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a day of seasoning
Jan. 10th, 2002 12:44 amI seasoned the new (carbon steel) wok before taking it out for a spin yesterday, but it wasn't a very good job, patchy and gummy. So I took it off and did it again. Unfortunately Cookwise doesn't have a section on pan care, but dkindred++ found me this: http://www.broadwaypanhandler.com/html/cookcare.html
Doing it twice hasn't made me competent, but I think I learned a couple of things. 1) The first time I was too wussy to brown the oil. Browning is the true way. 2) Even the lightest coat of oil you can apply will bead up with heat, and form lumps that can be sticky. Brush the oil with a paper towel as it heats up, especially just as it starts to smoke.
One thing I don't know is if you're really supposed to have to shift the pan all over the flame to get each section in turn. I tried just setting it over a low flame, but convection beats conduction.
Also, in Amherst I picked up a nice hefty cast-iron pan that my parents were getting rid of. I had to steel-wool the rust off it and polish it, but then it was familiar ground. Mmm, bacon grease.
Doing it twice hasn't made me competent, but I think I learned a couple of things. 1) The first time I was too wussy to brown the oil. Browning is the true way. 2) Even the lightest coat of oil you can apply will bead up with heat, and form lumps that can be sticky. Brush the oil with a paper towel as it heats up, especially just as it starts to smoke.
One thing I don't know is if you're really supposed to have to shift the pan all over the flame to get each section in turn. I tried just setting it over a low flame, but convection beats conduction.
Also, in Amherst I picked up a nice hefty cast-iron pan that my parents were getting rid of. I had to steel-wool the rust off it and polish it, but then it was familiar ground. Mmm, bacon grease.
