Why seasoning a wok

To put a beautiful patina on a wok inside and out, bake it. The oven method is favored by Tane Chan, the owner of the Wok Shop. Tane is proudly Chinese American. Two two woks at the top were baked. The process requires time but try it.

Does your wok have plastic handles that can be unscrewed? If yes, remove them with a screwdriver. That was the case with the Joyce Chen wok I bought from Amazon. If your wok has plastic handles that cannot be removed, like the cast iron wok below from the Wok Shop, wrap the handles in foil. I tried one covered in foil and one uncovered. One handle eventually cracked during cooking so use foil! Preheat the oven to F with a rack in the center position. Then wrap it in foil.

Repeat if you have another handle. This protects the parts during baking. Preheat the oven F with a rack in the center position. If your wok has metal handles, preheat the oven to F with a rack in the center position. Regardless of wok handle type, use paper towel to rub about 2 teaspoons of virgin flaxseed oil or canola oil on the interior and exterior metal surface. Then invert the wok and place it on the oven rack.

Bake it for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and let things gradually cool for 15 to 30 minutes. This continues the seasoning process and allows the wok to cool so you can retrieve it with few hassles. Remove the wok from the oven, then let it cool for about 45 minutes before carefully unwrapping the foil and removing the damp cloth. Now, heat the wok over medium, add 2 tablespoons of oil canola, peanut, grapeseed and 1 large sliced onion. Stir-fry the onion, pressing it all over the interior.

Discard the onions, wash the wok without dish soap and use the softer side of the sponge. Heat the wok over low for about 2 minutes, until the wok is dry. During the first month or two, try to use your wok at least three times a week. You can fry an egg in it, for example. Shallow-fry, pan-fry, deep-fry, stir-fry in the wok. I do not steam in the wok because that removes the patina.

Repeated usage allows the wok to further develop its seasoning. Expect the wok to change color during its youth. Note that any links to Amazon on this website are affiliate links.

I earn a small referral fee, which I put back into maintaining this site. Thanks for the support. Links to Amazon from this website may generate a small amount of income to help support VWK. Advertisements also enable ongoing content creation. Thanks for visiting and contributing to good food knowledge! Hi Andrea, I have never seen or heard of anyone in my family or acquaintances seasoning a wok!

I guess I don't quite understand the rationale - can't just heating up your wok and then just doing all the standard cooking in it suffice? When did this kind of practice start?

Is this from a certain region? I have so many questions, but I guess that just means I'll have to do some research, haha. Can you recommend which method would work best for other kids of food? I'm still in surprise that this is a legitimate practice and that I've never heard of this. I have a few woks myself and I've never felt inclined that they needed prep beforehand like a baking pan.

Thanks again for all your insights and advice, per usual, you're one of my favorites and I'm so upset I cannot go up to Portland to meet you!!

The seasoning is for a brand new wok. That's the standard approach that goes way back. I didn't invent this. Seasoning a wok is not required for each dish cooked. Once a wok is seasoned, it's ready for cooking. But know that it's the old school kind -- made of carbon steel and cast iron, that require an initial seasoning.

You've mentioned that soap should not be used when washing wok whilecseasoning it. What about washing after cooking, are we not supposed to use dish soap also? I often wash a dirty wok without soap but I let it cool for a minute before taking the warm wok to the sink to scrub. Wok superstar and guru Grace Young says you can use a drop of dish soap when washing the wok. Sometimes there's soap leftover in my scrubby sponge so I don't feel like so bad.

A touch of soap is Grace approved. Hi Andrea--firstly, thanks for all of the knowledge you share not just on woks. I really enjoy following your work! Secondly, I got around to seasoning my new carbon steel wok did a combo of the oven and potato peels, because I had the time and thought it made sense in a completely unfounded "more is better" approach. The surface is relatively nonstick and I understand it will continue to develop over time. I first tested with chicken, which did not leave residue after cleaning.

Next, I fried a few eggs, Thai style, and they lifted pretty easily, but I was left with a very thin, small, patchy layer of caked on whites. The kind that's not so noticeable unless it's under a light. I washed with the soft side of a sponge and no soap Use a blowtorch for faster results!

So remember, the secret to seasoning a wok is to scrub, burn, oil , and smoke. Happy wokking, folks. Begin your journey to wok stardom with a custom-made School of Wok wok! Just click here to check out your options online, or pop by our Covent Garden cookery school to take a look in person! Posted on Fri 12th November So… how do you season a wok? Scrub Most shop-bought woks are layered with an anti-rust film to protect them while sitting on the shelf - so the first step is to scrub this off.

Burn Burn, baby, burn! Oil Once your wok has been burnt, allow it to cool before then coating the inside with a thin layer of a high heating oil, such as vegetable or sunflower oil. Smoke Back to the burn! Sign up to our newsletter where we share our totally wokking news, tips, and tricks of the trade Enter your details today and get offers and updates direct to your inbox. By signing up to our newsletter, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. Please make sure you have read and accepted the Terms and Conditions.