It seems like some people are missing the point here. The procedure in this video is for a severely neglected wok that has been allowed to rust and develop caked-on residue. Yes! If you treat your wok properly, you'll never need to do this. Just a stiff brush and water, and maybe a tiny amount of detergent (occasionally) will keep your wok fine. Just be sure to dry it as he describes - over heat, not with a towel. This video demonstrates that abused or neglected woks can indeed be brought back from the dead with the procedures he demonstrates. Good job!
This is exactly why I came to this video. I've acquired a wok second hand and it needs restoration. This video perfectly provides info to restore and the future simple maintenance.
@@kumquatery I helped a friend move and they were going to throw out a set of rusty cast iron skillets that they found in their new kitchen. The skillets were old. Throwing them away was my first thought as well, but I knew they had a second life. I followed a similar procedure and they made countless dishes thereafter. Hey stuff happens to kitchen equipment. Just roll up your sleeves and fix it. If you don't want to use chemicals, then you can also set your stove on self clean with the wok inside. Another option is to boil the wok in sections with baking soda, then use a steel wool to easily remove the gunk. The pan looks new afterwards. I use that to clean the my stainless steel pans. Especially, the bottom of the pans that turn black over time. If you watch chefs use woks in restaurants, then you will notice they rinse the wok with water after cooking. They let the water boil, then rinse the wok for the next recipe. The boiling water loosens the cooked on food. It is quite ingenious that the gas wok cooker is built right into the sink. Onions are always used in seasoning woks, because onions have a natural lubricant when they are burnt on. Most all wok recipes start with stir frying the onions first. I grill a half onion on the gas grill, then rub the warm onion on the grill before grilling steaks. Nothing sticks.
The next project: My good Brother-in-law purchased a lot at a local auction that contained several newly manufactured non-stick Woks. The non-stick coating is damaged and pealing. Certainly not something anyone will want to cook in. The Woks are made of steel. With a lot of hand sanding or grit blasting, using a fine abrasive, we will obtain a clean new surface. The goal will be well-seasoned Woks, ready for many years of camping and home kitchen service. This video has been a wonderful help to us on proper seasoning. Thank you. Now it is time to hit that subscribe button.
Well done! You are the better man for doing a Take 2 on this tutorial - I wouldn't have been so kind to my detractors. Excellent work and thanks again for your hard work and effort to share.
@8:01 _all_ that you've just said here can be summed up into one single word... patina. Pronounced: puh tee-nuh. This snobbish lil word is used in the design world. Often we use it to describe a unique or interesting finish. This varies greatly, like aged bronze turning green, wood that's old & beaten up _but,_ still looks good. In this case, you've gone & created a complex visual that took you a chunk of time & effort to obtain that beautiful, patina! Great job man. Thanks for _all_ the great tips & tricks. Now, I'm off to _try_ this at home... wish me luck, I'm gonna need it! 😂😂😂 Why not add this little gem into your vocabulary? Next design word of the week... juxtaposition! 😈 Until than go have some fun, eh?! *hugs from Canada
I did restore my wok today by your methods and came out just like yours, new condition again. I'll season it according to your methods. Thanks again for a very informative video.
Thanks Kin for this valuable video. I recently decided to pull my old wok out and start using it again. I never took proper care of it to begin with because I really didn't know how. So now I do and I appreciate your passing along your knowledge--it's a big help!
Here's a tip: "滑锅" literally slippery wok. This means everytime before you start cooking heat your clean oiless wok on high till it smokes white wisp and in a circular motion splash(not slow pouring) in a ladle of cold vegetable oil and very quickly swirl it around to quench as much as surface area as you can before the pool of oil heats up. You know this is done correctly when you hear that distinctive quenching sound the moment cold oil is splashed on hot metal and continues tingling as you swirl it around. The cold oil meeting hot steel will create a fresh, relatively thin layer of patina on top of the worn one, ensuring non stick surface, every single time. Yes a tiny amount of patina wears and fuse into the food everytime you stir fry in high heat which IMO contributes to some extend the flavor profile of a proper wok hei. Of course wok hei is a whole different animal and is the epitome of high wok cooking.
Thank you so much for a wonderful tutorial. I had actually thrown my old wok away - but after seeing your video - I retrieved it, did all the steps, and now have a wonderful wok on the way to a beautiful black patina! :-)
love this video and also how to season a new wok by Roi n Rice. Used both videos to clean up my dirty old wok that I realize was NEVER seasoned! I Used a product for cleaning marine stainless steel called Diamond Grit (has actual diamond dust as the abrasive) and a steel scrub pad, worked really well no need to ventilate. My wok is better than ever! Thank you Kinsiderations and Roti n Rice!
I agree with the previous comment. I'd like to see someone take their oven outside to spray it with Easy Off!! Just don't stand their and breathe in the easy off. Thank you for the video i did learn some things I didn't know.
my oven is indoors… easy off is for my oven. i’m not, and you should not be stupid enough to open the door and take a big inhale. get over it you trollers. stop this crap. nice job, thanks for taking the time to make it.
When my wok gets the stubborn bits & pieces I heat it up really high and throw a little bit of hit water in it and the stubborn stuff just lifts right off the surface without removing the seasoning. Works for me.
