How To Clean A Burnt Carbon Steel Wok
Last Updated Feb 2022 – Is carbon steel really better than stainless or cast iron? Learn all almost different types of woks, how to intendance for them, and which ones you should buy!
Woks offer a uniquely versatile approach to cooking. While they're neat for stir-frying, they're more than capable of performing a number of other kitchen tasks. I'll frequently find myself using a wok for both deep-frying and steaming, while I've seen my friends use theirs for baking, smoking, and more than.
Despite this, too many kitchens don't have a proper wok. Part of the blame for this rests squarely on the shoulders of wok manufacturers. Likewise many companies produce depression-quality woks made from inappropriate materials, making them useless.
These serve equally a poor introduction to wok cooking, leading abode chefs to believe (incorrectly) that all woks perform every bit poorly.
>>> Cheque Out Price & Customer Reviews On Amazon <<<
| Image | PRODUCT | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| | JOYCE CHEN 22-0060, Pro Chef Flat Bottom Wok It's a 2mm thick carbon steel wok that's fourteen" across. It's got both a long handle (so you tin can motility it while it's hot) and a shorter handle on the opposite side (and then you can lift it). | ||
| | xvi inch Carbon Steel Hand Hammered Wok If you're looking for something a fleck more traditional, this mitt-hammered carbon steel wok is a smashing selection for your kitchen. | ||
| | 16 inches Carbon Steel Wok with Helper Handle (flat lesser) Available in both 12 and 16-inch styles, this 2mm thick carbon steel wok is admittedly perfect for virtually every kitchen. |
Different cooking techniques such as stir frying and deep frying require carbon steel woks instead of steel pans. Quality carbon wok cooking is a must if you want to acquire culinery art thoroughly. That's why you'll need a good wok on your road to become a pro chef.
Virtually of the time in wok reviews, yous'll observe out about different opinions from different kinds of people. For case, Some will advise y'all to use electric stoves while some will forbade you to use electric stoves. Some will advise you to use both gas and electric stoves. That is why virtually of the time y'all'll find wok reviews to be confusing.
Don't waste your time in search of the pros and cons of your desired wok. You can be deceived and buy a regular wok. Take a look at your options. Remember, since y'all desire an ideal wok for your daily usage, purchase a wok that y'all could exist easy for you to use.
Merely don't worry! today we'll go over everything y'all need to know nearly a good craft wok. We'll go over every minor thing such as estimate carbon steel to what are some of the all-time woks for your use. The final affair you want is a wok that is not durable and well enough for your use.
In club to avoid wasting coin on such a product, here are a few full general tips you tin follow when looking for a wok to purchase:
one. PAY ATTENTION TO SHAPE
The first matter you need to proceed in mind while ownership a carbon steel wok is its shape. A practiced craft wok provides even heating. And an fifty-fifty heat distribution means you'll go thoroughly cooked food.
One other thing that buyers confront while buying a carbon steel wok is, should they get for a round bottom wok or a flat bottomed wok? You might enter a wok store and get confused as y'all don't know which one will suit you ameliorate. And so, the second thing to go on in mind while ownership a carbon steel wok is its range.
Your range probably wasn't designed with a circular bottomed wok in listen. Even if y'all have a special wok holding attachment, your range won't transfer rut to the wok in a very effective way. Wait for a wok with a flat bottom in order to ensure that it volition really get hot.
The best carbon steel wok is usually flat bottomed. Yous tin can let your food sit directly every bit the wok will heat evenly. Considering of that, you won't take to face the problem of undercooked food. Exist stir fry or deep frying, a well-shaped carbon steel wok might make the difference betwixt a proficient dish and a great dish.
A flat bottom wok can piece of work well under high estrus. And as flat bottom woks can spread estrus evenly, it's safe to say that the best carbon steel woks are flat bottomed. Some might argue that steel pans or pow wok are best for this kind of work. But considering a apartment bottom woks immovability, information technology'south head and shoulders above the residual.
With that being said, one of the major things that separates wok cooking from other cooking is the ability to move food in and out of a high estrus zone. A apartment bottom is necessary in lodge to get a high estrus zone at all, only you don't want it to be also big. Experts recommend a 4-5" flat bottom with almost thirteen" of sloping sides .
