Seasoning A New Wok (Like A Professional) Carbon Steel Wok

When you buy a new carbon steel wok, you need to season and condition the wok. Seasoning a new wok means you start making a hard, black patina finish. Step by step instruction to season your wok. Over time, the surface becomes non sticky.
SEE OUR CHINESE COOKING ACCESSORY GUIDE: amzn.to/2EEym6I
For woks, sauces, ingredients, gadgets, cookbooks and equipment to improve your Chinese cooking.
Disclaimer: This description contains affiliate links, so I'll receive a small commission. It's at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.
SEASONING A NEW WOK
First clean the wok by scrubbing the surface to with steel wool to remove the temporary coating. Rinse the wok with cold water and dry with cloth. Preheat the stove on high heat setting. Follow all the steps in the video so you will get a hard, black cooking surface for your wok. A well seasoned wok helps sear and lock in the flavors of the food. Usually it takes about a year to season the surface of the wok, but follow my procedure so you can have a well seasoned wok in about 3 months.

[@marcelfrancisco2675]

I seasoned my new hammered carbon steel wok in 15 minutes for $5.00!!! I took it to the local Chinese Restaurant and asked them if they would professionally season it for me. It took him 15 minutes and charged me $5.00!!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great idea to take your wok to a Chinese Restaurant and having them season your wok. The high heat from a commercial gas burner does a real good job of seasoning a wok. I reseasoned one of my woks on a commercial gas burner where I volunteer at a mission gospel. I'll be posting that video soon. That $5.00 you spent is well worth it. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@StevieC65]

What a great idea! I’m going to do that.

[@-CrampedStyle-]

This is the best idea ever. Screw every other video on "seasoning your wok." Where do you live? I want to get a sense of if I can expect the same $5 charge.

[@leovanjulius8476]

Heeyyy.. good idea.. waiting to season it while eating noodle n fish balls.. hmm.. what a time to save...

[@nicolebooker4015]

Damn I hate I didn’t read this before doing mine smh 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@Cypeq]

Looks easy, like a wok in the park.

[@markwhitfield6781]

You hit wok bottom with that joke.

[@TheDarrenthorne]

Mark Whitfield wok are you both talking about, I'm not sure wok you mean?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Not quite as easy as a walk in the park. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@letitbe978]

how long to season wok?

[@BretM]

Damn you were a year ahead of me.

[@timwellchalfield316]

When it starts with "This is the Chinese cooking channel called Chinese Cooking Channel," you know stuff is about to be explained THOROUGHLY. ... and it was. This was really helpful for someone like me who didn't understand why my new carbon-steel wok was, shall we say, underperforming. Thanks for the enlightening video!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. That's probably the best compliment of my intro. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Wishing you all the best in your cooking adventures.

[@leeannlyons9476]

I’ve seen so many people say you can’t season this material and I’m like what?! My wok that is this same material came with instructions to season it and not cook with it til I do

[@elecktronbluegirl]

Brought to you by the Department of Redundancy Department..

[@genepark6923]

Two days ago I dug an old steel pow wok. Over time it had not aged well. I scored it with a soapy steel wool to get the worst encrustation removed. It was time to clean the oven. I have an old cast iron griddle that over the years needed to be returned just iron. I put both of them into the oven upside down and cycled the automatic oven cleaning programme. When done I removed the wok. It was a basic dark grey steel. I washed it and some ash came awe at. I oiled it lightly and put into a 475F oven for ½ hour. It came black. Washed in water, put tablespoon of oil in it after heating the wok. Added 2 beaten eggs and they slid around like they were glass.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I like your technique to recondition your wok and cast iron griddle. I have never used an oven for conditioning but the way you did it seems like a fantastic method. You get more even conditioning of the surfaces. Thanks for sharing your technique and thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@thegreenknight2658]

Thanks for this. Just ordered my first carbon steel wok. I'm sick and tired of buying expensive non stick woks that don't stand up to high temperatures. I have a wok burner on my gas oven hob so it should be easy to season, I hope. Best wishes from across the pond.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you bought a carbon steel wok. Your gas wok burner will be great for stir fry. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@goosehonk3658]

Thank you for making this video. I recently picked up a carbon steel wok at Aldi for only $15, and I'm excited to start using it.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear. Wishing you all the best in your wok cooking adventures.

[@set3777]

But Aldi 35mm Carbon Steel Wok is advertised as NON-STICK.