Great video. Please don't put much stock in the people who sniped about not using Easy-Off outside. I've used Easy Off back before self-cleaning ovens were commonplace. I'm still alive. I've used Commercial Easy-Off in commercial ovens without any issues & trust me, there was even less ability for those to go outside for cleaning as it was for my oven at home. Even now, with a self-cleaning oven, I still use Easy-Off products for my microwave & I have used them on pans the way you did here for the woks. (I've scrubbed more than my fair share of Bar Friend too, along w/soft-scrub. Where did you find the 'chainmail" listed here? Would a bamboo brush work as well or is that too much? As for my cast iron pans, you have described the same treatment I give to them. One of my cast iron pans was my grandmother's pan, then Mom's pan, then it fell to me. It's seasoned so well I can cook eggs in it without experiencing any sticking. I clean my pans with a sponge that has the teflon scrubby on the opposite side. I use soap when I've cooked something that sticks & needs to be cleaned & then I dry them by tossing in a heated oven, even on just 'Warm' setting. A few minutes in & they're dry. I change over between using a small pea-size amount of what's called grease shortening or I apply a bit of liquid vegetable oil, wipe them down with a paper towel, then store them in my lower cabinets. My cast iron pans are all dark inside but there's no rust or anything else that shouldn't be on them. Like you, I have cleaned & seasoned other pans, esp cast iron ones as they are used by most southern cooks or aspiring cooks & most people in this area cook at home. I've even seasoned new cast iron pans for friends who just got married or had a child get married & the mother or grandmother wants them to have a properly seasoned cast iron pan as they are starting off in their new lives. Great video & great information. I'm still trying to get my hands on a good wok. I'd prefer an older one b/c the metal is just heavier & more durable than a lot of those on the market today. My husband bought me a cast iron pan about 20yrs ago & it cracked right down the middle. I could tell the cast iron wasn't as durable as the ones I already owned but hoped that like them, it would stand up but it just didn't. It was the first cast iron pan I've ever known to crack & because I was using it when it happened, I can say with absolute truth that there was nothing I had done to make it crack. Even Mom & my great-aunts had never heard of a cast iron pan cracking the way this one did. As it turned out, it was a material defect & something hinky in the production. The company replaced but the replacement was made of a much heavier, high quality cast iron pan. (I was caramelizing onions when it happened but the burner was on medium heat. Nothing that would have instigating the cracking - I KNOW BETTER THAN TO THROW SOMETHING COLD INTO THESE PANS EVEN IF IT COULD WITHSTAND IT 9 TIMES OUT OF 10) The final check from the company was a letter stating it was a material defect (why it was so thin & lighter than most cast iron pans) and it was a creation defect on their end. It was nothing I did. Still strange to hear. Great video & hope to check out more you make.
Thanks for the great reply. I found the chain mail on Amazon, just search for chain mail scrubber. Bamboo scrubbers were used at the restaurant, and perform best if you clean the wok immediately right after cooking. They work well in a restaurant setting because the dishes are quickly cooked, and have to be cleaned immediately to cook the next dish. So basically it's: cook the dish, rinse off wok with water and bamboo scrubber, dump the water, dry with the high heat, and then immediately start the next dish.
That explains a great deal. I have always cleaned fry pans, esp cast iron & enamel-covered pans that way, only I've always used a sponge with the green scrubby on one side. Cast iron has always cleaned easiest & best immediately after being done with the cooking. Tho, I do add a very thin layer of oil before putting them away so the water isn't too drying. I've never added much soap, but too, I've always used Dawn dish liquid & it doesn't take much to knock excess grease back. The addition of a thin line of oil applied afterward & pan placed on a just-turned-off burner should be even more efficient than what I've been doing all these years (some 4 decades). I'll definitely check on the chain mail & the bamboo scrubber. I think these may actually work better than the sponge w/scrubby attached. I keep hoping to go back to a gas stove but I don't know if I'll ever be able to do so. I spent years cooking on gas then more than twice that many learning to cook on electric. Gas does a more thorough job without drying or overcooking but electric is so much more affordable in the long run when considering how the cost of propane keeps bouncing upwards & natural gas has yet to make it into rural areas. Thank you so much for the assist. I love your videos. Hope to speak with you again. I'm sure there is a great deal I can learn from you and if I'm fortunate, perhaps something I share at some point will help you in return even if it's in the smallest of ways.
@@dave-yj9mc Your point is the failure. You are trying to hold me accountable for what was in the video. I said people do not take their stoves outside so use plenty of ventilation. I did not endorse what the video presented. You like to argue and nit pick.
To restore a wok, clean it well using warm, soapy water and a soft sponge. For stubborn stains, apply a baking soda paste, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Heat it on low, add a bit of oil, rub it inside with a paper towel to season. Repeat this process to build a non-stick coating. Voila!
Take the wok outdoor, put it inside an extra large garbage bag. Spray easy off inside and out , close garbage bag and leave outside for however long video suggest. Then continue with rest of cleaning.
I have the same type of wok, with two wooden handles. I followed the steps (removing the one that can be and protecting the other one with a towel and tin foil), and the wooden handle turned black and broke... Maybe getting the towel wet would help? Anyway I wouldn't recommended this method if the wok and the wooden handle is somewhat precious to you! I guess the reaction depends on the type of wood. Other than that it worked fine.
