How to Clean Your Greasy Pans With Meat Tenderizer

Cleaning a greasy pan is easy with meat tenderizer.

Many people who enjoy cooking find cleaning greasy pans afterward far less enjoyable. With fatty foods such as bacon, wiping away the congealed grease with a paper towel (or saving it for cooking later on) helps eliminate some of the problem. The rest of the problem can easily be dealt with using powdered meat tenderizer. Once the grease has been dealt with, cleaning your formerly greasy pots and pans will be a snap.

Things You'll Need

• Powdered meat tenderizer
• Paper towel
• Dish soap
• Sponge
• Scrubber pad

Instructions

1. Allow your greasy pan to sit long enough so that the grease and excess fat congeal. This happens naturally as the pan cools to room temperature after you have finished cooking.

2. Wipe the congealed grease away with a paper towel. If it is bacon grease or beef drippings, you may wish to scrape it into a container to store in your refrigerator for later use. Otherwise, simply wipe it away and dispose of it in the garbage.

3. Shake a little powdered meat tenderizer onto the greasy pan. Coat it evenly.

4. Soak the interior of the pan with hot water from your faucet. Make sure the water has heated up thoroughly before applying it to the pan. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

5. Rinse the greasy water and meat tenderizer out of your pan. Apply dish soap to a sponge and clean the pan. Use a sponge if your pan is nonstick. Use a scrubber pad if your pan is not very delicate, such as plain stainless steel.

6. Run your fingers over the surface of the pan to check for grease. If it does not feel greasy, dry it and put it away. If it still feels greasy, reapply the meat tenderizer and try again.

Tips & Warnings

• Powdered meat tenderizer works effectively against grease because grease is protein-based. Meat tenderizer usually contains baking soda, which is known to be an excellent cleaner. It also breaks down proteins regularly, which helps it get grease out of your way.

• Never dispose of congealed grease down your drain. Hot water will cause it to revert to liquid form temporarily, but as it cools, it will congeal again--this time, inside your pipes. This can cause expensive and inconvenient plumbing problems in the future.

• Do not use the hefty kitchen tool also sold as a "meat tenderizer" when attempting to clean your greasy pans. It will only scratch and dent your pans, and will not help to remove grease in any way.

References

• Reader's Digest: Extraordinary Uses for Meat Tenderizer