[@loraleiffxi]

I like how often you respond to comments!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I enjoy getting feedback from viewers and I appreciate the support of all my viewers. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@lynnleavitt478]

Thanks to this video I just seasoned my wok I purchased over six months ago. I did it indoors on a gas stove, but used a propane torch to speed up the process by heating the sides with it and I only had to rotate the wok without having to hold it at an angle to heat the sides. It worked beautifully and the fan above the stove did a great job of removing the smoke without setting off the smoke detector. I used corn oil twice then sauteed a chopped onion and to my surprise, it didn't stick at all. Gonna make chicken fried rice tomorrow now that I have the proper equipment. Thank you for your guidance and making my experience fast and easy.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for sharing your method of seasoning a wok. I found a rusty wok on Craigslist. I will be re seasoning it using the oven, propane torch, electric stove and gas stove. Any tips do you have for using the propane torch? I have used an industrial propane torch for cooking, but not for seasoning a wok. Thanks for sharing your method and thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@lynnleavitt478]

@@ChineseCookingChannel With the wok on the burner set on high, I waited until the bottom got very hot and started smoking a little. I lit the torch and held the flame on the bottom until it got very hot, then slowly moved it around not skipping any areas. The outside coating actually would catch fire in the spot where the flame was touching inside the wok. I kept going around until finished. It was fairly easy. There are videos on KZbin showing how to save old and rusty cast iron pots and pans. You may want to get some ideas there if interested.

[@Zamode68]

I’m having a hard time getting the sides of my wok to change from brown to blue. I had it about almost a half an hour on my stove top and then took it out on the grill, heated up a little bit better but the sides are still brown. I called my local Chinese restaurant and they won’t do it. What’s next please?

[@blaqfish]

Thank you for the information on using coconut oil ! I learn so much from your channel Sir.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Basically most oils with a high set point can be used, except olive oil. All the best in your Chinese cooking. Thanks for checking out my video.

[@PeterTeal77]

Beautiful. Thank you Chinese Cooking Channel for giving me advice about Chinese Cooking techniques on your channel.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

My pleasure 😊 Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking.

[@jeffstanhope4335]

just did this with my brand new matfer skillet (minus the veg scrap-stirfry) and it totally did the trick. lots of crazy methods online, glad i found one i like

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you had good results seasoning your new wok. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Wishing you many delicious meals using your wok.

[@Guapogiboy]

I’m glad I watched this I have parrots at home and when I fired up the wok I got it smoked a lot. I will try washing the oil out first. Then probably season it outside.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you're thinking about the health of your parrots. Even though you some people use the portable stove like the one I have in this video, the manufacturer advised not to use the portable stove inside.

[@Justin-lf1fs]

Is this a Chinese cooking channel?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, it's a Chinese cooking channel called Chinese Cooking Channel. I hope it's easy to remember. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@danoldsbb4558]

what kind of food do you cook?

[@bazzaah]

Thanks! How do you care for your wok?

[@zuramursula6231]

J. DOWEL vvv

[@joshuaszeto]

I'm Chinese in search of a chinese cooking channel. Are you sure this is the right chinese cooking channel for the chinese who want to cook chinese food? I kid i kid

[@damonlord5850]

Thanks for a great video!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

My pleasure! Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@KubotaBXathome]

Thanks Dan, just performed on my wife’s new wok, she loves it!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you seasoned your wife's new wok. I'm sure she will do some great cooking with it. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@WayneRogersOutdoors]

This comment is directed at the viewer, and NOT the channel because I can see he did a great job but never mentioned one important tip in this process. Great video Chinese Cooking Channel! I just bought a camping/backpacking wok and will season today, so I wanted to make sure there wasn't something special about wok seasoning I needed to know first. Thanks for the upload! To the viewer: A wok will develop seasoning on its own as you use it, however, if you want to do a base seasoning like this ( highly recommended ) and season a wok, carbon steel, or even cast iron, any pan for that matter, a griddle, etc, you do NOT use that much oil. You use a very thin coat. You may not be able to tell in the video but he did wipe the excess off before putting the wok back on the flame to season. There should be no oil running in streaks inside the pan. This causes pooling and leads to a very uneven seasoning. ( Possibly a grease fire! YIKES! ) Rub the oil in, wiping OFF the excess, so that there are no runs and no puddles or pools just like painting your walls with house paint. No one wants paint streaks running down their walls from applying too much paint. No runs! Nice and even. You may have to do a good number of applications to get it to your desired level of seasoning but it will be a professional-quality seasoning when you are finally done. Be patient.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Very good summary Wayne. Thanks for sharing.

[@chrisrud5158]

Nice job on this video, always looking for more tips and tricks on seasoning my Iron/Steel and Cast Iron cookware. I'll be sharing this one, thanks!

