Wok Buying, Seasoning, and Maintenance: Tips for Choosing and Using a New Wok

Woks are something that have an almost mystical quality about them. Should you buy a round bottom or flat bottom? Carbon steel, stainless steel, or non-stick? How big should it be? What's this whole seasoning business, and can you use detergent to wash it?
Woks are a kitchen tool like any other. While we have our preferred wok, you actually have more leeway in choosing a wok than many people often admit!
Outro Music: "Add And" by Broke For Free
/ broke-for-free
ABOUT US
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Learn how to cook real deal, authentic Chinese food! We post recipes every Tuesday (unless we happen to be travelling) :)
We're Steph and Chris - a food-obsessed couple that lives in Shenzhen, China. Steph is from Guangzhou and loves cooking food from throughout China - you'll usually be watching her behind the wok. Chris is a long-term expat from America that's been living in China and loving it for the last nine years - you'll be listening to his explanations and recipe details, and doing some cooking at times as well.
This channel is all about learning how to cook the same taste that you'd get in China. Our goal for each video is to give you a recipe that would at least get you close to what's made by some of our favorite restaurants here. Because of that, our recipes are no-holds-barred Chinese when it comes to style and ingredients - but feel free to ask for tips about adaptations and sourcing too!

[@jimburns2875]

It's good to see the voice behind the videos. Keep the knowledge coming.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Haha yeah we don't have any sort of philosophical qualms against showing our faces, it's just that for the format of a recipe video I think it's best for the focus to be on the food!

[@williamcampbell7387]

True dat. But, there's a shade of Quentin Tarantino going on there... explains the "chicken slaughter" episode with Steph's dad.

[@markshirley01]

I bought a couple and tried seasoning them l just couldn't do it.

[@PinkIllimani]

When I started seeing CCD videos I was sure that this guy was Chinese. I could even Imagine his face! I was shocked the first time I saw him.

[@bamascubaman]

@@PinkIllimani Glad I wasn't the only one 🤣

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Hey, so apologies for (1) the audio and (2) trailing off a bit and not looking at the camera there near the end. Doing these little videos are giving me a newfound respect for vloggers lol. EDIT: (5/22/18) So those stainless steel woks are for blanching, steaming, and stewing btw. For when you wanna use a wok with a wet cooking method but don't wanna annihilate your seasoning :) At 0:32, the channel with the 'good technique, not so good equipment' is Wantanmein, one of the best English language channels on KZbin for Chinese food. As for the opposing visual, I really don't mean to pick on that specific guy - he has an awesome channel called 'Self Sufficient me' that's all about farming and cooking and I hope you check it out... also, by his own admission that video was five years ago and he's gotten much better with a wok since then. It's really not specific to him, if you do a quick KZbin search for 'outdoor wok burner' you can really find a collection of face-palm-worthy stir-frying :P Edit: quick note that I was going to release the next vid (Stir-frying vs Sauteeing) today (2/27), but after starting to edit the thing I quickly realized that in our rush to film everything right before Spring festival we just plain didn't get enough footage. So instead of releasing a crap video today (these informational vids have been pretty amateurish anyhow)... I'd take my time with it, film some more stuff once I get back into China and try to release it either Fri 3/2 or Sat 3/3.

[@Saatan1234]

Why do you reccomend carbon steel vs cast iron?

[@erickfrago7224]

Hello. I aas just confused when you said 'just clean it like how you do in any other pan'. Here in the Philippines, our dishwashing pastes/liquids are quite strong in removing grease. That being said, can we use dishwashing liquids to clean it, and if the seasoing goes off should we reseason every after cleanup?

[@brucelee5576]

@@Saatan1234 Carbon steel heats up faster and cools faster it offers more control , carbon steel is basically cast iron with a little bit carbon add to it.

[@jjosyde]

Your channel is one of the best cooking resources period. Cooking Chinese food has been a mystery to me but you have certainly demystified a lot! Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Cheers man. Sometimes when we go all out for a dish I'm worried that we kinda do the opposite and 'remystify' lol. Ever hear of the coding textbook "Learn Python the Hard Way" (great book by the way)? There's a whole discussion in there how 'the hard way of learning something *is* the easy way' as it produces greater context and understanding. I'm rambling. Thanks!

[@brandon3872]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified I recently seasoned a new carbon steel wok with oil, and accidentally burned some of the oil onto the wok. I've used it a few times, but there's a black patch of burnt on oil that won't come off. When I wipe the wok with a paper towel and oil after drying it, some of the burnt on oil comes off onto the paper towel. Do you have any tips for removing it?

[@williamcampbell7387]

I love the delightfully cute "Let's Make a Deal" showcase model Steph.

[@earlystrings1]

Old video but timeless advice. Been looking at woks on Amazon, minimum price about $59 up to the mid $200s. I think I saw the same wok in a pile in a dusty corner of my Asian grocery for $18.