Hi David. I have the liquid version, purchased it after I made the video. I primarily use it to clean my white quartz counter tops for stubborn stains.
Is it okay to use an sos pad to clean vs easy off ? I’d rather not use the chemicals as the wok I have isn’t really that bad just been out of commission since my husband passed away... it was his and he used it pretty much daily... even to pop popcorn 🍿🤣... It’s sticky and dirty but I’d like to bring it back to life and enjoy it as my husband did... 30 yrs ago .... it’s actually in very good health just dirty/sticky... ty if you can help
@@sparkyheberling6115 Yes, it's very easy: take your untreated, uncoated (carbon) steel wok or pan and heat it over very high heat until the wok turns slightly blue. There are pretty helpful videos of je process on TH-cam!
My friend from the Philppines GASPED when she saw you using Easy Off. She said to never use anything toxic like that on pots that you eat off of. I can see using it on the oven, but we are not cooking directly off the oven surface. She says all of this is not necessary. I was going to do this restoration and even bought the Barkeeper's Friend, but now I am not so sure. If there's any chance toxins baked into the metal can get into the food... that's a chance I do not want to take! Wish there was another way. Plus I do not know if restaurants use this method or not, but my guess is that they do not.
Easy-Off is also made to clean bbq grills. So does that mean not to cook on the grill top after using it? My friend freaked out when he found out heated aluminum foil is reported to cause cancer and other ailments. That new car smell is supposed to be full of chemicals that cause health issues as well. So does that mean not to purchase a new car? My point is, there are many things in the environment that are toxic that may or may not be good for you. Make sure the wok is clean and dry before restoration with oil. If you're paranoid about the chemical, wash the wok with warm soap and water a few times. Sammi-Jo in the comments below has detailed insight on Easy-Off as a long time user.
OK I see your point, but I still would not cook directly on grills cleaned with Easy Off. As far as Aluminum foil directly on food, I would use in moderation only and use parchment paper where tolerated. The new car smell... it's best to air the car out first by keeping the windows down a bit, especially when the car has been sitting in the sun, and before turning the AC on. At least that's what the holistic experts recommend. Is Sammi-Jo an expert in chemistry? That's just one person's experience. I have used Easy Off to clean the inside of ovens, so I am not "paranoid" to actually use it. Just not directly on cooking surfaces. I would still proceed with caution.Thank you for your help with this!
I'm sure there are other things in the environment that are slowly killing us that we're not aware of. Like you said, do what you can to minimize the exposure.
Hi, i have a stainless steel wok and it becomes blotchy brown black after seasoning and it still sticks when i fried egg. Help! Should i remove all those blotches and re-season ?
Hi there, is it normal for the wok to have brown residue on the paper towel after i've already cleaned it using sponge and hot water only after cooking, and wiped it down? It seems like no matter how many times I wipe with the paper towel, there's always brown or sometimes black residue. Is this just burnt oil? Shouldn't I wipe it so that there's no residue on the paper towel so that we're not ingesting burnt oil as it could cause health hazards?
Is "easy off" the only product that you can recommend to use. How about if this product is not available to some country like us? Any alternative solution that you can prescribe or suggest?
Thanks for this video. Very helpful! Can I use baking soda instead of Barkeepers Friend? Also how much time does it take for the wok to look as good as yours?
My wok is getting dark, but in the bottom I can feel that it is not smooth in two places. Should I lightly sand them and season or leave it to build up?
Quick comment before I finish watching the video. You can use easy off indoors. Why? Because it is meant to spray inside an oven to clean it. I've used it indoors to recover a cast iron skillet, but just tied it up in a plastic bag as it worked.
Hi, thanks for the video. I followed your instructions, however after removing from the oven and leaving to cool the wok is sticky. You said in the video that it shouldn’t be sticky, just wondered how I remedy this please?
The oil may have burned due to too much time in the oven . Try to wash off the oil off with warm water and detergent and coat again. Try baking for a shorter time.
You used too much oil, then that happens. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of oil only, then apply it all over before you remove as much as possible with paper towels, until there’s barely anything left (does not feel or look oily). Then you bake it for an hour, turn the oven off, open the door and let cool completely.
Is this a steel wok or a cast iron wok? Since there was rust, I'm assuming it's cast iron. I can't figure out of my wok is steel or cast iron. I inherited it from mom.
This is supposed to be helpful? What oil do we season our wok with, how long do we bake our woks for in the oven and at what temperature, DOH? Does your head hurt?
What happens if the wok is all rusted and white with calcium residue due to using my wok for steaming? How can that be cleaned? Or should i just buy a NEW one?
Smear some oil and scrub away the rust.. Then season the wok as shown in the video.. Always, smear with oil when storing it and wash off before using..
One video said never use that on your steal pots , it leaves some of it i the pores,not good for the bottom,( use salt aluminum foil) A tiny bit of water 🌝
But if you use Easy-Off in your oven will you take your oven outside? I've used Easy-Off for as long as I can remember and have never taken the stove outside.
Your stove you can’t just take outside, so you spray quickly, then leave the room. But a wok is easy to take outside, so of course you do that. No matter if you’ve sprayed your stove oven for years, it doesn’t change the fact that breathing such stuff in, can’t be too good for you. It is a real irritant for sure... Just sayin’...