[@chrisrud5158]

+Chris Rud I am curious how you feel about using steel utensils in a nicely seasoned wok or pan, I see people that only use non metallic tools, and others that say either way is fine.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

+Chris Rud I only used steel utensils on a carbon steel wok. Even if you scratch it, the carbon will form over the scratches very quickly. I bought a steel utensil on sale one time. It only cost $2 but the edge was very sharp so it scratched the wok for the first month. It left a lot of scratches but after about a month, the edge became dull and no longer put scratches in the wok. The wok is fine now.

[@cameronwornick61]

Thank you so much for making this video. About to spend my Saturday morning using your methods on my new wok.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Great to hear you got a new wok. I'm sure you will love cooking with it. If you have any questions seasoning or maintaining your wok, feel free to ask. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Deon0026yickadee]

Chinese Cooking Channel do you do this every use before and after?

[@DjF1J1]

Thank you for the video and explanation. Very informative.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@michaeltreadwell777]

I have a Spun Steel WOK that my parents bought me 40 years ago. Earlier in the year I aquired an old cast iron frying pan and put it in LYE to clean it. It came out great, but stupidly, I decided to put my WOK in it to clean it too. HOW STUPID WASI ! All those years of seasoning GONE ! Anyway, I've just watched your video, and gone and re seasoned my WOK as you said - BRILLIANT :-) I'll NEVER clean it again in LYE ! Thanks for your video, and saving my WOK !

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Good to hear your wok survived the lye. Wishing you many more years of cooking delicious meals in your wok. Thanks for checking out my video.

[@nitenitenurse713]

Great video! Thank you for explaining this process! Newly subbed.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for subbing. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@jackp9589]

You sound like Christopher Wok In

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Haha. Thanks. He's a good actor, in my opinion. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@generalzzodd595]

I have a fever,and the cure is...MORE COW BELL!😋

[@imnitguy]

I just followed your process on my new Souped Up Recipes WOK and then cooked a half an onion and nothing stuck. Thanks for the video!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Overall, how do you like her wok? Is it a large or small wok? Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@imnitguy]

@@ChineseCookingChannel I paid $39 on amazon - It seasoned beautifully and I made Mandy's chicken fried rice last night. I wiped and burned off the oil 4-5 times using my indoor range (it exhausts to the outside through the roof) and I ended up with a slick black surface all around. I'd say it is a very good wok in spite of the low price. Wish I could post a pic of it glistening on my range top now. :) Specifications: Diameter - 12.5 inches Weight - 3.3 lbs Wok Material - Carbon Steel Handle Material - Beech Lid Material - Fir Wood Package Included: Carbon Steel Wok Wooden lid Metal spatula User Manual 2 Year Warranty: Problems with your purchase that are not due to improper use? We’ve got you covered. Every purchase comes with a 2 year limited warranty. No forms to sign, just save your purchase information and it will be taken care of.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

@@imnitguy Thanks for your update. It seems like good value. Happy cooking

[@cillaloves2fish688]

I will be ordering a cast iron wok from The Wok Shop in China soon... this seasoning method will work just as well on that, I'm sure. Thx for sharing!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have only used a cast iron frying pan but I have heard cast iron woks work pretty good. I'm interest in how your seasoning of you cast iron wok turns out. I might one day buy a cast iron wok. I have seen them in our chinatown. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@MrSridharMurthy]

Thanks for the expert advice!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@joshuaabbott7831]

Thank you for the video. Once you have gone through this process and cooked a meal with your newly seasoned wok, how do you clean it? Just with warm water or can you use washing liquid too?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Some people say you should only clean a carbon steel wok with water only. I have used a mild liquid soap before but now only using water most of the time. I usually add a little liquid soap if I stir fry something with cornstarch added to the sauce. Either way, after you dry the wok, rub a little cooking oil over the surface to prevent it from rusting. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@RosaMaria-yj2jw]

Thank You!! I just ordered my first wok! can't wait to receive it and start cooking your delicious recipes! :) Thank You again!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you ordered a wok. You will enjoy using your wok. Feel free to ask me any questions. Happy cooking!

[@malaysiaindigo6329]

I was looking for tiny home videos and idek how I got here but I’m not complaining either 🧐

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Welcome to my channel. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Arham_]

thankyou this was very helpful

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you found my video helpful for Seasoning a New Carbon Wok. Happy cooking!

[@mrskwrl]

I love how this guy uses vegetable cutoffs to season. No waste.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks very much for the compliment. I also eat a lot of the odds and ends nowadays, but it doesn't look as good for cooking videos. Thanks for viewing my videos on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@carltrummer9103]

Thank you !

