How to clean the cauldron correctly?

Kazan is a versatile type of kitchen utensils and allows you to cook food both on the stove and on an open fire. However, the latter method of operation leads to the formation of soot and greasy deposits on the outer walls of the dishes, which is why the cauldron needs more careful and painstaking care than ordinary kitchen pots and braziers.

The history of the appearance of the cauldron is rooted in the distant past. The first vessels appeared in the countries of the East and were made from the most accessible material in terms of processing - copper. However, over time and with progress in the processing of harder and stronger metals for the manufacture of cauldrons began to use duralumin alloy and cast iron... These metals differ significantly in physical properties, but both have high heat capacity. This property, in combination with the rather impressive thickness of the walls of the vessel, allows you to engage not only in cooking and stewing, but also in languishing, as well as frying a variety of dishes. Thick walls give off heat to the food inside for a very long time, which is why the dish is cooked more evenly and has time to be saturated with the aroma of seasonings.

As for the shape of the product, it can be round or elongated and have both flat and rounded bottom. Flat-bottomed models are suitable for use on gas and electric stoves, while round-bottomed models are intended exclusively for open flames. Street cauldrons are installed on portable tandoors, placed on tripods or barbecues, and sometimes even placed on hot coals. In terms of ease of preparation, rounded cookware compares favorably with traditional flat-bottom models.This is due to the fact that in round cauldrons it is much more convenient to mix food, besides, the oil evenly flows down the sloping walls and is less absorbed into the dish. The versatility of the cauldron allows you to cook various sauces in it, stew fish and meat, cook rich soups and cook pilaf.

The choice of the most effective method for cleaning the cauldron depends entirely on the material from which it is made.

Casans made of aluminum are much easier to clean than cast iron ones due to the less porous structure of the metal. However, duralumin alloy made on the basis of aluminum is susceptible to the formation of oxide deposits., which appears when the metal comes into contact with oxygen, which is part of the air. Fighting plaque is easy. To do this, you must regularly clean the container using a soft metal sponge and an abrasive cleaning agent.

In order to clean the aluminum cauldron from soot and carbon deposits, a large basin is used, into which water is poured and 500 grams of soda ash, a piece of grated laundry soap and a couple of bottles of silicate glue are added. Then the container is put on fire, the components are mixed well. After they completely dissolve, place a dirty cauldron there. The vessel should be boiled for at least 25 minutes, having opened the window in advance or turned on the hood. Such a measure is necessary to eliminate the unpleasant odor that will come from the dissolving old fat. Then the cauldron is taken out, the fat is wiped off with a washcloth of medium hardness using a dishwashing gel and rinsed.

However, if a large basin, where the cauldron could fit, was not available, then a bath can be used. To do this, hot water is taken into it, a bleaching powder is poured and a dishwashing detergent is poured. The cauldron is placed in water in such a way that all contaminated places are hidden under water, and then left overnight. In the morning, the product is washed with a metal sponge using a liquid product and rinsed well.

The next method will help remove dirt from the inner walls of the cauldron. To do this, just pour a soap and soda solution into a bowl and boil it for 15–20 minutes. The composition is prepared in the following proportion: 5 l of water, 5 g of laundry soap and 2 tbsp. l. baking soda or soda ash. It is even easier to clean the cauldron in field conditions. A little water is poured into it, brought to a boil, the dirt present on the walls is moistened and sprinkled with salt. After the water in the cauldron cools down a little and becomes bearable for the hands, the cauldron is tilted and the dirt from the walls is washed with a metal sponge.

When cleaning an aluminum cauldron, it is important to remember that it is strictly forbidden to anneal it, since aluminum cannot stand strong heat and can deform. If dark spots appear on the aluminum cauldron over time, then 6% vinegar will help to cope with them, in which a napkin is moistened and the darkened areas are wiped. In case of burning food, salt, soda and citric acid are poured into a bowl in a ratio of 1: 1: 1, a little water is poured and boiled for 20 minutes. A mixture of 1/3 of a lump of laundry soap, a spoonful of ammonia and a couple of liters of water has a similar effect. The resulting solution is also poured into a cauldron and boiled for 20 minutes.

It is a little more difficult to cope with rust that affects the metal if the cauldron is not stored correctly. To do this, the dish is soaked in a solution of water and vinegar, taken in equal parts, and then the rusty deposit is scraped off with a metal sponge. If the corrosion process was caught at the very beginning, then you can do without boiling. To do this, take coarse sandpaper and clean off the rust.Then, fine-grained sandpaper is passed through the cleaned areas, after which the dish is washed with a liquid agent and rinsed.

Products made of cast iron should be handled with particular care. Despite its apparent strength and thickness, cast iron is a rather brittle metal and can crack if dropped. At the production stage, cast iron models go through the stage of bluing or oil firing, which leads to the creation of a non-stick and anti-corrosion layer. Therefore, it is desirable that cast iron products are not scratched, as a result of which the protective layer is broken, and the product begins to rust. Both internal and external contamination from cast-iron models is removed by the same methods as from aluminum ones, and involves the use of already known components: salt, soda, silicate glue and laundry soap.

However, unlike aluminum models, cast iron products can be calcined. To do this, the cauldron is placed in an oven and heated to 300 degrees. After 10 minutes, the dish is removed, greased on all sides with oil and sent to the oven for half an hour. This procedure will help restore the lost properties of the protective layer and prevent corrosion.

In field conditions, you can clean the cast-iron model as follows: the cauldron is filled to the top with river sand and hung over the fire. After a few hours, the vessel is emptied and rinsed. Instead of sand, you can use table salt, 2 kg of which is poured into a cauldron and thoroughly calcined on the stove for 2 hours (stirring). At the end of the procedure, the salt will darken, and the cauldron will be cleaned.

The next method of cleaning cast iron is also effective, but after its use, the cauldron needs a mandatory 3–5-fold calcination using vegetable oil. So, 1/2 cup of dry mustard powder and citric acid in an amount of 40 grams are poured into the cauldron, 1 liter of water is poured and boiled for 20 minutes. Then they wait for the solution to cool down a little and use a soft metal sponge to clean the inner walls of the cauldron. Then the product is rinsed, wiped dry and calcined.

After each use, aluminum models must be thoroughly washed with a degreasing agent, rinsed well and wiped dry. Store such products in a dry and well-ventilated area, since the aluminum surface can become a breeding ground for the fungus.

Cast iron models should also be thoroughly rinsed after each use, wiped thoroughly and protected from excess moisture.

Oiled paper can be used instead of cloth - it will also protect the product from moisture and prevent rust.

As you can see, taking care of the cauldron at home is not difficult at all. The main thing is to clean it in time and avoid old dirt. And then, sparkling and pure, it will serve its owners for a long time.

For information on how and what to wash a cast-iron cauldron, see the next video.