I left a brand new stainless steel wok in water over night😫 was a gift not familiar with the up keep and it rusted, looks like the coating is is coming off as well😥 should I pinch it🚮 can I restore it?? Please help!
It shouldn't rust if it is stainless steel.. only if it is carbon steel. Yes it's still fixable, it's not going to get too damaged in such a short amount of time. Good luck!
Jeffrey Fok, another way is to do like the chefs who season restaurant woks by slowly heating entire cooking surface of wok to a high temperature over the biggest flame you can get (bigger the flame, quicker the process). Heating wok to a high temperature gives the cleaned steel a darker bluish colour, which means the steel surface develops a layer of black iron oxide. This iron oxide layer makes the bright clean steel it sits on more stable (less reactive) and more resistant to rusting. It also adheres well with oils to give that desired non stick patina that all well looked after woks have. After heating wok and developing black oxide layer, let it cool enough to allow a paper towel soaked in oil to wipe oil all over inside of wok. This incorporates oil into the black iron oxide layer on the steel to develop the non-reactive coating you want on the wok’s cooking surface. Wok is now seasoned. After cleaning wok, leave a very thin layer of oil on the already seasoned surface. If you just use hot water and a natural bristled wok brush without detergent to clean it after cooking, you won’t need to oil wok after cleaning, just dry it lightly over a flame. Wok will be seasoned again on its next use if it is first heated to a smokingly high temperature then have oil quickly swirled all around inside of wok before adding other ingredients. Good luck and Bon Appétit!
Very informative. I will now begin to restore my wok which looks the same design as the one you restored. I also would like some hints as to gas stoves and or electric stoves. I have an electric but thinking about gas. Any recommendations? Thanks again and I will save your video for future reference.
Kinsiderations I’m not 100% sure on brand, I just know it was a 20$ (I think carbon steel) wok from Chinatown. I can’t quite discern if the handles are plastic or some sort of silicone or rubber, it seems like a mix of both.
It seems like some people are missing the point here. The procedure in this video is for a severely neglected wok that has been allowed to rust and develop caked-on residue. Yes! If you treat your wok properly, you'll never need to do this. Just a stiff brush and water, and maybe a tiny amount of detergent (occasionally) will keep your wok fine. Just be sure to dry it as he describes - over heat, not with a towel. This video demonstrates that abused or neglected woks can indeed be brought back from the dead with the procedures he demonstrates. Good job!
This is exactly why I came to this video. I've acquired a wok second hand and it needs restoration. This video perfectly provides info to restore and the future simple maintenance.
@@kumquatery I helped a friend move and they were going to throw out a set of rusty cast iron skillets that they found in their new kitchen. The skillets were old. Throwing them away was my first thought as well, but I knew they had a second life. I followed a similar procedure and they made countless dishes thereafter. Hey stuff happens to kitchen equipment. Just roll up your sleeves and fix it.
If you don't want to use chemicals, then you can also set your stove on self clean with the wok inside.
Another option is to boil the wok in sections with baking soda, then use a steel wool to easily remove the gunk. The pan looks new afterwards. I use that to clean the my stainless steel pans. Especially, the bottom of the pans that turn black over time.
If you watch chefs use woks in restaurants, then you will notice they rinse the wok with water after cooking. They let the water boil, then rinse the wok for the next recipe. The boiling water loosens the cooked on food. It is quite ingenious that the gas wok cooker is built right into the sink.
Onions are always used in seasoning woks, because onions have a natural lubricant when they are burnt on.
Most all wok recipes start with stir frying the onions first. I grill a half onion on the gas grill, then rub the warm onion on the grill before grilling steaks. Nothing sticks.
@@frugalrange7558 nice tips, thanks.
The next project: My good Brother-in-law purchased a lot at a local auction that contained several newly manufactured non-stick Woks. The non-stick coating is damaged and pealing. Certainly not something anyone will want to cook in. The Woks are made of steel. With a lot of hand sanding or grit blasting, using a fine abrasive, we will obtain a clean new surface. The goal will be well-seasoned Woks, ready for many years of camping and home kitchen service. This video has been a wonderful help to us on proper seasoning. Thank you. Now it is time to hit that subscribe button.
Well done!
You are the better man for doing a Take 2 on this tutorial - I wouldn't have been so kind to my detractors.
Excellent work and thanks again for your hard work and effort to share.
@8:01 _all_ that you've just said here can be summed up into one single word... patina. Pronounced: puh tee-nuh. This snobbish lil word is used in the design world. Often we use it to describe a unique or interesting finish. This varies greatly, like aged bronze turning green, wood that's old & beaten up _but,_ still looks good. In this case, you've gone & created a complex visual that took you a chunk of time & effort to obtain that beautiful, patina! Great job man. Thanks for _all_ the great tips & tricks. Now, I'm off to _try_ this at home... wish me luck, I'm gonna need it! 😂😂😂
Why not add this little gem into your vocabulary? Next design word of the week... juxtaposition! 😈 Until than go have some fun, eh?! *hugs from Canada
Thanks for the comprehensive rundown - I’ve got an old rusty wok from the 1970s I was just going to throw away, but now I’m going to give this a shot!