[@bartvanderoordt510]

in general the bog standard wok you local asian supermarket carries is all you need. most restaurants and homes use them. depending on size they range from 15 to 30 dollar. and are fine. those expensive woks do nothing more and usualy they are also on the heavy side which is not ideal. buy the cheap lokal ones

[@blakeray9856]

It is such a breath of fresh air to hear the sensible remarks at the beginning of this video about equipment. I have a fine carbon steel wok which I would hate to part with, but once attended a dinner prepared by relatives of a Chinese housemate that I had after she had moved to her own home. They were just a few days into the US, and just visiting, spoke no English whatever, and cooked in a nice, but not special, typical American kitchen, and all with the very cheapest western cookware--the aluminum kind that come in sets, no pretense of being made for wannabe gourmets. There was no wok of any kind anywhere. And the multi-course meal was excellent. (There are Asian markets in that area, so I am sure the raw materials were bought there.) They certainly cooked far better than I ever have. Overwhelmingly more important to have the right ingredients, and to know what you are doing, than to have fancy, ultra high-end equipment. Also, and I could be wrong, but the wok shown at 4:14 does not look iron to me. The edge or rim clearly looks aluminum, and an iron wok would not have handles attached by rivets, I think. I bought a Korean- made aluminum, Teflon-or-something-similar-coated, large pot, but it has already started to degrade, and I regret buying it.

[@fredwells7403]

The metal's apparence is heavily dependent on lighting and camera stuff. Also, I'm pretty sure seasoning really has a hard time sticking to aluminum due to its lower porosity

[@genepark6923]

I get my woks from the Wok Shop, Grant Ave., San Francisco. My favourite one is cast iron and is surprisingly very light. To cure the woks I put them in a 500°F oven for 30 minutes. I there are wood or perishable handles that cannot be removed. Wrap I wet paper towels and then wet cloth towels. If this is not acceptable merely scour the wok with soap and cleaner before seasoning. For the woks with handles heat them on high heat and swab it with tongs holding a paper towel dipped in peanut oil. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the wok and toss in a large bunch the green stems of scallions and stir fry them until they start to char. discard them and wipe the wok with A light coating of oil. For all metal woks, wash them after they have cooled, drying them throughly, wipe them with peanut oil, place them bottom up in a 450°F oven for 30 minutes. The wok will turn dark/, Use only water and a wok brush to clean the wok and oil before putting it away. This procedure is also good for cleaning and seasoning cast iron.

[@THEREALKAYO1]

Gene Park yes! I called wok shop in san francisco before. I wanted to buy from them its a really awesome shop. I did not buy becsuse i am from canada and shipping was alot. I called them and talked to owner. I told them i bought a cast iron wok and asked her if carbonsteel is better. She said cast iron wok is really good and not to get rid of it lol. Eventually i got a carbonsteel wok also and happy with both. If i ever go san francisco im gona check out the wok shop and bring one home!

[@LadyAnuB]

My next adventure with my cast iron wok from them, I'm going to try using an angle grinder to smooth out the surface as it's currently very rough. (This is the only issue with the cast iron model they have.) After smoothing out (as best as I can), I shall re-season it similar to my cast iron pans but with only one side needing seasoning. (I shall be using flaxseed oil for this as it is the closest to the bacon of the past in its ability to polymerize.)

[@s4njuro462]

Just wanted to add: I like your channel because you are obviously doing authentic cooking, and being a native English speaker your communication is very clear. It is not just the accent that some chefs have but the ability to articulate complex ideas simply and clearly. ("Just do it this way", can be pretty unhelpful when learning a new technique or cuisine). Not to pick on Martin Yan, but .. he can be really hard to understand sometimes.... anyway, thanks, keep it up, I hope you do well and I look forward to using your videos to expand my / our culinary horizons!!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Yeah, I dunno what it is, I've never really been a big fan of Martin Yan. I personally don't have any issue understanding him, and he IS a lot of fun... but his stuff always seemed like he was aiming to entertain over educate, you know?

[@ericjamieson]

You're also pretty good at the Alton Brown style of explaining WHY to do certain things. Obviously you don't get as deep into chemistry as he does, but I like knowing what's going on, how things are supposed to look and smell at each stage, etc. I think especially with Chinese cooking it's much more important to say things like "stir until it looks like [x] and you can smell [y]" rather than just "fry for 2 minutes" b/c everyone's stove and pots and pans are different. I think also you being a Westerner might be helpful since you have a good sense of what needs to be pointed out to a Western cook. I had a Chinese-American roommate for years and while she was a good cook it was hard to learn things from her since most of what she knew she'd just grown up with so it all seemed obvious to her.

[@erickfrago7224]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified hi sir, I just want to ask regarding cleaning the wok after cooking. Do we use dishwashing soap or just plain hot water? Im asking this because I come from the Philippines, and dishwashing soaps/liquids here are quite tough on grease. If I use it, would it affect the seasoning? If I don't, would the wok maintain the flavor of the previous dish cooked in it,which may affect the taste of the next dish? Thanks in advance

[@lisacastano1064]

@@erickfrago7224 if you haven't found out yet. Hot water only no soap.

[@erickfrago7224]

@@lisacastano1064 oh, that's a bit weird if it's only hot water. Pailin of HTK mentioned one fan use dish soap, but as the oil in cooking doesn't affect the 'seasoning' unles the frying takes a long time and in very high temp. I guess am not really ready yet for a cast iron pan.

[@uriuriuri]

Late to the discussion, but This channel has the perfect blend of information, presentation, intelligence and culture. Love your work!

