oven tray advice - mine don't last!

[Jemster]

Hi
I need a couple of oven trays but can't find anything that lasts more than a few weeks. They end up looking dirty even after washing with burnt bits on and a horrible greasy smell. Do I buy non stick or if not what do I use to stop everything sticking? In fact even when I buy non stick things still stick!! I'm wasting so much money on trays that end up having to be chucked out.

[tinygreendragon]

I bought 4 trays from sainsburys for 99p each about 10 years ago and still just like new. All of which are used every day to make cookies (I sell them and make them for gifts for friends). No special treatment either, just water and washing up liquid.

[Mandy2003]

It is something to do with oxidised fat or oil I think. Even when you do find some chemical which begins to shift it, as soon as you soak the item it degrades into some gummy substance like the stuff that was all over those poor seabirds.

If anyone knows how to deal with oxidised fat I would be so grateful.

[bacon]

Mine are black too but have no concerns. I also buy a few Mermaids. Remember that some are not meant to be used in dishwasher, it ruins the aluminium coating because of the salt.

Doesnt anyone use those reuseable baking sheets??? - I have two types, one is like thin plastic and the other is more of a thick plastic. Both are great and stops frozen foods sticking to the sheet. I wouldnt worry about non-stick as your not supposed to scratch them once you do they get ruined. I too have warped ones and posh ones but I'm not losing sleep over it nor buying more.

[DreamySleepyNightySnoozySnooze]

I have 2 really old, cheap, baking sheets, with the non-stick wearing off, which are brilliant.

I also have 2 newer, more expensive, thick, heavy, baking trays from Lakeland that are crap. Now, I'm not usually one to bad mouth any Lakeland product (sorry Lakeland! I do love you really!) but the food just sticks fast to them and I have to chip them off with a wooden spatula.

[Whydobabiescry]

I've got some good old fashioned enamelled ones, they're great you can scuba them without worrying about non stick coatings coming off and you can bung them in the dishwasher. They are lovey and study and everything cooks well on them - oh and I have an enamel lidded roasting dish that works well and is easy to clean as well.

[CaptainNancy]

Mine are darkened but clean (i.e. no food bits ).
I always leave them to soak in the sink in hot water with washing up liquid in, almost everything comes off that way, occasionally a pan scrubber (plastic) thingy is needed 9ikea have them, probably far cheaper than lakeland).

My lakeland (double layer, fancy non-stick affair) is dying and only 3yo, whereas my 50p Spoils special is still going on strong after 17 years!

[IDreamedADreamOfSausageRolls]

Does it matter if oven trays don't last? I buy mine from the pound shop and replace them every few months or whenever they get unbearably skanky/warped. Is that bad?

[Ninetyninepercent]

BTW a friend of mine uses tin foil and the tin foil just sticks to the food and rips as she removes stuff. Going to get her a good tin for her birthday

[Ninetyninepercent]

Definitely hard anodised Mermaid - on the expensive end, but well worth it. Don't buckle if you use heat under them for making gravy in the pan (won't work with induction though....sobs). Food doesn't stick. Easy to clean as its sort of non-stick, can clean with more heavy duty scrubbers for stubborn grease. Have had 2 for almost 10 years and, whilst not pristine, in very good nick. Definintely worth it.

Also just bought some Circulon cake tins for little Yorkshire puds......fantastic. Cheap Yorkie tins are the bane of my life, before I bought this one!!!!

Having said that....I have tins from my DH's gran - so goodness knows how old they are and they have been seasoned well grease baked on since the dawn of time and they are some of my favourite tins!

If its smoking and smelly when you put them in the oven then you've still got too much residual oil/grease left on them from washing up. Before I wash greasy tins I squirt neat washing up liquid in them, lightly scrub until the fat emulsifies and the liquid goes cloudy, then rinse and wash as normal. Otherwise you're always left with a residue of grease.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

I have given up, I just use my wrecked trays with baking parchment on top now.

[LoonyRationalist]

Another vote for vitreous enamel, I have 3, the oldest is at least 8 years old and still perfect.
Scrub with wire scourer thing to get clean.

at cooking everything on foil from me too, that would be really expensive no?

[gemma4d]

I use a pan scraper - a plastic disk with sharp(ish) edges - soak baking tray in soapy hot water and scrape. Try not to slosh water everywhere. Job done. I got it from ebay but previously got them from Lakeland.

My baking tray is old, discoloured, but clean.

[notcitrus]

I always soak with washing up liquid before dishwashing. But only enamelled ones hold up - Prestige and other light ones warp and rust.

Amazed at people using tinfoil all the time - must cost a fortune?!

[goodmum123]

Agree with ruddy, just use Pyrex now as cheap and expensive trays do not last or clean properly

[Jemster]

I put the ff in the oven (as it says on packet) so I can do something else and not stand over the grill for 15 mins. They dont go hard, they just stick to the bloody crap baking tray. I'll be using foil from now on.

[Jemster]

Selks as I said higher up mine aren't just discoloured, they have old food burnt & welded on to them and they stink of burnt grease when they are reheated. That may be why I end up throwing them out as I don't think that is hygienic to eat off. I'm looking for something that will not stink of burnt grease and that will get clean but not bothered if it gets discoloured.

[exBrightonBell]

I second the Mermaid hard anodised range, they don't get blackened and you can properly scrub them. Mine still look brand new!

[savemefromrickets]

Scour TKMaxx for Mermaid ones, you can use metal utensils on them and they clean up well. It's even better if you use a silicone liner which you can bung in the dishwasher!!

[dizzy77]

I've got a motley collection too. Oddly seem to come out of the dishwasher in a worst state than they went in so I tend to hand wash most often, making sure the water is still hot & the suds effective (not always a given if its the last thing I wash).

I did invest in some non-stick liner from Lakeland which I cut to size for my most commonly used ones, this was a labour of love (& ££ upfront) but considered it would save me on foil/non-stick paper in the long run. I don't use it if I'm doing something that needs the grease tho which would just get trapped under - its my mermaid hard anodised brownie pan for goose fat roasties.

[MerryCouthyMows]

And yes, use tin foil. As an aside - you put your fish fingers in the oven?!

Don't they go all hard and crispy? Bleurgh!

I like mine grilled.

[MerryCouthyMows]

Enamel ones from Wilko's. Or anywhere. If you want them to last, pay a bit more and get enamelled ones.

[Selks]

Eh? Lost here. What does it matter what baking trays look like, as long as they're clean? Amazed that some people get rid of them because they discolour - how wasteful.

[WhateverTrevor]

I always use foil, thought everyone did.

[WannabeWilloughby]

Yeah, TheDetective...im sure the cheaper brands are called wrapping foil and it says not for cooking with. x