2. AVOID STAINLESS
It doesn't matter what kind of cooking oil you might use. Stains are an constant in cooking. You lot might cook for 12 people or 12 hundred people, stains are leap to appear on the cooking surface. But there are a few reasons on why you should avoid stainless material.
Woks are usually made out of i of three materials : stainless steel, carbon steel, and cast atomic number 26. While there are advantages and disadvantages to carbon steel and bandage iron, stainless steel woks aren't very good. For one, they're super heavy, making them tedious to apply. Worse, they don't distribute rut very well.
Even when equipped with an aluminum or copper core, a stainless steel wok won't respond to quick temperature changes very well. Given than stir-frying frequently involves quick temperature changes, this makes it a poor pick for your wok.
Finally, stainless steel is harder to season than either cast iron or carbon steel, so you lot'll have to put in more than work to clean your wok.
3. Non CREATED EQUAL
The construction methods employed in making your wok volition dictate how well it holds nutrient. As mentioned previously, you often desire to exist able to movement food to the sides of your wok so it doesn't cook as chop-chop. If the sides of your wok are also smooth, they won't hold nutrient well.
Sometimes, y'all might want your food to sit directly on the carbon steel wok. And, if the wok isn't crafted well enough it'll burn your food. You want a carbon steel wok that is like shooting fish in a barrel to utilise. For that, it's vital for a carbon steel wok to maintain a perfect cooking surface.
In that location are iii methods used to shape woks. The kickoff, stamping, involves taking a piece of metallic and bending it. This will effect in a wok with very polish sides. Your food volition slide around similar Apolo Anton Ohno in the 2002 Olympics.
The other two methods, spinning and hammering , produce woks with granular sides. Paw hammered woks have hundreds of piffling divots and indentations that are produced with each hammer blow. You won't find these unless you get really close and look, but they'll keep your food in place on the edges.
Spun woks are made on lathes. This construction method leaves a telltale trace in the form of ridges that make concentric circles all the manner down the wok. These circles act like the tread on your shoes and assist nutrient stay where yous put it.
You might call back of opting for a manus hammered carbon steel pow wok. Merely think this to yourself. Practice yous want a quality carbon steel wok? If so the cull a carbon steel wok instead of a hand hammered carbon steel prisoner of war wok.
Your carbon steel wok might exist paw hammered, spun or simply stamped. One might call up it matters very little of how a wok is fabricated. Your wok might be 14 inches or xvi inches. Merely, if it isn't created properly it won't serve you properly. Because of that, we retrieve the hammered and spun are the ones that are taken to be the all-time carbon steel wok. A well craft wok most of the time is a hand hammered carbon steel wok.
Neither hammered nor spun woks are specially expensive, and then information technology'due south absolutely worth springing for one.
four. STICKINESS
It's absolutely imperative that you do not purchase a non-stick wok.
At that place are iii reasons for this, with the last existence the most important. First, it's not really necessary. Every bit you lot use your wok, you'll naturally piece of work oil molecules into gaps in the steel. Nether high heat, these oil molecules will form a polymer layer that'south naturally non-stick. This process is chosen "seasoning," and information technology'due south been used for hundreds of years to produce non-stick pans without any Teflon.
Second, non-stick pans have a short lifespan and are difficult to care for. Woks are large, heavy pieces of kitchen equipment. You lot'll want yours to last a long time. Y'all also probably desire to be able to stir things in your stir-fry without worrying well-nigh scratching off a not-stick layer. In order to ensure your pan lasts, it's a good idea to avoid non-stick.
Finally, non-stick coatings don't perform well under loftier heat. This doesn't just hateful food will stick (although information technology can), just rather that the bodily non-stick coating will outset to interruption apart at temperatures well within the range of what you'd like your wok to accomplish.
In some cases, the not-stick coat will literally release toxic fumes. "Safe" non-stick chemicals are often only safe below 500 degrees, which is pretty easy to hit on a medium high burner.
Equally a non-stick carbon steel wok isn't able to handle heating and cooling every bit well as other woks, we think the best carbon steel wok isn't not-stick. Though one might debate this happens mainly because of the not-stick coating, it happens none the less. You want a carbon steel wok that lasts long. Because of that, we suggest not to buy a non-stick wok.