[@evanparker]

this channel is absolutely amazing . EVERY time i have a chinese food question, you already made two videos about it.

[@kentonkwok7481]

The stainless steel ones are great for steaming and braizing! Although I just use my carbon steel wok to do that, cause who needs two woks when one will do just fine.

[@johncspine2787]

I’d suggest cooking sacrificial onions a couple times in a new wok..onions have a compound that makes a natural nonstick coating..aluminum grill grate manufacturers recommend it, and it works..

[@swicheroo1]

I have seasoned my woks with ripped paper bags doused in oil, which I drag around the wok. It allows the seasoning process to get done faster, though you still slowly acquire more seasoning over time. The method does create a lot of smoke, so crack a window and do it outside. This method has also been pretty successful with my paella, too!

[@scottmcintire8634]

Very informative for the first time buyer. If you cook outside with a propane wok burner that puts out a fair amount of heat, I was taught that a good way to further prevent corrosion is to somewhat anneal (heat treat) the wok over high flame such that the center takes on a rainbow-colored hue that turns into a rainbow ring that migrates outward/upward, leaving behind a whitish gray colored surface on the steel. Ideally most of the wok should be this color, with the outer portion being rainbow hued. I was also advised to never use soap when washing the wok, only water followed by fire dry and oiling the still hot wok, which should smoke the oil. Really loving my 14” Mandarin-style single handle carbon steel wok and high pressure propane burner, which yields good wok hei.

[@kattharris1025]

Love your channel..easy steps to follow..i have an 18" wok that's been pass down from my por por(grandma) so the wok been around a long time and only replace the handle once..keep up the good work.

[@90benj]

I would love some tips and tricks for stir frying in a wok on a electric stove top, because here in germany, most new apartements don't have any gas stove tops . But I love the content, subscribed

[@deepman007]

this channel deserves more subscribers. please share with your friends and family ! Thank you for all your information.

[@silvandarart]

Thank you! I just invested in my first carbon steel wok, and there are so many videos showing a completely black wok and very dangerous high heat methods, I was starting to panic! I've come to trust you though so I used your method and I feel much happier :) wok is ready to go!!

[@kencchong]

Growing up, I remember having to clean up my mum's wok, exactly the way you showed. Now it make sense. Great job guys keep it up.

[@denny.wanderer]

This was very helpful! Now I can go out there and buy the right wok. Looking forward to see more of those videos! Great quality too btw :)

[@Aiba271]

This is super educational. 😍😍😍 and we got to see more of the both of you! 😍😍😍

[@David_T]

Flat bottom woks are almost a must for electric ranges. As someone else mentioned, you may want to go with a skillet instead, however you won't have cool and hot areas of a skillet.

[@MrMixalis0]

Great post !!! Thanks for sharing this. My Woks are carbon steel except for a single electric with teflon....used only for making Hot and Sour Soup and Ghee. The consistent temperature is more important for them than the searing of a stir fry. I look forward for your posts... you both are great for sharing and ..... I didn't even notice his not looking at the cam near the end. The context of the post was so interesting.

[@armoredcoreenjoyer]

I love your videos! Thank so much for shining light on this with so much wisdom.

[@earlystrings1]

I've tried a couple of seasoning techniques. Prettiest was coating the wok with oil and baking upside down in the Weber grill on high for an hour. Quickest and most effective was heating the new wok to red heat all over on the high btu burner to incinerate all the crud, washing, oiling, and cooking dinner.

[@markust8904]

What an adorable couple. Like the voice.

[@AMadd3RHatt3R]

Awesome Sauce!! I knew this was the best place to go for advice on my new wok before I buy it!! Thank you so much!

[@clubbasher32]

You’re an incredible teacher. Thank you for all you do.

[@zalibecquerel3463]

I once re-seasoned a neglected old wok of mine using a cast-iron technique. Basically you cover inside and out with an extremely thin sheen of oil, and bake it upside-down in an oven, on max temperature for a couple of hours. The whole thing turned out jet-black and wonderfully nonstick. The downside of this method is that you need a large oven.

[@therealchickentender]

A large oven and a wok free of any wood or plastic preferably. :)

[@waltonsteve3]

New carbon steel wok, heated it on high flame until the colour of the wok changes...you can see the steel change colour, it produces a rainbow, changes the steel to shiny and you need to move it around so all of the wok is covered. Washed wok and coated in oil and repeated the burn off. Cooks great.

[@peterhuston3823]

Have you considered assembling some of your videos like this into a "basics / fundamentals " type playlist? essentials for the pantry, shaoxing wine, etc?

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Yeah, we do need to get on that for sure

[@peterhuston3823]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified you don't "need" to do it but it would make many people happy if you did. I assure you I will be here trying to live a good life even if you don't do it this week, but it seemed like an obvious playlist and I was surprised that it wasn't there. Please keep up the good work and enjoy your life. Dou jia dou jia!

[@rudyfan1926]

Thanks for this! Just bought my first wok (yes, carbon steel) and am going to season it this weekend. Hope not to set off the smoke alarms while doing it (open windows and fans running. Looking forward to my first real stir fry.

