Determining a wok's material

Question

I bought a wok at a Goodwill a little while ago and haven't really used it for much yet. I don't know how to determine what material it's actually made out of. I suspect it's just got a teflon coating on it, since it's fairly light and both the inner and outer sides of it appear to be different materials. I don't want to use it at high temperatures in case it's got a non-stick coating, so it's kind of important to figure out if it is. What would be good determining aspects of the different, most common wok materials?

Edited to add: The outer side of it is a dark, grooved, almost matte black, while the inner side is a slightly ligher shade, almost more grey. The reason I was first thinking it might be teflon is that there's a light scratch on the inner side where a much lighter, steely surface shows through.

Pictures: 1 2 3 4

edit to add: After getting a carbon steel wok, I can confirm that what I had here was definitely not anything like that. Comparing my old wok to ones in stores, it seems the one pictured here almost certainly has some kind of non-stick coating, and so isn't very good for a wok's high temperatures.

Asked by Doug Kavendek

Answer

Check the bottom of the pan; often useful information is stamped there. Like the brand, sometimes even model number. Assuming nothing useful:

Steel and iron are ferromagnetic. That is to say, a magnet will stick to them. Both are unlikely to be Teflon-coated (edit: though Wikipedia informs me they exist). The black (which is hopefully somewhat shiny) is seasoning (cooked on oil). Iron would probably mean cast iron, and would generally be heavy (my cast iron wok weighs in at well over 10lbs). So, if they magnet sticks, you probably have steel.

Some stainless steels are ferromagnetic, but most aren't. Stainless is also unlikely to Teflon-coated. But it'll probably be shiny, at least on the outside. So, if not magnetic, its probably aluminum. Aluminum is probably coated.

Teflon isn't the only coating that may be used. It could be anodized aluminum as well (which, I guess, may not technically be a coating). Or one of the newer nonstick coatings. They all look different: Teflon is very dark gray to black, anodized is light gray to dark gray. The newer ones unfortunately are numerous and some can be any color. (Your description of the color sounds like Teflon to me).

You could also try cooking a scrambled egg in it; start it in a cold pan. Teflon in at all good shape will release the egg very easily. Seasoning will, unless very good, probably have you cursing.

Answered by derobert

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What are some good tips or techniques for using a carbon steel wok on electric coil range?

Question

I was just given a carbon steel wok for christmas. I used it to cook my first stir-fry vegetable dish and I noticed on that the directions indicated to cook on a high flame. I was not sure if this translates to an electric range as turning on the electric burner on high. I am interested in any general knowledge or hints on the most effective use of a carbon steel wok on an electric coil range.

Asked by gangleclums

Answer

I am first of all assuming your carbon steel wok has a flat bottom. You want maximum contact.

If you're stir frying, you want to turn your heat as high as possible. The idea is to cook everything very, very quickly. Crank it all the way. :-)

Answered by talon8

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How best to pan-fry tofu?

Question

I love fried tofu, but I don't want to have a deep fryer in my home (I'll use it too much!).

I've tried a few different techniques for pan-frying tofu, but it always comes out unsatisfying - too dry, too thin, too wet; I'll admit, I'm not a genius when it comes to tofu, but I'd imagine there is some way to prepare it that will give me decent results consistently.

Note: I do have a large wok, but I generally fry my tofu in a frying pan. I've had poor results in my wok.

Answer

For pan frying you probably want to start with a firm tofu. It's a good idea to press the tofu to remove excess water: wrap the tofu in a cloth and place it between two cutting boards, weighting the top cutting board with a heavy book or other similar object. Wait at least twenty minutes (you can prepare the rest of the vegetables/onions for the stir fry at this point.

Once the tofu has been pressed, cut it into the desired pieces. It's a good idea to fry it at medium-high heat in only oil first, then add sauces (soy sauce, vinegar, whatever) only after the tofu begins to brown slightly.

Note: the above won't simulate deep-fried tofu. For deep fried tofu, you may want to use a softer tofu, still press it before using, and coat the cubes in corn starch before frying. Of course you probably know you can deep-fry at home with just a large pot of oil.

For a different texture you can freeze the tofu before frying.

Although not fried, I would also recommend that you try baked (marinaded) tofu to see if you like that texture/flavor better. You would still want to press the tofu, then slice it rather thinly. You can reapply the marinade during baking for more flavor.

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Wok preparation and caring

Question

What is a good technique for initially seasoning a wok, keeping it seasoned, and preventing rust?