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Wishing you all the best in your wok cooking adventures.

[@TheLunablackheart]

This is crazy. My family has been using woks even since I was a kid. I think the reason why is cos it's a big pan-pot so it can fit a lot in for cooking and our other pans aren't that big. Not in my entire life have I learnt about seasoning a wok. This is crazy that this is a think I never learnt about!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Actually, if you keep using your carbon steel wok, it does not need seasoning. The surface will just keep on building by itself. So you have been doing it right all along. For people who buy a new wok, it's just nice to keep the surface smooth for the first little while. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@GuyAfro3000]

got a wok a while ago but it kept sticking, wish i found your video earlier. will definitely be doing this when i get the chance

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear. Check out my other wok maintenance videos on this channel and on my other KZbin channel under my name, "Dan Seto". After awhile, you'll have a non-stick that you can maintain with little effort. The only thing to remember is to oil your wok after each time you cook. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Wishing you all the best in the New Year.

[@neoniahazelwood9263]

I will be purchasing a new wok because I like woks better than stir fry pans.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You will really like cooking with a wok. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@ninja36inc]

i agree wok makes everything taste better

[@neoniahazelwood9263]

@@ChineseCookingChannel I now have a great 14 inch beautiful wok I enjoy cooking in.

[@neoniahazelwood9263]

@@ninja36inc Yes it loves because I love and enjoy cooking Chinese food for my lunch and dinner on my weekends off from work.

[@ninja36inc]

@@neoniahazelwood9263 I'm seasoning a wok today hard work with no gas hob

[@clarasuccess]

Wow, his Cantonese and Chinese are so accurate.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@zimemes8336]

Clara

[@cherryravelo7730]

Thank you. Every drop counts.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@luibocauto2975]

What is better iron wok or stainless wok?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have used an iron frying pan but not an iron wok. Before the iron woks were heavier but now I think they can make them lighter. Also iron woks don't cool off as fast. Stainless steel wok is harder to make non-stick but a carbon steel wok will be non-sticky eventually. I just like a carbon steel wok because it gives food a carbon seared flavour. I'm not really sure if I answered your question. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@luibocauto2975]

@@ChineseCookingChannel thanks for the reply and knowlegede

[@judyling6488]

NICE COUNTERS!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

It's the retro look. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@colleenkubricht6298]

Good information!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

+Colleen Kubricht Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning And Cleaning A Wok.

[@deweys]

Did you just cook a salad?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, I only had lettuce in the fridge. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@kyleparrot11]

Hahaha, I am laughing hard as lol

[@tnyzvalent7017]

Amazing wok air cooking....XD

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks very much. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@justinalvarez8866]

Thanks man. This helped.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@chunkymonkey55555]

Dont touch it with your thumb like i did when i did mine ! have Ice cubes ready incase.. lol Doing this is awesome! i never using teflon again!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

That's good advice. I touched a cigarette lighter in my car and it nearly burned a hole in my finger. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@moa3008]

I’m going to go to the Walmart super center to purchase a carbon steel 14” wok sometime this year!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear. If you can, try and get a wok that is really thick, so it will last you a lifetime of cooking. I can't remember the exact thickness. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@releasethekraken5299]

You're seasoning a wok and right after you're cooking vegetables with onions, which is acidic and removes the seasoning. What's the point ?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

From what I understand, the vegetables help keep the wok from smoking too much. You're right about the acidic content, but using onions, green onions, ginger and garlic seem to be common ingredients used in seasoning a wok. I will do some research on this. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@PhiI93]

Remember to coat the outside of wok in oil too and burn it off, and the bottom, which was missed here

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for the tip. Thanks for viewing my video.

[@kowalski363]

Great video

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks very much. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Rad_B_OLand]

Flaxseed oil is best for seasoning.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have never used flaxseed but I will check it out. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@nosesmasher]

Drinking game: get a shot every time he says "wok".

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I'm so relieved because I thought you were going to say everytime I was going to say "uh". Thanks for checking out my video.

[@georgelantin1279]

Thank you.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're welcome! Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Stay safe.

[@KismatDShrestha]

New Wok! Concrete jungle where dreams tomato! 🎶

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Take care and stay safe.