[@sdushdiu]

Nice video! Xin nian kuai le! I look forward to more authentic(!!!) Chinese recipes - especially as many vegetable-centric recipes as you care to post! And please do not be shy to feature the many vegetables common in China that may seem foreign to most Western markets. And while I am at it submitting my wish list - as many eggplant recipes as possible - as while in the West we think of just one or two ways to prepare it, the Chinese have an Amazing array of marvelous ways to prepare it!...and how many in the West think of cooking cucumbers and having them serve as anything but a side dish?!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

So we've got two Eggplant dishes coming up - we wanna do a Cantonese 'yuxiang' eggplant pot in the next month or two, and we also have a Sichuanese deep-fried eggplant that's one of the recipes we're keeping in our back pocket just in case our testing one of these weeks goes awry. The latter's prolly my all time favorite eggplant dish, it's coated in a cornstarch batter (so it's super crispy), optionally stuffed with a touch of minced pork, deep fried, and dipped in a mix of ground Sichuan peppercorns/chili flakes/MSG/sugar. It's awesome.

[@ivorybow]

I live with a tiny electric stove in a corner of my tiny kitchen. I'd love to move to a big kitchen that could accomodate a 16" wok, but now I am forced to use a flat bottom 12" wok so it doesn't bump the wall. Fortunately the inside of the wok is concave and not flat, just the base. Thank you for all the help...it's a bit challenging in my Barbie kitchen.

[@mrJayGarage]

Thanks guys.

[@wolfsk1n]

The manual that came with the carbon steel wok I bought recommends blueing the steel first by heating it up strongly without oil. Any thoughts on that? 🤔

[@TonalDesigns]

Loved the video, though I've gone a bit of a different route. My main wok is only 10" wide but I cook single portion meals, I enjoy cooking every day and switching things up constantly. Also I went the route of building up many layers of seasoning when I first got my wok (Super thin layers heated till they turn glassy and repeated, including on the underside to protect from rust) Jet black since that seasoning and haven't had any issue yet

[@johncspine2787]

Just splurged on a hand hammered wok..partial flat bottom, as my gas stove has a surface that doesn’t accommodate the round bottoms. I have a very old, perfectly seasoned one, but it’s very thin, round bottom doesn’t work on my stove, no handles.. I’ve been stir “steaming” in a skillet, I’m looking forward to getting back to more authentic, higher temperature stir frying.

[@archiekleung]

This really help. Tks.

[@aviatorix8805]

Great tips :) I'm in the market for a wok currently and this is helpful. I'd love to see a video on the Guaiwei flavor profile in the future.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

I was just thinking about that! It's been a bit since our last Sichuan dish. Guaiwei chicken's the classic, but I'm a bit hesitant to do that so recently after koushuiji. Maybe shredded chicken? But guaiwei isn't exactly the most classic shousiji... any suggestions/ideas? Bairou maybe?

[@aviatorix8805]

Good point on the koushuiji. I don't really know what to suggest as an alternative, but Bairou sounds lovely :) Although quite different perhaps green sichuan pepper fish?

[@DanielButlergungfu1967]

Good informative video. Thanks.

[@rhijulbec1]

I've been waiting for this video for a looooong time! TY💖TY💖TY💖 I hope you don't mind me asking a few questions. 1. Now what about those rings I see all the time? They sometimes come with the wok. I understand they are to sort of spread out the flame? 2. I have an electric stove. I'd much, much rather have gas, but it's what I have. Any suggestions for better heat up and fewer "burn" spots? Would it be better with a ring or without? 3. Ideas for better cooking with a wok and electric stove? Thank you. Enjoy your holiday!! I'm really, really loving this channel. One of the best out there. Jenn 💖 in Canada 🍁

[@ericjamieson]

For an electric stove you really should have a flat-bottomed wok so it can make contact with the heating element. I have tried using an old round-bottomed wok when I lived in an apartment for a while that had an electric stove and it never really got hot enough. Like he says you can make perfectly decent Chinese food with one - those shopworkers he shows are using non-stick teflon flat-bottomed woks on little electric hot plates. You can also usually just use a regular 12" western style skillet. I think what you're referring to as "rings" are just the things they make so a round bottom wok doesn't wobble around on a flat cooktop - they're not really relevant to an electric stove.

[@yertelt5570]

I notice you don't "anneal" the wok first by heating it over high heat until it turns black, then yellow then blue and back to grayish silver. A lot of how to season videos call for this, but I've also noticed several of the Asian cooking channels I watch their woks have heavily seasoned bottoms and silver tops, which indicate to me they didn't do the high heat burn process either. I just purchased my third carbon steel wok. Wok count at this point 3 carbon steel: 1 12" flat bottom, 1 14" round bottom, 1 16" round bottom, the 16" is new and has not been seasoned yet, and one 14" cast iron with a flat base and round bottom interior. I think I'll season the new 16" with out the annealing process. I didn't anneal any of my carbon steel skillets when I seasoned them and they work just fine. I'll probably use the same oven method I used for my skillets. Wash all the shipping oil off, dry thoroughly on the stove, oil, place in a cold oven, heat the oven to something just below your oils smoke point, heat at temperature for one hour and let the wok cool in the oven for a couple hours without opening the oven.

