How do you clean a burned/scorched griddle pan

[millicentfriendly]

... I mean, the kind of cast iron square or rectangular griddle pan that you've been using for years and it's gone all black and burned.

I've tried soaking mine in washing up liquid but it remains steadfastly black and rough and uncleanable.

Do I just chuck it and start again with a new one? Or is there an easy way that doesn't require hours of scrubbing?

Try soaking it with a dissolved dishwasher tablet. Do you mean the kind with ridges? The ones they use on the telly when they've got a 'production assistant' to wash it up afterwards (or more likely can just use it once and chuck it in the bin after)

You could try cleaning it with oil, but if it's very bad it might take quite a few goes.

If it's cast iron with no non stick coating then you are supposed to build up the very coating you are trying to get rid of. It's called seasoning and should mean the griddle pan pretty much becomes non stick through use. Don't soak it and really all you should do to clean it is give it a wipe.

Is it deep enough to put some water in? If you can bring it to the boil with a mix of cleaning soda and water, boil it for a while then leave it to soak, the rough bits should come off very easily.

I was hoping there might be a really easy solution, perhaps the dishwasher tab will work. The burned-ness is kind of a charred layer that flakes off on food like halloumi so I'm not sure it's desirable or supposed to be like that. I really don't fancy scrubbing it -- I feel tired at the very thought!

Clean it with oil and a silver non scratch scrubber then just wipe immediately after every use.

My lovely MIL told me to simmer diluted washing up liquid in the pan for twenty minutes. Worked on my burnt porridge encrusted pans. Might be worth a try?

I always pour in water to coat the bottom, squirter in waging up liquid and sprinkle in washing powder and leave to soak for a couple of hours then use a metal scourer and it comes up clean.

Dame Diazepam my DH just told me we should only be cleaning our non stick griddle pan with kitchen roll. This is to protect the non stick coating he says.
So, no washing up water, is that right?
Sorry OP, small hijack

Yes, that's what I do. I ruined a pan using washing up liquid.

I used a non scratch thingy though, as kitchen roll leaves white bits all over it

Thanks Dame!