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carbon steel Wok

IGBT

IGBT

Lifer


..looking for a new Wok and ran across this. Any thoughts??





Carbon with 2 Wooden Handles
This heavy 14-gauge wok is easy and fun to use. The natural, blond wooden spool handles allow the cook full command of the wok. This round bottom wok is designed to sit on a gas stove with a wok/fire ring and a high flame. This wok is also available in flat bottom, which also works very efficiently on the gas stove without the fire ring. If cooking with an electric or ceramic cooktop stove, the flat bottom design is recommended. Wok measures 4" in depth. Cooking recommendations: 12" for up to 5 people, 14" for 6 to 12 people. Must be seasoned. Made in USA.
12"?$16.95, 14"?$19.95, 16"?24.95
Lid sold seperately: for 12" wok?$9.95, 14" wok








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..wondering how well carbon steel seasons. I've seasoned cast iron pans but never a carbon steel. They do indicate a procedure.
 
You're not supposed to season stainless.

If you're interested in cookware reviews you should check out Cooks Illustrated Magazine / America's Test Kitchen. They rated the All-Clad saute pan as the best and have praised Tramontina cookware as being an excellent value. Once you pick up this pan (I recommend finding it in store as I got an email saying it was out of stock when I tried to order it online) you'll know that it's a high quality piece of cookware.
 
this would not be a good wok for home use, since it doesn't have nonstick coating, everything will stick to it. if you just want a cheap wok, get the joyce chen nonstick wok from bed bath and beyond for around $20. I like it better than my calphalon stainless stain wok.
 
Originally posted by: richardycc
this would not be a good wok for home use, since it doesn't have nonstick coating, everything will stick to it. if you just want a cheap wok, get the joyce chen nonstick wok from bed bath and beyond for around $20. I like it better than my calphalon stainless stain wok.
Click to expand...

..the non stick chemical teflon coating is falling out of favor due to health issues due to off gasing of the coating. Many report something called "teflon flue" after accumulated exposure. I went ahead anf ordered the Wok and will report on how well it seasons..which will greatly reduce the sticking problem.

 
a good seasoning will work very well, even for eggs.

carbon steel seasons fine. i have a couple of those. the main problem with teflon is that the temperatures that you are _supposed_ to be using is higher than what teflon is meant to be heated to. it will burn and flake into your food at the correct temperatures; whereas a properly seasoned wok will not do that. woks are meant to cook at extremely high temperature (basically as hot as you can get it) which is why restaurants and enthusiasts don't use normal stoves to cook on. they just don't get hot enough.
 
Originally posted by: kumanchu
a good seasoning will work very well, even for eggs.

carbon steel seasons fine. i have a couple of those. the main problem with teflon is that the temperatures that you are _supposed_ to be using is higher than what teflon is meant to be heated to. it will burn and flake into your food at the correct temperatures; whereas a properly seasoned wok will not do that. woks are meant to cook at extremely high temperature (basically as hot as you can get it) which is why restaurants and enthusiasts don't use normal stoves to cook on. they just don't get hot enough.
Click to expand...


..I have a Vulcan commerical stove in my kitchen and that's exactly what happened. The Vulcan blows off teflon surfaces in just a few months of service. So I'm going with carbon steel. Should be a good match for the Vulcan.
 
Why call it carbon steel? If it's steel, that means it already has carbon in it. Is this just steel with MORE carbon than the norm?
 
Most of the time, when a piece of cookware is referred to as "steel", it is assumed to stainless steel. This wok will rush nicely in a dishwasher.
 
Wow, only kumanchu has any idea what he's talking about here.

Carbon steel woks are what any good Indian or Chinese cook uses. The downsides of Teflon are a) possible cancer, b) surface degradation, and c) doesn't cook food correctly when high heat is needed.

When you season it, it becomes an amazing non-stick surface capable of anything you could imagine. I just got one, believe me I have gone through 2 non-stick woks and they both sucked compared to this carbon-steel one.

And to clean it, you just wipe it with a paper towel. DO NOT put it in the dishwasher or even use soap on it once it's seasoned or you will have to season it all over again.