[@s4njuro462]

the oil on the high carbon wok is probably to keep it from rusting in the less than ideal situations that they are being shipped and stored.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Oh yeah, absolutely. No judgement, just gotta wipe that gunk off :)

[@doc8125]

At least here in Norway they do too, and they advertise it as "nonstick oil applied", so some people use it as seasoning, though it's far from ideal, I think it's also for people who don't know you need to season it so keep it in shape and nonstick (case and point, my parrents and our sadly very badly maintained cast iron Dutch oven)

[@ps.6023]

uncle Roger is gonna be PISSED when he hears your first part lol

[@cillaloves2fish688]

Love this channel! Nice to see the face of the narrator!!

[@BlueJazzBoyNZ]

Smart observations

[@holohulolo]

I watched a video along time ago on wok seasoning and they are usually able to get the wok to black on that first seasoning, but black doesnt always mean it has a good non stick coat, because without proper maintenance you can lose the seasoning even though it still looks black. I've tried a wok just like that and normally when you start cooking with a cold wok you'd heat it up, coat it with cold oil and pour that oil out before you start cooking to really make it non stick, but this might not work if the wok loses its coating. Then I saw this video by epicurious and the chef said she seasoned it every day before cooking by doing that too except she would cool it with tap water after that oil coating, heat it up till its dry and repeat 2 more times. I thought it was odd at first but after I trying with just 1 seasoning instead of the recommended 3x, the non stick is back.im not sure if that shock would affect the metal, but that is the fastest and most effective way to ensure you have a non stick when you cook.

[@user-hq7kx4sj1z]

Hello! Great video, thank you! The only question I have after watching your video is the thickness of the wok wall. I finde a shop, I chose a carbon steel wok of the size I need, however they are different - first is thicker and heavier, other one thinner and lighter. What`s the difference (if there is any)? Which one is preferable?

[@FortuitousOwl]

Why was my favorite part of the video seeing steph pose with the pans? lol

[@AlqGo]

The oily coat/film can be burnt off by heating the wok over high heat. It can be a slow process depending on how powerful your stove is but you can even see the coat disappearing as you heat it up.

[@wflute1999]

That guy dumping ketchup 😨😨😨😨😨😨😨

[@avencken]

Hello, thanks for again a very useful video! One question, when cleaning the wok do you use soap? Or only water and a cloth/sponge like in cast iron?

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

So yeah, definitely wash it with soap! You can also feel free to wash your cast iron with soap too btw. Seasoning is a layer of polymerized oil that's bonded to the bottom of your wok/pan... using detergent to remove seasoning from a pan'd be about as difficult as using soap to remove varnish from a hardwood floor :) So long as you wash it right after cooking (i.e. don't 'let it soak'), feel free to use detergent on carbon steel/cast iron

[@luquinhasleiva]

@@ChineseCookingDemystified To wash it right after cooking you still need it to cool down? Or do you wash it with hot water?

[@twinoferos]

Can I use it to steam stuff? Or to braise

[@iNefarious]

that was some great tips

[@samuel88andrews]

I have a feeling that the woks were covered in cosmolene or something of the sort. Nasty stuff if you ask me but it's easy enough to remove with simple green soap and a hair dryer if any wood is soaked with it, any parts of the wood that are lower in elevation when in storage have a tendency to have the oil pool in it so hit those areas with the hair dryer a bit longer.

[@Apollo440]

My guess about the stainless steel wok - it's for braising. It's logic: if the carbon steel doesn't like water - the stainless steel will. By the way about pan seasoning oil: in case of cast iron I've heard that linseed / flax oil is best, because of its low smoke point. And cast iron pans are also burned at first without any oil in order to evaporate the factory machine oil they use... Don't want to have that in your food!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Hmm, makes sense to me! For a braise it'd also be less of an issue if things end up sticking a bit :)

[@junwenwee1152]

Also for steaming and boiling. Basically high moisture cooking that will ruin the non-stick finish on a seasoned wok.

[@bobbarna9165]

Apollo 440: You want oils with a high smoke point for cast iron and wok cooking.

[@joshualaberge1244]

I’ve had several sources (all of whom are chinese aunties) tell me that the best material for a wok is cast iron. Could you provide your thoughts on this advice? Cheers!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Chinese cast iron (read: not the thick western sort) is also a very legitimate choice. We prefer the flexibility of carbon steel - temperatures change in a flash - but cast iron is more durable. Up to you.

[@danielmargolis3210]

I have to admit that I thought that you (narrator) were Chinese. All good, I enjoy your videos. I’ll adjust my mental image. Thanks.

[@ChemicalCorpse1]

Hi thank you so much for your great and informative videos- I was wondering what your opinion is on electric stoves- do you think that it would be preferable to buy a gas hot plate instead? Thank you!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Depends on you! I personally incredibly dislike using electric - if it was me, I'd probably grab a little gas camper stove like we have for stir-frying... but I wouldn't consider it a precodition or anything. Just work on your electric and if/when you're dissatisfied with it switch to gas :)

[@ChemicalCorpse1]

Chinese Cooking Demystified Thank you! love your videos :)

[@davethesamuraichef5205]

Thank you for video I’ve wondering the proper technique.

