How to Clean the Egg Whites Stuck on the Bottom of a Pot
Egg whites serve a number of culinary purposes including providing clarity to consomme and fluffiness to souffles. Egg whites also provide a low-calorie ingredient with which to make omelets if you are watching your weight or cholesterol intake. Chemical changes, however, cause the protein source to stick to the bottom of cooking vessels if cooked over excessive heat without enough cooking oil, creating an unsightly mess that could discourage some cooks from using the ingredient. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Turn on your hot kitchen sink faucet. Let the water run until hot and place the pot under the faucet. Fill the bottom of the pan with hot water, which will help the egg whites loosen faster than cold or warm water. Squeeze about 1/4 tsp. dish detergent into the bottom of the pot.
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Place the pot in the bottom of an empty sink or on a counter top and leave it to soak for one hour or more, or until the egg whites loosen. To avoid damaging the kitchen counter, wipe the pot's outside bottom dry before you place it on the surface.
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3
Pour the water out of the pot and loosen large amounts of stuck egg whites with a plastic spatula. Wipe the loosened egg whites into a trash can or into the garbage disposal with a paper towel. Removing the excess stuck egg whites prevents your scouring pad from becoming gummy and unusable.
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Scrub the bottom of the pot with a scouring pad. You may need to "put a little muscle" into scrubbing the pot to clean it well.
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Tips & Warnings
Cook egg white omelets with butter on medium-high heat rather than with oil on high heat to prevent them sticking to the bottom of a pan.
If you need to clean a pan with egg whites stuck to the bottom quickly, cover the bottom with water and bring it to a boil. Remove the pan from the stove immediately once the water boils. Loosen the egg whites with a plastic spatula after simmering and scrub the bottom.
Do not use scouring pads to clean nonstick pots and pans or you will ruin the nonstick surface. If egg whites stick to the bottom of a nonstick pan, soak the pan with warm water and dish detergent and clean the bottom gently with a dishcloth.
