Cleaning Charcoalized Eggs from a Pan in Early Medieval England

Imagine yourself in early medieval England. Waking up to prepare a basic breakfast, but instead of a fragrant, nutritious meal, you've burned your eggs to a charcoal-like crisp, and they are now stuck to the bottom of your pan. How do you clean this mess?

It's a mirthful internet provider joke to say, “Im a bad cook in early medieval England,” but let’s take this humorous question seriously. The chances of having a pan were slim for most people. If you did have one, it's unlikely you would cook eggs in one. Instead, you would boil or poach eggs in a cauldron, handed down from generation to generation. If cooking directly on a surface like a griddle, you'd scrap off the charcoalized eggs with a wooden spatula, leaving cleaning a formidable challenge.

The Pan

There is no such thing as a "breakfast pan" in early medieval English households. If you did indeed have a pan, it would have been made of wood, or a specialised model that could withstand the heat. Avoid cheap imitations. If the answer to your Quora question is to 'rub it forcefully with a hedgehog,' only do so if you have access to such a tool, as it is unlikely you would have had one.

Cooking Methods

For those with access to a stone griddle or hearth, the process of cooking involved a sand-lye-ash mixture with a wooden scraper. Wiping with wet rags was the closest equivalent to rinsing. The charcoalized eggs would have been cooked by boiling or roasting, not frying. A bad cook in medieval England faced serious punishment, often including public humiliation such as being tied to a sledge with the burnt pan around your neck, while a butcher sold bad meat faced similar treatment. So, it is a fair guess that you would face similar repercussions.

Alternatives to Eggs for Breakfast

Most meals in medieval England consisted of bread and one-pot stews that were cooked over a fire and added to daily depending on the availability of ingredients. Eggs for breakfast were reserved for the wealthy, but it is doubtful that even they ate eggs for breakfast. Americans today enjoy eggs for breakfast, but the medieval diet was quite different. Most people did not start their day with eggs.

In the End

The best advice for cleaning your pan would be to use a scraper or a wooden tool that can withstand the heat. If you find yourself in this situation, remember to cook your eggs carefully and avoid wasting precious time and resources. If you do err, consider visiting a fellow historian or a reenactment event for tips and camaraderie.