Gimme WOK recommendations!

[preslove]

I love to stir fry--it's what I cook the most--and my frying pan isn't cutting it. I'm looking at woks, but there are so many options and issues (seasoning?!). I have electric stove tops, so I have to use the bastardized flat bottom kind.

So, should I get iron or steel? How should I season it? Two metal handles, or one wooden handle?

Gimme advice!

 

[zoiks]

AZN = Amazon?

 

[preslove]

AZN = Amazon?

asian.

 

[Crusty]

So white people can't cook with a Wok?

 

[fulltilt39]

So white people can't cook with a Wok?

damnit! that's what i was gonna say :'(

 

[zoiks]

OP if you're white, you don't need a Wok. You need a microwave.

 

[preslove]

damnit! that's what i was gonna say :'(

OK, PC police, I changed the title. Happy?

 

[brainhulk]

cats and dogs are easy to come by. pigeons are pretty plentiful too

woops i thought you were looking for recommendations for stuff to fry

 

[Dumac]

I'm asian, but I don't cook with a wok. Neither does anyone in my family.

Guess I'm the wrong kind of asian.

 

[preslove]

I'm asian, but I don't cook with a wok. Neither does anyone in my family.

Guess I'm the wrong kind of asian.

Your family sounds lame.

 

[sdifox]

Sadly it's more about your stovetop than the wok.

 

[Jaepheth]

Seasoned carbon steel or cast iron all the way.

If you're cooking on a wok properly then you're using high temperature and abusing the hell out of it. Non stick coatings are useless for a wok IMO.

Diameter and depth depend on what portions you're preparing, but you want plenty of room.

Hopefully you have a gas stove.

 

[lxskllr]

I have a cheap wok that works ok. I like the one I had previously better, but it went with an ex. I like a round bottom, and no coating inside. Other than that, I can't give recommendations.

 

[zoiks]

Sadly it's more about your stovetop than the wok.

I was thinking along those lines too. How the heck would you use a wok on an electric stovetop?

 

[preslove]

Sadly it's more about your stovetop than the wok.

Yeah, apparently electric stovetops suck for woks

Is gas REALLY that important?

 

[preslove]

I was thinking along those lines too. How the heck would you use a wok on an electric stovetop?

They make flat bottom woks.

 

[Jaepheth]

I was thinking along those lines too. How the heck would you use a wok on an electric stovetop?

Copper flat bottom with plenty of pre-heating.

You could also get an electric wok with its own heating elements that are fitted to the shape of the wok.

 

[lxskllr]

Yeah, apparently electric stovetops suck for woks

Is gas REALLY that important?

It's better, but you can use a wok on electric. The real drawback it the lack of fast temperature control. Woks cool down quick, so it makes adjusting the flame an integral cooking technique. You don't have fast temp control with electric.

 

[preslove]

Copper flat bottom with plenty of pre-heating.

I haven't seen any with copper at the bottom :hmm:

So, is the preheating the key? Just heat it up a while beforehand?

Got any links to recommendations?

 

[Jaepheth]

I haven't seen any with copper at the bottom :hmm:

So, is the preheating the key? Just heat it up a while beforehand?

Got any links to recommendations?

In theory a copper bottom on a cast iron piece would hold heat fairly well...

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure such a thing exists.

 

[fulltilt39]

I have a cheap wok that works ok. I like the one I had previously better, but it went with an ex. I like a round bottom, and no coating inside. Other than that, I can't give recommendations.

are you referring to the wok? or the ex??

 

[Crusty]

In theory a copper bottom on a cast iron piece would hold heat fairly well...

Now that I think about it, I'm not sure such a thing exists.

I've only seen copper bottoms on stainless steel pots and pans, never on cast iron.

 

[Squisher]

So, should I get iron or steal? How should I season it? Two metal handles, or one wooden handle?

Gimme advice!

Don't steal it. I know you, you're better than that.

 

[sdifox]

Yeah, apparently electric stovetops suck for woks

Is gas REALLY that important?

If you have high end electric capable of putting out shitload of BTU, no problem. But chances are you don't.


Stir Fry is all about BTUs.

Using a thick cast iron pot can mitigate it somewhat, but it is still limited.

 

[lxskllr]

are you referring to the wok? or the ex??

I had the wok in mind, but since you mention it, those are my preferences for both :^D