5. HANDLES
There are two main types of woks handles. Cantonese-mode woks accept two pocket-size handles, making them easy to lift. Northern-style woks feature a long handle that's more reminiscent of a frying pan.
Your choice should be heavily informed by your own preference and style of cooking. If you prefer to go out your wok stationary and do all of your stirring with utensils, Cantonese handles are fine.
If you'd like to move your wok as you cook (and I know I practice), be sure to buy i with a handle that's long plenty to use while the wok is hot. Alternately, get a set of really nice pot-holders.
In that location's a lot of handles pick to cull from. Loop handle, helper handle, wooden handle, etc. But one affair to keep in heed when walking into a wok shop is, the wok yous purchase having a helper handle. As I've mentioned before that I like to move my wok while cooking, a helper handle actually helps me to maintain my safety.
A short tip for you, try to make clean your wok handle with a paper towel. Equally a paper towel consumes water quickly, you won't have to exit it to dry.
Your flat lesser or round bottom carbon steel wok might be good but you can make it better with a helper handle. A helper handle volition ensure y'all of a proficient agree of the wok. You might think this as a hassle and endeavour opting for a mitt hammered carbon steel pow wok. Just acquit in mind that the condolement you'll go while working with a helper handle won't be provided with a mitt hammered carbon steel pow wok.
Y'all can even opt for a wooden handle. Wooden handles can swallow oestrus quite well. If you lot aren't comfortable with using a helping handle than you tin choose a wooden handle as wooden handles have a comfy grip and might seem better to a sure grouping of people. But on major problem wooden handles take is, they're slippery if someone has a sweaty palm.
Though wooden handle pows are proficient, we propose you to look for a carbon steel wok that has helper handle with it.
CARBON STEEL OR CAST Fe?
While I'grand quick to recommend that you stay away from stainless steel woks, the choice betwixt carbon steel and cast iron is a little chip more nuanced. I personally recommend carbon steel quite strongly, but there'south certainly an argument to be made for bandage fe woks.
Cast atomic number 26 woks take a long time to estrus upwards and cool down. They're not ever heavy, but if they're not, it's almost always because they're very thin. The thinner your wok, the more than probable it is to suspension under stress. This can happen when you add common cold food or water to a hot wok, but it commonly occurs when you're just moving the wok around in a cupboard.
These downsides might seem pretty big, just they're non the whole picture show. Cast fe holds heat peculiarly well, so while your wok will take a trivial bit of time to oestrus up, information technology will stay hot for a long fourth dimension. It'south peculiarly skilful for high heat cooking. It'southward also very well suited to beingness seasoned, so you'll build upwardly a very dainty not-stick surface over fourth dimension.
That said, I recommend carbon steel because it offers a similar set of advantages. Carbon steel is almost as piece of cake to season. While information technology doesn't hold heat quite as well, it's much more than responsive to changes in temperature. This means that you tin turn the heat down and your wok will drop in temperature much faster. Carbon steel is less frail than cast iron, too, and then it's less likely to break. Still, exist sure to make sure that your wok is thick enough. If you lot're buying in a store, make certain it doesn't curve much if you press on it. If yous're ownership online, wait for fourteen-gauge steel or a thickness of 2mm.
The best part about carbon steel is that it's fantastically cheap. Carbon steel woks tend to be quite a bit less expensive than their stainless and cast iron counterparts, meaning y'all tin can spend more money on delicious things to cook!
Another fantastic thing nearly a wok that is made of carbon steel is its light in comparison to a cast iron wok. Y'all can utilise a carbon steel wok with ease on both gas and electric stoves. And its very easy to clean besides! you can just wipe it off with paper towels.
You lot demand to use a wok that is easy to use. For that, we propose our readers use a wok made of carbon steel. And as nosotros've mentioned higher up, If a wok is made of carbon steel it holds rut amend and doesn't succumb to the overall force per unit area. Another good matter about a carbon steel wok is you can wipe information technology off with paper towels. Cast iron woks are difficult to clean up later on cooking.