[@sdushdiu]

For what its worth, as there seem to be some pretty strong preferences among wok material variations - which is fine as long as one is prepared to deal with the variations in performance they present., a simple objective comparison of pertinent material thermal characteristics might help by presenting a few numerical comparisons. As this will be transferred from a Word doc, I anticipate substantial editing to be required to re-establish the flow of the document - so I beg your indulgence.... ;-) With less carbon in its makeup, the metal in carbon-steel pans has a more uniform grain structure than does cast iron, helped along by mechanical processes such as rolling the metal between heavy rollers while it’s hot, and/or dousing it with cool water or oil, all of which helps “freeze” the grain structure in its best configuration, which makes the resulting metal stronger. As a result, carbon-steel pans can be made lighter and are more pliable (referred to as ductility); they’re made by cutting and pressing the shape of the pan from sheets of carbon steel, like cookies cut out of rolled-out cookie dough. That’s why carbon-steel pans are less weighty than cast-iron pans. Carbon steel woks are made even thinner by hammering or pressing a flat piece of steel which renders the center region typically a bit thinner than the edges. In fact, the average carbon steel wok is ½ to 2/3rds the mass of an equivalent cast iron wok - a significant factor in the thermal characteristics of woks made of varying materials. While cast products are certainly better-known, carbon steel (known best for its use in woks) can do nearly everything its sister can do without some of the drawbacks. Cast iron is a great conductor of heat: it maintains temperature and can withstand very high temperatures and spreads heat evenly. This makes this thicker cast iron a great option for searing and giving color to meat, like steak, because the surface of the skillet isn’t going to change temperature once you’ve placed the cold meat in the pan. In addition, because cast iron does just fine in the oven, you can use that very same pan to bake a pineapple upside down cake. The downside is that they do take some time to heat up and cool down, which can be annoying. Conversely, this built-in heat radiator effect can benefit you while using an item like a cast iron dutch oven to keep stews and other similar meals warmer longer. Unfortunately, this behavior is Not an advantage in a wok, where the ability of a thinner material is an advantage in establishing varying heat regions as the sides of the wok expand. Carbon steel doesn’t retain heat quite as well, and the significantly less massive sides of the thinner carbon steel wok will heat up and cool down much more quickly, creating a greater degree of thermal gradation as one ascends the side of a wok than with the thicker cast iron wok. And while feelings about their performance may vary, the objective science does not. For a comparison of the heat capacity - or amount of heat required to raise the material a specified amount - of carbon steel and cast iron: > 3kg of cast iron is heated from 20 oC to 100 oC. The specific heat of cast iron is 0.46 kJ/kgoC and the heat required can be calculated as: q = (0.46 kJ/kg oC) (3 kg) ((100 oC) - (20 oC)) = 110.4 (kJ) > For a carbon steel wok that is 2/3rds the mass of a cast iron wok: 2kg of carbon steel is heated from 20 oC to 100 oC. The specific heat of carbon steel is 0.49 kJ/kgoC and the heat required can be calculated as: q = (0.49 kJ/kg oC) (2 kg) ((100 oC) - (20 oC)) = 78.4 (kJ) > For a carbon steel wok that is 1/2 the mass of a cast iron wok: 1.5kg of carbon steel is heated from 20 oC to 100 oC. The specific heat of carbon steel is 0.49 kJ/kgoC and the heat required can be calculated as: q = (0.49 kJ/kg oC) (1.5 kg) ((100 oC) - (20 oC)) = 58.8 (kJ) - or almost half the heat required to heat a similar sized carbon steel wok to the same temperature. This may sound like a big difference, and it can be if one desires to increase the temperature during cooking, but that is not a commonly experienced issue. What is more significant is the rate of heat loss, which will dramatically affect the heat gradation in the sides of the wok not exposed to direct heat… For this we can simply use the equation for the amount of heat conducted - and in this case - lost to the environment. Rate = k•A•(T1 - T2)/d Where k - s the coefficient of thermal conductivity for a material A is the surface area - and in our example we will assume the same size/diameter and hence surface area of the two woks T1 is the inside temperature, and T2 is the outside temperature And d is the thickness of the material We are going to radically simplify this problem by assuming that T1 the inside and T2 outside environmental temperature are the same, as most woks are operated without a cover and where they would be the same for both woks. Thus this equation reduces to: Rate = k/d K of cast iron = 55Wm-1K-1 K of carbon steel = 50Wm-1K-1 For comparison sake, we will assume a thickness of a cast iron wok to be .3cm or .003m And for the carbon steel wok ½ as thick .0015m And for a carbon steel wok 1/3 as thick. .001m Thus, for cast iron, the rate of heat loss would be: 55Wm-1K-1/.003m = 18330 Watts For carbon steel ½ as thick: 50Wm-1K-1/.0015m = 33330 Watts And for carbon steel 1/3 as thick: 50Wm-1K-1/.001m = 50000 Watts A significant difference in rates of heat transfer - or about ~2.7 times, or rounded further, ~3 times faster. …A significant advantage to the carbon steel wok where this temperature gradation or difference in the outer edge region, is routinely exploited in stir-frying in order to regulate the rates at which various components do or do not cook in the same container. So....'you pay your money and makes your choice...' I hope this helps to quantify an aspect of some of the differences and aides you in your choice. So please Enjoy your choice, as whatever material you choose, you can't go wrong exploring the amazing world Chinese cuisine and the recipes that will be presented here!!!!