This isn't really a hot deal though. I got my 14" at Walmart for $14.
 
I would not get two wood handles. Those handles will be unholdable, hot and the wood will char if your stove has any power to it. I have a long handled carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop and it's a terrific wok. but the short handle is charred up. I kind of miss my old cast iron wok though (I went with the carbon steel just to get the long handle). If you are into the two handle thing, I would go all the way to cast iron.

The Wok Shop is a great store. I bought my wok online from them. There was a deep scratch in the inside of the wok and when I complained, they sent me a new one

And after you get you wok and season it, try making popcorn in it (use a lid!). Superb!
 
Two more points:

If you get the carbon steel wok, use the salt seasoning method for your initial seasoning.

If you get the cast iron wok and have a self cleaning oven, you can put the wok though the oven's clean cycle to remove anything from it (and you would need to reseason it afterwards). This works for any cast iron cookware.
 
Originally posted by: MonkeyK
I would not get two wood handles. Those handles will be unholdable, hot and the wood will char if your stove has any power to it. I have a long handled carbon steel wok from The Wok Shop and it's a terrific wok. but the short handle is charred up. I kind of miss my old cast iron wok though (I went with the carbon steel just to get the long handle). If you are into the two handle thing, I would go all the way to cast iron.

The Wok Shop is a great store. I bought my wok online from them. There was a deep scratch in the inside of the wok and when I complained, they sent me a new one

And after you get you wok and season it, try making popcorn in it (use a lid!). Superb!
Click to expand...

..haha. never thought about popcorn in a Wok. Will try. I suspected the cast iron Wok would be better but wanted to try the carbon steel which will prob.be lighter then the cast. I can always get the cast if I don't like the carbon steel. I like the look of the cast with the steel handles.

 
Ya, the carbon steel is lighter, but that's only important if you can pick it up 😀

I missed mentioning in my original post that The Wok Shop sent me a new wok and told me I could give the scratched one to a friend who might not mind the scratch.
 
Originally posted by: MonkeyK
Ya, the carbon steel is lighter, but that's only important if you can pick it up 😀

I missed mentioning in my original post that The Wok Shop sent me a new wok and told me I could give the scratched one to a friend who might not mind the scratch.
Click to expand...

..:thumbsup: sounds like a great store.

 

Just an FYI for people with a "Cash & Carry" store nearby

I live in Western WA and there's at least 2 in my area

Similar wok's can be had there for a similar price. I don't remember if they had the long handles or handles like the one in the OP.

I don't remember the price exactly, but while browsing one day I thought -- "wow, that's a great price on a pretty nice wok!"
The store is geared toward restaurant supplies, similar to costco but on a much smaller scale.
 
The only options for woks should be cast iron or carbon steel without any non-stick coating in my opinion. The other materials just don't cook the food like they should in a high temperature wok. Interestingly, I heard modern chinese homes consider the cast iron and carbon steel to be old and preferencially use non-stick woks now. I wonder if there's validity to that statement.
 
I have a non-stick, and I don't like it.

The only reason I keep it is because it matches all my calphalon stuff.
I don't like the way it cooks -- but it cleans incredibly easy. Soak it during dinner, then wipe clean with a paper towel. I can't get myself to throw it away because it looks almost new after ~100 uses.

If I had to buy again, I'd take steel or iron over the non-stick.

LINK TO SAME SITE, WITH STICK HANDLE -- OP, i'd get this instead if I were you
 
Originally posted by: ttown
I have a non-stick, and I don't like it.

The only reason I keep it is because it matches all my calphalon stuff.
I don't like the way it cooks -- but it cleans incredibly easy. Soak it during dinner, then wipe clean with a paper towel. I can't get myself to throw it away because it looks almost new after ~100 uses.

If I had to buy again, I'd take steel or iron over the non-stick.

LINK TO SAME SITE, WITH STICK HANDLE -- OP, i'd get this instead if I were you
Click to expand...


..it's nice but the extra handle makes it big. the one I ordered will fit into my sink for easy cleaning. Mabe I need a commerical sized sink to go wit the Vulcan??
 
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