How did it go
I did restore my wok today by your methods and came out just like yours, new condition again. I'll season it according to your methods. Thanks again for a very informative video.
I've watched quite a few how-to-care-for-your-wok videos, and this is by far the best. Thorough, informative, easy to follow. Thank you!
Glad you found the video helpful! It was one of the first videos I made, so I was worried about the camera work.
Thanks Kin for this valuable video. I recently decided to pull my old wok out and start using it again. I never took proper care of it to begin with because I really didn't know how. So now I do and I appreciate your passing along your knowledge--it's a big help!
I have a wok that looked just like this and now I’m gonna go and clean it. THANKS!!!
Perfect to restore a old or new Wok .
Suuuuuuuuper Video.
Greetings from Germany.
Ur audio perfect too.
Here's a tip: "滑锅" literally slippery wok. This means everytime before you start cooking heat your clean oiless wok on high till it smokes white wisp and in a circular motion splash(not slow pouring) in a ladle of cold vegetable oil and very quickly swirl it around to quench as much as surface area as you can before the pool of oil heats up. You know this is done correctly when you hear that distinctive quenching sound the moment cold oil is splashed on hot metal and continues tingling as you swirl it around. The cold oil meeting hot steel will create a fresh, relatively thin layer of patina on top of the worn one, ensuring non stick surface, every single time. Yes a tiny amount of patina wears and fuse into the food everytime you stir fry in high heat which IMO contributes to some extend the flavor profile of a proper wok hei. Of course wok hei is a whole different animal and is the epitome of high wok cooking.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video.
You answered all my questions even those I didn’t know I had. Perfect!
Omg, your woks are BEAUTIFUL! Thank you very much for showing me how to SAVE my wok, I was going to throw it away😭😱
I am soo glad you saved my wok! 🙌😉
Thank you so much for a wonderful tutorial. I had actually thrown my old wok away - but after seeing your video - I retrieved it, did all the steps, and now have a wonderful wok on the way to a beautiful black patina! :-)
We find treasure like this all the time!!! We use acid on rust. Great educational video.
love this video and also how to season a new wok by Roi n Rice. Used both videos to clean up my dirty old wok that I realize was NEVER seasoned! I Used a product for cleaning marine stainless steel called Diamond Grit (has actual diamond dust as the abrasive) and a steel scrub pad, worked really well no need to ventilate. My wok is better than ever! Thank you Kinsiderations and Roti n Rice!
I agree with the previous comment. I'd like to see someone take their oven outside to spray it with Easy Off!! Just don't stand their and breathe in the easy off. Thank you for the video i did learn some things I didn't know.
I am so happy you put this tutorial online! I miss my wok so much.
Thanks for your video. Restoring my wok is my Covid project for tomorrow.
my oven is indoors…
easy off is for my oven.
i’m not, and you should not be stupid enough to open the door and take a big inhale.
get over it you trollers.
stop this crap.
nice job, thanks for taking the time to make it.
Good tips. I clean mine with water and bamboo brush
Thank you for doing an update nd fixing the audio.
Great and thank you!!!
Yay audio :) Way to take feedback to make a better vid!
Your showing very clear I love it can I use easy off every time I’m don’t stir fry thanks.
Thank you!
Thank you.
Thanks for the video. New wok is a rusty mess.
Thank you so much for explaining it so nicely!
Great job
Good job! I'm going to renovate my old ones too!
When my wok gets the stubborn bits & pieces I heat it up really high and throw a little bit of hit water in it and the stubborn stuff just lifts right off the surface without removing the seasoning. Works for me.
I WOK for 60year, I only use hot water and steel wool..... never had to restore, use, clean and WOK away !
Cute😊
Which grade of steel wool?
Thank you so much because I have a good one that is rusty
Great video!! Thank you
This is was soooooo helpful. Thank you!
Great! Thank you.
Better to clean with hot water + brush than use soap?
Then re coat with oil after dried (re-season)?
Ok, I am going to try your method. I have used my wok for many years (bought in 1977), but it is disgusting. I'll take pictures.
Good job
Great video. Please don't put much stock in the people who sniped about not using Easy-Off outside. I've used Easy Off back before self-cleaning ovens were commonplace. I'm still alive. I've used Commercial Easy-Off in commercial ovens without any issues & trust me, there was even less ability for those to go outside for cleaning as it was for my oven at home. Even now, with a self-cleaning oven, I still use Easy-Off products for my microwave & I have used them on pans the way you did here for the woks. (I've scrubbed more than my fair share of Bar Friend too, along w/soft-scrub.
Where did you find the 'chainmail" listed here? Would a bamboo brush work as well or is that too much? As for my cast iron pans, you have described the same treatment I give to them. One of my cast iron pans was my grandmother's pan, then Mom's pan, then it fell to me. It's seasoned so well I can cook eggs in it without experiencing any sticking. I clean my pans with a sponge that has the teflon scrubby on the opposite side. I use soap when I've cooked something that sticks & needs to be cleaned & then I dry them by tossing in a heated oven, even on just 'Warm' setting. A few minutes in & they're dry. I change over between using a small pea-size amount of what's called grease shortening or I apply a bit of liquid vegetable oil, wipe them down with a paper towel, then store them in my lower cabinets.