[@josephwallis8965]

Thanks good job, all secrets of Chinese reviewed, some use salt, ginger

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for the suggestion about using salt and ginger. I'll keep that in mind if I buy another wok. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@josiecellonews]

thanks much!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@bretkaiser7355]

Thank you Mr. Seto. Excellent video that taught me a LOT. Will it hurt my seasoned wok if I use a bamboo steamer in it? I would never do that with my cast iron but I am wondering. I am new to Chinese cooking. Best wishes; I hope you are well. Regards, Bret Kaiser

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have seen people use a bamboo steamer in a wok, but I not done so myself.... but it should be no harm done. I believe you put a metal bracket on the wok and then set the bamboo steamer on it, so the bamboo steamer does not sit directly on the wok. Welcome to Chinese cooking. I'm sure you will enjoy Chinese cooking very much. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@diokosa7001]

Did this indoors and ended up setting off my fire alarm at least my wok is seasoned.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I should have gave a warning about setting off the fire alar but great to hear your wok is seasoned. I have set off fire alarm in the past myself while cooking. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@diokosa7001]

​@@ChineseCookingChannel no problem thank you for the instructional video.

[@munchichi8]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@MyDogmatix]

Thanks for this video. I’m glad I watched it before seasoning this wok. We don’t have a gas job, would a bbq work?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have never used a bbq for seasoning a wok but it can be done if it is hot enough and has a cover so you can put the wok inside. Also if you have a regular electric stove, you can use the coils to season your wok or you can stick your wok in the oven. Anytime you stick your wok in your oven or covered bbq, make sure you take off the handle if it is made of wood. I wil be making a video on seasoning a wok in an electric oven in the future, but in the meantime, there are videos on KZbin using this method. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Wishing you all the best in your wok cooking adventures!!!

[@MyDogmatix]

@@ChineseCookingChannel thank you for your response. My wife and I have an electric stove, so your comments on this are very much appreciated.🙂. We will watch your other videos for other cooking ideas!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

@@MyDogmatix The electric stove might not do as good a job as a gas stove. Don't worry about. Just keep on cooking. There are other videos on cleaning and reconditioning a wok you might want to check out. Also I have another KZbin channel under "Dan Seto" which you can also check out. Wishing you all the best in the New Year.

[@countryclubgoatutah1162]

I like the accent, LOL!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks very much. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@encalle2869]

thanks

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You're very welcome. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Tyrant1717]

I started to heat my wok to do the first overall heating, but did not continue with the process. Can I just pick up from where I left off?

[@TripleAstyle1]

yes

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, for sure. If you left the wok for a long time and you see rust on it, just wipe off as much of the rust as you can with a paper towel with cooking oil on it. Then proceed as in this video on Seasoning A New Wok. Thanks for checking out my video.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for confirming this question, TripleAstyle1 A. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@imgee7620]

Just found your channel. Thanks for showing how to season a wok. What size is the new wok?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

It's a 10 inch wok, usually good for 1 to 2 people. The 12 inch wok is more suitalbe for 2 to 3 people. The 14 inch wok is more suitable for 3 to 4 people. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Take care and stay safe.

[@imgee7620]

Chinese Cooking Channel Thanks! Stay safe as well.

[@googlespynetwork]

You can use potato peels, sea salt and oil and some ginger .

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for your suggestion. Seems like potato peel is a popular ingredient for seasoning a fry pan. I will try it in the future. Thanks fopr viewing my video.

[@kennyyan3632]

Gotta get that wok hei

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, for sure. It makes the difference between good and great. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking with lots of wok hei.

[@sandybbeach]

You went from a round bottom, larger wok, with support handle - to this smaller, flat bottom wok, without support handle. Which size and shape is your preference and why? Is that support handle that helpful? Tks!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

My large wok with support handle is also flat bottom because I use it mostly on electric coil stove. The support handle is handy to have, but I don't use it that much. I usually grab the long handle with both hands if the food inside is heavy. The large wok is 14 inches. The small wok is 10 inches. The small wok is better suited for cooking for 1 person, and may be 2 people if the food portion cooked is a small amount. There is also a 12 inch wok , which gives more room. I like the 14 inch wok, because it make it easier to stir fry large amounts of food. My 14 inch is fairly heavy, so it''s hard to flip food with 1 hand. But I still prefer the 14 wok for most cooking. Thanks for your question. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@porkulate]

This is the classic manner to season a CARBON STEEL wok and I have used it before myself with great success. Can you tell me whether or not it is necessary to season a STAINLESS STEEL wok for it to become non-stick? If the answer is YES, is this same seasoning method that you have demonstrated here in your video also appropriate to season the stainless steel variety as well? I thank you in advance for your answer. Cheers!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have heard that stainless steel can be seasoned like carbon steel. I haven't tried it yet. I saw a celebrity cook who seasoned her stainless steel fry pan. Her name is Christine Cushing. You might find the video on her KZbin channel. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@porkulate]

Thank you for your response. I will look for this video by Christine Cushing to see what she has to say. Cheers!

