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You can tell by the way I use my wok
Gaslight
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
(Alternate thread titles considered: You'll Never Wok Alone, Wok on the Wild Side, The Ministry of Silly Woks)
Fiancee and I just got a wok (specifically this one) that was on our wedding registry at as a gift at her bridal shower. I've always wanted one of these but my knowledge of how to actually cook with one consists of:
1. Place wok over heat source.
2. Put edible substances in wok.
3. ???
4. Profit! Deliciousness!
I guess specifically my concerns are about whether it is necessary or even possible to "season" a steel wok with a nonstick coating like this. I am also not entirely sure what the "half moon stainless steel rack" that fits on top is supposed to be used for?
Basically I am looking for any advice or links to beginner's guide on the care and feeding of works so that my wok can care for and feed me. Talk the talk so I can wok the wok. Help make Stir Friday a reality in the Mr. and Mrs. Gaslight home! Thanks in advance.
Fiancee and I just got a wok (specifically this one) that was on our wedding registry at as a gift at her bridal shower. I've always wanted one of these but my knowledge of how to actually cook with one consists of:
1. Place wok over heat source.
2. Put edible substances in wok.
3. ???
4. Profit! Deliciousness!
I guess specifically my concerns are about whether it is necessary or even possible to "season" a steel wok with a nonstick coating like this. I am also not entirely sure what the "half moon stainless steel rack" that fits on top is supposed to be used for?
Basically I am looking for any advice or links to beginner's guide on the care and feeding of works so that my wok can care for and feed me. Talk the talk so I can wok the wok. Help make Stir Friday a reality in the Mr. and Mrs. Gaslight home! Thanks in advance.
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I can only tell you that the half moon steel rack is used for draining battered items
Ah, here we go -- this link summarises what Cooks' Illustrated say about stir fry, and that sort of moving-things-back-and-forth is what made the difference for us between okay and great-tasting. (they also say you don't really need a wok, but woks are more fun)
Teflon non-stick coatings should not be heated up to the temperature that's required for stir fry.
No you do not need to season non-stick pans.
Alternatively if you don't actually want to stir fry and just want to sautee up some meat and vegetables you should return that wok and get a decent stainless steel fry pan.
If you're getting your wok hot enough to be dangerous for the coating it's too hot.
Just never heat an empty pan, and heat the wok on high for less than a minute and you're most likely good. Flick water and if it boils away in a couple seconds you're good.
Of course, if your wok is cheap and thin metal, I'd opt for something higher quality or just go with a flat pan as Noisymunk suggests. If you're dead set on using a cheapy wok to stir fry, just go hot enough to cook the stuff. Don't go all Iron Chef and try to burn the place down because everyone is telling you that "real stir fry" needs super high heat. They may be right, but that also requires higher quality cookware. And a well ventilated cooking space.
I usually cooked stuff like onion and mushroom first, then meat, then veg (though nothing that needed more than a few minutes to be warm).
I do the wok in the oven thing and it works pretty well. Best advice I can give is make sure to chop up all your stuff before you start.
Oh wait I just saw yours has wooden bits. So maybe don't follow that tip. My stove is a piece of shit electric one so the oven thing is really helpful.
It really is pretty helpful, especially when woking without gas. I've got a fancy ass copper core all-clad "wok" which I love (but would have never bought for myself because holy crap who spends that much on a wok?!) and it works pretty damn well on electric. I was a bit worried about warping the bond with high heat, but that son of a bitch has stood up to 8+ years of pretty heavy abuse.