The liquid metal in the hearth is called slag.

The iron oxide is put in it to make it more basic for the chemical reaction that is to take place.

Adding the roll scale had cooled the charge, and it was thick like hoecake batter.

I now thoroughly mixed it with a rabble which is like a long iron hoe.
"Snake bake a hoecake, And lef' a frog to mind it; Frog went away, an' De lizard come and find it." Any lizard attracted by my hoecake would have to be a salamander--that fire-proof creature that is supposed to live in flames.

For the cooling down of that molten batter didn't go so far but that it still would make too hot a mouthful for any creature alive.
The puddler's hand-rag is one of his most important tools.