My cast iron pans are all dark inside but there's no rust or anything else that shouldn't be on them. Like you, I have cleaned & seasoned other pans, esp cast iron ones as they are used by most southern cooks or aspiring cooks & most people in this area cook at home. I've even seasoned new cast iron pans for friends who just got married or had a child get married & the mother or grandmother wants them to have a properly seasoned cast iron pan as they are starting off in their new lives.
Great video & great information. I'm still trying to get my hands on a good wok. I'd prefer an older one b/c the metal is just heavier & more durable than a lot of those on the market today. My husband bought me a cast iron pan about 20yrs ago & it cracked right down the middle. I could tell the cast iron wasn't as durable as the ones I already owned but hoped that like them, it would stand up but it just didn't. It was the first cast iron pan I've ever known to crack & because I was using it when it happened, I can say with absolute truth that there was nothing I had done to make it crack. Even Mom & my great-aunts had never heard of a cast iron pan cracking the way this one did. As it turned out, it was a material defect & something hinky in the production. The company replaced but the replacement was made of a much heavier, high quality cast iron pan. (I was caramelizing onions when it happened but the burner was on medium heat. Nothing that would have instigating the cracking - I KNOW BETTER THAN TO THROW SOMETHING COLD INTO THESE PANS EVEN IF IT COULD WITHSTAND IT 9 TIMES OUT OF 10) The final check from the company was a letter stating it was a material defect (why it was so thin & lighter than most cast iron pans) and it was a creation defect on their end. It was nothing I did. Still strange to hear.
Great video & hope to check out more you make.
Thanks for the great reply. I found the chain mail on Amazon, just search for chain mail scrubber. Bamboo scrubbers were used at the restaurant, and perform best if you clean the wok immediately right after cooking. They work well in a restaurant setting because the dishes are quickly cooked, and have to be cleaned immediately to cook the next dish. So basically it's: cook the dish, rinse off wok with water and bamboo scrubber, dump the water, dry with the high heat, and then immediately start the next dish.
That explains a great deal. I have always cleaned fry pans, esp cast iron & enamel-covered pans that way, only I've always used a sponge with the green scrubby on one side. Cast iron has always cleaned easiest & best immediately after being done with the cooking. Tho, I do add a very thin layer of oil before putting them away so the water isn't too drying. I've never added much soap, but too, I've always used Dawn dish liquid & it doesn't take much to knock excess grease back. The addition of a thin line of oil applied afterward & pan placed on a just-turned-off burner should be even more efficient than what I've been doing all these years (some 4 decades).
I'll definitely check on the chain mail & the bamboo scrubber. I think these may actually work better than the sponge w/scrubby attached. I keep hoping to go back to a gas stove but I don't know if I'll ever be able to do so. I spent years cooking on gas then more than twice that many learning to cook on electric. Gas does a more thorough job without drying or overcooking but electric is so much more affordable in the long run when considering how the cost of propane keeps bouncing upwards & natural gas has yet to make it into rural areas.
Thank you so much for the assist. I love your videos. Hope to speak with you again. I'm sure there is a great deal I can learn from you and if I'm fortunate, perhaps something I share at some point will help you in return even if it's in the smallest of ways.
Thank you! I thought I would have to throw my wok out & buy new!
Thanks for the very helpful video. At 10:15, the 2nd set of aromatics look like garlic and onion although you said "ginger and onion".
I like that attention to detail...I noticed it too
And I made myself believe that he used ginger both times!
Great tips!
but bro, where is your jet engine ?
With Easy Off, not many people will take their oven outside to clean it.
Ventilation is always a good idea using any kind of cleaner.
Do you take your oven out side when you clean it?????
@@dave-yj9mc My point was nobody does. Even ammonia can be harmful. Good ventilation when using chemicals indoors is necessary.
@@DannyB-cs9vx Your point was a failure. The can showed a picture of a range top stand alone oven...getting sprayed by over cleaner....
Whatever.... never mind... I dont care!
@@dave-yj9mc Your point is the failure. You are trying to hold me accountable for what was in the video. I said people do not take their stoves outside so use plenty of ventilation. I did not endorse what the video presented. You like to argue and nit pick.
Exelente
Is it the same for cast iron work?
Thank you so much!
I have a new wok that has been seasoned properly and yet after a few cooks the seasoning comes off and I have to reseason it. Why is that?
To restore a wok, clean it well using warm, soapy water and a soft sponge. For stubborn stains, apply a baking soda paste, rinse, and dry thoroughly. Heat it on low, add a bit of oil, rub it inside with a paper towel to season. Repeat this process to build a non-stick coating. Voila!
Take the wok outdoor, put it inside an extra large garbage bag. Spray easy off inside and out , close garbage bag and leave outside for however long video suggest. Then continue with rest of cleaning.
I have the same type of wok, with two wooden handles. I followed the steps (removing the one that can be and protecting the other one with a towel and tin foil), and the wooden handle turned black and broke... Maybe getting the towel wet would help? Anyway I wouldn't recommended this method if the wok and the wooden handle is somewhat precious to you! I guess the reaction depends on the type of wood. Other than that it worked fine.
Won’t the cloth burn inside the oven?
What if the wok is sticky after taking it out of the oven?? 😬 @8:15
Bar Keepers makes a liquid version which I find much easier to use when you want to coat and soak a spot.