[@kennethbarnes2297]

Do you have to season the wok every time you have to use it. And when you have cooked how do you properly clean. I’m a novice at the moment here in sunny England but love Asian cooking

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

No, you do not have to season a wok every time you use it. I use a Chinese bamboo brush to clean my wok after every time I cook. I just use water but some people use a mild soap, such as dish washing soap. Rub about a tablespoon of cooking oil with a paper napkin over the wok after every time you use the wok. When the wok is new, it will take a few months before a black patina, non- sticky surface will form. Once that happens, you will hardly need to season the wok. On a new wok, you might need to season the wok maybe every few weeks. Check out the attached video on how to season a wok when the wok surface becomes rough in texture: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5TJcmZtrauYldk Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

[@maurosbbq7945]

Hola from Juarez Mexico I just saw your how to season a wok video... very helpful Question, can I season a stainless steel wok over lit charcoal following your technique? I want to do stir fry over charcoal What are your thoughts? Gracias

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

When I was in Xi'an, China, I saw people cooking with a wok over charcoal. I have some videos where they demonstrate this, under Xi'an, China and Muslim Quarters in Xi'an. They were cooking from the heat of the charcoal but there was not direct contact with the charcoal. I would suggest, when you are seasoning your wok, just use the heat of the charcoal but not direct contact with the charcoal. I might try a video to recondition my wok using charcoal later in the summer. Let me know how it turns out if you are going to try seasoning your wok using charcoal. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@maurosbbq7945]

Chinese Cooking Channel Thank you for the detailed reply I will do the charcoal seasoning as you recommend not in direct contact Will let you know how it turned out Saludos from Juarez Mexico

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, please let me know how it turns out. You gave me the idea of cooking over charcoal, so I'm sure I will try it out this summer. Thanks.

[@jennifersuen8341]

Thanks for the clear and concise seasoning process. I like the new wok . what brand is that and where can I buy it ?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

The brand of wok I have is called "Dexam". I'm not sure where you are, but I bought mine at a Chinese specialty store called "Mingwo". They are also available at a store called "Gourmet Warehouse". My wok seems to be the similar to the "Joyce Chen" brand of wok that is sold on Amazon. I can't be sure if the quality is the same as my "Dexam" wok, but it looks similar. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy wokking!

[@saba2926]

Chinese Arnold scwarzengger

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for the compliment. I'm actually taller than Arnold. I'll be back and I hope you'll be back. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@offrampt]

@@ChineseCookingChannel Arnie is only 7ft 2".

[@anandnainar3590]

Thank you for your video.. One question.. After you have burned off the coating, do you oil the surface and heat it right away, or do should one give it another wash and rinse first? Just to remove anything that has been loosen off..

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You can wash the wok with water and then rub oil again. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@sincerejones7979]

IF YOU SMEEEELLLLLLLL..WHAT THE WOK.. IS COOKING!?😂

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Almost as good as the eating. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@USONOFAV]

Not sure if I could find some food scrap from the garbage to stir fry to help season the wok.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Actually, I had a poor selection of scraps I had in this video. Just save some onion skins, celery and ginger scraps for best results. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@buggzo]

What wok is that? Looks ideal for camping

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

This is a 10 inch carbon steel wok made by a company called "Dexam". It's a small wok and ity works really well with my portable stove. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@MdFds1]

Hey! Good video! Could I do the heating process for a carbon steel pan in a self cleaning oven that heats up to 500C (932F)? The self cleaning cycle lasts approx. 1h 15min.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, I have heard of people seasoning a wok in an oven. I'm not sure how long it should be heated up. Also, the wooden handle ow whatever handles, should be removed first. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Aki-px6qz]

Which wok material do you recommend iron or carbon steel for wok-hei in home gas top?😊 Thanku.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I like using a carbon steel wok. Carbon steel woks work very well on gas stoves. I have used an iron pan but not an iron wok. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@orinator1]

1:50 Is that Kermit the Frog narrating? JK, thanks for the video.

[@deanwebb2812]

Funny as shit

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I only wish I had Kermit the Frog's voice. It's wear clearer than mine. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@dsmiley1971]

LMAO

[@neoniahazelwood9263]

I cook with and season my wok with avocado oil which has the highest smoking point of 500 degrees.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for the tip. I have some avocado oil which I use for vegan cooking. I'll try using it in my wok. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@Dustwheel]

For some reason I prefer the Cantonese wok that handle just seems to get in the way. And then again I prefer everything Cantonese I'm biased😊

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Whatever works for you is fine. Thanks for checking out my video. Happy cooking!