SEASONING AND CARING FOR YOUR WOK
Carbon steel woks (and cast fe ones, for that thing) usually are packaged with a thin layer of not-edible oil to go on them from rusting. Some are additionally wrapped in plastic. Before you use them to cook, it's important to wash this layer off. Well-nigh wok manufacturers will include specific instructions. These usually involve placing some water in your wok, getting it pretty hot, and and then scrubbing off the layer of oil with enough of soap.
After this is done, your wok will be bare to the elements. Non only should yous season it (to prevent food from sticking), but yous should also brush information technology with a food-safe oil before yous store it. This will assistance prevent your wok from rusting. If it does rust, nonetheless, it's not a big bargain.
Though you might think of using carbon steel wok that has a non-stick coating, information technology might hamper the quality of your carbon steel wok. The best carbon steel woks aren't coated with non-stick coating.
You tin just scrub off any rust spots that appear in the sink! You lot will take to season your wok afterwards, however.
About wok manufacturers suggest that y'all season your wok by hand on the stove (Here our cookware for gas stoves guide). It'due south non recommended to do information technology in the oven considering your wok has sloped sides, so oil won't stay put for very long. On the stove, y'all tin can manually use oil directly to all parts of your wok while it'south still hot.
When it comes time to flavor your wok, the exact order of operations isn't particularly of import. Put the wok on the stove over medium-ish rut. Permit it get hot. Spread cooking oil evenly around, using a paper towel held between tongs, a cooking brush, or simply swirl the pan around until things are evenly coated.
Ideally, your wok is just hot enough to avoid burning the oil. After it's coated, some experts call up you should remove the wok from heat and allow it absurd, then echo the process several times. Others think you should simply lower the heat a bit and sauté aromatics for a while until the wok changes colour. In any case, your wok's seasoning volition change over time. As long every bit you melt with plenty of fat, you'll naturally add to your layer of seasoning and set whatever imperfections with your initial flavour.
Once your wok is seasoned, exist certain to Avert USING SOAP . The polymer layer yous've congenital upward will withstand both scrubbing and hot water, but you'll completely destroy it if you use a detergent or soap on your wok. Yous should be able to hands make clean out your wok with a quick rinse and a fleck of work with a sponge. If you practice utilize soap (or you let someone else do the dishes), you'll have to season it from scratch all over over again. This isn't a giant deal, just it will swallow upward a few minutes of your time.
Subsequently you're done rinsing the carbon steel wok, you can wipe the water off with a paper towel. Using a paper towel volition ensure water not being on the wok.
Yous'll need to follow this process with any carbon steel (or bandage atomic number 26) wok yous buy. No affair how highly recommended a wok comes, y'all can't escape your obligation to flavour information technology and store it properly. If you don't, food volition stick to your wok and it rust spots will chop-chop appear.
As a concluding aside, the oil you use to season your wok with absolutely matters, but only a niggling. Almost any cooking fat will do an okay job of producing the desired polymer glaze. If you want the absolute all-time, experts suggest that yous should use pure, organic flax seed oil. While it'south rather expensive, it also produces slightly better results than any other oil when it comes to seasoning. In practice, nevertheless, it's unlikely to brand that much of a difference.
MY RECOMMENDATIONS – Top 3 Review
As I've stated above, I absolutely adopt carbon steel over the other types of woks. Every bit a result, all three of my choices are carbon steel. While they all exhibit the features discussed above, each one is suited for a different type of kitchen.
– JOYCE CHEN 22-0060, Pro Chef Flat Bottom Wok
Finding a quality carbon steel wok can be tough. But this side by side wok is one of the best carbon steel wok bachelor. You might be familiar with its name as there are quite a few pros related to it. This wok is ane that you'll find comfort to work with.
This wok has everything you want. It's a 2mm thick carbon steel wok that's 14" across. It's got both a long handle (so you can move it while information technology's hot) and a shorter handle on the opposite side (and so you tin lift it). While it's got quite a bit of heft, information technology's withal lighter than its cast fe counterparts.
Don't confuse this with the other pop Joyce Chen wok. While this is a robust 2mm thick carbon steel wok, Joyce Chen also sells a i.5mm version. You really desire the extra half millimeter of thickness to keep your wok durable and sturdy. The thinner version may fifty-fifty warp under normal cooking conditions!
