Wok Cooking

CraigC

CraigC

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Does anyone cook in a wok? I have found that you can't achieve temperatures on the stove top/hob to properly cook with a wok. Maybe if you have a commercial gas stove you can get to "Wok Hei" temperatures. I have started using one of my single burner propane cookers to get to the correct temperatures.
 
I don't have one. ATK mentions that for cooking on flat-top electric ranges, like what so many home cooks (myself included) have, a flat-bottomed cast iron skillet is a better choice, so for the rare, rare times I make something that would normally be done in a wok, I use my cast iron skillet.
 
My next kitchen purchase (other than food and cleaning agents) is going to be a wok. I am debating an electric one, or - preferred - a stove top one. I do have an induction range, but I've seen that there are indeed induction stove top woks out there - once I do my research, that's what I hope to purchase!!!
 
I have an electric wok, plenty of heat in that once it gets going, I use it for curries both Indian and Thai. The non stick is wearing out so a new one will be bought when I see them on special. It gets used a lot.

Russ
 
I use woks all the time and have flat and round bottomed ones. I've also used them with gas and electric stoves. For electric stoves, it's much better to use the flat bottomed ones for more efficient conduction, and for gas stoves, you should use round bottomed ones. If you lack heat from your gas stove, it's possible to improve its efficiency using a flame concentrator like this one:
1594101405557.png


I also use non-stick for certain things because they're convenient, but woks are great for stir fry because you're able to take them to high temperatures without much risk of damaging them.
 
Weber makes a wok for the Weber Kettle. I bought one. I haven't used it a lot, but all the times I have used it, I've been happy with it. The way it sits in the kettle, it gets seriously hot. You need the Weber grate that holds the wok, the griddle, and other stuff. With the wok, the bottom of the bowl is inches above the hot coals.

I don't have any pictures that I have taken, but found this one online.

1594110875739.png
 
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We have a shed load of woks and use them all. From a 370 mm diameter to a couple of 150 mm diameter, we have seven in total.

42969




The largest is ideal for chop suey whilst the smallest we use for warming/cooking baked beans or peas, frying eggs, etc.

There is one which has had the non-stick coating removed (not by me) which we now use as a deep fry. Only in the last few years I have found one with a glass lid which is ideal for curries.

42970




We cook on bottled gas.
 
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Yorky said:
We have a shed load of woks and use them all. From a 37 mm diameter to a couple of 150 mm diameter, we have seven in total.

View attachment 42969



The largest is ideal for chop suey whilst the smallest we use for warming/cooking baked beans or peas, etc.

There is one which has had the non-stick coating removed (not by me) which we now use as a deep fry. Only in the last few years I have found one with a glass lid which is ideal for curries.

View attachment 42970



We cook on bottled gas.
Click to expand...

These look like flat bottomed woks. You don't have a gas wok ring? Funny as I thought that might be standard in Thailand.


adventurousbaker said:
it's possible to improve its efficiency using a flame concentrator like this one:
1594101405557-png.png
Click to expand...

This looks very interesting!
 
Morning Glory said:
These look like flat bottomed woks. You don't have a gas wok ring? Funny as I thought that might be standard in Thailand.
Click to expand...

5 out of 7 are flat bottomed. We don't have a gas wok ring (I don't think that I've seen one here) but we use a couple of steel trivets when necessary to support any of the woks/pans.
 
To list what I do fry in a wok would be endless.

The foods that I don't fry in a wok are dry roasted spices (those go in a cast iron fry pan), pancakes, quesadillas, roti parathas and dum, which for some reason I cook in a lidded flat bottomed frying pan, the same one that I have used for 25 years.

Cooked with coriander.

Cooked with coriander.

 
Yorky said:
To list what I do fry in a wok would be endless.

The foods that I don't fry in a wok are dry roasted spices (those go in a cast iron fry pan), pancakes, quesadillas, roti parathas and dum, which for some reason I cook in a lidded flat bottomed frying pan, the same one that I have used for 25 years.

Cooked with coriander.

Cooked with coriander.

Click to expand...

Seems like you are using the wok mainly as a 'chef's pan' rather than for wok cooking on a high heat. In fact a flat based wok is almost identical to a chef's pan.
 
I have one wok, it's a large, round-bottomed wok and I have a gas stove that gets a good flame. I only use my wok about 2-3 times a year when I make fried rice.
 
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