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Slept long and hard. My throat was is dried out from snoring, and there were a few other things that suggested I slept hard. As well, I am a bit sore. Some soreness is from muscle usage and angles. I did a lot of dishes and I haven't otherwise been able to be active lately, so I really pushed my physical body, within the givens. Not dead so I will recover. Oh, and I finished the dishes last night, before I went to bed, all of them, including the cast iron skillet. Love that thing, by the way, at least when I can keep women and soap away from it. It's almost got a year of fats rightly keeping it non-stick and 'alive'.
It'll be a day or three before I am back on my feet. That's just the way of it. I pushed everything, and without any real ability to prep. But I am in a great place to push further. A clean fish bowl makes pushing, and wanting to push, much easier as well. Like a dog after a flea bath, I tell you. What next? Bedroom and steam vacuuming, on the short lists. I'll practice with the rugs that I can set aside or otherwise not use. Unlike Iowa, carpets out here dry within a day or two. I was surprised. Still, I'll need to figure out the living room, find those long runner rugs and stick to a path. I might have plastic ones somewhere. Hmm... where is the rug shampoo stuff?
Oh, while doing some light random reading, I saw something I just had to pass on. Some of those are solid degrees, engineering anyway. It is as I suspected though, even those are becoming worthless. On the "good side" (not quite sure I would call it a good side, but for the secular...)... Looks like college has broken down any moral exceptions to doing 'whatever it takes'. *shrug* Hey, but it looks to have killed off some feminism. That probably is, sadly, a small improvement.
h/t Moonbattery
I best get on to waking and... other things? Later.
I keep telling myself that our apartment could definitely benefit from a definite steam vacuuming (and it'd probably improve the overall health situation). The bad news is that, the way we have shelves and such arranged, steam vacuuming is pretty much out unless I can find a system with a very fine-tipped nozzle.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is complicated. If you have a lot of actual area, even with the space being tight, then a hand held steam cleaner would take far too long and be too much work, like painting a house with a artist's paint brush. You would also need a wet vac to pick up, since those only put out steam (and those little devices have a questionable production history (mostly junk, most of the time)). I think, if the there isn't that much area to cover though, that would work, you would just have to also buy a wet vacuum, one with a small enough head to get in and pull the moisture out might still be a bit of a trick.
ReplyDeleteBut a full steam vacuum is also a water and matter vacuum cleaner. I do have a small head, with scrubbers in it (smaller), as an attachment, but I don't know what sort of clearances you need. This smaller head is about 4" tall and about 5" wide.
If that fits, than a Hoover might work. This, I believe, is the one I have. In the link, in the pictures on the left in a column of pictures, the third down I believe, is a picture of the smaller steam vac head attachment. I haven't used the small head, so I can't vouch for it. Pricey, a bit, but there are much more expensive ones, trust me. I researched for several years before buying, and was between this and another (more expensive) steam vac. When my mother was here, she wanted one. We thought about rental, but after this and that, I just bought one. But she was the deciding factor. She doesn't approach things from science, engineering, economic (to a degree). She is an absolutist end user, and harsh judge. Does it work? Does it last? Is it easy to use, clean, fill, whatever. Yeah or nay, and she might as well be a professional cleaner, and cook, so she knows her stuff. Heh, I probably got some of my approach to life from her, just in VERY different areas. Mostly.
How do you keep your skillet free of sticky burned bits? I have a cast iron wok, but I find myself needing to get in it with soap and water every once in a while to dislodge the crusted on carbon.
ReplyDeleteJust this evening I fried a couple of pork chops in a deep bed of oil (almost deep fried), but when I poured the oil out, some very sticky (non-oil) residue was left on the bottom. I've left it alone this time, but experience tells me that next time, that will bake on hard and start accumulating other sticky and crusty bits from the next meal...
A wok, eh? I'll let you in on what I do for my skillet and hope it crosses over. For the most part, though, I think it will.
ReplyDeleteSeveral things. First, are you sure the wok was definitely cured? I don't honestly trust factory curing, by the way. I think that is just anti-rust, probably. I actually wash that off with soap as a first step. I don't wash with soap again, ever. Lard, tallow, or some other animal fat. A 200 degree oven and three hours is needed. I found a site that is much more explicit. (I knew it was solid after a review and... he suggested not coating the bottom... didn't know that the first time... messy.)
As to non-stick? Even after seasoning it, it isn't ACTUALLY seasoned. Make sure to use enough fat when cooking with it, whatever fat you use. Wash it with the least force necessary, avoiding metal scrubbers. If something sticks, perhaps a metal scrubber, but preferably adding some water and heating that on the stove (or even a 1 to 3 vinegar to water spray (I've only heard on vinegar so don't know/won't swear to it)).
As well, don't just put the wok on and turn the heat up. Actually warm the cast iron first on low/medium low, THEN add the fat, then let the fat get up to temp before adding food.
Some suggest drying cast iron cooking gear in the oven or on the stove at low after washing, but being in dry climates, a paper towel (I have found) is enough. If I will be storing it for a while, like my dutch oven, I put regular table salt in the bottom, to help prevent rust.
Of course, this requires use. If you use it just once in a while, I'm not sure you will get it fully seasoned.
You did ask.
It will take some time for the cast to become truly non-stick. But when you have it correctly seasoned, you can fry an egg without it ever sticking.
That's what I do.. Heat it on the stove with water if cooked on things stick. I keep mine coated with olive oil. I used to have a wok. I loved that thing.
ReplyDeleteOh, I remember seeing a chef scrub his with salt and water.
ReplyDeleteI have used salt and icewater to clean coffee pots, I suppose that would work. I have always wanted to try a wok, but with an electric flat range, I just don't think so. If I ever go back to flame... Some day.
ReplyDelete