Immovability isn't the only concern when information technology comes to the thickness of your wok. Some other advantage that a 2mm wok (like this one) offers over a 1.5mm wok comes via the manner heat is distributed. A 1.5mm wok will heat less evenly on the lesser while distributing more than heat upwards the sides. This hinders your goal of being able to motion nutrient out of a high-rut zone and necessitates that you stir food on the bottom more often. A 2mm wok, however, will retain an fifty-fifty amount of oestrus on the lesser. While the sides volition still become hot, they're a fleck thicker, so rut won't travel upwards quite as quickly. This allows you lot to accept amend command over how much estrus reaches each individual ingredient.
The flat lesser on this wok is generous enough to let it to work on induction and electric ranges while still giving you enough of sloped space to piece of work with. It'due south fabricated via spinning, and then concentric rings will keep food on the slopes without besides much hassle.
While the included handles are a squeamish touch, they're only rated to 350 degrees F. Be sure to remove them before throwing your wok in the oven or cooking on high heat for a long flow of time. Information technology'south peculiarly of import to remove them before seasoning, as you're sure to get your unabridged wok quite hot.
Uneven heat distribution can spoil your Asian food. And, as Asian food (peculiarly Chinese dishes) needs proper seasoning, carbon steel woks need to distribute heat evenly. This is some other reason why this Joyce Chen wok is the best carbon steel wok out at that place. This carbon steel wok has a apartment lesser that provides fifty-fifty heat distribution.
And every bit a 14 inches carbon steel wok is a chip smaller than other carbon steel woks, information technology doesn't matter whether you're using an electric stove or a gas stove, this wok allows you to have even heating all effectually.
Another adept thing about this fourteen inches carbon steel wok is, it's perfect for a small number of people. That'south why you'll find fourteen inches carbon steel woks in nigh of the smaller Asian family kitchens.
If you're looking for a bones spun carbon steel wok, this Joyce Chen is a great pick. It offers everything you need in terms of size, shape, and features. You'll be producing slap-up stir-fries in no time!
– 16 inch Carbon Steel Paw Hammered Wok
If you're looking for something a bit more traditional, this hand-hammered carbon steel wok is a groovy choice for your kitchen. The old-fashioned structure technique used in its production creates hundreds of picayune indentations to keep nutrient from sliding down the sides. That said, this round lesser wok might be too traditional for some kitchens depending on the type of range you have.
Every bit this wok is made of hammered carbon steel, this wok comes with a problem that is not being able to work on an electric stove.
To elaborate: the round bottom on this wok is wholly inappropriate for electrical and induction ranges. If you have a wok ring and a loftier BTU gas range, notwithstanding, yous should be fine.
This wok is quite big. It measures a total 16", then brand sure you've got enough infinite in your kitchen. While this might be a downside for some, I think information technology's an absolutely killer feature for others. The ability to cook a total, large dish in a single wok is incredible. Once you've taken the plunge and upgraded to a full sixteen" wok, you lot'll never go back.
The handles on this wok are Cantonese manner, so they're quite short and they become very hot. They're very handy when information technology comes to moving the wok, only you'll want to be very careful with them during or subsequently cooking. Be sure to have pot holders handy for any adjustments in your wok's position. When it's fourth dimension to serve nutrient, you'll probably desire to keep your wok where information technology is and use utensils to place food onto other dishes.
You might think of using a loop handle for this, but i've got another suggestion for you lot on this instance. For your 16 inch carbon steel wok yous tin apply either a wooden handle or a helper handle. Every bit wooden handles are prone to eat heat, it will piece of work great on your wok. You lot tin use a helping handle too as they piece of work great on severy hot woks.
Merely at that place is a con to this wok. You need to notation that isn't a flat lesser wok and is 16 inches instead of 14 inches, this wok might not arrange anybody. Which is why y'all should expect a the best steel woks for you. A flat lesser wok or a steel wok with helper handle might cater to your needs equally they are easy to utilize.
While this wok isn't the right choice for anybody, it's a stellar example of a hand-hammered round-bottomed wok . It's fantastically large, solid, and absolutely incredible if you've got the space and equipment to handle a big, circular bottomed wok.