[@Snake-filledChimp]

I've been having problems keeping my wok seasoned, but I think it's because my wok is getting too hot and it's burning off the seasoning??? I didn't think that was possible but i suspect that's what's happening. I bought one of those outdoor wok burners and it gets ridiculously hot... so hot it can literally combust canola oil like throwing gasoline on an open flame 😅. Maybe I just need to learn to control the heat better, I don't know.

[@sheldontraviss839]

Liked because of the first 40 seconds of the video.

[@fredwells7403]

The abrasive side of my sponge really seems to scratch away my wok's seasoning. I feel like I need to be really careful to not burn anything, else it'll stick and I'll be forced to use that abrasive "scotchbrite" material. Is this normal? I can just reseason the wok obviously but I thought it would be more resilient to abrasion.

[@itsmederek1]

The reason you might want a flat bottomed wok is that you don’t have a gas stove that is fitted WITH a wok burner, NOT that you are not used to cooking Chinese food. Why would you suggest that?

[@therealchickentender]

Nothing wrong with a stainless wok, mate. Just takes different technique, but far less maintenance (well, hardly any) or care of yours seasoning layer. They're easy-peasy. I prefer carbon as well, but stainless gets it done as long as you're paying attention to your heat and fats. But cool video - thanks for taking some of the steam out of the gear-obsessed wok-talk always out there in the Western cooking world.

[@liranp5901]

that is the first time I see this intelligent handsome guy

[@douglasheld]

0:39 Holy crap, where did you find this piece of work?

[@profchaos9001]

Agree on the jet engine stove not really be that important, i guess its needed in a restaurant where they need to cut down cooking time as much as possible.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Yeah, I mean those stoves are cool. In a perfect world, we'd own one. I just hate this meme that seems to be circulating the English internet that you NEED some sort of 100k+ BTU stove to stir-fry. People gotta stop pointing their finger at their equipment and start analyzing their technique. In their defense I guess... sometimes when I ask a restaurant how they achieve XYZ result, a common runaround is 'using a restaurant stove'. Perhaps that's also a common experience abroad?

[@cdmurray88]

I'd think the stainless woks are for serving not cooking, the way we use chafing dishes in the West

[@owendavis7601]

Out of curiosity how much was the wok. ? In Hong Kong is harder to find basic carbon steel wok, most shops pushing non stick ones. Actually better and cheaper to buy in UK, irony abounds

[@TheHeraldOfChange]

Hey guys, I know you are busy, but I just wanted to pass a question by you. Have you, or are you considering upgrading from gas to Induction? I am seriously looking at replacing my stove top two burner gas range with a 3500Wx2 (flat/concave, portable) benchtop unit from Taobao (698RMB) in addition to my stand alone, matched units (concave, flat top, 358rmb/unit). As such, I'm curious about your thoughts and feelings about Induction cooking for Chinese food, in particular with relation to developing wok hei.

[@Pajtshiabx]

Have a safe travel:)

[@DLinton]

A nat lufa I should check if I can find a nice cheap one.

[@PinkIllimani]

I wanted to ask, what about cast iron and pure iron? A Chinese girl suggested me a wok that, according to her description, is made by iron.

[@rikosaikawa9024]

Wok out with your wok out

[@jonwhchia]

Great vid. Got a stupid question. How do you say carbon steel in China? there's so many diff terms

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

The Chinese? 生铁锅 (in Mandarin 'shengtieguo', Steph'd need to get back to ya for the Cantonese)

[@jonwhchia]

Thanks

[@melissahall7009]

Can you use dish soap to clean?

[@joeomundson]

Is it normal to still get stubborn crusty patches on the bottom after cooking with a seasoned carbon steel wok? Can't seem to figure out why that happens. They're hard to remove without steel wool and then the seasoning comes off too... which makes it even more sticky.

[@daano465]

Hey, what is the point of seasoning your Wok? And what does the darkening do? Is it good or bad for the quality of your Wok? Thanks!

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Ah, whoops, should've gone over that! Seasoning your wok chemically binds the oil to your wok, creating a non-stick surface. It's sorta analogous to adding varnish to hardwood. IIRC the carbon steel 'blackening' is really only a side effect of this process... it's good because it usually tells you a wok's well seasoned.

[@daano465]

Yes, thanks for explaining :) I think this is the best cooking channel i have yet to come across. The small details and authentic cooking is really what makes this different from other cooking channels.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Cheers, thanks! If this makes any sense, I always felt that there were sources that take authentic Chinese cooking seriously, and sources that take teaching how to cook seriously... but not much out there that take teaching how to cook authentic Chinese cooking seriously. To what extent we succeed or fail with that goal's totally up for debate, but that's the idea :)

[@kennypeere9146]

I might have been a tad lazy in maintaining my wok, for example not cleaning it rightaway after using it, and now there are a bunch of rusty spots all over. Should I get rid of it or is there still a way to save it?

[@codexnecro666]

I have watched a bunch of your videos before seeing this one and I always thought you were Chinese! I think your accent sounds really authentic! But then again I'm sure there are Chinese people watching and giggling at your weird American Chinese accent

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Haha yeah I've got an English/American accent when I speak Chinese. Less so on a word by word basis but it's *super* obvious when I speak whole sentences that I'm a foreign language learner. My Mandarin's usually clear enough though, it's Cantonese that's kinda amateur hour

[@kianbautista1016]

He looks nearly exactly as he sounds, he’s just missing glasses.

