![]() ![]() It heats quickly and evenly it's highly responsive to burner input it's durable and inexpensive and, when properly cared for, it will end up with a practically nonstick surface. But when made thick enough to be durable, they are extremely cumbersome to lift, which is essential for proper flipping during a stir-fry. The main problem with cast iron is that when it's too thin, it is extremely fragile-I've seen cast iron woks crack in half when set down too hard. Cast iron is a better choice, though it still takes a relatively long time to heat up and cool down.Food, particularly protein, has a tendency to stick to steel. Not only are they extremely heavy and difficult to maneuver, they also take a long time to heat up and cool down-a fatal flaw for something that requires rapid, on-the-fly heat adjustments, like a stir-fry. Stainless steel woks are a waste of money.The newest addition to this lot of books is The Wok by Kenji López-Alt ( Amazon/ Bookshop/ Now Serving L.A.). Phoenix Claws and Jade Trees by Kian Lam Kho ( Amazon/ Bookshop). The Breath of a Wok by Grace Young and Alan Richardson ( Amazon/ Bookshop/ Now Serving L.A.), I learned most of what I know about woks from two books – If you plan to steam food, use this bamboo steamer I’ve had it for three years and love it. I also own this set of wok spatula, skimmer, and ladle that is fantastic to cook with the wooden handles stay cool during cooking which is a big help. ![]() You’ll need a wok lid to steam and stir-fry. I don’t own too many accessories for my wok this is what I find at a minimum you’ll need to get the job done. To avoid this, I keep my wok on a few sheets of old newspaper or parchment paper. Because the wok is seasoned on both the inside and outside, it might stick to the surface of the cabinet. Give the wok a good wash under hot water, pat it dry, and then heat it on the stove and season. To avoid rust, I apply a layer of the seasoning wax, season it again before letting it cool, and put it back in storage. Cleaning the wok can remove some of the seasoning. Once that’s done, I wipe the wok with a dry towel and then heat it on the stove. I use a sponge and very hot water to clean my wok (there are wok-specific bamboo brushes that can also be used). Woks seasoned well and used repeatedly will develop a uniform dark patina. BTW, don’t panic if the wok seasoning is stripped off after the first round of cooking in your new wok that is bound to happen. I also got myself the carbon steel seasoning wax from Made In it is one of the best seasoning waxes I’ve come across and works wonderfully. Two great resources for wok seasoning come from Serious Eats and Made In. In my experience, I’ve found cast-iron and carbon steel to make the best woks they use very little oil during cooking, unlike the stainless-steel ones.īoth carbon steel and cast iron woks need to be seasoned to maintain their quality and prevent them from rusting. I avoid most non-stick cookware at home and don’t recommend them, especially for high-heat cooking, because Teflon starts to degrade at temperatures higher than 500F/260C and causes many problems. Woks are also made from cast iron, aluminum, and stainless steel, and some brands make non-stick varieties. Besides looks, there is one noticeable difference between the two the Joyce Chen wok is slightly lighter than the one from Made.In which makes it easier to maneuver during cooking. Both are made from carbon steel, and their quality is equally outstanding. I own two woks (both Northern Style), one from Joyce Chen and the other by Made In. I prefer the Northern-style woks over the Cantonese-style woks because of the handle it makes wok cooking easy. Since we’ve got fried rice on the menu, I thought this would be a good time to share my abbreviated version of all things related to wok and wok cooking that I use in my kitchen. I receive a lot of questions about the cookware and appliances I use at home. ![]() See how the patina develops on seasoning. Here’s how I seasoned my Joyce Chen wok a few years ago (that’s the old kitchen that I don’t miss □). ![]()
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