Testing a Tin-Lined Copper Pot

Most copper cookware is lined with tin, which is not reactive to acidic foods and prevents the copper from rusting. Over time and with daily wear and tear, the tin coating of copper pots can wear down. It's important to get copper pots re-tinned from time to time if you will be cooking highly acidic foods in them. Acidic foods include tomatoes, beans, most grains and meats. Test your tin-lined copper pots about once a year to determine whether or not it's time for re-tinning.

Paper towel
Dish cleanser

Instructions

- 1
  Check the color of the tin lining your copper pot. As tin gets older it becomes darker in color. Darker-colored tin doesn't affect the utility of the copper pot, but sometimes the tin has worn away completely and the owner doesn't realize it because dried-on food imitates the color of tin. Note the color of the pot before moving on to the next step.
- 2
  Wet a paper towel and wring out the extra water.
- 3
  Apply a small dot of dish cleanser to the inside of the copper pot. Rub the spot with the wet paper towel.
- 4
  Watch for a color change in the spot you're rubbing. If the spot turns silver, the dark color of the inside of the pot is dried foodstuffs. If the color is copper or dark, the tinning is gone and you are seeing through to the copper or steel beneath.

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