To Scrub or Not To Scrub:

Every home chef knows the struggle of keeping a pristinely clean baking sheet — it's near impossible. But do you really need to scrub your brown baking sheet back to its original gleaming metal? The answer may surprise you. There comes a time in your baking sheet's life when a steel wool just won't do the trick. They slowly turn from their shimmering aluminum to a dark brown that never looks very appealing. This is polymerized oil baked onto the pan due to high temperatures and long cooking times. If you look at your baking sheets you may notice the edges and corners are a darker shade. This is because those areas are often most neglected when washing and when you use them next, any remaining oils become baked to the metal. This may sound familiar if you cook with cast-iron. Cast-iron skillets are often "seasoned" with oil to create a naturally non-stick surface by filling in the iron's natural pores with polymerized cooking oil. But what is polymerization? Polymerization is a chemical process in which the oils or fats from food chemically bond to the metal surface when heated, turning liquid into a slick, hardened surface which creates a natural non-stick coating. This coating also protects the metal from corrosion by acidic foods like tomatoes. While hardened oil certainly doesn't sound appetizing, it will not significantly affect the taste of food. As a baking sheet deepens in color from continued use, they absorb more heat; and the darker the pan, the hotter it will get. Because of this (and the non-stick layer) seasoned baking sheets are best for roasting vegetables and meats. At the same oven temperature, a seasoned baking sheet will get hotter and produce better browning than an unseasoned sheet light in color. For this reason, unseasoned baking sheets are best for delicate baking like cookies and pastries. An avid home chef may consider having dedicated baking sheets, both seasoned and unseasoned, for better cooking control — I know I will! If you'd like to maintain the shiny look of your baking sheets as much as possible, always clean them after each use by soaking in warm soapy water; use a gentle scrubbing sponge or brush and a non-abrasive cleaning agent; or use parchment paper for an easy clean. And while we all know reverting a seasoned baking sheet back to its original shine is a challenge, it is never impossible. If you have a handful of well-loved baking sheets, consider scrubbing one or two back to its unseasoned self with some peace, love and elbow grease (and maybe a little Barkeeper's Friend).