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Cleaning the Daisy Wheel Top

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yaB
yaB Posts: 137
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
The daisy wheel top on my LBGE has been developing a coating of tarry glop over time. On Sunday the coating got thick and gloppy enough to freeze the daisy wheel to the cast iron base, so it couldn't be adjusted or swung away. [p]What's the recommended way to periodically clean the daisy wheel top? Nuke it for a while in the Egg? Pressure wash it? A session in the dishwasher? A self-cleaning cycle in the kitchen oven?[p]Thanks,
Bob
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  • Painter
    Painter Posts: 464
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    yaB,
    Overnight soak in amonia in a ziplock bag.
    Rinse thoroughly with water.
    Good as new.
    Bob
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  • mad max beyond eggdome
    mad max beyond eggdome Posts: 8,134
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    yaB,
    i stick mine in the egg at high temps for a little while. . .burns that crud right off. . .. every few minute, reach in there with something and turn the top a little so that it gets it all. .. you don't need nuke temps. . .. about 15 - 20 minutes in the 500 degree range will do the trick. .. .
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  • LOG
    LOG Posts: 85
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    yaB,
    Come on that stuff is great! Max don't waste it, try dipping some good crusty bread in it. You would be amazed![p]
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  • yaB
    yaB Posts: 137
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    LOG,
    Yeah, when I first realized what it was ("Gunk", with a capital "G" rather than a "Graceful patina developing on Ms. Daisy Wheel"), one of the first things that crossed my mind was a comparison to the "coal tar" shampoo my Father used to use when he came home from work at the steel mills. This was Nasty Stuff, indeed. The second thing that crossed my mind was that the daisy wheel gunk may be the concentrated version of "Liquid Smoke". Ugh³.[p]Bob[p]Bob
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  • LOG
    LOG Posts: 85
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    yaB,
    It's all good on crusty bread!

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  • Sigmore
    Sigmore Posts: 621
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    LOG,
    Or for a sprinkle on a salad. %^/
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  • LOG
    LOG Posts: 85
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    sigmore,
    MMM now somebody's thinking.
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  • pointer
    pointer Posts: 41
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    yaB,[p]I took Castrol Suoer Clean to my "Gunky Daisy Wheel".[p]Spray on let sit for 1-2 minutes and hose off. Worked great!

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  • pointer
    pointer Posts: 41
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    pointer,
    Opps didn't proof read ....thats Super Clean! :c)
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  • The Other Dave
    The Other Dave Posts: 205
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    mad max beyond eggdome, I toss mine right in the glowing coals. Re-Season in the egg at 350-400 degrees with Crisco, and as good as new.

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  • Shelby
    Shelby Posts: 803
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    yaB,
    I've always used the "egg self cleaning" method. But mine hardly ever needs cleaning. After a cook, put the daisy wheel on the grill and use the rain cap to put out the fire. It's a better seal and the daisy wheel gets a little self cleaning while you're at it.
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    yaB,
    posting probs prevented a timely post...[p]
    as far as I'm conerned, the best way to clean it is not to clean it.[p]ok
    what i mean is that when i'm done a cook, i take the daisy off and put her inside.[p]that melts off any drippy fat.[p]but the sooty stuff that's left behind I count as a good thing.[p]why?[p]when i open the top, the titlted daisy doesn't free-wheel and spin, because there's just enough goop to hold her in place (i also subscribe to the 'daisy placement' ideology, which i hope someone will post a link to. )[p]also, when i do a low and slo, i find the goop is a self-formed gasket. there are no leaks in the daisy. when i open the slots, i know that the air is coming in only through the slots, not sneaking in through the cracks, so my settings for the daisy are consistent from cook to cokk.[p]the cosmetically clean daisy is over-rated AND less faithful than the aged one.[p]i don't clean my cast-iron pans with soap, and i don't dare 'clean' the daisy.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
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    stike,[p]Here ya go...[p]http://www.nakedwhiz.com/ceramicfaq.htm#dwsetting
    [ul][li]keeping the daisy wheel in place while opening[/ul]
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    Mark Backer,
    you da man. thanks.[p](that method also benefits from the daisy being a bit sticky)[p]hey
    as an aside, for whatever reason i've gotten into the habit of giving the ceramic top a spin when i put it on.[p]kinda figger it'll eventually grind the top and cap into perfect unison and air-tightness, for choking out the fire.[p]...and the soot actually helps here too, cuz it fills in the low spots a bit on the rim of the hole.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
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    stike,[p]The Naked Whiz is the man. I simply have a lot of free time at work it seems.[p]
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  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,749
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    stike, the other day i was hot smoking some home made sausage at about 170 degrees and was thinking that the problem people have maintaining low temps is probably with the daisy being clean and leaking to much. some just need things to be squeeky clean. i dont see a need to clean it until it starts to drip and flake on my food.
    the art of cleaning a pan is another problem, and im thinking it skips a generation as my dad just doesnt get it. we bought a camp together and cast iron is an argument that is ongoing. he insists to wash it and argues that the soap wont hurt it, then is upset when the food sticks and burns, then washes it with soap again. any ideas on how to break the cycle, or should i buy him his own pans for xmas

    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
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    fishlessman,[p]it's no use. I had to be convinced by the wife, but now or cast iron stuff is no stick (mostly) and gets better every time we use it. Tell him scrubbing's fine. Just hide the soap. Besides, when you're camping, who needs soap anyway?
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    fishlessman,
    you can't teach an old man new tricks...[p]i say don't let him do the dishes! and yeah, but him his own. [p]when the pan is still hot, have him pour in a little water and then scrub the sucker. whatever stays, stays.[p]life's a whole lot simple than folks make it out to be.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Mark Backer
    Mark Backer Posts: 1,018
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    stike,[p]I do recommend setting your post-rinsed cast iron on a rack, slat of wood or hanging it rather than setting it on a while kitchen shelf though. Even the best cast iron rusts a little when left damp.[p]
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  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
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    Mark Backer,
    yeah
    i hate to admit it, but i got a stack of three or four cast iron pans glaring at me from a shelf inna basement, and they're all showing rust.[p]
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
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  • Unknown
    Unknown
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    fishlessman,
    I do use soap on my cast iron to clean them, but then I heat them up on the burner and apply a coating of crisco with a paper towel. This keeps the non-stick properties and also keeps them from rusting.
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  • DAF
    DAF Posts: 6
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    Hi All: This is my first post and I'm pretty much a newbie. Having problems getting the egg up to temp, in spite of adding lump, etc. HELP! Many thanks, DAF
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  • DAF
    DAF Posts: 6
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    Hi All: This is my first post and I'm pretty much a newbie. Having problems getting the egg up to temp, in spite of adding lump, etc. HELP! Many thanks, DAF
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  • DAF
    DAF Posts: 6
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    Hi All: This is my first post and I'm pretty much a newbie. Having problems getting the egg up to temp, in spite of adding lump, etc. HELP! Many thanks, DAF
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