[@Dustwheel]

@@ChineseCookingChannel want to thank you for your videos. The Chinese community has meant a lot to me throughout my life, personal connections, etc. Anthony Bourdain once said something to the effect, and I'm paraphrasing, that every great chef has a Chinese influence. Influence. Don't quote me exact but you get what I'm saying

[@Dustwheel]

@@ChineseCookingChannel You're one of my favorite KZbinrs. I own an Asian card LOL. You're passionate, good at what you do. And I love how much you love Mama. God bless you man

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

@@Dustwheel Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

@@Dustwheel Much appreciated. Wishing you all the best in your Chinese cooking adventures and all the best in life.

[@jc1157]

Hi i dont hav a gas burner is wil it do with electric stove or bbq?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

It works with an electric stove, but it will take longer. You need to turn the wok on the side to heat on the electric coil. I haven't seasoned a wok on a bbq, but I know you can do it. I have a wok that I might try and season on a bbq this summer. hanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@ArtyFartyBart]

Just bought a steel wok, thanks for the info.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Great to hear you bought a wok. Tell me how it goes. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@grawakendream8980]

do you mean you recommend doing this process three times before you first use it to cook? also wha's the spray at 8:00?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Normally if you have a high heat gas stove, you can just season your wok once. With the portable stove, I needed to do it 3 times. The oil I put in is just cooking oil, such as peanut oil, corn oil or canola oil. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@spicecrop]

You should cook it first time with potato peel and sea salt mixed with oil. One third cup oil with two thirds cup sea salt.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thank you for your method of seasoning a wok. I never heard of using potato peel but it sounds interesting. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@taanu6104]

Is it ok to season it inside the house? Will there be too much smoke? I don’t have an outside stove.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

You can season your wok inside the house if you have an electric stove. It's just a little harder to season a wok using the electric stove. If you have a gas stove in your kitchen, you can also season your wok. The portable stove in this video has a warning that it is only to be used for outside cooking. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@nelidakiss7773]

thank u

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@MyREDTAIL]

How about using a propane Torch,? To heat up the Wok & season it.?

[@MrAbah105]

Are you going to preheat bro? 😁

[@lynnleavitt478]

I used a propane torch for the sides on a gas stove and it worked fantastic, It also made the process fast and easy by not having to hold the wok while doing the sides, thus saving my wrists. You could do the entire wok with a torch, just start in one spot until the metal gets very hot, then slowly move the torch until you've gone around the entire wok.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Just saw your reply now. Thanks for your instructions using a propane torch.

[@Guapogiboy]

For certain parts close to the handle what if you use a butane torch?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

That's a very good idea to use a butane torch near the handle. I was going to do a video on reconditioning an old wok, which included using an oven, a coal barbecue and a propane torch. You could go ahead an use your butane torch near the handle,so the cololor of your wok is more even, but it's not absolutely necessary. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@ordinaryobserver897]

Hi Can I use this method to season a fine steel 精钢 wok?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have not seasoned a stainless steel wok yet. I have heard of people successfully doing it. Check out Christine Cushing, a celebrity chef, who seasoned a stainless steel pan on her KZbin channel. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@3mins30sec]

Don’t know if you still check/ respond to comments but what’s the best way to clean after each cook ?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Here is a video on cleaning a wok after cooking: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHOkgp5rgdtlbbM Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@fdlts]

Where did you get the wok? I found most of commercial wok has protective coating(not the oil coating). THX

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

The woks that I own are the "Dexam" brand. Before you could order them on amazon but not anymore. You can probably buy them from Cooking specialty stores. If you check under my videos in the description, it will have my "Chinese Cooking Accessory Guide". In there, I recommend some woks you canorder on Amazon. You should be able to scrape off the protective coating with steel wool or a scrub pad, before you do the seasoning. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@lst9701]

The center of my. Wok is a lighter color, silver blue and brown. All around that however is a perfect black and brown. Any tips?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

If you continue to cook with your wok, it should turn black in the middle. I finally used a commercial gas stove to get it all evenly black. If you are cooking on an electric coil stove, it would take longer to get it black. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@kenshindledecker8581]

I'm assuming this is the safe and correct way to prep my carbon steel frying pans as well??

