the fruit to scrub the pan. You can also sprinkle the pan with salt and use the cut lemon as a scrubber.
Vinegar and Baking Soda Method
You know I am all about homemade vinegar cleaning solutions. Just like your copper cookware can be cleaned with vinegar, so can pretty much the whole kitchen.
As above, this method uses an acid and a mild abrasive to achieve a clean and glowing pan.
- Mix equal parts white vinegar and water on the stovetop in a large pot on high heat. While this starts to boil, clean your kitchen sink and then use a sink drain plug to seal the sink’s drain.
- Pour the vinegar and water solution into the kitchen sink after it has come to a boil and stir in a hefty amount of baking soda (you can even use a whole, small box, depending on how much water you’ve prepared).
- Immerse the copper pan and allow it to sit for up to three hours.
- After this time, keep the pan in the vinegar-water-baking soda solution and scrub lightly with a dish scrubber or sponge.
- Rinse the pan with warm water and immediately dry with a cloth.
Commercial Cleaners
You can use commercial cleaners meant for copper pans to remove burnt residue from your cookware.
One common copper cleaner is Bar Keepers Friend. This commercial cleaner is popular, inexpensive, and easy to find at many retailers.
- Apply the cleaner to the bottom of the pan and scrub gently with a soft cloth. Use gloves to protect your skin from irritation and dryness.
- Rinse well with warm water and dry with a cloth.
- Use caution when using chemical cleaners on your copper, as they can be harsher than expected, especially over time.
If you’re looking to avoid chemical cleaners, there are more natural solutions that require very little work and do an excellent job.
All-natural cleaning products such as Earth Brite provide ingredients you recognize and trust, premixed into a cleaning solution that will help clean your soiled copper pans without worry or a lot of effort on your part.
Apply a small amount of a damp scrubber and polish in circular motions. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and the scrubber to remove any additional paste.
As always, use a soft, dry cloth to dry the copper surface.
Note: It is important to not regularly clean your copper using abrasive materials. Copper is a sensitive metal and scouring it will cause pits that will cause long term, permanent damage to your copper if done too often. Save the intensive cleaning for tarnished or burnt-on copper pans, and follow a gentle, regular routine of cleaning and drying your copper by hand.
How to Clean a Burnt Copper Bottom Pan
You may not have any food stuck to your cooking surface, but when you turn your copper pan over, you’re met with black residue.
Burn marks on copper bottom pans are not only unsightly but can also interfere with nice, even heating.
The exterior of a copper pan can be easier to clean as the burning is generally not caused by excess food residue, and is surface level.
If you’ve ever cleaned a penny in a dollop of tomato ketchup, you know that ketchup is a super simple way to shine up copper without a lot of hassle.
While you wouldn’t necessarily dip your entire copper pot into a vat of ketchup (I mean, you could…), it’s much easier to use a small amount of ketchup on the bottom of a copper pan to remove any tarnish or burn marks.
Simply spread a thin but generous layer of ketchup on your burnt pan (or burnt pot) and allow to rest for an hour. Wipe away a small amount at that time to check and see if the magic has happened!
Rinse with hot water and use a non-abrasive scrubber or scouring pad to clean the surface of the pan before wiping with a dry cloth.
You can also use the methods illustrated above, but my personal favorite is ketchup for simple ease of use and application.
Can You Put a Copper Pan in the Oven?
The short answer to this is yes.
Copper pans are oven-safe for temperatures up to 500°F, with some companies boasting a temperature tolerance of 600°F.
This makes copper a wonderful choice for oven cooking, as even glass bakeware products cannot withstand temperatures in this range. (Check out our guide for what you need to know about putting glass in the oven).
If oven cooking in some unexpected ways is something you’re interested in, you’ll be happy to know we’ve covered many topics from baking with a crock pot insert to whether you can put Styrofoam in the oven.
We recommend always reading the product’s box or label to determine the amount of temperature your oven-safe products can withstand. These numbers vary widely, and are an interesting example of why we have to remain educated about our personal array of cookware for kitchen safety.
For example, a company called “Made In” has manufactured copper cookware that is safe for up to a whopping 800°F.
Be aware that pans may have a different temperature tolerance level than lids and handles. Always double-check before use.
What Are the Benefits of Copper Cookware?
Copper cookware has at least 5 main benefits:
- Durability: Copper can last a lifetime, and can often be restored if necessary. You’ll get years of use out of them if they’re properly cared for!
- Aesthetics: Copper is beautiful and a joy to see in the kitchen. It makes a practical storage area look like a display.
- Conductivity: Copper heats evenly and well.
- Healthy: There is minimal processing during production and copper has naturally hygienic and antibacterial properties.
- Weight: Copper cookware is neither too light nor too heavy. It has a good, solid feel that is manageable for average use.
What Are the Disadvantages of Copper Cookware?
We can think of several.
- Cleaning: Copper can be easy to clean once you get in the hang of it, but it can’t compete with the simplicity of using a dishwasher. A good way to dip your toes into copper ownership is to purchase Moscow Mule mugs and see what you think.
- Storage: Copper cookware must be stored in a cool, dry place to prevent damage from moisture. This makes storing it in certain kitchen areas less desirable.
- Reactivity: Copper reacts to acid for cleaning, which is excellent. However, it also reacts to acidity during cooking, which is not so great. Cooking acidic foods in copper pots can cause flavors to be altered. Avoid marinades that might mess with your copper pan.
- Cost: Copper is not the most affordable option on the market. Depending on the size and quality, one pot can cost anywhere from $100 to several hundred dollars.
- Everyday Use: Copper is not meant for everyday use and daily cooking. You do not want to use copper to sear steaks, for example, because the temperature can change when other ingredients are added. Even if you invest in a high-quality copper cookware set, you will still need other pieces.
One other tip — make sure all family members who might be involved in washing dishes or loading the dishwasher know how to treat your copper! Just like you would for a cast iron skillet.
The good news is, if you follow these cleaning tips, that makes owning copper kitchenware a lot easier and more appealing!