Wok patina; when to redo seasoning?
This is a new carbon steel wok, seasoned on a gas stove with oil and had one stir fry made in it:
I've seen other posts where advice was given to let the scratches repair themselves over the many dishes to be made. While others said to scrub the whole patina off and redo the seasoning.
In the case here and referring to the condition in the pic; would you scrub/scrape off and redo seasoning? Or just let the fat from all the cooking do the work?
(Also, is it normal to get so dark from just the seasoning alone and one stir-fry? I thought it would take at least a few months to get to this)
Best Answer
A new patina is vulnerable to scratches and even washing off into liquid boiling on it. I've found that even a well-established patina is vulnerable to washing off this way.
If I were you, I'd would NOT bother to remove the remaining patina and start over.
Rather, I would re-season the wok on top of the existing patina at least once. Actually, I'd probably re-season it about three times.
But that's just me.
Perhaps others will have more authoritative suggestions.
Good luck
- nello
Pictures about "Wok patina; when to redo seasoning?"
How many times do you need to season your wok?
Place the wok back onto your stovetop over high heat to evaporate the remaining water particles. Either store the wok until you're ready to use it or repeat the seasoning process. Season the wok up to three times to achieve a slicker nonstick surface and a thicker protective coating.How should a wok look after seasoning?
The wok is seasoned and ready for cooking. Do not be alarmed if the wok looks mottled or has blackened areas. The patina will gradually darken the more you cook with the wok, giving you a natural nonstick surface. A newly seasoned wok (left, below) looks mottled and some think they've ruined the pan (but they haven't).How do you fix patina wok?
Heat the wok as described above. Off the heat, swirl in 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Scrub all over with the pad of paper towels until the gumminess and rust spots are gone. Repeat as needed.How To Clean And Restore A Burnt Wok (Seasoning A Carbon Steel Wok) How To Make A Wok Non-Stick
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