– 16 inches Carbon Steel Wok with Helper Handle (flat bottom)
Available in both 12 and 16-inch styles, this 2mm thick carbon steel wok is absolutely perfect for about every kitchen. Information technology's got a generous flat bottom, enabling you to use it on all types of ranges, and wooden handles that stay cool so y'all tin can move the wok around.
While it's not obvious from the production description, this is a spun wok, significant information technology's got pocket-sized round ridges that keep food in place on the edges. This means that you lot can identify food on the sides and it won't slide down, enabling y'all to command the rate at which unlike pieces of food melt.
The flat lesser on this wok is suitable for electrical ranges, induction ranges, and flat grills. Again, the production description fails to mention that the magnetic carbon steel works brilliantly with an induction range. It's too amazing on a gas range, of form.
Despite the relatively depression toll of this steel wok, it'due south made by American workers in San Francisco. If you're looking to support American manufacturers, yous don't have to become all the way to All-Clad. Instead, consider this well-made wok at a much more competitive cost.
While this wok is quite comparable to the Joyce Chen in a higher place, it's a slightly improve choice for some kitchens due to the welded handles. The Joyce Chen has removable handles. They're convenient to remove, but yous'll need to tighten them every few months under normal apply.This wok has welded handles in both the 14 and sixteen" styles, pregnant yous'll never have to worry about them coming loose (or worse, you losing them somehow).
The helper handle is a prominent feature of this carbon steel wok. As the handles are quite brusk in other carbon steel woks,it would be quite intelligent to have a wok with helper handle. Upon being equipped with a helper handle, it won't matter if you take hot water or Chinese dishes on this carbon steel wok. You tin can cook nutrient without the constant worry of getting burned.
Like the 16" round-lesser wok above, the 16" version of this wok is quite large. Unlike the circular-bottom wok, notwithstanding, y'all don't need any special considerations to utilize this one on your range. I firmly believe that the sixteen" version of this is the best choice for any kitchen that cooks large dishes ofttimes. If you lot adopt to cook smaller dishes, the 14" version is however an excellent selection. Information technology offers all of the features yous want while maintaining a competitive toll.
But considering overall features y'all should opt for the 16 inch carbon steel wok over a 14 inches carbon steel wok. As the 16-inch wok comes with features such as flat lesser, proper heating, and cooling, the ability to work on both electric stove and gas stove yous should opt for this adept arts and crafts xvi-inch wok.
THE BEST CARBON STEEL WOK
All three of the woks recommended above are splendid buys nether the correct circumstances. If you've got a wok ring and like cooking big dishes, the round-bottomed 16" wok is admittedly the best selection. If yous melt for family but you have an induction or electrical range, or you just don't want to fiddle with a wok ring, the 16" flat-bottomed model is the best choice for you. Finally, if you melt for a smaller number of people, either of the 14" woks will work wonderfully in the kitchen.
The key features offered by these woks are a result of their 2mm carbon steel structure. While ii are spun and one is hammered, they offering the aforementioned end upshot: fantabulous heat distribution and the ability to use the sides without nutrient sliding down.
With a bit of intendance, all iii of these woks will final y'all for decades. The intendance is important, still. Make certain you strip the machine oil coating on your wok before you cook with it, and make sure you season information technology well earlier your first utilise.
Once you've washed so, oil information technology lightly before y'all store it. It's worth a piffling flake of hassle to keep your wok rust free. You lot'll be able to use your wok to produce admittedly astonishing stir-chips and other dishes whenever you lot want!
Having the all-time carbon steel woks at your disposal volition rid you of the worry of your nutrient existence undercooked or overcooked. A good carbon steel wok ways you won't have to worry nigh a gas stove or electric stove. Your nutrient will get proper heat distribution. It doesn't matter if its a flat bottom wok or a round lesser wok as long as it maintains proper seasoning and serves your need.
With that in heed get ahead and buy the best carbon steel wok y'all can detect. And the recommendations we've provided higher up will help you to choose the correct carbon steel wok suiting your needs.
Source: https://onthegas.org/cookware/choosing-best-carbon-steel-wok-enjoy-authentic-asian-cooking-home/
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