I’ve had the identical wok in my kitchen for years and years, and I find it irresistible, utilizing it for every thing from stir-frying to steaming bao to deep-frying. I’d say I’ve quantity of expertise with utilizing woks, however I additionally notice there’s at all times extra to find out about any kitchen instrument. After I received this project, I reached out to Justin Lee, chef and proprietor of Fat Choy in New York Metropolis, to choose his mind on key issues to think about when selecting the perfect wok. There are some large variations in what a chef would need for an expert kitchen versus what is sensible for residence cooks, all of that are coated beneath.
Testing these woks was a fairly easy course of. When crucial, I seasoned the woks myself after which made a easy stir-fry. By way of the cooking course of, I took be aware of how a lot the protein caught to the underside and sides of the wok. “You need it to stay a little bit bit,” says Lee. “In any other case you’re lacking the purpose of the wok, which is utilizing the complete floor space to prepare dinner a number of meals shortly.”
The very best woks let the protein stick with the edges sufficient to get sear however simply launch it with a fast swipe of the spatula. I additionally paid consideration to how shortly every stir-fry got here collectively. A superb wok will keep ripping sizzling by means of the cooking course of, making brief work of something you throw in it. Stir-frying is supposed to be a quick cooking methodology: If the wok cools considerably and has to reheat each time you add an ingredient, that’s no good. I additionally paid consideration to how snug the deal with was to carry whereas cooking and tossing my stir-fry.
As soon as I used to be achieved cooking and the wok had cooled, I washed it in accordance with the producer’s directions. A well-seasoned wok ought to come clear fairly simply with out a ton of laborious, stuck-on bits. I additionally used every wok to steam veggies with a bamboo steamer basket, which I believed is perhaps a deciding issue. Nonetheless, all the woks I examined carried out this job equally properly. Listed here are the outcomes of these assessments.
Materials
“You need one thing light-weight for a house kitchen,” says Lee. “We use heavy-duty forged iron within the restaurant, however residence cooks ought to search for lighter supplies like carbon metal.”
Measurement and Form
“All the woks in our restaurant are round-bottom,” Lee says. “And except you have got a wok ring solidly connected to your burner at residence, which is one thing I’ve by no means seen, you must use a flat-bottom wok in a house kitchen. In any other case that wok ring is simply going to be slipping round everywhere.”
Cleansing
As I discussed, a well-seasoned wok needs to be a breeze to scrub. The very best woks required pretty minimal scrubbing, if any. Carbon metal needs to be handled equally to forged iron—dried completely after washing, and coated with a skinny layer of oil. When doubtful, although, seek the advice of the producer’s directions.
Our High Picks
Greatest Total: BK Pre-Seasoned Carbon Steel Wok
I’d by no means used a pre-seasoned wok earlier than, and I used to be so blown away by the cooking floor on this mannequin. It felt tremendous slick once I was washing it, like a nonstick skillet. However when it got here to the cooking take a look at, this wok did every thing I wished it to. The protein caught simply sufficient to the edges that I used to be in a position to match over a pound of thinly chopped beef in a single layer on the underside and sides of the wok with loads of room to spare. The meat received a deep, darkish sear after a few minute over a excessive flame, and the remainder of the stir-fry got here collectively in only a few minutes. The deal with, regardless of being steel, was surprisingly snug to carry, and I might see myself making batch after batch of stir-fry with none fatigue. As soon as the wok had cooled, cleansing was easy. There have been no stuck-on bits in any respect, even after cooking at such warmth. Washing and drying solely took a few minute, after which the wok was prepared for the subsequent job. It’s a bit pricier than an unseasoned wok, however properly price it, particularly in the event you’re not assured about seasoning it your self. That mentioned, in the event you by chance take away the seasoning—or a well-meaning visitor runs your wok by means of the dishwasher—BK offers directions on learn how to reseason.
Greatest Worth: Helen’s Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok
I talked to Lee at size about pre-seasoned vs. unseasoned woks. “Pre-seasoned is sensible for residence cooks,” he says. And I are likely to agree. I’ve seasoned plenty of pans in my day, together with my wok, and it takes some observe to essentially do it proper. It will also be a fairly smelly course of, because you’re spending 10 to twenty minutes primarily burning oil. Personally, although, I like the ritual of seasoning my very own pans. “In case you benefit from the ceremony of seasoning issues your self, go for unseasoned over preseasoned,” Lee says. All of this to say that this wok carried out virtually precisely as properly, from cooking to cleansing, as my Greatest Total choose, with a extra snug spherical, picket deal with, however for about half the value. The trade-off is that it’s a must to season it your self, however we’ve a handy guide for that.
Greatest 14-Inch Wok: Joyce Chen Flat Bottom Wok
That is the wok I’ve in my residence kitchen, and I find it irresistible. It’s large, so it might probably deal with meals for a crowd of six or extra. Like my different two high picks, it’s made from carbon metal, so it holds warmth very well and evenly, regardless of what number of substances I load into it. The deal with, made from laborious plastic, is pretty snug to carry, even when the wok is chock-full. It’s additionally comparatively cheap. Once more, the trade-off is that it’s a must to season this one your self.
We Additionally Examined
Joyce Chen Classic Series Non Stick Wok
This wok was slick to a fault. I really examined it a few instances as a result of I believed I tousled the primary take a look at by not getting it sizzling sufficient. The problem with nonstick is that it’s type of antithetical to wok-cooking, which requires you to get the pan as completely screaming sizzling as your burner will permit. Nonetheless, most nonstick pan producers warn in opposition to overheating the pans, as it might probably harm the floor. So in my first take a look at, I received the pan sizzling sufficient for the oil to shimmer earlier than including my protein, however it wouldn’t stick with the edges. As a substitute, it simply slid all the way down to the underside in a pile that ended up taking too lengthy to prepare dinner. Each time I added one other ingredient, it felt just like the pan cooled manner down after which took ceaselessly to warmth again up, so all the meals had a steamed high quality to it. On the second take a look at, I waited till the oil began smoking earlier than including my substances, however the outcomes had been the identical.
Five Two Ultimate Carbon Steel Wok
When it comes to efficiency, this wok is an identical to my Greatest Total choose. In truth, it looks as if virtually precisely the identical wok, however with a distinct deal with. Sadly, the deal with has raised ridges on the highest that dug into my hand whereas I used to be making an attempt to prepare dinner. So far as the wok, it’s nice, however the deal with is admittedly uncomfortable. This mannequin got here with some cool equipment, like a rack you possibly can set on the wok to empty fried meals, however nothing that justified the excessive price. This mannequin is about $50 greater than my Greatest Total choose.
FAQs
Q: What sort of cooking utensils ought to I take advantage of with a wok?
“The old-school guys in Chinatown,” Lee begins, with a chuckle, “all of them use the ladle. For a house prepare dinner, although, particularly a newbie, the flat, spade-shaped spatula is nice.”
Q: Do I would like a lid for a wok?
Lee informed me that the primary factor he makes use of his residence wok for is steaming. “They’re nice for steaming—very economical when it comes to water and power used,” he says. “You simply want a kind of bamboo steamers. They’re like $6!”
Closing Ideas
The difficulty with utilizing woks at residence versus an expert kitchen is that you simply’ll by no means fairly obtain the identical outcomes as you get with a round-bottomed forged iron wok set over what is actually a jet engine of a flame. However you may get fairly darn shut with a carbon metal wok over your range. You possibly can even save your self some cash by studying learn how to season it your self.
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