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WOK Fail

robnybbq
robnybbq Posts: 1,911
On Friday night we were debating on what to do for dinner.  I was thinking of a WOK cook on Saturday night but I have never seasoned/cleaned the new WOK.  So I fired up the Egg to heat up the WOK since I did not want to turn on the oven in the house and stink the place up.  I took out the new WOK (from CGS) and cleaned it with soap and water and a abrasive sponge.  Looked like I got most of the oil off.  I put the WOK on the Egg to heat it up and get the oil from shipping hot to be cleaned off.  After 10 minutes I removed the WOK and cleaned it again.   Then I tried to season the WOK on the Egg - Spider UP and the Egg ~ 400-450.  I did the paper towel with Olive oil (All I had on hand) about 4 times until the towel came off clear and no more black residue.  BTW I hope I did not ruin the Egg becasue the smell coming off of the WOK with the shipping oil made a bad smell.

When finished seasoning I said what the heck - let me thrown on some chicken pieces (cut up) with fresh pressed garlic, powdered ginger( None fresh in the house), Pulled the chicken off (Seared a little and I think I need more heat as the meat did not keep on sizzling when moved around/flipped).  I added some baby carrots and cooked for a few minutes (should have done longer).  Then I added the chicken back in with some Soy, Hoisin and Siracha and stirred all together for a few minutes then removed.

Now the it tasted OK but no where near what I would get if I ordered out or went to a Asian restaurant.  Chicken was not crisp and rather chewy and weird flavor.

I rinsed the WOK with water only once it cooled down and I looked at the WOK this morning and its all rusted.  Did I ruin it or do I have to sand out the rust and season it differently?

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LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


Garnerville, NY

Comments

  • Just add more oil and re-season. It's fine. And you need to cook hotter. Wide open draft door and open dome. It's freaking hot.
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    It isn't ruined. Just flash surface rust. You'll only need to scrub and reseason.
  • Aviator
    Aviator Posts: 1,757
    edited July 2013

    Tell you what, just rub it with some salt, wipe it out. Oil liberally with peanut oil or flaxseed oil($$$$$). Do not use olive oil as it has a low flash point or whatever. You need oils that can stand up to high heat and polymerize. Nola or some space scientist here will be along to give you the molecular chemistry.

    Just re-oil as above, and throw it on the egg and cook. The more you use it, the more seasoned it gets.

    And look up VI's wokking adventures.

    ______________________________________________ 

    Large and Small BGE, Blackstone 36 and a baby black Kub.

    Chattanooga, TN.

     

  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    Oh and I need gloves - Even with the Egg at 400-500 cooking on it I was burning my hands.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
    Get yourself a good pair of welding gloves. Helps protect the forearms as well. I seasoned and use peanut oil on mine.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

  • Hibby
    Hibby Posts: 606
    Sorry about your lackluster results? Did you velvet the chicken? It's a technique where you coat the chicken in corn starch prior to stir frying. The chicken gets velvetted, cooked, then taken back out and later added to the stir fry vegetables. Sounds corny but it truly works. http://chinesefood.about.com/od/cookingtechniques/f/velvetchicken.htm
    I cook. I eat. I repeat. Thornville, Ohio
  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    Did a spur of the moment cook and did not like the results.  Will try and reseason in a few weeks and see what happens.  I can always turn the WOK into a New Years Eve noisemaker or try to replicate the Gong Show if the food sucks.

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • paqman
    paqman Posts: 4,661
    Look at this post:

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1140284/seasoning-a-carbon-steel-wok-cast-iron-lodge-dutch-oven-with-edible-linseed-oil-flaxseed

    It smells awful in the house when you do it but it gives a perfect seasoning.

    ____________________
    Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
  • Richard Fl
    Richard Fl Posts: 8,297
    edited July 2013

    When you are finished with the wok and it has cooled down, clean with warm water--NO SOAP--and a little brushing with a sponge or a bamboo  brush.  Wipe dry and coat with a thin coat of oil ( I prefer peanut for all wok projects) both on front and back.  You just eggsperienced some surface rust from the water after cleaning.

    Some things here may help.

    http://www.greeneggers.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=1277637&catid=1

     

     

     

  • robnybbq
    robnybbq Posts: 1,911
    Yeah looks like I did it wrong.  Will have to try again one day.  I need to find long welding gloves (of course the big box stores do not carry them).  Into the attic for a few months as I need to get a cabinet or build something to store all this stuff on my deck.  The Weber gasser is already full of Egg stuff.

    Thanks

    _______________________________________________________________
    LBGE, Adjustable Rig, Spider, High-Que grate, maverick ET-732, Thermapen,


    Garnerville, NY
  • nolaegghead
    nolaegghead Posts: 42,102
    Aviator said:

    Tell you what, just rub it with some salt, wipe it out. Oil liberally with peanut oil or flaxseed oil($$$$$). Do not use olive oil as it has a low flash point or whatever. You need oils that can stand up to high heat and polymerize. Nola or some space scientist here will be along to give you the molecular chemistry.

    Just re-oil as above, and throw it on the egg and cook. The more you use it, the more seasoned it gets.

    And look up VI's wokking adventures.

    Flaxseed oil is the best - it polymerizes but it is pricy, and it can't have any additives.  I just bust open a few fish oil tablets - same fatty acids as flaxseed oil.  Don't season too hot - around 800F the seasoning "ashes" off.   Make sure you put some kind of oil on it after cleaning for storage.
    ______________________________________________
    I love lamp..