Hi David. I have the liquid version, purchased it after I made the video. I primarily use it to clean my white quartz counter tops for stubborn stains.
great info! thank u...,
So at the seasoning after they are in the oven part ur volume drops. Good one sir. Don't know if ironic or a troll ^^
Can it b toxic? Very good explanation!👍
That was very helpful now if u could recommend agood budget friendly wok to buy?? and can I season wok on my ceramic stove top??
Is it okay to use an sos pad to clean vs easy off ? I’d rather not use the chemicals as the wok I have isn’t really that bad just been out of commission since my husband passed away... it was his and he used it pretty much daily... even to pop popcorn 🍿🤣... It’s sticky and dirty but I’d like to bring it back to life and enjoy it as my husband did... 30 yrs ago .... it’s actually in very good health just dirty/sticky... ty if you can help
I've seen a lot of people "blueing" the wok before seasoning. Is there any particular reason you chose not to do that?
How do you blue the wok without using toxic chemicals?
@@sparkyheberling6115 Yes, it's very easy: take your untreated, uncoated (carbon) steel wok or pan and heat it over very high heat until the wok turns slightly blue. There are pretty helpful videos of je process on TH-cam!
Did i miss the oven temp??
My friend from the Philppines GASPED when she saw you using Easy Off. She said to never use anything toxic like that on pots that you eat off of. I can see using it on the oven, but we are not cooking directly off the oven surface. She says all of this is not necessary. I was going to do this restoration and even bought the Barkeeper's Friend, but now I am not so sure. If there's any chance toxins baked into the metal can get into the food... that's a chance I do not want to take! Wish there was another way. Plus I do not know if restaurants use this method or not, but my guess is that they do not.
Easy-Off is also made to clean bbq grills. So does that mean not to cook on the grill top after using it? My friend freaked out when he found out heated aluminum foil is reported to cause cancer and other ailments. That new car smell is supposed to be full of chemicals that cause health issues as well. So does that mean not to purchase a new car? My point is, there are many things in the environment that are toxic that may or may not be good for you. Make sure the wok is clean and dry before restoration with oil. If you're paranoid about the chemical, wash the wok with warm soap and water a few times. Sammi-Jo in the comments below has detailed insight on Easy-Off as a long time user.
OK I see your point, but I still would not cook directly on grills cleaned with Easy Off. As far as Aluminum foil directly on food, I would use in moderation only and use parchment paper where tolerated. The new car smell... it's best to air the car out first by keeping the windows down a bit, especially when the car has been sitting in the sun, and before turning the AC on. At least that's what the holistic experts recommend. Is Sammi-Jo an expert in chemistry? That's just one person's experience. I have used Easy Off to clean the inside of ovens, so I am not "paranoid" to actually use it. Just not directly on cooking surfaces. I would still proceed with caution.Thank you for your help with this!
I'm sure there are other things in the environment that are slowly killing us that we're not aware of. Like you said, do what you can to minimize the exposure.
Don't use the easy off. Chemical will sit in the pores. Don't listen to the easy way.
You can use baking soda and kosher salt and scrab it with vinegar wet steel wool
Dude.. You are spraying that stuff where you cook and where you keep spices etc.
Hi, i have a stainless steel wok and it becomes blotchy brown black after seasoning and it still sticks when i fried egg. Help! Should i remove all those blotches and re-season ?
Hi there, is it normal for the wok to have brown residue on the paper towel after i've already cleaned it using sponge and hot water only after cooking, and wiped it down? It seems like no matter how many times I wipe with the paper towel, there's always brown or sometimes black residue. Is this just burnt oil? Shouldn't I wipe it so that there's no residue on the paper towel so that we're not ingesting burnt oil as it could cause health hazards?
Is "easy off" the only product that you can recommend to use. How about if this product is not available to some country like us? Any alternative solution that you can prescribe or suggest?
Thanks for this video. Very helpful! Can I use baking soda instead of Barkeepers Friend? Also how much time does it take for the wok to look as good as yours?
I'd have gone aggressive and brought the big guns a brillo pad basicly wire wool with soap built in works great
My wok is getting dark, but in the bottom I can feel that it is not smooth in two places. Should I lightly sand them and season or leave it to build up?
Follow the same procedure.
Quick comment before I finish watching the video. You can use easy off indoors. Why? Because it is meant to spray inside an oven to clean it. I've used it indoors to recover a cast iron skillet, but just tied it up in a plastic bag as it worked.
Did I miss what temperature you bake it in the oven at? Or did he forget that
400 F
Hi, thanks for the video. I followed your instructions, however after removing from the oven and leaving to cool the wok is sticky. You said in the video that it shouldn’t be sticky, just wondered how I remedy this please?
The oil may have burned due to too much time in the oven . Try to wash off the oil off with warm water and detergent and coat again. Try baking for a shorter time.
You used too much oil, then that happens. Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of oil only, then apply it all over before you remove as much as possible with paper towels, until there’s barely anything left (does not feel or look oily). Then you bake it for an hour, turn the oven off, open the door and let cool completely.
Very nice thank you you
I have one with plastic handles; I can remove the one straight, but not the shot sided one. What do you recommend?
I ALWAYS drag my oven outside before I use Easy-Off.
