So, I bought a wok...

[tonylumpkin]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

What do you guys normally use for stir fries?

Usually, canola or a run of the mill vegetable oil blend.

 

[andyw]

Planter's Peanut Oil

 

[DNW]

So, I seasoned my wok today according to the instructions. Basically, I heated up the wok until it smokes, then applied canola oil, then wiped off the excess oil, then heated for another 15-20 minutes and let it cool down. I repeated this process one more time. After the second time, it developed a nice "breath" at the bottom. So, I made dinner with it. Nothing fancy, just some bok choy and shrimp, with ginger, etc.,. After I finished cleaning the wok with a soft dish pad and no soap, I noticed the patina was scraped away and the bare metal was shown at the bottom. I was surprised because I thought this patina would've stayed on. Is this normal? Did I do something wrong?

 

[Journeyman]

Originally Posted by DarkNWorn

Did I do something wrong?

No, I don't think so.

Inevitably, some ingredients will carbonise whilst you cook. Such remnants can be wiped away after cooking. What should happen over time, however, is that the metal itself will develop a blue-black colour.

Really, it's not worth sweating over.
Just enjoy using your wok, try cooking a lot of different dishes, and see what happens!

 

[tonylumpkin]

^^^^

Originally Posted by tonylumpkin

Just a note on the seasoning of your wok.

Don't be surprised if it take a while for the seasoning to take hold. This is a continuing process and for a while food will stick. Be patient and use nothing stronger than water and a soft plastic bristle brush to clean it (you may want to scrape heavy stuck particle off). Over several months the inside turns black and just about as non-stick as Teflon.

Enjoy!

Patience please!

 

[Seersucker]

Mine's almost 20 years old and it takes a while to seal it. No kidding on the scrubbing though. If you use soap and give it a real scrubbing, you'll lose all of that coating. I actually use hot water and a bamboo tool instead of plastic bristles. Also, depending on the material, make sure you dry the wok.

Enjoy.

 

[DNW]

Thanks all for your inputs. I'm starting to really enjoy woking. Again, I used it last night to stir fry some green beans and chicken with a Thai sauce. Yumm!!!!

 

[Mblova]

Would like to update this thread as I am looking for a good quality Wok to gift at a wedding. Any thoughts/recs?

 

[random-adam]

Originally Posted by Mblova

Would like to update this thread as I am looking for a good quality Wok to gift at a wedding. Any thoughts/recs?

Holy necro, batman!

The wacky thing about woks is that the more you spend, the more uselessly gimmicky they get. If you know the recipient will actually use it for stir frying (and roughly how many people they'll cook for on average) then find a suitable carbon-steel wok in that size and don't worry that it's only twenty bucks.

 

[PeterMetro]

Agreed.

I bought mine at a shop in Shanghai - apparently the last guys in town to still make them by hand. They are called the Cen brothers and they are tucked at the end of a street in the old part of town. The wok cost something like 14 USD - and I most likely overpaid (laowai tax).

I could have paid 10 times that at the carrefour.

Last point - woks are incredibly versatile. Beyond stir-frying, I use mine to boil, steam, and deep-fry. It basically never leaves my stove top.

 

[Manton]

I have a wok and I like it and use it a lot.

However, one thing to understand is that unless you have a very high BTU burner with a wide ring and flame that licks the sides of the pan, you are not really using your wok in a true "wokky" way. Which is fine, I don't have such a burner either and I still find the shape and size of the wok very useful. But traditional Chinese cooking it ain't.

If I ever get another range I will get one with a wok burner or at least with a high BTW burner (22,500) that can take a wok ring.

 

[jobro]

The points above are very true. To sum it up quickly ...

Proper woks are very cheap (scored mine for $13 at the local asian grocer).
Teflon coated woks are faux pas.
Real woks usually don't come in fancy boxes, you will be lucky to get it in a cheap plastic bag.
They aren't very easy on the eye and would not make and ideal gift.
To be used properly, they need a big gas hob/wok burner.

 

[SField]

Originally Posted by Manton

I have a wok and I like it and use it a lot.

However, one thing to understand is that unless you have a very high BTU burner with a wide ring and flame that licks the sides of the pan, you are not really using your wok in a true "wokky" way. Which is fine, I don't have such a burner either and I still find the shape and size of the wok very useful. But traditional Chinese cooking it ain't.

If I ever get another range I will get one with a wok burner or at least with a high BTW burner (22,500) that can take a wok ring.

Woks are actually very ineffective unless you have, as Manton says, a **** ton of BTUs with wide flame. You can get much better results stir frying in a 12" skillet if you don't have that.

 

[Renton]

If I feel the need to have a real touch of wok authenticity, I use a propane powered wok stand I got for Christmas a few years ago.

It's not the best looking setup but it gets the job done.

 

[Douglas]

how many BTUs is enough? My range will have 22K but I have seen ranges that have wok-dedicated setups at 30K. I know size is an issue, distance from flame, etc... I will have open burners which I assume is a good thing as you get less of a "ring" of fire and more of an even dispersion... thoughts from the experts?