Beachygrrl > wrote:

> Any advice?

See section 5.1 of the rec.food.cooking FAQ.

Victor

Everything sticks when I cook and if I don't rub oil on it after
washing it rusts.

I have stopped using soap when I wash it but that isn't always
possible. ARGH, very frustrating. I'm almost ready to stop using it
alltogether. Any advice?

Here is a link to the wok:
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family...1&SearchPage=1

Heat the wok for a few minutes until its entire surface is hot. Using a
heat-proof brush (e.g., the type for barbecuing) or a piece of cloth,
brush a thin layer of cooking oil over every inch of its surface. Use
an oil with a high smoking point (e.g., peanut oil or corn oil) to
minimize oil fumes. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation - turn
the fan on high and open all the windows. Tilt the wok from side to
side, subjecting the entire surface to intense heat to burn the oil
into it. After burning a few minutes all around, turn the heat off and
let the pan cool completely to room temperature before beginning round
two. When the wok has cooled, sop up the excess grease in the center
with a paper towel. Turn the heat on high and let the wok heat for a
few minutes until wafts of smoke can be seen lifting off its surface.
Turn the pan from side to side and again "roast" every inch of it to
further burn in the first layer of oil. Then, brush in another coating
and proceed as before to burn this second layer into the pan. After a
few minutes, turn off heat and let pan cool.

Repeat the foregoing steps a few more times, alternating heating with
cooling, each time burning in the previous layer before adding another
layer. Make sure to sop up excess grease that tends to collect in the
center before each reheating to prevent a thick, gel-like coating from
forming there. After several coats of oil have been burned in, the wok
will begin to turn dark, though the coloring may be uneven and
splotchy. When the wok has developed enough of a tacky, oily surface
that does not look dry when heated up, you may begin to use it for
cooking.

Google is your friend.

Beachygrrl wrote:
> Everything sticks when I cook and if I don't rub oil on it after
> washing it rusts.
>
> I have stopped using soap when I wash it but that isn't always
> possible. ARGH, very frustrating. I'm almost ready to stop using it
> alltogether. Any advice?
>
> Here is a link to the wok:
> http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family...1&SearchPage=1

I hope you really have a carbon steel wok. The Crate and Barrel link
doesn't work for me, and all I find on their site is way overpriced
fake wok-type things that won't work nearly as well. Anodized
aluminum, stainless steel, and nonstick coatings are all unacceptable
for wok cooking.

There's lots in the rfc archives on seasoning and I'm not going to
repeat it, but I will make a couple of points that might help. First,
use a lot of heat. Get that wok *really hot*, then pour in about 2 TB
of peanut oil and swirl it around. Now take a large handful of
crumpled up paper towels -- the bigger the wad the less chance of
burning yourself -- and quicly swish the oil around the entire surface
of the wok. You don't have to try to rub it in, just be sure every bit
is coated. Is it smoking? Good. Turn off the heat and let the wok
sit. When cool enough, rub the paper towels around the surface again
to smooth out the oil. Now heat it up to *really hot* again. Turn off
the heat, take the wok over to the sink and run water into it, swirl it
around, drain, return to stove and give a final wipe with the oily
paper towel. Your wok is now seasoned.

You will find it easiest to clean if -- every time -- you clean it
immediately after cooking is finished. Dish the food out to bowls or
plates, take the wok immediately to the sink and clean it with water
only. Return to stove, heat, wipe dry, turn heat off and eat. If you
do it this way it will take only seconds, while if you wait until after
dinner you may have to soak the wok or scrub it hard or (gasp!) use
soap.

It is not a bad idea to rub a few drops of oil around the wok after
cleaning it to prevent rust. -aem

Beachygrrl > wrote:

> Any advice?

See section 5.1 of the rec.food.cooking FAQ.

Victor

Victor Sack wrote:
> Beachygrrl > wrote:
>
>> Any advice?
>
> See section 5.1 of the rec.food.cooking FAQ.
>
> Victor

And this FAQ is where?

--

Joe Cilinceon

Joe Cilinceon > wrote:

> Victor Sack wrote:
> > Beachygrrl > wrote:
> >
> >> Any advice?
> >
> > See section 5.1 of the rec.food.cooking FAQ.
>
> And this FAQ is where?

Canned reply:
The FAQ is posted every month. A pointer to it is posted every week
(the latest was posted last Thursday) and should still be available on
most newsservers, as well as on groups.google. You can also find the
FAQ at <http://vsack.homepage.t-online.de/rfc_faq.html>.

Victor