Answer

Make sure to seriously wash the wok before initial use. Scrub it with hot soapy water and dry thoroughly.

After drying, place the wok over the stove on high heat until it starts to smoke. Rotate the pan so that all parts of the inside are exposed to high heat. Then rub the wok with oil on a paper towel.

After this, try not to scrub the wok. A rinse and rub down are usually all that is needed to clean it up. Always rub the wok with a little bit of vegetable oil after washing/drying. That will help to prevent rust.

And the most important factor of seasoning a wok is to use it. It's definiteily my most used kitchen item, and it's just getting better and better with each use!

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Thick carbon layer on wok?

Question

I just got a 100,000 BTU burner for wok cooking. Today when I used it, I got a very thick layer of carbon on the wok (see picture below). Is that normal? Should I remove it? If so, how?

EDIT - FINAL RESULT:

Ok so I took a combination of the advice here.

I used an old metal baby spoon to scrap as much of the loose carbon off as I could. Then I turned the wok burner up to high high heat and burned the crap out of the carbon. A lot of it actually turned liquid and I poured it out. What didnt' turn into liquid, loosened considerably and I was able to, with a hacking/chopping motion of the metal spoon, get all the thick carbon coating off. I was surprised how resilient the seasoning on the wok was, very little of the actual seasoning scraped off. Here's the wok after the burning/hacking with the spoon I used:

Next I used some very coarse sea salt and with my hand I scraped and scraped until the inside was smooth again. Then I wiped some grape seed oil on the wok where the seasoning and come off, and burned it over high heat with the burner. Below is the final result.

Answer

100k BTU sounds like overkill for a single burner unless your wok is HUUUUGE (like, fit to serve a large restaurant). I think that's related to your excessive carbon buildup. A little burned-on crap is normal, but that amount is a sign you're either putting in too much heat, or not keeping enough food moving around in it.

Carbon is... well it rhymes with "witch"... to remove. I've not seen it soluble in anything available outside a chem lab, and there are no easy tricks. Here are the removal methods I've seen:

1. Scrape it off. This is the standard for serious built-up carbon on pans (particularly ones used as smokers). Use a paint scraper or bench scraper, and steel wool. There are specialty tools for cleaning flat grills which have a flat, very sharp edge that work even better, but in a pinch even a stiff spatula will work. Yes, it's exhausting but it turns out to be surprisingly fast if you can pick a good scraping tool.

2. Burn it off, using the powerful burner or the self-cleaning cycle on an oven. Be prepared for a lot of smoke. Naturally, you'll have to re-season your wok, but this will remove some of the carbon.

3. I've HEARD people say they can get carbon off by repeatedly heat-shocking it. This means heating it as hot as possible and then dropping it into ice water. However, they talked about like 30 cycles, and it could render metal more brittle. Might be worth a shot?

Personally I'd either scrape the bejeezus out of it, or just ignore it.

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Wok: Carbon steel or cast iron?

Question

I LOVE stirfrying (I probably do it 4 times a week) and I want to take it to the next level (or 2). I am going to get this burner to cook my stirfry's out on the patio.

I am wondering if I should also get a cast iron wok, or should I just stick with the carbon steel that I have been using?

Answer

I have friends from Hong Kong who always use steel woks in their take-away.

A cast-iron wok would require a different technique for stir frying. It would be slower to heat up and retain heat when you didn't want the food to continue cooking.

Stick with the one you have ...

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Can I use a Wok ring on a gas range?

Question

I have just purchased a GE Cafe gas range. The user guide indicates:

Do not use a wok on the cooking surface if the wok has a round metal ring that is placed over the burner grate to support the wok. This ring acts as a heat trap, which may damage the burner grate and burner head. Also, it may cause the burner to work improperly. This may cause a carbon monoxide level above that allowed by current standards, resulting in a health hazard.

However, I have read several times on the web that using a round bottom wok with a wok ring yields optimal results when cooking on a gas range.

What do you think?

source: Use and Care Manual

Answer

I find it amusing that your range warns you the cooking ring will work as intended. It's supposed to be heat trap, and focus heat on the bottom of the wok.

That said, they are also correct that it may discolor the burner grate. I can't really say what your grates are made from, and many cooking materials discolor at high temperatures. I think the main idea behind this paragraph in your manual is to save them from warranty replacements for discolored grates.

I also find it highly suspect that a wok could damage the burner itself. They are usually ceramic, in direct contact with open flame, and any pan traps heat to some degree. Burners get HOT and have to be able to take it. Although the little decorative cap on the burner might discolor as well.

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