Tips

Cleaning and caring for a skottel

How to clean a skottel while it is warm, what to do differently for enamel and bare steel, how to remove rust, and how to store the pan and gas.

A skottel that is cleaned while warm takes a few minutes to look after. Left until the next morning, it takes much longer. This guide covers both kinds of pan and how to store them.

Clean it while it is warm

Turn off the gas and let the pan cool until it is warm, not scorching. Then:

1. Scrape loose food and fat into a tin or onto paper towel with a flat spatula.
2. Pour in a cup of hot water. It will steam and lift the stuck-on bits, the same way you would deglaze a frying pan.
3. Wipe or scrub it out, tip out the water, and dry the pan.

Never pour cold water into a very hot pan. The sudden change can warp the steel or crack enamel.

Enamel and coated pans

• Warm, soapy water and a soft sponge or cloth are all you need.
• Avoid steel wool, metal scrapers and harsh cleaning powders, which scratch and chip the surface.
• For a stubborn layer, fill the pan with water and a squirt of dishwashing liquid, bring it to a simmer for a few minutes, and wipe it clean.
• Use wooden or silicone tools when you cook, so the surface lasts longer.

A small chip in enamel is mostly cosmetic, but keep the bare steel underneath dry so it does not rust.

Bare carbon steel and cast iron

These pans rely on their seasoning, so treat them gently.

• Rinse with hot water and scrub with a brush or the rough side of a sponge. Many cooks use no soap on carbon steel; a drop of mild soap now and then does little harm to well-built seasoning.
• For stuck food, scrub with a handful of coarse salt and a little oil, then rinse.
• Never soak it or leave it wet.
• Dry it completely over a low flame for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Wipe on a few drops of oil, rub it in with paper towel until the pan looks almost dry, and heat it until it just smokes.

If the surface feels sticky, there is too much oil on it. Heat it until it smokes, or scrub with salt and oil and dry it again.

Removing rust

Light rust comes off with steel wool or a scourer and a little oil. For heavier rust, soak the pan for up to an hour in equal parts vinegar and water, scrub, then rinse and dry at once. In both cases, season the pan again two or three times as described in skottel basics.

Storing the skottel

• Make sure the pan is dry and lightly oiled (bare steel) or clean and dry (enamel).
• Cover it or slip it into a bag so dust and damp stay off. Put paper towel between stacked pans.
• Disconnect the gas bottle once everything is cool. Store bottles upright, outdoors or in a well-ventilated place, away from heat and never in a basement or closed car boot for long periods.
• Check the hose and regulator before you put it away for the season, so it is ready next time.

Between cooks on a long trip

On a camping trip you do not need to wash the pan after every meal. Scrape it, wipe it with paper towel and a little oil while it is warm, and give it a proper clean at the end of the day. A well-kept pan is ready for the next skottel breakfast in minutes.

Before cooking again, follow the checks in skottel heat and gas safety.