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Yes, a carbon steel frying pan can be seasoned this way as well. I should buy one as well. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@tanyajones5821]

Can you use a campfire flame to season your wok? How hot is the flame from your burner?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I'm not sure if a campfire flame is hot enough to season a wok. I'll be doing a video, hopefully this summer, using barbeque charcoals to re season a wok. The flame on my portable burner is probably not the best heat to season a wok. I re seasoned this wok using the gas stove in a professional kitchen with better results. I'll be posting that video, hopefully soon. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@tanyajones5821]

Thank you

[@whiskywillie]

Are there any E-woks on sale yet?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

E-woks are never on sale. They are always in high demand. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@emiliok5588]

Thank you for this educational video. I like it very much. One question only. I added two spoons of oil after heating it and season the bottom first. Then i tilted it in order to season the sides spreading the oil with silicone brush, but as a result i have now brown patch on part of the bottom / part side. I am unable to scrape it off with wooden spatula. Any recommendations? Thanks!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Not to worry. Over time the wok will form a black patina finish. Initially the wok will have uneven patches. The sides are hard to do on an electric stove. I have a real nice black bottom but my sides still aren't what I want. Sometimes I tilt the wok a bit when I'm cooking but that can be dangerous. In due time, your wok will be real nice if you use it often. Thanks for your question.

[@emiliok5588]

Thank you!

[@SigShooter9mm]

emilio K I'm looking at mine and it's the same

[@julioc4978]

nice video, what portable gas burner is the one you used?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I can't remember the brand but it was one of the ones I bought at a Chinese supermarket. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@ChrisEleam]

my wok is black how do i determine if its seasoned properly i cant see it change colors

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Some woks sold nowadays are already seasoned and already black when you buy them. So your wok won't need to change colors. A company was going to send me one of their pre-seasoned black woks but I didn't accept the free so I'm only speculating. Thanks for viewing my video.

[@judyfleming6269]

Would you season a wok with a clear laquer finish the same way? Or is this just for the oil coated woks? I've heard the laquer finish is difficult to remove.

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

I have heard carbon steel woks have a clear lacquer coating. The coating on my wok was very thin but I'm not sure if it was lacquer. I used a regular scrubber. You can use steel wool for tougher coatings. Then proceed to season the wok the way I have done in this video. Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@karissathom]

Great tutorial. Am going to season my wok over my turkey fryer base this weekend. Can I use lard or bacon fat to season my wok? Also did you coat the outside of your wok?

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

Lard or bacon fat would work really well to season your wok. No, you don't coat the outside of the wok when seasoning. After many uses, sometimes rust spots form on the outside because you will be rinsing your wok in water. Just take a napkin or paper towel and put a few drops on it to wipe the outside of the wok where the rust spots are. I would really like to try deep fried turkey. My American friend was going to make it one time but she cancelled the dinner that time. How long do you deep fry a turkey? In case I want to try cooking it in the future? Thanks for checking out my video on Seasoning A New Wok. Happy cooking!

[@karissathom]

Thanks for the info. The basics for frying a turkey, you need a turkey fryer, of course. Peanut oil heated to about 300-325 degrees. Let turkey get to room temperature and fry for 3-4 minutes per pound. But there are a lot of great turkey frying videos on here with great seasoning recipes as well. Good luck!

[@notyouraveragedreamrr9606]

i had mine on high heat (gas stove and its carbon steel) but it didnt change color other than dark brown and it was smoking which im not sure its supposed to do. i added oil while it was still hot and the oil didnt stick

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

With a good quality carbon steel wok, no need to worry. If your wok didn't change color, that's still o.k. Did you scrub the protective coating off the wok before you started seasoning? Seasoning a wok helps to make it non-stick faster, but in the mean time, you can still use your wok to cook. Putting in the oil just helps to seal the wok. Once again, nothing to worry about. Start cooking with your wok, but nothing with vinegar. Vinegar will strip the coating that you are trying build on the cooking surface of the wok. Your wok will develop rough and bumpy areas. This will happen a lot with a new wok. Check out some of my other videos on cleaning and maintaining a wok. I use my woks almost every day. Even so, it took almost a year before it really began to be non- stick. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok. If you have any questions along the way, please let me know. HAPPY COOKING!

[@marcusyiu1715]

Thanks for sharing the video. It looked like a good wok to me. I am wondering if you can tell me what make is it or post the link at where I can purchase the same one. Many thanks!!

[@ChineseCookingChannel]

The brand of the wok is "Dexam". I have seen it on Amazon. This wok is a 10 inch wok, which is fairly small. I also have a 14 inch wok, which is pretty heavy but lots of room for cooking. A 12 inch wok probably works for me, but I haven't tried cooking in one yeat. Thanks for viewing my video on Seasoning A New Wok.

[@marcusyiu1715]

Chinese Cooking Chan Thanks very much for your prompt response! You're the best!