It's much safer that way. With the exception of gas explosions.
Wow these came out so good
I made the mistake of leaving the wok air dry 😓
It’s a lol rusted but that’s it 😊 seems like I got this info just in time
Great video, not sure how I ended up here but it was worth it
Is this a steel wok or a cast iron wok? Since there was rust, I'm assuming it's cast iron.
I can't figure out of my wok is steel or cast iron. I inherited it from mom.
This is supposed to be helpful? What oil do we season our wok with, how long do we bake our woks for in the oven and at what temperature, DOH? Does your head hurt?
what if you cant remove the handle
What happens if the wok is all rusted and white with calcium residue due to using my wok for steaming? How can that be cleaned? Or should i just buy a NEW one?
Smear some oil and scrub away the rust.. Then season the wok as shown in the video.. Always, smear with oil when storing it and wash off before using..
One video said never use that on your steal pots , it leaves some of it i the pores,not good for the bottom,( use salt aluminum foil) A tiny bit of water 🌝
Doesn't work for a rusty wok. You have to get rid of rust first. Steel wool and lots of elbow grease.
Hello handsome. How do you keep those white cabinets so white ? Would you mind to make a video about it , please. Wok video is handy thx
I don’t nkow why my not nonstick when I stir fry it still sticky something wrong w my thanks
im doing your first vid NOW. and got streaks from the oven .
too much canola. do a vid about when it all goes wrong . .
Better to use flax oil to season your wok!
May i know what brand and wheree you bought your wok? that you just shown the one with black patina.
But if you use Easy-Off in your oven will you take your oven outside? I've used Easy-Off for as long as I can remember and have never taken the stove outside.
logic is lost on many, isn't it funny?
Your stove you can’t just take outside, so you spray quickly, then leave the room. But a wok is easy to take outside, so of course you do that. No matter if you’ve sprayed your stove oven for years, it doesn’t change the fact that breathing such stuff in, can’t be too good for you. It is a real irritant for sure... Just sayin’...
IAmEmji - Logic? ☺️
Audio level? Dude... where was no audio!
I left a brand new stainless steel wok in water over night😫 was a gift not familiar with the up keep and it rusted, looks like the coating is is coming off as well😥 should I pinch it🚮 can I restore it?? Please help!
It shouldn't rust if it is stainless steel.. only if it is carbon steel. Yes it's still fixable, it's not going to get too damaged in such a short amount of time. Good luck!
My wok is one of those used to cook for big parties , so it won't fit into any oven. What steps should I use instead ?
Jeffrey Fok, another way is to do like the chefs who season restaurant woks by slowly heating entire cooking surface of wok to a high temperature over the biggest flame you can get (bigger the flame, quicker the process). Heating wok to a high temperature gives the cleaned steel a darker bluish colour, which means the steel surface develops a layer of black iron oxide. This iron oxide layer makes the bright clean steel it sits on more stable (less reactive) and more resistant to rusting. It also adheres well with oils to give that desired non stick patina that all well looked after woks have. After heating wok and developing black oxide layer, let it cool enough to allow a paper towel soaked in oil to wipe oil all over inside of wok. This incorporates oil into the black iron oxide layer on the steel to develop the non-reactive coating you want on the wok’s cooking surface. Wok is now seasoned. After cleaning wok, leave a very thin layer of oil on the already seasoned surface. If you just use hot water and a natural bristled wok brush without detergent to clean it after cooking, you won’t need to oil wok after cleaning, just dry it lightly over a flame. Wok will be seasoned again on its next use if it is first heated to a smokingly high temperature then have oil quickly swirled all around inside of wok before adding other ingredients. Good luck and Bon Appétit!
How though did he get the whole wok black, I mean all the way up the sides and everything?
If you wipe oil on the whole wok, inside/out, then bake it in the oven, that is the result...
Very informative. I will now begin to restore my wok which looks the same design as the one you restored. I also would like some hints as to gas stoves and or electric stoves. I have an electric but thinking about gas. Any recommendations? Thanks again and I will save your video for future reference.
I'm a fan of gas stoves. Don't have to wait for the element to heat up so my wok and pans heat up very fast.
@@Kinsiderations I only have used electric, bought my wok in 1977.
you should simply put salt with water on the wok, heat it a little and scrape with a potato, really, with a whol, non-peeled potato
My wok has rubber/plastic handles, can I still use the oven to season it if I wrap the handles with a wet rag and foil even though they aren’t wood?
One Direction I'm not sure due to the melting point on the plastic. Never heard of a wok that has plastic handles. What kind of wok do you have?
Kinsiderations I’m not 100% sure on brand, I just know it was a 20$ (I think carbon steel) wok from Chinatown.
I can’t quite discern if the handles are plastic or some sort of silicone or rubber, it seems like a mix of both.
4:53... That's a new wok lmao
Thanks for a great video. Quick question...what woks do you use and recommend? I bought mine from Sur la Table and can’t get it to not stick ☹️
If you're by a Chinatown, look for a restaurant supply store or Asian grocery store. I have a 14 inch carbon steel wok that cost about 12 bucks.
Kinsiderations Thanks. I’ll go to Chinatown in SF next time I’m there. Thanks again for the great video!!
Why are people complaining about Easy Off indoors, ovens are indoors.