Salted fish, meats roasted to a point, potatoes that are crispy on the outside and very creamy on the inside, various vegetables, homemade breads, delicious pizzas or spongy cakes. These are some of the infinite preparations that we can make in the oven without being experienced cooks. We just have to prepare the raw materials, start the machine, select the indicated temperature and type of baking, even the time and set the alarm to notify us once the minutes we have set have elapsed.
If we’ve got the hang of the oven, it’s just a matter of waiting for everything to be ready. Without much effort. Depending on the recipe, perhaps go over from time to time to turn the roast chicken, or check if the cake has already cooked well inside. It is one of the most comfortable methods to be able to continue concentrating on other tasks, and the ones that make the least mess of pots and kitchen utensils. It’s fast and clean. And the flavors of baking, inimitable.
But not everything was going to be advantages. Everything has its pros and cons. And although cooking in the oven prevents us from staining other utensils such as pots and pans, or the stoves themselves, we will have to be cautious and apply some measures to prevent the oven trays from ending up full of grease and embedded food remains. We are going to give you some tricks so that – when the time comes – you are able to remove all the dirt and leave your trays like new.
Molds, other containers and silicone mats
To begin with, whenever we can we will try to cook with silicone molds – they are very easy to clean and we can use them, for example, to prepare all types of cakes and breads – we can also find them made of metal, aluminum or stainless steel. For other types of preparations, we can use ceramic, porcelain, earthenware or glass containers.
And if we need to prepare large quantities and we have no choice but to use the entire tray, we can use reusable, silicone-free silicone mats to cover it. PFAS. They will last a long time and are a perfect option for baking cookies or cakes, but also other types of foods such as pizzas or roast meats.
If you still prefer to bake directly on the tray, make sure it is non-stick and try to grease it a little with butter or virgin olive oil before spreading your preparation on the support to prevent it from sticking to the surface.
And although it is true that the flavor of cooking on the tray always provides an extra something, it is also true that you will not be able to avoid some collateral damage and after baking your recipe, you will have to take some time to remove the dirt.
How to clean oven trays
Not cleaning the tray immediately, even if it seems that it has not gotten too dirty, will cause that fat to melt again the next time you cook on it and contaminate the aromas and flavors of the new preparation. We tell you some tricks to leave the oven trays looking like new:
- We are going to use one of the winning combinations when undertaking a cleaning task, no matter how arduous it may be: vinegar and baking soda. They have a high cleaning and disinfecting power; and it will help us eliminate grease stains, burns and other remains embedded in the tray. We are going to work with a paste of both ingredients that we will make by mixing a dozen tablespoons of baking soda with three of cleaning vinegar and four of very hot water. We will add the vinegar slowly so as not to generate too much foam when reacting with the baking soda. Now, we are going to spread the pasta on the tray or trays, although we can also take advantage and distribute it on the walls and door of the oven. We will let it act for several hours and then we will remove it with a damp cloth.
- If we do not have baking soda or the cleaning we need to do is not so deep, we can simply use vinegar mixed with water (one part vinegar to three parts water). We will introduce the liquid into a sprayer that we can use to distribute this cleaner on the trays and walls of the oven. Likewise, let it sit, although this time for between 15 and 20 minutes, and then clean with a sponge, rinse and dry.
- boiling water. It is one of the simplest formulas, but no less effective. The power of hot water should not be underestimated. What we are going to do is remove as much as possible all the grease that accumulates on the tray with kitchen paper. Then we will cover it with boiling water, to which we can add a few drops of the dishwasher that we use at home. We will let it act for at least two or three hours. Then we remove the water and rub gently with a sponge for delicate surfaces. If you see that the dirt on the tray is very stubborn, we advise you to add a little baking soda to the boiling water with the dishwasher.
- Another way to clean the trays that is very pleasant is using lemon. In addition to leaving them like new, it serves to disinfect the oven inside and eliminate bad odors. What we are going to do this time is cover the tray or trays with water again, but this time we are going to add the juice of a whole squeezed lemon and also its peel. We will place the trays in the oven and heat it at medium power for about 15 or 20 minutes. When that time has passed, we take out the trays, let them cool so as not to have any accidents and wash them as we usually do.
- Another trick we give you is to use bicarbonate – as in the first solution we gave you – but combined this time with hydrogen peroxide. To do this, we will cover the tray with three layers, the first and third with baking soda and the second, with hydrogen peroxide. We will let it act for at least two or three hours. After that time, we are going to use a soft bristle brush to clean the surface to be treated with circular movements. Then we will rinse and dry it well.
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