Wok?

Van

SatelliteGuys Master
Original poster
Jul 8, 2004
9,325
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Virginia Beach
Anyone use a wok for cooking? I picked one up a few weeks ago and just seasoned it but havent cooked with it yet because I dont know where the cook book for chinese food is at.
 
Used it some. I don't think we can get the heat high enough in a home to properly use one.
 
How do you season a wok? I was watching Americas test Kitchen(love that show) and they mentioned about seasoning a frying pan but didn't elaborate on how to do it, so whats the procedure?
 
Are these forums not for discussion? If we went to google for every answer this forum would be a desolate place:rolleyes:

Of course these forums are for discussion. It just seemed easier, for me at least, to show you the Google answer than to type out all the steps. ;)
 
I posted the question to generate some fourm activity, maybe some people have different ways of doing things? I think most people are aware Google exists. "Google is your friend" is a great way of driving people away.
 
Hey, at the end of the day...Starman asked a question, bobby gave an answer. Took the time to find a valid answer based on his own knowlege and post it. I honestly don't think there was any slight here...

But anyway, my advice with regards to seasoning a wok is to turn your smoke alarms off in the interim, because after a while it starts to really let off a lot of residue once the steel starts darkening.

I've had my fun with a pure steel wok in my time, but these days...I'll stick with the teflon. Just don't have the time or the patience anymore I'm afraid...
 
I use mine all the time; make sure you have a quality wok and if you do not a have a gas stovetop then buy a separate burner unit for your wok use. And before anyone asks; NEVER one that is non-stick or coated. If you cant get high enough gas heat on your stovetop and do not want the separte burner; then a XL, well seasoned cast iron skillet made in the good old USofA does basically the same basic thing.


http://www.wokshop.com/
 
I guess I should try my wok on the side burner on my Weber grill. Maybe that'll get hot enough. Hotter than an inside residential gas stove?
 
I guess I should try my wok on the side burner on my Weber grill. Maybe that'll get hot enough. Hotter than an inside residential gas stove?

I have a Weber gasser with a side burner as well as an indoor residential Maytag gas-top stove and I know for a fact, my indoor stove-top can burn higher than my Weber side burner.
 
I have a Weber gasser with a side burner as well as an indoor residential Maytag gas-top stove and I know for a fact, my indoor stove-top can burn higher than my Weber side burner.

I don't know...my sideburner can fire it up pretty good. Either way, if there is any positive argument in favor of seasoning a wok outdoors, its to avoid the splatter and the mess indoors.... :p
 
I good buddy bought some kind of commercial unit that sat in a heavy-duty frame with a large burner powered by a 20 lb propane tank. Made a hell of a roar when it was running so he used it outside or in his open garage. (Conjured-up visions of Tim the Toolman the first time I saw it! More power, arrrgggghhh !!!)

Anyway - he had taken classes in Thai cooking and made a number of great meals with it! Was always one to stretch the envelope and take everything to an extreme...
 
Mines non stick and non coated and actually a walmart purchase. The seasonig with mine involved heating water in the bottom 1/3 of the wok to boiling and then tilting the water around the sides to get any remaining oil off the surface. After drying a half cup of oil is placed in the bottom and heated for 10 mins and then a paper towel is used to spread the oil around the sides to coat and then the wok is rotated around on its side over the heat source.

I still havent used it yet and still no idea where the cook book is but I dont think the eletric range will do it heat wise so I'll have to dig out the cole camp stove for that.
 
So last week I tried out the wok, cut up onions and potatoes and beef liver into strips and gave it a whirl, used canola oil with no seasoning on an electric range. The heat transfer to the wok was pretty limited to the bottom quarter of the wok. I think that I'll need to get an independent propane burner strictly for the wok to cook with which may not be a bad thing considering that I still have about $120 to go to balance out my balanced electric bill.
 

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