There are a variety of woks available on the market with distinct shapes, uses and sizes. Among the many styles of woks, you might be wondering which will fit the bill for your cooking needs. Several common materials include, iron, carbon steel, and nonstick. Whichever material you prefer, a wok will expand the uses of your stove top enabling you to braise, boil, steam, smoke, stew and deep fry foods using only the wok. Woks are now made with flat bottoms for electric stove tops and the traditional round are for gas, a ring is used to steady it while you are cooking your favorite recipes. It is a versatile remarkable kitchen tool, every kitchen should have one.
Nonstick woks are mostly used in the western market. Nonstick woks are coated with Teflon, a chemical that enables the food to slide off the wok with relative ease and without using cooking oil. This brand is popular in low-fat cooking and fresh eateries. Teflon can be easily scratched when metal utensils are used, plastic or wood are recommended. Nonstick woks can not withstand extraordinarily high temperatures used in a lot of stir fry cooking. The Teflon breaks down chemically with high temperatures over 450F. There are Xylan coated woks, another nonstick chemical used. They also can not withstand tremendously high heat. Xylan coated woks are more resilient than Teflon. The advantage of these woks is the ease of cleaning. Many of these varieties are dishwasher safe, but consider the type of handle they have as well. Wooden handles will crack after cycles in the dishwasher. Another point to consider is, nonstick woks won’t need to be seasoned like other materials. Seasoning the wok is basically done by heating the wok over medium heat, coating the wok with a thin film of oil. This process seals the cooking surface, prevents rusting, prevents food from sticking and attributes to the flavor of the food. There will be no need of that with a nonstick wok as the surface is already chemically coated. Nonstick woks are relatively inexpensive, ranging from $20-$40.
Carbon steel woks are the most widely used material for woks. Carbon steel woks are generally low-cost, light weight, conduct heat quickly, and have reasonable durability. Carbon steel woks can be seasoned, but typically require the process be done more often, as carbon steel loses the seasoning faster than cast iron. You will be able to tell when it is needed, as the food will start to stick. Carbon steel woks vary widely in quality which is based mostly on the ply or thickness of the wok and the formation. The lower quality woks tend to be single ply and stamped from one piece of steel. These woks have a greater tendency to misshape with high heat. Cooking times with them can be more uncertain, since they often have a “hot spot.” A “hot spot” in a wok is when the bottom of the wok holds the most heat, rather than heating evenly throughout the product. Hand hammered carbon steel woks are higher in quality and price. They made of two sheets of carbon steel and are formed by hand forging. Hand hammering produces small ridges along the curved sides of the wok. The ridges are used in certain frying methods. Carbon steel woks are mostly dishwasher safe and prices range from $40-$60.
Cast iron woks are the most traditional material used to make woks. Unlike carbon steel, cast iron woks are superior in heat dissipation and retention. This can be a disadvantage as they are slow to heat and cool down. This could be a problem for a very busy fast moving kitchen, cooking times can be different with an iron wok over other materials. Iron woks hold their seasoning well, which makes food less likely to stick. Cast iron woks can be fragile, being iron you wouldn’t think so, but they are prone to cracking if dropped or if they are not stored properly. Iron woks can be hard to maneuver, since they are more stout than nonstick or carbon steel woks. Iron woks are easy to clean as they only require gentle soap, hot water and light scrubbing. Another benefit of iron woks is, with proper care and cleaning your wok will outlast a lot of other kitchen tools. It is very strong and only prone to rusting when the seasoning process isn’t done. Prices range greatly with cast iron woks from $30 to over $200.
A wok is a good investment for your establishment. Being such a multipurpose instrument, you shouldn’t limit your thinking to only Asian or stir fry recipes. It can be used for many different forms of cooking, even soup and dessert making. The wok is an ancient device and will continue to advance cooking for years to come. Add it to your kitchen for adaptability, creativity and enjoyment.
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