Have you tried boiling plain water in the pan to see what you get? Should be able to see an oily film if there is one.

So strange! Could it be something falling in from up above (e.g., something caught in the filter of an over-the-range microwave or range hood)? Or could it be something sticking to the inside of the pot lid (if you used one)?

Sue

Is there someone in your house who really hates you?

LOL!

Did you use a cover to cook those times? Check the cover.

dcarch

Sue, I had not thought of something dropping from the vent hood. Wish I could remember if I were using the same burner both times. It isn't coming from the lid. It showed up before I used a lid, so that isn't it.

olychick, I will give hot water a try. It always (or at least the 2 times it has happened) shows up before the food boils.

Frustrating, especially when it screws up the timing of a meal because I have to start all over.

DH has been washing the pot by hand. It is going in the dishwasher this time, just to make sure that it isn't residue from the food not being adequately removed from the pan.

Golly, darch, I hope not! :-)

Sue, YOU ARE BRILLIANT! I just checked the vent hood. GA-ROSSSS! I thought the maid was keeping it clean, but apparently not. I have taken it apart and put the pieces in the dishwasher. When I get to feeling a little less crummy, I'm going to have to do a thorough scrubbing of the part that doesn't come down. Until then, I may declare the kitchen closed!

I guess that steam from the pot caused the gunk to loosen and fall down.

So glad that the mystery is solved!

Sue

This post has inspired me to take the screen out of hood and clean!! The underside of my stove hood is GROSS... beyond cleaning. Only hope is to be able to replace the WHOLE THING sometime soon. Till then, cleaning filter will have to do!?!

"---This post has inspired me to take the screen out of hood and clean!! The underside of my stove hood is GROSS... beyond cleaning. Only hope is to be able to replace the WHOLE THING sometime soon. Till then, cleaning filter will have to do!?!---"

HaHaa! This reminds me another use for the veggie plastic bags! Going to post on the other thread.

dcarch

I clean my screen at least once a month and also the grates on the stove top too!

Linda

Used dryer sheets are fantastic for cleaning grease off hood vents, etc. Wet it and wring it out, then scrub away the grease. My mom taught me that. I don't even use dryer sheets. She leaves a bag full of used ones when she visits!

When I lived in Austin the vent from my stove was just a fan that blew air through a tube and outside through a hole in the wall. When I lived in Culver City, the tube went straight up through the roof, and so it was more likely for things to fall down from it. I checked it often to make sure it was clean. Now I have a vent that is part of a built-in microwave, and I'm not sure how to maintain it. I don't use it often because I keep the kitchen windows open most of the time.

Yesterday we changed the air filter for the central heating, and we had not done that for three years, but it did not seem very dirty at all. I guess we have clean air in the attic.

Lars

Lars, my over-the-range MW and vent fan has two screens on the underneath side. They kind of slide out. I never knew they were there until I saw this thread and thought I should check them. I've had that MW for ten years so I thought they would be gross. They barely had any dirt on them at all. I never fry food, so maybe that has something to with it, IDK.

Anyway, stick you head under the MW and see if you have screens like mine.

The kitchen has reopened. The vent hood is all shiny and clean. I learned that Mr. Clean Eraser sponges do a fabulous job of cleaning off old, caked on grease. I cut the eraser in half so that it was easier to handle. Because I was lying on my back on top of the stove, DH rinsed out the eraser sponges while I did the scrubbing.

I have written 20 times on the board, "I will remember to clean the underside of the vent hood regularly."

Omg, wish I had come to this post earlier :)
When I moved into my current house the vent sounded like a jet taking off. It is the type that has a straight pipe that vents thru the roof.
Thankfully prior to moving in I decided to clean it. Removed the chrome piece that's attached to the blades...got that all apart and....
THUNK
out falls the skeleton of a bird!!!! OMG!
Well, you can bet that I had DH up on the roof replacing the missing screen in a red hot minute.
Grossed me out...still grosses me out recounting the story.
I disassembled the whole shebang using a bucket of Simple Green which worked like a champ removing the oily gunk. I still use it weekly.

oh, my, deborah_ps. My green gunk was awful (not to mention embarrassing after I posted it here for the whole world to see!), but not nearly as gross as a dead bird.

I had forgotten about Simple Green. I used to use that stuff all the time! It is going on my list now.

My vent hood is this model

Behind the round grills are fans. The blades really need cleaning, but I was afraid to do that without turning off the power (flipping the breaker) to the hood. When I get my Simple Green, I'll tackle that problem. I may call the company to see if I can remove the blades as one unit and soak it. That would be so much easier that wiping down each blade.

I can't tell from the picture, it looks like a Zephyr Hurricane hood to me.

1. If that is, look into the owner's manual and find out how to do the "Self-cleaning" feature.

2. In general, it is very difficult to remove the fan blades from the motor.

3. Don't worry about turning off the breaker. A fan is not very powerful. Even at high speed, it can't cut you. Sting a little may be.

4. Don't use strong alkali cleaner if the blades are aluminum.

dcarch

I may have picked the wrong picture. I have the Zephyr Typhoon. It has a self-cleaning feature! Who knew? (well, dcarch did, obviously!) I LOVE self-cleaning. Wish I could get a self-cleaning house.

The instructions say: With nozzle on "spray", squirt grease cutting detergent onto blower wheel blades 30 - 35 times.

That is not specific enough for me. I think of Dawn as a grease cutting detergent. Following those instructions, would I spray undiluted Dawn onto the fan blades?

Sting a little? It could chip my nail-polish! ;-)