[@guavavodka]

So do you not recommend bluing the steel then? That seems to be a really common step for carbon steel woks

[@davidjeger115]

Hey! Have you any advice if im want to buy a wok and seasoning it, but im vegetarrian, so i would like to avoid the animal fat or the simple oil. Any kind of seasoned oil or veggie fat can work? Thanks. Keep the great work!

[@lisacastano1064]

I use corn or peanut most times

[@ironqqq]

Here in the western US if you go into a Chinese restaurant supply store you're likely to see stamped steel wok's and cast iron wok's 生鐵鍋. I could never figure out the advantage of cast iron wok's other than heat retention and you can't get that nice hard non-stick carbon buildup on the bottom. To any extent I have two of them at my house. I also have an aluminum wok's which are commonly found in Chinese and Korean home good stores but the only use I've found for them is boiling and steaming as they stick like crazy but they never rust. Any insight on cast iron wok's? Or perhaps I have not been taking proper care of the cast iron woks. I also have a 10" cast iron skillet which I have never been able to get it to season and become non stick. I'd wonder if I should just get rid of one of the cast iron woks and switch to a stamped steel.

[@stevengould9404]

Thumbs up... want a round bottom wok 14” or 33 cm - what do you recommend? Thanks

[@luquinhasleiva]

I have seasoned my wok with oil, a few times, but I don't like cooking with oil too much. Will stir frying with water damage the seasoning or is it okay? I have cooked in it for the third time and I have the impression that the black colour dissapeared in one spot but I was not using any acidic ingredients

[@johnhessey2534]

OMG da pan jie I miss it so much

[@garviniantso]

Can you please also do a video for chinese cleavers?

[@z6705]

you used pork fat in the seasoning process, would beef fat be a suitable substitute?

[@esterlau4050]

hi i love your video and cooking demo.regarding carbon steel wok how did you wash after cookin did you use dish soap.will it not rust.how to maintain.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

So re dish soap... I (Chris) use it, Steph doesn't. The important thing's to wash it right after using it (before you eat) and dry it over a high flame on your stove. Then you won't get a rusting problem :)

[@esterlau4050]

Thank you.

[@milesy7]

how about cast iron wok?

[@tkto13]

Any recommendations for an indoor portable stove? I live in Canada. Otherwise it has to be a flat bottom wok on out electric flat top stove.

[@lisacastano1064]

Any propane camp stove will work or you can get a butane burner in most Asian markets and Walmart has them in sporting goods Coleman makes it.

[@Andres-wh3cz]

What do you think of cast iron works? I bought one and like how it retains heat

[@therealchickentender]

They're great for really hot stirs... my only issue with them is how long it takes to cool it down if you need to.

[@bobbarna9165]

Cast iron woks are excellent but they are so damn heavy for the average cook.

[@Alyssalty]

I was given a brass wok as a gift some time ago. It's been working fine for me so far, but I never see too many cooking shows promoting their use. Do you know any pros or cons of brass woks? Just curious really as I'm not looking to purchase a new wok any time soon.

[@stephanieli7519]

Brass is rarely used as woks as brass utensils are very expensive here. We mostly see brass as pots for hot pots. For its pros: It heats up very fast, nice looking. Cons: it's relatively soft so it got scratches easier, try using silicon/wood spatula in it. And it looses its colour more easily. Other than these, it's mostly like a iron wok.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

Just to add to what +Stephanie Li said, it seems like brass woks are sort of a Thai/SE Asian thing :)

[@genepark6923]

There is a reason that copper and brass roots are tinned. you may want to investigate the possibility of toxins. The only bare copper pots that I know of are used the beat egg whites or to make polenta.

[@LadyAnuB]

​@@genepark6923 Copper is used for cooking carnitas in Mexico. It is also used for very good pans in France.

[@ikurasake]

Shouldn't have settled for getting my wok at Cash and Carry!

[@edadankmemes]

How do you tell if your wok has rust or patina?

[@MadMadCommando]

I haven't' seen this new wok on your channel lately. Was there something you didn't like about it?

[@Shashrika88]

I would love to get a round bottomed wok, but I'm worried about how to get it to be stable on my stove. How do you get a round bottomed wok to function on a gas stove? I've tried a wok ring, but then it puts the wok too high up and it won't heat up.

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

So I'm not an expert on Wok rings! So we're kinda spoiled here in China - even crap stoves like the ones that we use in the video are designed to hold a round-bottomed wok. All I can give you are a couple ideas. 1. Is it possible to remove your burner cover and place a wok ring in its stead? 2. Some Western burner covers can balance a round bottomed wok if you flip them upside-down. 3. Some people flip the wok ring upside down to allow it to get closer to your stove. 4. Someone on instructables got creative with their wok ring here: www.instructables.com/id/Vastly-Improve-a-Wok-Ring/ 5. While I think it's probably overkill, there's always products like WokMon on the market: www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/the-wok-mon-converts-your-home-burner-into-a-wok-range-solution.html